Canada and the United States face off for gold in Olympic Men’s hockey, Finland defeats Slovakia to take the bronze, and the latest NHL news in the Morning Coffee Headlines
NHL.COM: It’s the matchup that was inevitable as Canada and the United States will face off in the gold medal game in Olympic Men’s hockey. The puck drops at 8 am ET today.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I will update this post with the final score and a game recap later today.
SPORTSNET: Canadian captain Sidney Crosby skated with his teammates in practice on Saturday, but he remains a game-time decision whether he’ll play in this contest. Crosby suffered a lower-body injury in the quarterfinal game against Czechia and missed Friday’s semifinal win over Finland.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Crosby can’t play, Nick Suzuki will replace him at center while Connor McDavid takes over as team captain, as he did in the semifinal against Finland.
ESPN: USA winger Brady Tkachuk stirred the pot a bit on Saturday regarding the rivalry between the two hockey nations.
“There’s hatred there,” Tkachuk said. “I mean, they’ve been the top dog. They’ve been the best for the last bunch of years, and for us, we want to be in that position, be the best. So it’s going to be a game where I think a lot of guys could say, this is the biggest game that they’ve ever played in.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk’s comments reflect his teammates’ determination to win their country’s first Olympic gold in Men’s Hockey since 1980. However, his remarks also show the respect they have for their opponent.
Finland defeated Slovakia 6-1 in the bronze medal game on Saturday. Erik Haula scored two goals, and Joel Armia had a goal and two assists as the Finns pulled away from the Slovaks with four unanswered third-period goals, with the final two being empty-netters. Tomas Tatar replied for Slovakia.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid bounce-back performance by Finland after blowing a two-goal lead to Canada in the semifinal on Friday. The Finns had to do it without scoring winger Mikko Rantanen, who missed this game with a lower-body injury.
Speaking of the Finns, Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice dismissed a rumor that several of their players wanted him to coach their team in this tournament. “I got a bunch of texts. Silliness,” Maurice said, suggesting tongue-in-cheek that the source of the rumor got him mixed up with Panthers assistant coach Tuomo Ruutu.
Maurice reminded everyone that he was born in Canada and is a U.S. citizen. “I think I’ll just stay in Fort Lauderdale for these tournaments. It’s worked out just fine.”
As for the Slovaks, this wasn’t the result they were hoping for. However, for a team with only seven NHL players on their roster, it still exceeded expectations and silenced its critics. Young stars such as Juraj Slavkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens, Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues, and Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils played well against the world’s best, which should make them better NHL players. They’re also an inspiration for young Slovak hockey players.
FLAMES NATION: The Calgary Flames activated forwards Blake Coleman and John Beecher off injured reserve on Friday.
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks prospect forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki requires season-ending shoulder surgery. He’s split this season between the Canucks and their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche will have a new ECHL affiliate. They will join forces with the New Mexico Goatheads in 2026-27.
NHL.COM: Former NHL forward and long-time minor-league star Guyle Fielder passed away on Saturday at the age of 95.
Fielder played only nine regular-season games and six playoff games in the NHL between 1950-51 and 1957-58 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, and Detroit Red Wings. However, he had a long and successful career at the minor-pro level, holding the record for most points (1,929) and games (1,487) in 22 minor-pro seasons from 1951-52 to 1972-73
In the old Western Hockey League, Fielder was a nine-time scoring champion and six-time league MVP. He also spent 15 seasons in Seattle with the Bombers, Americans, and Totems, leading them to three WHL championships.
The Seattle Kraken have an annual Guyle Fielder Award, honoring the Kraken player who best exhibits the qualities of perseverance, hustle, and dedication to hockey. Yanni Gourde was the first recipient, with Jaden Schwartz winning it in the last three seasons.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Fielder’s family, friends, and the Kraken organization.