Last minute changes to Canada’s Olympic hockey quests

MILAN — The winds of change were blowing hard Thursday around the Canadian Olympic hockey teams.

The culprit: illness and injury.

It began with word that Canada’s women’s team would have to wait an extra 48 hours to hit the ice for its opening round-robin game. Their scheduled opponents, Finland, had been decimated by norovirus, which is commonly referred to as a stomach flu.

The first case was reported Tuesday night, but the nasty bug spread quickly. By Thursday morning’s scheduled skate, only 10 Finnish skaters had been cleared to play, with the remaining 13 either confirmed sick or quarantining due to symptoms.

A conference call involving the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation, the Milan Cortina organizers and representatives from both teams ultimately led to the decision to postpone the game rather than drop the puck Thursday night.

Some fans immediately wondered why Canada wasn’t awarded a 1-0 forfeit victory, an option permitted under the rules. That scenario was never discussed, nor did anyone push for it.

“I think in the spirit of the Games and wanting to compete in these Games, making sure that we’re doing so in a safe manner was our priority,” Team Canada’s general manager Gina Kingsbury told reporters following the announcement.

“We felt it was a good option and a responsible decision for us to be able to postpone.”

Even at full strength, Finland faced a daunting task. The Canadians have won all seven previous Olympic meetings by a combined score of 40-7 and hold an overwhelming 89-2-1 record in 92 all-time matchups.

The game has been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12 (7:30 a.m. CT), which was originally slated as an off day.

“You work four years to come to an Olympic Games,” said Kingsbury. “We know what it means to represent your country and to be in this incredible tournament. To fall sick and to have a group of athletes under the weather the way they are, we feel for them.”

With athletes living in close quarters in the Olympic Village, officials are eager to contain the situation quickly. The last thing anyone wants is a broader outbreak involving multiple teams, countries and sports.

At this point, there are no concerns beyond the Finnish women’s team, though medical and team officials continue to monitor the situation closely. Canada’s scheduled second game, on Saturday (2:10 p.m. CT) against Switzerland, will now serve as its tournament opener.

Winnipegger Kati Tabin (Montreal Victoire) is expected to make her Olympic debut — along with six other Canadian players — while Ste. Anne’s Jocelyne Larocque (Ottawa Charge) will suit up for her fourth Games and become the third-oldest Canadian woman to do so at the age of 37.

On the men’s side, Canada suffered a blow of its own, with a nagging, slow-healing injury to forward Brayden Point ending his Olympic bid before it began. Canadian management announced Thursday that the Tampa Bay Lightning star will be replaced by Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis of Winnipeg.

Jarvis wore the Maple Leaf at last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, which ended with a gold-medal overtime win over the United States, and was a somewhat surprising omission from the original Olympic roster.

Patience, however, has paid off. The 24-year-old former Rink Academy standout is on pace for a career season, with 43 points (25 goals, 18 assists) in 48 games. The 13th-overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft brings speed, energy and a strong two-way game.

It marked the second roster change for Canada. Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett recently replaced another injured Lightning player, Anthony Cirelli, who was hurt last weekend.

“Devastating,” Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

“Incredible selflessness on his part (and Cirelli’s). They could have pushed to play at less than 100 per cent but showed character of the highest order in giving up their spot to someone healthier and more apt to help Canada win gold.”

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Paul Samyn | Editor's Note

A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom.

Sign up for Paul Samyn | Editor's Note

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Jarvis gives Canada three Manitobans on the roster, joining fellow Winnipegger Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights) and Elkhorn’s Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers).

Canadian management had assembled a short list of potential injury replacements, which included Bennett and Jarvis. Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele is also on that list, but barring a last-minute development, the call is not expected to come his way.

Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey is on the Canadian roster and is expected to play a major role on the blue line. Three of his teammates are also competing in the tournament: Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor with the United States, and Nino Niederreiter with Switzerland.

Canada’s men’s team will hold its first practice in Milan on Sunday ahead of its tournament opener next Thursday, Feb. 12 (9:40 a.m. CT) against Czechia.

winnipegfreepress.com/mikemcintyre

Mike McIntyre
Sports columnist

Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.

   Read full biography