2026 Olympic Men’s Hockey: Top standouts from qualification round
The first batch of men’s Olympic hockey teams has been eliminated.
Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Czechia are the four teams moving on to Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchups. On the flipside, Latvia, France, Italy, and Denmark are going home, wondering what could have been had things worked out a little differently.
Here’s a breakdown of everything that happened from the four games in Milan, Italy on Tuesday:
Czechia 3, Denmark 2
It wasn’t easy for the pre-game favorites, but Czechia has moved on to the quarterfinals after beating Denmark 3-2 on Tuesday in qualification-round action.
The Czechs will take on Canada at 8:10 AM ET on Wednesday, with the winner moving on to Friday’s semifinal.
The first period didn’t have much to write home about, with neither team making many high-quality plays. That all changed at 25:39, when Martin Necas’ quick wrister made it 1-0. Alexander True scored at 29:02 to tie the game up, only for David Kampf and Roman Cervenka to score at 30:15 and 31:24, respectively, to make it 3-1.
But the Danes weren’t done. While they struggled to sustain much pressure, they’d get a goal out of Nick Olesen at 37:12 to make it a one-goal game again. That seemed to give them some momentum heading into the third period, but despite their best efforts, it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset.
Czechia
#17 Filip Hronek, D (Vancouver Canucks): Hronek was relied on heavily late in this game as the Danes started to ramp up the pressure. Hronek had an assist in this one, and made some other good plays to get the puck out of the zone under pressure. His play in Vancouver has been criticized at times, but it feels like we’ve seen him at his best throughout this tournament. He is easily the team’s most dynamic defenseman.
#44 Jan Rutta, D: Rutta was injured in the opening game against Canada and didn’t play again in the round-robin. But today, he came flying out of a cannon, taking two quality shots in the first period before setting up Kampf’s second-period goal. Rutta isn’t known for his high-end puck movement, but his NHL experience has come in a bit today as he seemed more engaged than we’re used to seeing. Defensively, he was solid, as well.
#19 Jakub Flek, LW: Flek didn’t play a ton while patrolling the fourth line, but he still had four shots and seemed to do a lot around the net. That line isn’t exactly known for its high-end offense, but Flek is a good energy guy who always seems to be looking for opportunities to steal pucks. I hadn’t noticed him much before today but thought he looked effective, for the most part.
#98 Martin Necas, RW (Colorado Avalanche): Necas has been Czechia’s best player all tournament long, and it’s not close. He scored the opening goal tonight off a great shot and then assisted Kampf’s first of the tournament. Necas is a powerful shooter who can dominate a shift in a way very few on this Czech team can. His confidence has been second-to-none – he’ll pass it when he needs to, or rush it in when it’s the best play possible. Either way, teams have struggled to deal with him.
Denmark
#31 Frederik Andersen, G (Carolina Hurricanes): It doesn’t matter who it is – Danish goaltenders have always had to be busy, and often come out looking good. Andersen allowed a goal on his first shot against in the tournament and never seemed comfortable in the prior loss to Germany. Andersen was great against Latvia and even better today, fighting off a Czech attack that grew a bit more desperate in the second half. Andersen is one of the older goalies in the tournament, but he still moves very well and played better the busier he got. Without him holding the fort early on, the Danes weren’t going to stick around.
#11 Alexander True, C: That shot that made it 1-1 was a goal-scorer’s goal. He loves hovering around the crease and looking for opportunities to capitalize. He’s a good two-way guy who can be inconsistent at times, but his chemistry with Joachim Blichfeld was impressive. He’s huge, and while he’s not the world’s best skater, he makes up for it by overpowering opponents.
#86 Joachim Blichfeld, RW: Blichfeld had a pair of assists and nearly scored a few times himself in the second period. He’s a skilled forward who couldn’t make it work in the NHL, but has been highly productive in Europe. He’s one of the smarter puck distributors, often looking for linemates to set up on the rush. Denmark’s tournament is over, but Blichfeld looked solid overall.
#95 Nick Olesen, LW: If you didn’t know Olesen before this year, now you do. His low-up internationally has been remarkable. He didn’t produce much internationally for years. Before 2025, he never had more than three points at a World Championship. Last year? 12 points, and now he has four goals in four games for the Czechs. With Oliver Bjorkstrand being completely invisible on the scoresheet, it’s been good to see Olesen pick up the slack.
Germany 5, France 1
Germany is off to the quarterfinal after beating France 5-1 on Tuesday afternoon in Milano, Italy.
The Germans will take on Slovakia at 6:10 AM ET on Wednesday with the chance to qualify for the semifinal on Friday. France, meanwhile, will refocus on trying to make it back to the top division of the IIHfFWorld Championship for 2027 after getting relegated to Division IA last spring.
Josh Samanski and Edmonton Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl connected twice for goals, while Draisaitl would also snag an extra assist. Frederik Tiffels, would score Germany’s second goal, while JJ Peterka would add one himself to help extend the lead. Nico Sturm would cap the night off with an empty-netter with about a minute to go in the game.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored France’s lone goal in what was likely his final major national team game with France. It came shortly after the team elected to sit Julian Junca after a rough first period, with Antoine Keller keeping the team in net with a good performance in goal.
France
#30 Antoine Keller, G (Washington Capitals): Keller didn’t start this game. But after Julian Junca’s rough first period, Keller came in as relief and was rock solid the rest of the way. Sometimes, a goalie change can be enough to spark a team. Germany scored shortly into the second period and then Keller shut the door throughout the rest of the frame. It felt like a really strong showing from a goaltender trying to prove he can handle the pressure in what has been an otherwise difficult experience for the team’s crease guardians.
#41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, C: If this indeed is the final major event of Bellemare’s career, he went out with a bang. He’s not known as a goal-scorer, but he fired a shot from behind the goal line that went off a defender and in to give France some life. Bellemare is on the oldest side at 40, but he still laid everything on the line with a strong two-way effort. He’s a leader, through and through.
Germany
#18 Tim Stutzle, C (Ottawa Senators): Stutzle had a solid two-assist effort, starting the puck movement on the opening power-play goal and then setting up Peterka on the 3-0 marker. Stutzle has given defenders nightmares because, after they feel like they’ve dealt with Draisaitl, Stutzle has been there to pick up the slack just a shift later. Draisaitl has had a better tournament overall, but Stutzle has been very, very important to Germany’s success.
#29 Leon Draisaitl, C (Edmonton Oilers): Again, surprise surprise. Draisaitl scored the first goal, assisted two others, and then led the charge, shot-wise, throughout most of the game. He even gave up what would have been a sure empty-net goal to let Nico Sturm hit the scoresheet at the end. Draisaitl knows how important his own effort is to Germany’s success and it feels like he’s always trying to take the team on his back. That doesn’t mean he needs to be the one scoring, though, because he’s also the team’s best playmaker, and his physical strength makes it tough to contain him.
#44 Josh Samanski, LW (Edmonton Oilers): Samanski scored a goal and helped creating another, exploiting the extra ice on the power play. He’s a big guy who loves to spend time by the opponents’ crease, and it paid off with his best showing to date. Samasnki isn’t a high-skill forward but he’s tough to push around and loves to make life miserable for goaltenders.
#77 JJ Peterka, RW (Utah Mammoth): This felt like Peterka’s best game. He scored the 3-0 goal on a great shot, but he was also one of Germany’s better backchecking wingers. He’s one of Germany’s most skilled forwards, making creative plays on the rush at speed. It just felt like Peterka was in the right spot at the right time more often than not in this one.
Switzerland 3, Italy 0
Switzerland is off to the quarterfinals after its power play helped it cruise to a 3-0 victory over Italy on Tuesday afternoon.
The Swiss will now play Finland at 12:10 PM ET on Wednesday, while the Italians will shift their focus to staying alive at the top division of the men’s World Championship in May.
All three of Switzerland’s goals came on the man advantage. Philipp Kurashev scored just over a minute into the game, while Roman Josi made it 2-0 at 10:25. Italian goaltender Damian Clara played some of his best hockey the rest of the way, keeping the Swiss at bay when playing at 5-on-5.
Nico Hischier would ultimately put the Italians away with the 3-0 goal in the third period, securing Leonardo Genoni’s second shutout in three games.
Italy
Damian Clara, G (Anaheim Ducks): After making 30 saves in the first 40 minutes, and 45 overall, it was clear Clara came to play today. He had a great opening game against Sweden but struggled a bit against Finland. Today, though, he was the only reason the game wasn’t a total blowout as the Swiss came out flying in this one. He was perfect at 5-on-5, allowing the Italians to build up confidence and try and make something happen at the other end. It wasn’t enough, but everyone knows Clara’s name now.
#9 Daniel Mantenuto, C: Mantenuto was a human wrecking ball out there. He kept forcing the issue physically, while also being Italy’s best backchecker. He’s not known as a big-time goal-scorer, but he’s a good support player who plays with a ton of energy. He proved that today – the Swiss were frustrated with him.
Switzerland
#90 Roman Josi, D (Nashville Predators): Josi continues to be Switzerland’s best player. Nobody drives the play like he does, and he’s the team’s best defenseman, no question about it. At times this year, we’ve seen Josi play at a lower level than we’re used to. But wearing the red and white again, Josi is playing with so much confidence. This tournament clearly means something to him. With the Preds in the playoff hunt, Josi could return with all the momentum on his side.
#13 Nico Hischier, C (New Jersey Devils): It took a while, but Hischier finally scored his first goal of the tournament – the 3-0 power-play maker. He assisted both power-play goals, and had five shots in the first two periods alone. Hischier has been so active with the puck all tournament, so it’s remarkable that it took him so long to finally snag one. With three points in this fight, Hischier was my favorite forward today.
#17 Ken Jager, C: As a fourth liner, it’s easy to overlook Jager. But he’s energetic and does a great job of forcing turnovers and jamming the net. I liked him at the last World Championship – his relentless energy is perfect for the fourth line. The team doesn’t need him to score, but he seemed quite involved around the net.
#22 Nino Niederreiter, RW (Winnipeg Jets): El Nino was one of Swiss players who needed to step up the most after an underwhelming round robin. He didn’t score today, but he kept the pressure on with four really good looks during the first two periods. It felt like he played with more urgency and was buzzing all over the ice as a result. Switzerland will still need more out of him tomorrow to keep their tournament alive, but this was his most impactful game with the puck.
#28 Timo Meier, RW (New Jersey Devils): Meier had a pair of assists in this one, showing a high level of patience and confidence on the power play. He’s fully capable of slowing things down when he needs to before making a high-quality passing play. Meier is smart, skilled and having a strong tournament, especially over the past two games.
Sweden 5, Latvia 1
After starting the tournament looking a bit discombobulated, Sweden has advanced to the quarterfinal with a 5-1 victory over Latvia.
The Swedes will take on the United States in the final quarterfinal bout on Wednesday at 3:10 PM ET.
Sweden has had some tough periods in this tournament, but the first wasn’t one of them. Goals from Adrian Kempe and Gabriel Landeskog gave the Tre Kronor an early 2-0 advantage, while Filip Forsberg would tally his first early in the second.
But a goal from Eduards Tralmaks put Sweden back on its toes – they couldn’t get complacent the rest of the way. Latvia brought a bit more life to the rest of the second period, knowing they were still in it with the final stanza still left on the board. Despite some decent looks in the third, Latvia couldn’t find a way to beat Jacob Markstrom again, with Mika Zibanejad and William Nylander adding goals to finish off the victory.
Latvia
#26 Uvis Balinskis, D (Florida Panthers): Balinksis hasn’t been my favorite Latvian defender over the past week – Kristians Rubins has. But I thought this was Balinskis’ best game. The puck spent much more time out of Latvia’s zone than in it with the 29-year-old on the ice. Balinskis played the most minutes of any defender, making smart, efficient passes all game long. He even got in the lane of a few scoring chances against, for good measure.
#28 Zemgus Girgensons, LW (Tampa Bay Lightning): Girgensons has never been a point-producer, and putting him on Latvia’s top line is a reflection of the team’s lack of scoring. But it felt like he was one of the only players who consistently seemed active on the attack. He’s strong, he can grind you down, and he’s smart, but he typically gets too involved offensively. Today was his best game of the tournament, even if Latvia looked flat as a group.
#34 Eduards Tralmaks, LW (Detroit Red Wings): Tralmaks was buzzing around the Swedish net and eventually scored the 1-0 goal. The big forward spent a lot of time transporting the puck through open ice, and was nearly unbeatable on the zone entries. Tralmaks has had a solid tournament overall – nothing too crazy, but he’s usually making space for himself. Today, he was rewarded for his hard work.
Sweden
#25 Jacob Markstrom, G (New Jersey Devils): Markstrom isn’t on here because he did anything remarkable. Instead, it was just the best goaltending effort among Sweden’s four games, helping them gain some stability. Goaltending has been Sweden’s weakest position in Italy, so they needed Markstrom, who has often looked bad in New Jersey this season, to shore things up and shut the door down. Beyond the rebound on the 3-1 Latvia goal, Markstrom was good.
#42 Gustav Forsling, D (Florida Panthers): Forsling has been arguably Sweden’s most consistent player. I have often preferred Dahlin’s upside with the puck, but Forsling has been as flawless as it gets in his zone most shifts. His main job is getting the puck out of danger and he does it quite consistently. His shot is excellent, he is active on the rush and he’ll take your space away when you’re trying to blow by him on the attack.
#65 Erik Karlsson, D (Pittsburgh Penguins): Karlsson had a primary assist on Forsberg’s first goal of the tournament, giving Sweden a nice 3-0 advantage. Karlsson then shut down a Latvian player before helping make the 4-1 goal happen, although he wasn’t given an assist. Still, in a tournament where the veteran blueliner has looked rather ordinary, this felt more like prime Swedish Erik Karlsson.
#23 Lucas Raymond, RW (Detroit Red Wings): Raymond had the primary assist on both of the goals scored by his line. He loves having the puck on his stick because he knows most defenders can’t handle how patient or skilled he can be, depending on the situation. Raymond has gotten better as the tournament has worn on, which is important given how invisible he was early.
#92 Gabriel Landeskog, LW (Colorado Avalanche): Being on this Swedish team meant so much to Landeskog, who, at one point, wasn’t sure if he was going to return to high-level hockey again. With a goal and an assist in this one, this felt like one of Landeskog’s best games since the 2022 Stanley Cup final. He played with speed, strength and moved the puck incredibly well. Landeskog scored early in the tournament, but today’s was his best, by far.
#93 Mika Zibanejad, C (New York Rangers): Zibanejad had a goal and an assist in this one. Go watch the tape – he seemed to be alone in the offensive zone so often. That’s what he does, getting himself into scoring lanes and showing chemistry with just about everyone he plays with. Raymond and Landeskog were the flashier forwards on that Swedish line, but Z kept things glued together.
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