The NHL season is officially paused for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
The Avalanche entered the break as one of the league’s top teams (37-9-9), coming off a win against the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 4. The focus for this week shifts entirely to the international stage, where several Avalanche stars will face off against one another.
The “Avalanche Civil War” in Milan
The must-watch game this week is the Group A showdown on Thursday, Feb. 12, when Team Canada faces Team Czechia. This is a rare opportunity to see the Avs’ top offensive weapons (Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar) trying to score against their own teammate (Martin Necas).
Team Canada: Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews
Team Czechia: Martin Necas
Team Finland: Artturi Lehkonen, Joel Kiviranta
Team Sweden: Gabriel Landeskog
Team USA: Brock Nelson
Nathan MacKinnon’s Hart Trophy Chase on Pause
Nathan MacKinnon entered the break playing at an elite level. He recently became the first player to reach 40 goals this season and is sitting second in the league in points (trailing only Connor McDavid). He is a frontrunner for the Hart Trophy (MVP). The storyline to watch is whether the Olympic intensity will keep him sharp or if the fatigue of extra games will impact his scoring pace when the NHL season resumes on Feb. 25.
Roster Stability
The Avalanche entered the break on a high note, beating the Detroit Red Wings (5-0) and San Jose (4-2). They have stabilized their defensive pairings with Devon Toews’ return, and center Brock Nelson has provided crucial secondary scoring (including a hat trick in late January). The team is in a “buyer” position as the March 6 trade deadline approaches shortly after the Olympics.
Related – Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
Avalanche Olympic Schedule This Week
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Group |
| Wed, Feb 11 | 10:40 AM | Finland vs. Slovakia | Group B |
| 3:10 PM | Sweden vs. Italy | Group B | |
| Thu, Feb 12 | 10:40 AM | Czechia vs. Canada | Group A |
| 3:10 PM | Latvia vs. USA | Group C | |
| Fri, Feb 13 | 6:10 AM | Finland vs. Sweden | Group B |
| 10:40 AM | France vs. Czechia | Group A | |
| 3:10 PM | Canada vs. Switzerland | Group A | |
| Sat, Feb 14 | 6:10 AM | Sweden vs. Slovakia | Group B |
| 10:40 AM | Finland vs. Italy | Group B | |
| 3:10 PM | USA vs. Denmark | Group C | |
| Sun, Feb 15 | 6:10 AM | Switzerland vs. Czechia | Group A |
| 10:40 AM | Canada vs. France | Group A | |
| 3:10 PM | USA vs. Germany | Group C |
AI tools were used to support the creation or distribution of this content, however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of The Hockey Writers editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.
