![\"Bruins](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4TAIAXFGHBDR5CBWAZ6VPRKZTU.jpg\")
Bruins star David Pastrnak (left), celebrating a goal by teammate Martin Necas, powers Czechia into the knockout stages, where they will face off vs. Denmark.Gregory Shamus\/Getty<\/p>\n\u25aa Teams are ranked, 1 through 12, after the prelims. The top four get byes. <\/p>\n
\u25aa Teams are seeded by the following criteria, in order: group position, number of points, goal differential, goals scored, and IIHF world ranking. <\/p>\n
\u25aa The first round and quarterfinals are bracketed; the semifinals are re-seeded. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s all elimination games from here on out. Win, or go have an Aperol spritz. <\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a breakdown of the playoff seedings:<\/p>\n
No. 1 Canada \u2014 If there was any doubt the Canadians are best-in-class at this tournament, it was shattered when they put up a 10-spot on France in their finale. In the prelims, they also shut down David Pastrnak and the Czechs, and made the Swiss stop ticking. <\/p>\n
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They had four of the top six scorers (Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon) in the tournament. Tom Wilson was a menace. No worries about the goaltending, either. They\u2019re a problem. <\/p>\n
No. 2 United States \u2014 It was choppy at times, but here they are. The Americans didn\u2019t carry the play, and Jeremy Swayman cemented his spot as the No. 3 goalie, but the best players on the roster have had their moments. <\/p>\n
Auston Matthews is coming on, with two goals in Sunday\u2019s 5-1 win over Germany, and the Americans still might have the deepest roster here. The Tkachuk brothers-and-Jack Eichel line is leading the way (particularly Brady Tkachuk, playing like a captain who doesn\u2019t wear the \u2018C\u2019). <\/p>\n
No. 3 Slovakia \u2014 They\u2019ve already played the most memorable game of the tournament: a 5-3 loss to Sweden after which their fans celebrated like they won a playoff round. In that game, Dalibor Dvorsky\u2019s goal with 39 seconds left cut Sweden\u2019s lead to 5-3 \u2014 forcing the Swedes to pull their goalie despite being ahead by two. <\/p>\n
The win gave the Slovaks the best goal differential in the Group B deadlock between Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden \u2014 the first tiebreaker between teams tied in a group. Watch out for 21-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky, the young Montreal Canadiens forward who was tourney MVP at Beijing 2022, who now has a goal in all 10 Olympic games he has played.<\/p>\n
No. 4 Finland \u2014 The Finns are a reserved people, generally. They weren\u2019t shying away from this after playing Italy; they were trying to run up the score. Their 11-0 triumph boosted their goal differential to plus-11, helping them emerge from their Group of Death. <\/p>\n
As expected, it\u2019s a by-committee offense without Aleksander Barkov. Juuse Saros, one of the league\u2019s most overworked goalies in Nashville, was the only netminder to play every minute of the prelims for his team. <\/p>\n
Bruins star David Pastrnak (left), celebrating a goal by teammate Martin Necas, powers Czechia into the knockout stages, where they will face off vs. Denmark.Gregory Shamus\/Getty<\/p>\n
No. 8 Czechia vs. No. 9 Denmark \u2014 Bruins star Pastrnak has been the most dangerous player on the ice for most of his shifts (well, except against Canada), and the Czechs have some of the most passionate fans at Santagiulia Arena (if you\u2019re reading this from Milan, try to stop by the Czech House). The Danes will have to be \u201cgoal from center ice\u201d lucky to win here. The winner will face top-seed Canada in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
No. 7 Sweden vs. No. 10 Latvia \u2014The talented Swedes aren\u2019t your average seven-seed. Third in a tough Group B, they were one goal shy of being in Slovakia\u2019s No. 3 spot. Latvia plays hard, despite lacking NHL-caliber scorers, and could muscle their way into a rematch with Team USA in the quarterfinals. If Sweden comes to play, the US are in for it. <\/p>\n
![\"Bruins](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1771205178_98_RUIHTYT22JFAHH4STKXLHX3VQY.jpg\")
Bruins prospect Dans Locmelis has carried over his scoring touch from Providence, but he and his Latvian mates have a tough first-round test against mighty Sweden. SUN FEI\/POOL\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
No. 6 Germany vs. No. 11 France \u2014 Whatever the final score here, I\u2019ll be eager to hear what French captain and former NHLer Pierre-Edouard Bellemare says. After getting stomped by Canada, the 41-year-old noted that, as skilled as the Canadians are, they work harder than the French do. \u201cMaybe I was wrong,\u201d he added. \u201cMaybe they were like, smoke a cig and play \u2026 I felt like they were working.\u201d His take on former BU star Celebrini: \u201cIf that\u2019s what the NHL is gonna look like, it\u2019s better for me to not be in there anymore.\u201d The winner here will advance to face surprise Slovakia in the quarters.<\/p>\n
No. 5 Switzerland vs. No. 12 Italy \u2014 A border battle that shouldn\u2019t be close, though the Italians delighted their home crowd by pushing the Finns in the opener. Maybe they\u2019ve got some magic in them. Regardless: The Swiss and Italians playing in a playoff game in the shadow of the Alps? Sign me up. The winner next gets Finland.<\/p>\n