February 19, 2026
Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images
Travis Sanheim and Team Canada are chasing after a gold medal.
Flyers defensemen Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen will play one another in the chase after a gold medal when Canada faces off against Finland on Friday morning in the men's hockey Olympic semifinal.
Puck drop in Milan is set for 10:40 a.m. ET, with the game broadcasting on the USA Network and streaming on Peacock.
Sanheim, the Flyers' leading defenseman, made Team Canada as a depth blueliner, and found his way into the lineup after Canada's Olympic opener, when Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets went down with injury.
Sanheim skated 10:17 and then 18:53 in ensuing wins over Switzerland and France, putting up a plus-5 rating and dependable minutes as a bottom-pairing defenseman, while Canada punched its ticket into the quarterfinals against Czechia.
Morrissey returned to practice in the time since, but Sanheim stayed in the lineup against Czechia on Wednesday, reuniting with 4 Nations defensive partner Colton Parayko, of the St. Louis Blues, for it.
Sanheim saw just 8:52 of ice time for the game, but generated a chance with the score tied late into the third, when he dropped down from the point on a scramble in front of the Czechia net to put a shot on.
Canada won, 4-3, in the 3-on-3 overtime when Mitch Marner, of the Vegas Golden Knights, cut right through the Czechia line to backhand in the advancing goal.
Ristolainen entered Wednesday tied for the Olympic lead in plus-minus and as one half of Finland's middle defensive pairing alongside the Florida Panthers' Niko Mikkola.
In Finland's own quarterfinals matchup against Switzerland, Ristolainen skated a substantial 20:03, but was caught on both of Switzerland's goals before Artturi Lehkonen, of the Colorado Avalanche, scored his own OT winner to lock in Finland-Canada with a 3-2 final.
After Friday, at least one Flyer will still be hanging around, playing for gold.
Macklin Celebrini was already on a rapid ascent into NHL superstardom in his sophomore season with the San Jose Sharks, but this run he's been on with Team Canada has felt like something else entirely.
The 19-year-old made the cut, came in, and has just been flying all over the ice on the wing of the game's absolute elite in Connor McDavid, all while being openly embraced by the Edmonton Oilers megastar and Penguins star captain Sidney Crosby.
Celebrini has five goals and nine points through four Olympic games entering Friday's semifinal, which included the opening tally against Czechia, where McDavid picked off a puck at the Canada blue line, and the two turned it into a downhill rush that no one else on the ice could keep up with.
When Celebrini does go back to San Jose, he'll be returning to an 81-point campaign that has more than enough time left to go well beyond 100, and as the Sharks' top center, he'll be trying to pull them through a Western Conference playoff race that they're not out of quite yet.
Sure would be nice if the Flyers had that kind of difference maker at the top of their lineup, wouldn't it?
Macklin Celebrini Career With Canada 🇨🇦:
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) February 19, 2026
Games - 24
Goals - 18
Assists - 20
Points - 38
Includes U18 World Champs, World Juniors, World Champs & Olympics pic.twitter.com/88AakUyMR5
The U.S. and Canada just wrapped the women's tournament on Thursday with an all-timer for the gold medal.
Megan Keller made the break and a nasty move in overtime to score the golden goal for Team USA in a 2-1 final.
A GOLDEN GOAL FOR GOLD! pic.twitter.com/oLDfElGnI9
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 19, 2026
And all tournament long, Abbey Murphy was playing with ice in her veins.
Abbey Murphy, no look. Hannah Bilka, NO DOUBT. 🇺🇸
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 10, 2026
📺 #WinterOlympics on Peacock and USA pic.twitter.com/bJBoKcmXJK
That no-look was cold.
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