Olympic Hockey Bracket Set: Win or Go Home in Milano Cortina 2026
The road to Olympic gold just turned ruthless in Milano Cortina and from this point forward, one mistake sends you home.
The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Games has officially moved into the single-elimination stage. All 12 teams advance, but there are no second chances now. The top four seeds — Canada, the United States, Slovakia and Finland — earned a direct pass to the quarterfinals. Everyone else must survive a qualification playoff just to stay alive.
And these matchups are loaded with tension.
Switzerland, seeded fifth, faces host nation Italy. Switzerland enters with momentum after an emotional overtime win over Czechia in the preliminary round. Defenseman J.J. Moser has been a standout, producing at a historic level for a Swiss blue liner in an NHL-player Olympic tournament. Italy, still searching for its first win after three overtime losses, now plays for national pride on home ice. That pressure can either crush a team or inspire something unforgettable.
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Germany meets France in another early showdown. Germany stumbled late in the preliminaries, including a tough loss to Team USA, but Tim Stützle has been electric with four goals in three games. France, meanwhile, has quietly built resilience through close contests and is leaning on offensive spark from Louis Boudon. In a one-game scenario, form can flip fast.
Then there’s Sweden against Latvia. Sweden has been firing shots at a staggering rate, recording multiple 50-shot performances. That kind of offensive pressure can overwhelm opponents, but Latvia has shown it can frustrate teams and capitalize on chances. Zemgus Girgensons is already tying Olympic records for Latvian playmakers. This is the kind of matchup where discipline and goaltending decide everything.
And perhaps the most intriguing pairing is Czechia versus Denmark. Czechia is still stinging from that overtime defeat to Switzerland. Martin Necas has led their offense, but Denmark just secured a statement win over Latvia, with Nikolaj Ehlers scoring a crucial goal. Denmark has beaten Czechia before in recent Olympic play, though never in a tournament featuring NHL players. History is thin, stakes are high and belief is growing.
This tournament matters beyond medals. It marks the return of NHL players to the Olympic stage for the first time since 2014. That raises the level of play, the intensity and the global spotlight. Careers can be defined here. Nations can unite behind a single goal.
From now until the gold medal game on February 22, every shift counts. Every shot matters. Every mistake echoes.
Stay with us as the Olympic hockey bracket unfolds, because the chase for gold is only getting more dramatic from here.
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