Canada’s Nhlers Impressing At Olympic Games - Beritaja

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MILAN – Canada boarded a level for Italy past play pinch tons of firepower — and a fewer questions.

The NHL’s return to Olympic title pursuing a 12-year absence meant violative dynamos Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon would yet get a chance to show their wares connected the world stage.

There was excitement about the inclusion of Macklin Celebrini up front, too.

The areas of interest — astatine slightest connected the extracurricular — laic elsewhere. A perceived anemic link, really would the goaltending clasp up? And what about a defence corps that included the aforesaid 8 blueliners from the 4 Nations Face-Off? The group was solid, but plentifulness of worthy talent was besides near astatine home.

Through 2 outings astatine the Milan Cortina Winter Games, the star-studded and focused Canadians person silenced immoderate antagonistic chatter.

The lucky powerfulness opened its men’s tourney Thursday pinch a 5-0 triumph complete Czechia earlier handling Switzerland 5-1 immoderate 30 hours later pinch akin efficiency.

The squad is besides acold from satisfied contempt having already clinched first spot successful Group A and a spot successful the quarterfinals pinch 1 crippled remaining successful the preliminary round.

“The occupation is to support getting better,” Canadian caput coach John Cooper said Friday night. “To travel successful present and play the back-to-back, we passed that test.

“You deliberation about the travel, the practices, the games … it adds up. It’s tiring, not only connected the body, but connected the mind.”

The much-maligned Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues produced a 26-save shutout successful the opener earlier Logan Thompson — 1 of the champion statistical NHL netminders complete the past 2 seasons pinch the Washington Capitals — made 24 stops the pursuing night.

The bluish statement has held up contempt losing Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets early Thursday to an wounded that will support him retired until astatine slightest the quarterfinals.

“We’ve defended, I would say, comparatively well,” added Cooper, whose squad stayed disconnected the crystal Saturday and will wrap up round-robin play Sunday against France. “When we’ve surgery down, some our goaltenders person been location for us. Still a agelong measurement to go.”

Cale Makar and Devon Toews are an elite defence brace pinch some the Colorado Avalanche and Canada, but the inclusions of seasoned Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings and Dallas Stars counterpart Thomas Harley were some criticized erstwhile the likes of New York Islanders rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer was near out.

“You conscionable power what you could control,” Harley, a precocious wounded adhd to Canada’s 4 Nations triumph 12 months ago, said of Olympic naysayers. “There’s ever extracurricular sound … we’ve learned to tune it out.”

Cooper said spot and familiarity played a domiciled successful selecting the country’s 8 rearguards.

“We person a luxury of picking immoderate beautiful darn bully players,” said the Tampa Bay Lightning chair boss. “There’s guys sitting astatine location that easy could beryllium playing connected this team.

“The guys that are here, it’s a work to make judge you do your state proud.”

McDavid, who has six points done six periods to unfastened his Games account, said a squad that has yet to let a extremity astatine 5-on-5 continues to robust retired its systems.

“Working done it,” said the Edmonton Oilers captain. “Maybe that familiarity from the 4 Nations helps, too. A small spot of that carry-over, knowing what the coaching staff’s asking from us. And getting bully goaltending, too.”

Cooper said it’s important to find the correct reside pinch a group arsenic talented arsenic Canada. And to this point, the probing roster queries person been answered.

“Job arsenic a coach is fto these guys breathe, fto them spell beryllium lucky players,” Cooper said. “But knowing that successful the end, it’s really galore (goals) you support out.

“So far, truthful good.”

THREE-HEADED MONSTER

Cooper created a superstar statement of McDavid, MacKinnon and Celebrini — a trio of No. 1 wide picks astatine the NHL draught — precocious successful Friday’s first period.

Celebrini, of the San Jose Sharks, and MacKinnon, a teammate of Makar and Toews successful Colorado, clicked for goals successful the 2nd and 3rd periods, respectively, aft McDavid scored connected a powerfulness play successful the first.

“I don’t for illustration playing them erstwhile they’re connected their ain team,” Thompson quipped. “I couldn’t ideate erstwhile there’s 3 of them connected a line.”

DEPENDABLE OPTION

Cooper slid Suzuki from the helping to centre — his earthy position — aft putting MacKinnon pinch Celebrini and McDavid. The Montreal Canadiens skipper didn’t blink.

“Suzuki’s a Swiss service knife,” Cooper said. “That kid could play anywhere. He could play extremity if we asked him to.”

FRENCH CONNECTION

France suffered a 4-0 nonaccomplishment to Switzerland successful its Thursday opener, but gave Czechia each it could grip for a clip successful what ended arsenic a 6-3 nonaccomplishment Friday.

The roster includes Montreal guardant Alexandre Texier on pinch erstwhile NHLers Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Stephane Da Costa.

“They compete hard, they’re physical,” said Canadian skipper Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. “We’ve sewage to interest about ourselves successful position of making judge we get better, sloppy of our opponent.”

This study by BERITAJA was first published Feb. 14, 2026.

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"Canada’s Nhlers Impressing At Olympic Games - Beritaja"

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