Connor McDavid wasted no time making his mark at the 2026 Winter Olympics. In his Olympic debut, the Edmonton Oilers captain recorded three assists to power Team Canada to a commanding 5-0 shutout win over Czechia in Milano Cortina. McDavid was all over the ice and electric from the opening puck drop, showcasing the speed and vision that have made him the NHL's top player and one of its most dynamic. Quickly answering questions about whether he would be more of a playmaker than a scorer, he also led the team with six shots on goal. It's clear he's looking to make an impact in multiple ways. TRENDING STORIES: Optimizing Depth: Former Oilers' D-Man Talks Edmonton’s Coaching And Player Roles [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/optimizing-depth-former-oilers-d-man-talks-edmonton-s-coaching-and-player-roles] Have The Oilers Actively Pursued A Polarizing Maple Leafs Defenseman? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/have-the-oilers-actively-pursued-a-polarizing-maple-leafs-defenseman] Oilers Reunion?: Scribes Floating One-for-One Trade [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/oilers-reunion-scribes-floating-one-for-one-trade] His first point came in dramatic fashion. With just 5.7 seconds left in the opening period, McDavid set up Macklin Celebrini for a near buzzer-beating tip-in off a Cale Makar shot, giving Canada its first goal of the tournament. He struck again early in the third period, threading a no-look saucer pass across the crease to Nathan MacKinnon on the power play to make it 4-0. Announcer Mike Johnston said Czechia's players skated back to the bench, shaking their heads, clearly unsure how best to defend such a potent power play. Midway through the frame, McDavid added another helper, finding Nick Suzuki for a point-blank redirect that pushed the lead to 5-0. It didn't look like Suzuki wasn't trying to tip it in; rather, he was pulling it to his forehand. Both will take it. Goals also came from Mark Stone and Bo Horvat, while Jordan Binnington turned aside every shot he faced for the shutout. With stars like Sidney Crosby and MacKinnon alongside him, McDavid set the tone early as Canada began its quest for Olympic gold. "We have great players all over. Great all-around effort," said McDavid after the win. " A big win, first and foremost." Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ee5d293c-7a48-41e7-a6f7-84db95997705.jpeg] This marks McDavid's first Olympics (NHL players' return since 2014), and he's already joining elite company—only the third Canadian with three assists in an NHL-era Olympic game (alongside Crosby in 2010 and Marleau in 2014). OTHER TEAM CANADA VS CZECHIA GAME TAKEAWAYS Celebrini’s Olympic debut could not have gone better. The 19-year-old Sharks star made history in Canada’s opener at the 2026 Winter Games, becoming the first teenager to represent the country in an NHL-participating Olympics. Binnington wasn't tested much, but he was solid, turning away all 26 shots he faced for his first career Olympic shutout. Binnington previously backstopped Canada to gold at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, and head coach Jon Cooper trusted him again for the opener. "A big moment guy, that's the biggest compliment you can have," McDavid said of Binnington's performance. It's not clear if Cooper will go back to Binnington on Sunday, or give Logan Thompson or Darcy Kuemper the start. Team Canada will next face Switzerland on February 13. Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/] team site to never miss the latest news [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news], game-day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/game-day] coverage, and more [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/players]. Add us to your Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwn-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] favourites, and never miss a story.
