Today saw the end of the 'final' round of the 2026 Olympic qualifiers for the Milano-Cortina games.
Team Latvia took down Team France with a final score of 5-2, with goals from its two QMJHL alumni -- wingers Rodrigo Abols (Philadelphia) and Martins Dzierkals.
Denmark bested Norway with a final score of 4-1, thanks to an impressive 30 save performance from goaltender Frederik Andersen. Denmark's roster featured two former QMJHLers in winger Nikolaj Ehlers (Winnipeg) and center Christian Wejse.
Finally, former Sherbrooke Phoenix goalie Samuel Hlavaj (Minnesota) backstopped Slovakia to a 3-1 victory over Kazahkstan. Hlavaj was joined by fellow QMJHLers Michal Ivan, Kristian Pospisil and Marek Hrivik.
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That said, there is still one team that is undecided as it stands. The IIHF has yet to have decided on whether they will permit Russia to participate in the 2025/26 Championship season, and subsequently, enter the 2026 Olympic games.
If the IIHF chooses to extend Russia's suspension of participation to the 2026 Olympics, that would mean that Team France -- who finished with the highest goal differential of the three runner-ups -- would replace them.
That decision will be made in February of 2025, and if so, we could very well see former QMJHL alumni in forward Pierrick Dubé (Washington) and goaltender Antoine Keller (Washington) during the 2026 games.
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