*NHL teammates, now international rivals, will be on full display when Team Sweden and Team Latvia conclude the current four-game schedule Panthers, Penguins And Lightning players compete for a date against No. 2 seed Team USA.
* Team Sweden and Team Czech Republic look to join Team Canada, Team USA and Team Finland with six quarterfinal appearances at the Olympic Games with NHL involvement.
* Milano Cortina 2026 is the third straight Winter Olympics featuring NHL players with a qualifying playoffs round. From the previous two tournaments, one team advanced to the quarterfinals as number 10 or lower.
MEN’S HOCKEY TOURNAMENT FOR THE KNOCKOUT PHASE IN MILANO CORTINA
After 18 games and 122 goals during the round robin play, eight countries will be in action on Tuesday during the Qualifying Play-offs of the men’s hockey tournament at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games with a place in the quarter-finals at stake: Team Germany vs. Team France; Team Switzerland vs. Team Italy; Team Czech Republic vs. Team Denmark; and Team Sweden vs. Team Latvia.
* Team Sweden and Team Czech Republic have qualified for the quarterfinals of each of their five previous Winter Olympics with NHL involvement. A sixth-place finish would tie Team Canada, Team Finland and Team USA – each of which has already secured a spot in the knockout round in Milan – for the most of any country.
* Milano Cortina 2026 will be the third consecutive Winter Olympics to feature NHL players in a qualifying playoffs, following 2014 And 2010. In that scenario, only one team has advanced to the quarterfinals after entering the round in 10th place or lower: Latvia (No. 11; 2014 vs climbing).
Qualification Play-offs Quick hits
A look at single-game highlights from the Winter Olympic Qualifying Playoffs featuring NHL players:
Most goals
2 – Alexander Radulov (RUS, 2014)
– Lauris Darzins (LAT, 2014)
– Marian Hossa (SVK, 2014)
– Roman Cervenka (CZE, 2014)
– Jarome Iginla (KAN, 2010)
Most assists
3 – Pavel Datsyuk (RUS, 2014)
– Eric Staal (KAN, 2010)
Most points
3 – Alexander Radulov (RUS, 2014)
– Pavel Datsyuk (RUS, 2014)
– Eric Staal (KAN, 2010)
Most rescues
47 – Edgars Masalskis (LAT, 2010)
41 – Andrei Mezin (BLR, 2010)
36 – Pat Grotnes (NOR, 2010)
32 – Edgars Masalskis (LAT, 2014)
TEAMMATES, NOW RIVALS: SWEDEN MEETS LATVIA IN WIN-OR-GO HOME OUTING
Team Sweden finished on the podium the last time the men’s hockey tournament was held at the Winter Olympics in Italy, won gold in Turin in 2006, and now has a meeting with Team Latvia to determine which country will face No. 2 seed Team USA in the quarterfinals. Tuesday, the third ever meeting between the two countries at the Olympics featuring NHL players and the first after the round robin (2014RR & 2006RR), features a handful of NHL teammates on either side.
* Erik Karlsson (0-3-3) is one of three Swedish players who took part in the last head-to-head meeting between the two countries at the Olympic Games with NHL players (also Gabriel Landeskog And Olivier Ekman-Larsson). The Penguins defender, with 4-7-11 in nine career Olympic appearances, needs one assist to tie Chris Pronger (1-8—9 in 25 GP), Marek Zidlicky (6-8—14 in 17 GP) and Tomás Kaberle (3-8-11 in 22 GP) for the third most assists by a blueliner in Olympic tournaments with NHL participation. Elastic Timonen (3-10—13 in 30 GP) and compatriot Nicklas Lidstrom (4-10—14 in 20 GP) top the list.
* Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons (0-4-4) suited up for Latvia during winter 2014 Olympic Games – a tournament in which his country participated in the qualifying play-offs as a No. 11 seed en route to a victory against Team Switzerland (Girgensons had 0-1-1). His five career assists (1-5-6 in 8 GP) at the Olympic Games with NHL involvement are the third by a Latvian skater, behind Alexander Nizivy (4-8-12 in 13 GP) and Stanley Cup Champion 1995-96 Sandy Ozolinsh (1-7—8 in 11 GP).
POINT PRODUCERS ON FULL DISPLAY FOR CZECH REPUBLIC VS. DENMARK
Avalanche forward Martin Necas (2-3-5) and Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers (1-2-3) highlights the third game of the qualifying round of the playoffs, with the winner of this game taking on No. 1 seed Team Canada in the quarterfinals. Tuesday’s match marks the third all-time meeting between Team Czech Republic and Team Denmark Olympic Games but first with participation in the NHL and first in the knockout phase.
* Ehlers (1-2-3), the highest scoring Danish player in NHL history in terms of goals, points And assistsis fresh from scoring a winning goal for his country in the final match of Group C – Team Denmark’s first-ever win at the Winter Olympics with NHL players. Ehlers’ current teammates, Morten Poulsen And Mark Lauridsen were crucial for the country during the winter of 2022 Olympic Games While each striker helped the country progress to the quarter-finals with goals against Team Latvia.
* Necas (2-3-5), featured in the NHL’s YouTube series, “My World”, which highlights some of the game’s brightest internationals starscompeted at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with an average of highest points-per-game pace of his career (1.19 P/GP) and has continued his offensive production with Team Czech Republic. He needs one point to tie the score Vinnie He overslept (4-2-6 in 2006) for third place by a Czech player in a single Olympic tournament with NHL players, trailing by only one Martin Straka (2-6-8 in 2006) and Jaromir Jagr (2-5-7 in 2006).
SWITZERLAND WATCHES MORE DEFENSE ATTACK AGAINST HOSTS ITALY
Devils teammates Timo Meier (3-1-4) and Nico Hischier (0-1-1), as well Predators captain Roman sew (1-2-3) lead their club into a showdown with the host country as Team Switzerland and Team Italy clash for a chance to face No. 4 seed Team Finland in the quarterfinals. This will be their second meeting in a row Olympic Games with NHL participation after the two countries skated to a 3-3 tie in the round robin of the Torino Winter 2006 Olympic Games.
* Sew, featured in the NHL’s YouTube series, “My World,’, which highlights some of the game’s brightest internationals starshas set his sights on guiding Switzerland to its third-ever appearance in the quarterfinals of an Olympic Games, with NHL players to follow 2010 And 2006. The Predators The captain has helped Team Switzerland produce 3-8-11 from their defensemen in Milano Cortina – the most in a single Olympic tournament with NHL involvement.
* Team Italy goalkeeper and Ducks expectation Damien Clara has recorded 95 shots in the tournament as he looks to stop the home nation to their second ever Olympic Games win with NHL players after the Azzurri beat Austria during the 1998 preliminary round. Team Italy looks to become the fourth host nation to advance to at least the quarterfinals of a tournament featuring NHL skaters, following Team Russia (2014), Team Canada (2010) and Team USA (2002).
GERMAN STARS LEAD CLUB TO SECOND HEAD-TO-HEAD Clash WITH TEAM FRANCE
Senators forward Tim Stutzle (4-0—4), which shares the tournament lead in goals, and Oil squirters forward Leon Draisaitl (1-2-3) headlines a matchup between Team Germany and Team France in the qualifying playoffs – the second ever meeting between the two countries at the Winter Olympics featuring NHL players (also PRLM from 1998). Team France has its sights set on the first quarterfinal, including participation in the NHL, while Team Germany has its sights set on the second (2002 in the US). The winner of this match will play against Team Slovakia, number 3, in the quarter-finals.
* Louis Boudon (2-1-3 in 3 GP) has been a regular contributor to France’s offense throughout the tournament and could become the country’s third different skater to score three or more goals in a single Olympic competition with NHL players. He would participate Philip Bozon (5 in 1998 and 3 in 2002) and Maurice Rozenthal (4 in 2002).
*Stützle, featured in the NHL’s YouTube series, “My World”, which highlights some of the game’s brightest internationals starshas found the back of the net for Team Germany in every game at the start of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. He could become the fourth player to score in four consecutive Olympics involving NHL players, joining Slovakia Marian Hossa (4 GP in 2006), Finland Teemu Selanne (4 GP in 2006) and Sweden Mats Sundin (4 GP in 2002). NB: Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini This is also possible with Canada.
QUICK CLICKS
* Olympic qualifying playoffs discussed by NHL.com staff
* Team USA played smart to win the Olympic quarterfinals
* Tom Wilson was ‘excellent’ on and off the ice Olympic Games for Team Canada
* Juraj Slafkovsky evolves into ‘adult man’ for Team Slovakia in 2nd Olympic appearance
* Leonardo Genoni blossoms for Team Switzerland Olympic Games despite never reaching NHL
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