Jon Cooper: Brad Marchand will play for Canada in Olympic quarterfinal

A veteran presence is expected to play in the knockout stage at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

When speaking to the media after the team’s dominant win over France on Sunday, Canada head coach Jon Cooper revealed that forward Brad Marchand will be in the lineup for the squad’s quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday.

Cooper didn’t reveal who Marchard would replace in the lineup.

Whether Marchand actually plays is to be foreseen. Cooper stated that the Florida Panthers forward was going to play against France in Canada’s final game of the preliminary round, but he was noticeably absent when the lineups were announced. Canada seemed no worse without him, running away with a 10-2 victory over the French to secure the top seed heading into the next stage of the tournament.

Marchand has played just one game so far in Milan, coming in Canada’s first game of Group A action last week against Czechia. He posted an assist in the team’s strong 5-0 win, setting the tone for what was a relatively dominant opening round.

The 37-year-old was named to the Canadian roster to ensure a veteran presence in the first Olympics with NHL participation, giving Marchand his first experience at the Winter Games. He was a key depth player in Canada’s run to the 4 Nations Face-Off championship last February, which marked the first time he represented his country since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, where he played a hero’s role on Canada’s way to the gold medal.

Marchand had been having a great season with the Panthers leading up to the Olympics. Through 46 games, the Halifax native had scored 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points, sitting second on the team in scoring heading into the break.

Canada’s opponent for its final eight matchup is yet to be determined.