With group play wrapping up, the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan–Cortina is shifting into knockout mode.
The playoff round features a qualification stage (Round of 12), followed by quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal games. Four teams earn automatic quarterfinal berths, while the remaining eight battle for the final four spots.
Here’s the complete men’s Olympic hockey playoff schedule (all times Eastern):
Qualification Playoffs (Round of 12) | Tuesday, Feb. 17
Winning teams advance to the quarterfinals.
- 6:10 am: Germany vs. France
- 6:10 am: Switzerland vs. Italy
- 10:40 am: Czechia vs. Denmark
- 3:10 pm: Sweden vs. Latvia
Quarterfinals | Wednesday, Feb. 18
Top seeds enter the tournament at this stage.
- 6:10 am: Slovakia vs. Winner of Germany/France
- 10:40 am: Canada vs. Winner of Czechia/Denmark
- 12:10 pm: Finland vs. Winner of Switzerland/Italy
- 3:10 pm: United States vs. Winner of Sweden/Latvia
Semifinals | Friday, Feb. 20
- 10:40 am: Semifinal 1
- 3:10 am: Semifinal 2
Medal Games
- Bronze Medal Game: Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2:40 pm
- Gold Medal Game: Sunday, Feb. 22 at 8:10 am
TV and Streaming
All games are available on the NBCUniversal family of networks and streaming on Peacock
The tournament uses a reseeding format following the qualification round, meaning matchups can shift based on results. Canada, the United States, Slovakia, and Finland earned direct entry into the quarterfinals thanks to their preliminary-round performance.
With NHL players expected to be back on the Olympic stage for the first time in over a decade, the playoff rounds are shaping up to deliver some of the highest-level international hockey fans have seen in years.
