MILAN – On Wednesday evening, Mika Zibanejad pulled off what some might call the goal of a lifetime.
However, just a mere 10 minutes later, he was heading off the bench at the Santa Giulia Arena for what could be the last time.
At 32 years old, it seems his Olympic journey might end before it truly starts.
Like many of his peers, Zibanejad missed the chance to play for his country in both 2018 and 2022.
In the 2026 Olympics, he ended with three goals and three assists over five games, with his last contribution being a crucial tying goal in a game that saw Sweden put up a fight but ultimately fall to the Americans 6-5 in the quarterfinals.
The Americans held a lead since Dylan Larkin scored just over 11 minutes into the second period. However, the score was tied for less than five minutes until Quinn Hughes netted a goal assisted by Zibanejad. This moment, while thrilling, was reminiscent of his golden goal in the 2012 World Junior Championship against Russia, but it feels a bit like just another trivia callback now.
“It just feels empty,” Zibanejad expressed. “We put in a strong effort, pushing all the way to the third period and getting that tying goal. I thought we could take it to overtime, but it’s tough seeing the puck go in for the other team and knowing it’s done.”
With no time to linger on the loss, Zibanejad and his teammates are set to fly back to the U.S. on Thursday to join their NHL teams in practice, a return happening much sooner than they anticipated.
This early departure largely stems from Sweden’s disappointing performance in the group stages—losing to Finland and not managing to dominate Italy and Slovakia. Entering the finals as the seventh seed, they faced Team USA far earlier than expected.
2026 Winter Olympics
The disappointment is palpable; a nation once tipped to compete for gold now finds itself out of medal contention.
“Honestly, it’s really hard to find the right words,” said Sam Hallam, coach of the Swedish national team, barely holding back tears. “The anticipation, the buildup, and all the preparation leading up to these Olympics—it’s a lot. It stings to know we couldn’t make it count for our country.”
It’s worth noting that Mike Sullivan, who coached Zibanejad with the Rangers and lead Team USA in these Olympics, encountered him in the mixed zone after the match.
“Mika is a special player,” Sullivan commented. “I saw him earlier, and I can tell he’s devastated. That was definitely a goalscorer’s goal.”
