The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics has finally reached the knockout stages. Eight teams will try to keep their hopes of reaching the medal round alive by qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Germany vs. France (6:10)
After winning one game in the preliminary round, the Germans will look to bounce back from their loss to the United States on February 15 and will rely on their NHL talent to get the offense going against a French team they need to overpower. Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers) and Tim Stützle (Ottawa Senators) have led the way for Germany so far. They haven’t had much success with the man advantage and will need to get their power play unit rolling if they want to try and reach the medal round of this year’s Olympics. Philipp Grubauer (Seattle Kraken) looked strong in the two games he played for the Germans and will likely be in the fold in a win or go home match.
France did not win any of the three games in the preliminary round, but were always a difficult team to play against. They don’t have the depth or top skills of the Germans, and after they are blown away 10-2 by the Canadians on February 15they will try to keep this game much closer. The French team will not back down from their opponents and will have to maintain that mentality if they want to have a chance of dispelling the unrest.
Favorite: Germany
Italy vs Switzerland (6:10)
The host country team, Italy, failed to win a match in the preliminary round and face an uphill task in beating Switzerland to fulfill their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals. After a tough game against Slovakia in their 3–2 defeat on 13 February, they found themselves on the wrong end of a great match against Finland the next day, losing 11–0. They haven’t seen much from their offense and will have to rely on their defense and goaltending in this game. Keeping the Swiss away from high-risk areas and taking advantage of any additional attacking opportunities will be crucial for the Italians to have a chance in this match.
After subtracting one victory over the Czech Republic in extra time in their final preliminary round match on February 15, the Swiss enter as runners-up in Group A. Many thought they could be a surprise team at the start of the Olympics, and they have not disappointed. Even in their defeat to Canada, they stuck with the high-powered lineup for as long as possible before the Canadians pulled away for a 5-1 win. Timo Meier (New Jersey Devils) has led the way for Switzerland, while Roman Josi (Nashville Predators) has been his normal self on both ends of the ice and has been solid defensively.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament
They will have to get Meier’s Devils teammate Nico Hischier up and running, who has scored just one point in the Swiss’ three games so far. Leonardo Genoni has been a standout for Switzerland in net, and it will be interesting to see who they play in this match: him or Akira Schmid (Vegas Golden Knights).
Favorite: Switzerland
Czech Republic vs Denmark (10:40)
The fall to Switzerland pushed the Czech Republic into the third seed in Group A, and they will face Denmark, a team with a upset on their minds. The usual suspects led the way for the Czechs, with Martin Nečas (Colorado Avalanche) and David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins) leading the way. They will need both players to continue their solid play and beat a strong Danish team. Keeping an eye on how their goaltending performs will be something intriguing as both Lukas Dostal (Anaheim Ducks) and Dan Vladař (Philadelphia Flyers) have seen time in net for the Czechs. A fast start will be the key to keeping Denmark on their heels in this match.
Denmark won its only preliminary round match against Latvia on February 15but they were another team that was a tough opponent. They kept both losses close with their tenacity and never-give-up attitude, and will need more of them against a more skilled Czech line-up. Nick Olesen has led the way offensively for Switzerland, and Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina Hurricanes) has been what the team has needed so far. Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes) will likely be in net for the Swiss as they look to play Canada in the quarter-finals.
Favorite: Czech Republic
Sweden vs Latvia (3:10 PM)
The Swedes bounced back from their 4-1 defeat to Finland on February 13 to earn their second Olympic win against Slovakia on February 14 and appear to be hitting their stride offensively. They’ve gotten plenty of production from top to bottom, with Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings) leading the way. Defensively, Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres) continues to stand out on both ends of the ice. The biggest question mark for Sweden is what they get out of their goaltending. Jacob Markström (New Jersey Devils) has not looked his best through the team’s first three games and will need a better performance in net against Latvia.
Latvia look to pull off a big upset and have a chance thanks to their nasty playing style and ability to put constant pressure on their opponents. They may not have the depth that the Swedes have, but they have the determination and are very beneficial when given an extra chance in the attacking zone. Artūrs Šilovs (Pittsburgh Penguins) has looked solid in the three games he has featured for the Latvians and he will be heavily relied upon to keep the Swedes’ top talent at bay as the team in front of him tries to get things going.
Ultimately, however, Sweden has too much firepower for Latvia to keep up and would have to pull out a win, setting up a showdown with the United States in the quarterfinals.
Favorite: Sweden
Could there be disruptions?
In a one-game series, in any sport, upsets can always happen (look at the NCAA basketball tournament), and that could be on the line in the men’s hockey tournament at this year’s Olympics. Is it likely? Maybe not, but each of these games will have a lot of excitement and meaning for each country, and anything is possible.
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