Tom Wilson fight costs Pierre Crinon his Olympics with France

Feb 16, 2026 (3:50 PM)

Photo credit: David W Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images

Pierre Crinon got kicked out of the Olympics, and Team France now pays for the Tom Wilson fight.

Sunday’s Canada 10-2 win over France flipped once Crinon clipped Nathan MacKinnon high.

Tom Wilson came flying in, dropped the gloves, and both players were sent off under Olympic rules.

That scrap became France’s loudest moment, and it also became Crinon’s last shift in Milano Cortina.

Friedman reported Monday the French federation suspended him for the rest of the Games, ending his Olympics right there.

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Basu added the context, Crinon was the guy who fought Wilson, and the ban came from his own federation.

Crinon is 30, undrafted, a left shot on the blue line, and he plays for Grenoble back home.

For France, losing a 6-foot-5 defender mid event is a roster gut punch, even if Canada was always the mountain.

French fans wanted pride and pushback, but this feels like the program paying the bill for one bad decision.

The federation’s message is really clear, play hard, not reckless, because France cannot afford extra noise around a longshot group.

Tactically, it means shorter shifts on the blue line, and fewer clean exits when Canada and Czechia crank the forecheck.

No cap hit drama, just brutal roster math, one suspension turns a steady top four into patchwork.

The bigger picture is the Olympics finally have NHL stars back, and even a small federation is choosing discipline over vibes.

France’s next game is survival hockey, and every calm minute between the pipes matters more without Crinon eating tough minutes.

It’s a rough way to end an Olympic dream, and now we see if Team France responds with smart edge instead of chaos.

Previously on HockeyLatest

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FEVRIER 16\|233 ANSWERS Tom Wilson fight costs Pierre Crinon his Olympics with France Was the Pierre Crinon Olympics ban the right call?
Yes	97	41.6 %
No	136	58.4 %
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