Milan – Team Canada’s Thrilling Start at the Olympics
When Doug Armstrong stepped into his role as general manager for Team Canada nearly 25 years ago, he had a distinct impression: it felt as though the Canadians began each tournament at “third base.” He mentioned this on Wednesday right before his team kicked off the Olympics with an impressive 5-0 victory against the Czech Republic. “In baseball terms, other teams were ahead; many were on second or first. Now, though, we’ve got many countries at third base, which is exciting for hockey,” he remarked.
The first two days of competition have clearly shown a level of parity, especially between the favored Canadian and Czech teams. The game was tightly contested until the very end of the first period, when the youngest player in the tournament—also on Canada’s roster—managed to score by deflecting a puck right in front of him.
This marked just the start of what could be a remarkable Olympic journey for Macklin Celebrini, who, at 19, became the youngest Canadian NHL player to net a goal in the Olympics. His performance indicates he could be a key player in future top-level international competitions. Comparisons to Canadian captain Sidney Crosby are already emerging after Celebrini’s fantastic breakout season in 2025-26. He’ll surely carry the weight of expectation that comes with the Maple Leaf on his jersey.
As competition levels globally continue to ramp up, Canada will be hoping that Celebrini can emulate Crosby’s significant impact.
Though it was indeed Celebrini’s contribution that put Canada on the scoreboard, goaltender Jordan Binnington deserves praise too; he effectively stopped all 26 shots directed his way. Just a year ago, despite leading Canada to a Four Nations championship, Binnington was under scrutiny during one of his worst NHL seasons since 2015-2016.
But when he dons the red and white, so does his ability to perform.
Head coach Jon Cooper hinted at the possibility of utilizing multiple goalies during the tournament, though the Czech team’s competitiveness didn’t seem to leave room for that strategy in this game.
