The highly anticipated 2026 Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey preliminary round wraps up on Sunday, February 15, 2026, with a true “David vs Goliath” matchup. Team Canada is set to face Team France at the Santagiulia Arena in Milan. The puck drops at 10:40 a.m. EST, and hockey fans worldwide are eager to see if a heavily favored Canadian squad will run up the score or if a resilient French team can earn some international respect.
TV Channels and Streaming Options for Team Canada vs Team France
If you want to catch the action live, the game will be broadcast on several major networks depending on your location:
- In Canada: You can watch the game live on CBC, RDS2, and ICI Télé. Cord-cutters can stream the action for free via CBC Gem.
- In the USA: American fans can tune into the USA Network on traditional cable, or stream the game live on Peacock.
- In France: France Télévisions holds the broadcast rights. Fans can watch in stunning 4K-UHD on France 2 UHD via FRANSAT, or stream via Eurosport/Max.
Regional Blackouts Explained
When trying to stream the Olympics online, you might run into regional blackouts. Regional blackouts occur when a network pays for the exclusive broadcast rights for a specific geographic location. Because of these strict digital geofencing rules, an American fan cannot stream the CBC Gem broadcast, and a Canadian fan cannot log into Peacock without the feed being blocked. If you are traveling abroad, you may need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to securely connect to a server in your home country to bypass these international streaming blackouts, provided it adheres to your platform’s terms of service.
Olympic Records, Medals, and Historic Scorers
When comparing the historical pedigree of these two programs, the differences are staggering. The Team Canada men’s team is the most successful in Olympic history, boasting 9 Gold, 4 Silver, and 3 Bronze medals. Team France, on the other hand, has never won an Olympic medal in men’s ice hockey, with their best historic finish being 5th place back in the 1920s.
Interestingly, looking at the women’s side of the game, Canada is just as dominant. The Canadian women’s team has captured an incredible 7 Olympic medals (5 Gold, 2 Silver) since women’s hockey was introduced. Conversely, the France women’s team has 0 medals, having just made their first-ever Olympic appearance at these 2026 Games where they finished in 10th place.
As for individual greatness, Canada’s all-time Olympic leading scorer is historically Harry Watson, who potted a ridiculous 36 goals in 1924. In the modern NHL-participation era, Jarome Iginla holds the points record with 14, though Sidney Crosby (13 points) and a surging Connor McDavid are rapidly closing the gap. For Team France, IIHF Hall of Famer Philippe Bozon is the all-time Olympic scoring leader with 14 goals and 9 assists (23 points) across four tournaments.
Previous Games, Key Injuries, and Game Prediction
So far in the 2026 tournament, Canada has been flawless, dominating Czechia 5-0 and dismantling Switzerland 5-1. France has struggled against the same competition, losing 4-0 to Switzerland and 6-3 to Czechia. Making matters slightly difficult for the Canadians, they are battling a few key injuries; forwards Seth Jarvis, Anthony Cirelli, and Brayden Point, alongside defenseman Josh Morrissey and goalie Logan Thompson, are currently banged up. France comes into the game relatively healthy, led by their lone active NHL player, Alexandre Texier.
I personally believe this game is going to be incredibly lopsided. Having watched Team Canada dismantle their first two opponents, their top line of McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Macklin Celebrini is operating on another level entirely. I personally expect Canada to completely dominate puck possession from the opening faceoff. Team France has shown incredible heart, but the sheer talent gap is insurmountable. My personal score prediction is a resounding 8-0 victory for Team Canada.
As the Olympic tournament wraps up its preliminary stage, NHL fans are already looking forward to the final stretch of the regular season. If you are trying to track the NHL point leaders 2025-26 season to get an edge on your fantasy competition, make sure to join our online playoff hockey pool for cash prizes on my website. It’s the perfect way to carry your hockey excitement from the international stage right through the race for the Stanley Cup!
The post David vs Goliath! How to Watch Team Canada Crush Team France Live appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
