Olympic men’s hockey medal games predictions by NHL.com staff

MILAN -- It all comes down to this.

The United States and Canada will play for the gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Sunday (8:10 a.m. ET; Peacock, NBC, ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBC, SN [JIP], TSN [JIP], RDS2).

It will be the sixth time the two hockey superpowers will meet at an Olympics with NHL players, Canada holding a 4-1 lead.

Who will bring the gold home from Italy?

Also, who will win the bronze medal game between Finland and Slovakia?

The eight editors and writers from NHL.com and NHL.com/International here reveal their predictions for both games:

Andrew Ardini, Director of Production, NHL.com International

Gold medal game
Prediction: Canada 3, United States 1
Why: I predicted Canada way back when the tournament started, so let’s stick with it. Canada gets what seemingly no one can lately -- an empty-net goal to clinch the gold.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Slovakia 4, Finland 3
Why: Winning an Olympic medal for the first time was a huge deal four years ago for Slovakia. That motivation will still be there for the Slovaks, who get their first medal with NHL players involved.

JF Chaumont, LNH.com senior writer

Gold medal game
Prediction: Canada 3, United States 1
Why: Defense wins championships, but not a gold medal at the Olympics. Connor McDavid is the best player in the world, and he will guide Canada to the promised land.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Finland 4, Slovakia 2
Why: Finland will not lose twice in a few days to Slovakia. It has more depth, more talent, and a better goalie in Juuse Saros.

Nicholas J. Cotsonika, Columnist, NHL.com

Gold medal game
Prediction: Canada 3, United States 2
Why: The U.S. can win. The margins are thin. But the U.S. hasn’t defeated Canada when it has mattered in a best-on-best tournament since 1996, and Canada has won four straight best-on-best tournaments. The Canadians get the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Finland 3, Slovakia 1
Why: No country has won more medals at Olympics with NHL players than Finland, which has won one silver and three bronze. The Finns will play hard for bronze, and they will have a little more rest than the Slovaks, who played the Americans in the late game Friday.

Matt Cubeta, VP & Editor in Chief, NHL.com International

Gold medal game
Prediction: Canada 4, United States 3
Why: The fans get a thrilling back-and-forth game with none other than Macklin Celebrini delivering the game-winning goal late in the third period to help Canada claim gold.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Finland 4, Slovakia 2
Why: After losing to Slovakia in the opening game of the Olympics, Sebastian Aho scores twice and leads Finland to a revenge win for bronze.

Eric Marin, Director, Editorial, NHL.com International

Gold medal game
Prediction: United States 4, Canada 2
Why: Canada got up off the mat against Czechia and Finland, but its resilience runs out in the rematch of the 4 Nations championship game. The Americans have only gotten better during the tournament and are peaking at the right time to capture their first gold since the 1980 Miracle on Ice.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Finland 4, Slovakia 1
Why: The Finns were in good shape against Canada until they sat back and tried to defend for two periods. They’ll learn from that mistake, let their depth go to work, and medal for the fourth straight time at an Olympics involving NHL players.

Bill Price, VP, Editor-in-Chief, NHL.com

Gold medal game
Prediction: United States 5, Canada 4 (OT)
Why: Nine goals. Overtime. Would you expect anything else? The Americans have been saying for months this is their time and they finally prove it, but it won’t be easy.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Slovakia 3, Finland 2
Why: Slovakia pretty much knew after the first period on Friday that it was not defeating the United States in the semifinal. Finland had its heart ripped out with 35.2 seconds left against Canada. I’m not sure the Finns can get up for this game, while Slovakia seems determined to bring a medal home.

Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

Gold medal game
Prediction: United States 3, Canada 2
Why: Canada’s dominance in best-on-best hockey has to end at some point. The Americans have the team to do it. Like Connor Hellebuyck said after the 6-2 dismantling of Slovakia, the Americans are stout in every part of their game. They are peaking and they are healthy. It’s their time.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Finland 4, Slovakia 2
Why: This isn’t the same Finniah team that lost to the Slovaks in group play last week. Finland has grown by leaps and bounds, as evidenced by the fact it gave Canada all it could handle in the semis. Slovakia has had a great run in this tournament, but it ends in disappointment.

Dan Rosen, senior writer

Gold medal game
Prediction: United States 3, Canada 1
Why: The U.S. will control the game on the blue line, find enough speed in transition to score a couple goals, be disciplined enough to not let Canada take over the game on the power play, and get a big-time performance from Hellebuyck to finally take over as international hockey's No. 1 superpower.

Bronze medal game
Prediction: Finland 5, Slovakia 3
Why: The Finns will overcome their dramatic loss to Canada in the semifinals by remembering what happened against Slovakia in preliminary round, a 4-1 loss, and will rectify it by getting to the front of the net, getting out in transition and locking down the neutral zone to leave Milan with a well-earned bronze medal.