![\"USA](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/USA-2026-Olympic-Gold-Team-Photo.png\")
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USA Hockey poses with the late Johnny Gaudreau’s children, Noa and Johnny, along with his Team USA jersey, after winning the gold medal. (AP Photo\/Carolyn Kaster)<\/p>\n
The Panthers had a fantastic showing in the final medal games at the Olympics. Of the 10 players who went, 7 are coming back to Sunrise with an Olympic medal. It seems like whatever injury Marchand has been fighting flared up again in Milan as he missed some time for Team Canada during the tournament, although he did play in the Gold Medal Match. Florida\u2019s Finns had a great showing in their bronze medal game against Slovakia. And Matthew Tkachuk makes Panthers history as the first Florida Panther to win gold at the Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Team USA:<\/p>\n
46 years to the day of the Miracle on Ice, USA gives a repeat performance to win gold for just the third time ever. Even though Matthew Tkachuk didn\u2019t score a goal at the Olympics, he tallied 6 assists and was +5 for the tournament. But his biggest and best attribute is his emotional leadership, something the Panthers have reaped the benefit of since he arrived. He brought that to Team USA, and his line with Jack Eichel and brother Brady was the best line the Americans put on the ice for most of the games. Fans saw some typical Matthew-isms as he got under opponents\u2019 skin and always seemed to be in the middle of scrums. His line handled business against Canada, and even if they didn\u2019t obviously win their minutes, they didn\u2019t lose them. One of the most touching moments of the day was Tkachuk skating around the ice with Matthews and Werenski holding up a Johnny Gaudreau jersey after they\u2019d won. Team USA also brought Gaudreau\u2019s kids onto the ice to take a photo with the team and his jersey. There\u2019s a lovely picture of Matthew Tkachuk holding Noa and showing her his medal as he skates her back to her family. GM Bill Zito and Equipment Manager Teddy Richards were also part of Team USA at the Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Team](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Team-USA-1024x512.png\")
Photo: NHL\/X<\/p>\n
Team Canada:<\/p>\n
While one Panther enjoyed elation, at the other end of the ice was heartbreak for three Cats. Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, and Brad Marchand represented Team Canada and fell to the Americans in overtime. While a silver medal is nothing to scoff at, it probably feels like the worst one to win because you have to lose a game in order to earn it. Canada played a great game and generated more offense than the USA did. However, the American defense and goaltending proved superior in this matchup. I\u2019m sure that if the US had scored on the double minor power play caused by Sam Bennett\u2019s high stick, he probably would never hear the end of it. Unfortunately, there\u2019s not much to report on for the Panthers, who played for Canada. HC Jon Cooper chose to limit their ice time, but especially Reinhart, which is a bit shocking. Marchand played a touch over 10 minutes, Bennet played roughly 11:30 minutes, and Reinhart only played 6:57. Unless Reinhart returns to the Panthers and it comes out that he\u2019s sick or injured, I simply don\u2019t have an explanation for Cooper reducing Reinhart\u2019s role to a glorified power play specialist. Samson averaged the least amount of minutes out of any Canadian forward for the tournament and played as either a 4th line player or the extra forward. And there\u2019s nothing wrong with those roles, but it doesn\u2019t make much sense when Reinhart was a top 6 forward for Canada just a year ago at Four Nations with roughly the same roster and one of the first six players named to the team. Sam isn\u2019t even having a down season for Florida; he\u2019s got 55 points in 57 games. For Bennett and Marchand, it isn\u2019t surprising that they\u2019d be playing down the lineup since that was what they did for Canada at Four Nations. The three of them come back with silver medals and a bit of heartbreak. Hopefully, they\u2019ll still look back on this Olympic journey with pride in how they played and represented their country. Reinhart, Bennett, and Marchand join Olli Jokinen as Panthers who\u2019ve earned a silver medal at the Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Team Finland:<\/p>\n
A rematch against the Slovaks and a chance at revenge with a bronze medal on the line. After their first game against Slovakia in the tournament, Finland found their game and played excellently from then on. There\u2019s some disappointment in not getting to defend their gold medal after they lost to Canada in the semifinals, but they bounced back against Slovakia. Luostarinen, Lundell, and Mikkola contributed to a 6-1 win over the Slovaks to bring home the bronze medal. Even though they didn\u2019t find the score sheet, they played a great game and contributed to the strong team defense. There was only 1 forward who played more minutes than Lundell, which was Sebastian Aho; Lundell played 18:44, Aho played 20:01. Anton also had a good day in the faceoff dot with a 54.55 FO% and went 6-5. All three Panthers put up 2 SOG in the game, and Mikkola & Lundell were both +2; Luostarinen was an even 0. It was a successful tournament for the Finns; Lundell scored his first Olympic goal, and Luostarinen put up 4 assists. Luostarinen, Lundell, and Mikkola join Eas Tikkanen, Pavel Bure, Valeri Bure, Rostislav Olesz, and Aleksander Barkov as Panthers who\u2019ve earned Olympic bronze medals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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