Trio of Florida Panthers learn their next opponent for the Olympic semi-finals
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Bruce Raymond
Feb 18, 2026 (6:18 PM)
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Photo credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk, and Brad Marchand just got their Olympic semi-final road map, and the margin for error is basically gone.
Canada already punched its ticket with a 4-3 overtime win over Czechia on Wednesday, and the next opponent is still being decided tonight.
Bennett has been a quiet glue piece so far, sitting at 0-1-1 in 3 games, but his value is in the hard areas where whistles disappear.
Marchand is also 0-1-1 in 3 games, and you can feel him hunting that one greasy momentum swing that flips an elimination game.
Tkachuk has been more of a distributor, piling up 0-5-5 in 3 games, and it fits a United States attack that’s winning with pace and layers.
If the Americans get past Sweden, they’ll draw Slovakia in the semis, and that’s the kind of matchup where you better respect the goalie and the counterpunch.
If Sweden wins, Canada gets Sweden instead, and that’s a very different night for Bennett and Marchand, with more structured breakouts and less chaos off the rush.
Matthew Tkachuk and United States are staring at pressure
You can almost hear fans arguing already, because everybody wants the “easier” bracket, and Olympic hockey loves punishing that kind of thinking.
For Bennett, Canada versus Finland would mean a net-front war, quick plays below the goal line, and a premium on faceoff details.
For Marchand, a Sweden semi would be about picking spots, drawing penalties, and turning one smart irritant shift into a man advantage goal.
It’s wild that Bennett and Tkachuk are both Florida Panthers, yet they’re about to spend two days trying to end each other’s dream.
Bennett’s NHL season has stayed on-brand at 19-23-42 in 55 games, and that same straight-line game is exactly what plays in a tight semi.
Marchand has still produced at 25-25-50 in 46 games, and his $5.25M cap hit looks like a bargain when games get nasty.
Tkachuk’s NHL year has been interrupted, sitting at 3-5-8 in 10 games, so this tournament is where he can tilt a legacy conversation fast.
No matter how the bracket falls, the next opponent is going to force Bennett, Marchand, and Tkachuk into their most uncomfortable hockey, and that’s usually where the medals get decided.
Also read on Sunrise Hockey Insider :
Team Sweden endures setback with injury during warmups ahead of quarterfinal game vs. Team USA
Team Sweden endures setback with injury during warmups ahead of quarterfinal game vs. Team USA