Florida Panthers Primed to Advance in Olympic Hockey

It is Separation Sunday at the men’s hockey tournament for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic games with quite a few Florida Panthers looking to move on with the three-game preliminary round coming to a close.

Finland, which features three Panthers, went 2-1 in the qualifying round as did Sweden.

It appears the Finns may advance to the quarterfinal round — while Gus Forsling and Sweden will have to win their way in with a qualification game on Tuesday.

Although three teams in Group B are 2-1, Slovakia clinched the top-seed in that group due to goal differential and will move on.

Finland (Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola) can still move on without going through the win-or-go home qualification route but needs help.

Regardless, all of the 10 Florida players — which is most Olympians in the NHL — are still fighting for gold.

And that’s how we get to Sunday.

Both Team USA and Canada play today — the Canadians (including Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand) are moving on.

It looks like Matthew Tkachuk and the Americans will as well.

Team USA did struggle a bit Saturday against Denmark, but improved to 2-0 with a 6-3 win.

The Americans play again today against Germany (3:10 p.m., USA Network) and a win gives them 9 points and a spot in the quarterfinals with the Group C title.

If Team USA gets a single point against Germany today, it moves on.

A win may not come easy.

Germany had seven NHL players on its roster including Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers, former Panthers center Nico Sturm not to mention Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer.

Florida assistant coach Jamie Kompon is assisting Harold Kreis behind the German bench.

Latvia beat Germany 4-3 on Saturday.

“They definitely have the most … guys you definitely have to look out for,’’ Tkachuk said per NHL.com.

“I’m sure they’re going to give us a really good game as well. Our goal here is to come in and win the group, really just take it one game at a time here. Win this one tomorrow is the goal whether it’s 2-1, 1-0, whatever it takes. But I think we can get comfortable in those games and we have been.”

Latvia, featuring Uvis Balinskis and Sandis Vilmanis, is 1-1 after Saturday’s upset against Germany.

It can advance with a win over winless Denmark.

2026 WINTER OLYMPICS

MEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE

All games streamed on Peacock in the United States and CBC Gem in Canada

• Wednesday — Group B: Slovakia 4, Finland 1; Sweden 5 Italy 2
• Thursday — Group A: Switzerland 4, France 0; Canada 5, Czechia 0. Group C: United States 5, Latvia 1; Germany 3, Denmark 1
• Friday — Group B: Finland 4, Sweden 1; Slovakia 3, Italy 2. Group A: Czechia 6, France 3; Canada 5, Switzerland 1
• Saturday — Group B: Sweden 5, Slovakia 3; Finland 11, Italy 0. Group C: Latvia 4, Germany 3; USA 6, Denmark 3
• Today — Group A: Switzerland vs. Czechia, 6:10 a.m. (CNBC); Canada vs. France, 10:40 a.m. (USA). Group C: Denmark vs. Latvia, 1:10 p.m. (CNBC); USA vs. Germany, 3:10 p.m. (USA)
• Tuesday Feb. 17 — Qualification playoffs: 6:10 a.m. (2); 10:40 a.m.; 3:10 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 18 — Quarterfinals: 6:10 a.m. (USA), 10:40 a.m. (USA), 12:10 p.m. (USA), 3:10 p.m (NBC)
• Friday, Feb. 20 — Semifinals: 10:40 a.m. (USA), 3:10 p.m. (NBC)
• Saturday, Feb. 21 — Bronze medal game: 2:40 p.m. (USA)
• Sunday, Feb. 22 — Gold medal game: 8:10 a.m. (NBC)

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT THE

2026 MILAN CORTINA OLYMPIC GAMES

• United States (2-0-0, 6 points; Group C): F Matthew Tkachuk (2 GP, 0-3, 3 points); D Seth Jones (injured), Bill Zito (assistant GM), Teddy Richards (equipment manager)
• Canada (2-0-0, 6 points; Group A*): F Sam Reinhart (2 GP; 0-0, 0); F Brad Marchand (1 GP, 0-1, 1); C Sam Bennett (2 GP; 0-0, 0)
• Finland (2-1-0, 6 points; Group B): C Sasha Barkov (injured), F Eetu Luostarinen (3 GP; 0-3, 3); D Niko Mikkola (3 GP, 0-3, 3); C Anton Lundell (2 GP; 1-0, 1); Tuomo Ruutu (assistant coach)
• Sweden (1-1-0, 3 points; Group B): D Gus Forsling (3 GP; 1-1, 2); Myles Fee (video coach)
• Latvia (1-1-0, 3 points; Group C): D Uvis Balinskis (2 GP; 0-1, 1); F Sandis Vilmanis (2 GP; 0-0, 0)
• Germany (1-1-0, 3 points; Group C): Jamie Kompon (assistant coach)

(*) — Denote advances to the next round