With a trip to the gold-medal game in the 2026 Winter Olympics on the line, there are no lengths Connor McDavid and Team Canada won’t go to. The same can be said for Finland, though. That was made clear as Finland head coach Antti Pennanen, whom Team Canada will play next, rubbed salt in the wounds of McDavid with a blunt warning shot.
“[Connor McDavid] is the best player in this tournament,” Pennanen admitted before revealing how he plans to slow Team Canada‘s magician down, via Mark Masters of TSN. “[Aleksander] Barkov. He is going to help me about that. I should call [him] and he can give some advice.”
Amid frenzy hours in the Winter Olympics, McDavid and company are in full alert. As it turns out, the Finnish coach’s message wasn’t the first alarm-raising message the Maple Leaf received. Previously, McDavid and Canada got a warning from Jon Cooper after Sidney Crosby’s injury.
Shots fired from Finland’s HC
This time, though, the warning was different. Pennanen reminded McDavid of his kryptonite in the NHL, who happens to be one of the best players in Finnish hockey history. Unfortunately for the “Suomi”, Barkov is still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL injury. His absence is a huge blow to the national team—as it’s been for the Florida Panthers in the 2025-26 season, too.
Aleksander Barkov lifts his second Stanley Cup (both against McDavid’s Oilers)
Still, Finland could get creative, and Barkov may be able to help even without stepping onto the ice at the smaller Olympic hockey rink at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Moreover, Finland boasts other stars on the team, including three Panthers who can hold two Stanley Cups over McDavid’s head: Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, and Niko Mikkola.
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Sidney Crosby injury sparks fear of worst-case scenario for Team Canada at 2026 Winter Olympics
Win or go home
All eyes will be fixed on what is expected to be an electric showdown between two powerhouses of international hockey. A trip to the final and a chance to go down in the history books are on the line. Household names and star-studded lineups can quickly become meaningless and futile when stacked against national pride and a united squad.
At the Olympics, teams outshine individual talent every time. Canada and Finland are well aware of that, and both boast lineups that reflect it. Still, in a sport like hockey, tight games often go down to the wire, and in a game of inches, being in the right place at the right time can be the difference between hanging a gold medal around one’s neck or flying home empty-handed.
