The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics is in full swing, with the knockout rounds kicking off this week. The Vancouver Canucks sent seven players to Italy to compete for their countries, and while several will have their medal dreams dashed in a few days, their hopes remain alive for now.
Related: Canucks News & Rumours: Pettersson, Alcos Move & Kane Trade
Let’s take a look at the schedule and storylines for Feb. 16 – 22 as the Olympic break enters its second week.
Sweden Gets a Much-Needed Standout Performance From Elias Pettersson
Even though Elias Pettersson is halfway around the world right now, the criticism of his play continues in Vancouver. Until he broke out on Saturday against Slovakia, Craig Button and Thomas Drance, who have regular guest spots on Donnie and Dhali, didn’t have anything nice to say about him. Button even went as far as saying the Canucks have their own Jonathan Huberdeau: an overpriced forward whose best days are behind him. Drance, meanwhile, discussed how he was “on the periphery” in the Olympics so far, making little to no impact.
Pettersson must have been listening, because he stepped up when his team needed him, notching two goals – including the game-winner – to help Sweden beat Slovakia 5-3 on Saturday. He showcased more of the 102-point Pettersson that got him the $11.6 million contract he currently enjoys, and silenced the critics…for now. The hope is that this was just the start of something great, and he not only adds more offence in the Olympics, but also when he returns to Vancouver.
What About the Other Canucks at the Olympics?
As for the other Canucks competing at the Olympics, here is how they have fared so far:
- Filip Hronek (Czechia): three assists
- David Kampf (Czechia): two assists
- Kevin Lankinen (Finland): hasn’t started a game yet
- Teddy Blueger (Latvia): zero points
- Anri Ravinskis (Latvia): zero points
- Lukas Reichel (Germany): one goal
Lankinen is the only one automatically headed to the quarterfinals. The rest will compete in the qualifying round on Tuesday for a chance to join him.
Willander Heads Back to Sweden During Olympic Break
A lot of players are taking a short vacation during the Olympic break, but Tom Willander is not. The rookie defenceman took a flight back to Sweden, not to hang out with family, but work on his game with his strength and mobility coach. He wants to get better and is using this time off to look at what he’s done in the NHL so far and come back strong for the stretch run. For a 21-year-old rookie, that shows maturity beyond his years and further solidifies his status as a future leader and core player of the Canucks.
“Willander does not take anything for granted. He saw some things that he can improve on and he chose to utilize this opportunity, this break, to get it done.”
Willander has been a bright spot on the blue line all season and is probably the last player that fans would point to as needing to improve. But like Dhaliwal said, he’s taking nothing for granted.
Legendary Play-by-Play Voice Jim Robson Passes Away
Off the ice, we got some sad news on Tuesday (Feb. 10) as legendary broadcaster Jim Robson passed away at the age of 91. From 1970 to 1999, he was the voice of the Canucks, and his calls have stood the test of time. From his iconic Trevor Linden “he will play on crutches” to calling the overtime heroics of Pavel Bure and Greg Adams, he was one of the greats in the broadcast world, touching many people’s lives, from fans to media, and current play-by-play voice John Shorthouse:
Robson will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone, even people who never watched or heard him live. He is part of the Canucks’ fabric, and even though his name adorns the broadcast booth in Rogers Arena, he should get a place in the Ring of Honour at some point as well.
Canucks Olympic Schedule Feb. 16 – 22
Preliminary Round Schedule
| Date | Matchup | Time (PST) | Canucks Competing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tues, Feb. 17 | Germany vs. France | 3:10 a.m. | Reichel |
| Czechia vs. Denmark | 7:40 a.m. | Hronek & Kampf | |
| Sweden vs. Latvia | 12:10 p.m. | Pettersson, Blueger & Ravinskis | |
| Wed, Feb. 18 | Quarterfinals | – | Lankinen will likely be on the bench when Finland plays at 9:10 a.m. |
| Fri, Feb. 20 | Semifinals | – | TBD |
| Sat, Feb. 21 | Bronze Medal Game | 11:40 a.m. | TBD |
| Sun, Feb. 22 | Gold Medal Game | 5:10 a.m. | TBD |
