Team Canada opens up group play at the 2026 Winter Olympics against Czechia on Thursday morning. The team held its final full practice before the game on Wednesday, with many hoping to gain insight into head coach Jon Cooper’s initial lineup decisions, particularly regarding his starting goaltender.
All three goalies, Jordan Binnington, Logan Thompson, and Darcy Kuemper, were on the ice for the skate. However, Cooper refused to reveal to the media which of the three would get the nod against the Czechs.
“What is common practice with me all the time is that we usually meet at night before the game, and I tell the guys at that meeting,” Cooper told TSN. “Sorry, boys. If we had a night practice, maybe [I’d tell you].”
According to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, Binnington, who played all four games for Canada en route to championship glory in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, patrolled his own net at the skate. Meanwhile, Thompson and Kuemper split practice duties in the other cage.
Binnington has been the clear worst of the three goalies in the NHL this season statistically, but Cooper may be showing loyalty to the St. Louis Blues backstop after his performance last year. In 32 appearances for the Blues this season, Binnington is 8-17-6 with a 3.65 goals-against average, a .864 save percentage, and one shutout.
Canada opens its tournament with back-to-back games, playing the Czechs on Thursday and the Swiss on Friday. Cooper admitted that it’s safe to assume two different goalies will get the nod in those two games.
“I would say that’s a safe assumption,” Cooper said. “We’ve got three phenomenal goalies. Goalies who have a lot of hardware in their trophy case.”
If Binnington gets the first start, Thompson would likely get the second as the best of the three netminders in the NHL this year. The 28-year-old Calgary native, who has previously said he will do whatever Cooper asks of him, has stopped 18.3 goals above expected this season, which ranks third-most in the league.
Overall, Thompson is 19-16-4 for the Washington Capitals with a 2.45 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage, and two shutouts, while Kuemper is 14-11-9 for the Los Angeles Kings with a 2.59 goals-against average, a .900 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Most of Canada’s lineup at their third practice in Italy remained the same from their first skate, meaning Tom Wilson looks set to start the tournament on the team’s first line with Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini.
Puck drop for the Canada-Czechia matchup is set for 10:40 am ET on Thursday.
