“Was that McDavid?” Team Canada superstar throws a rare crushing hit vs Czechia
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Daniel Lucente
Feb 12, 2026 (11:00)
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Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Connor McDavid opened Canada vs Czechia with a monster hit, and it instantly changed the temperature in this Olympic men’s hockey opener.
First shift, first statement.
McDavid didn’t glide into Milano and wait for space, he went hunting body contact like a power forward.
You could hear the “wait, was that 97?” energy through the clip, because this is not the part of his game we see on loop.
It looked like a decision, not an accident.
Canada’s stars usually beat you with pace, seams, and the man advantage, but that first jolt said, “We can play your game too.”
The timing matters.
This is Canada’s first game of the Milano Cortina 2026 tournament, and the margins are tight when everyone dresses NHL players.
Connor McDavid gives Team Canada a new edge
Leaf fans, Jets fans, Oilers fans, basically every Canadian fan I know, felt the exact same thing, if McDavid’s throwing that hit, the whole bench is about to follow.
It also fits his season.
He arrived in Italy playing MVP-level hockey, sitting at 34-62-96 with Edmonton.
When he adds contact, it drags defenders into mistakes, and it buys his line an extra half-second on retrievals.
That’s huge against a Czechia team that’s comfortable turning games into board battles and broken plays.
It’s not about McDavid “becoming a hitter” overnight.
It’s about him choosing the moment, early, to make Czechia think twice before they close a gap.
Now the next shift is the real test, does Canada keep that bite, or does it fade once the game settles.
Either way, that first thump felt like a message, Canada came for gold, and they’re not waiting to be invited.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 12|140 ANSWERS “Was that McDavid?” Team Canada superstar throws a rare crushing hit vs Czechia Did Connor McDavid’s monster hit vs Czechia change the vibe for Team Canada? | ||
| Yes | 128 | 91.4 % |
| No | 12 | 8.6 % |
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