With the round-robin stage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in the books, the playoff picture is starting to take shape - and for the Seattle Kraken players representing their countries, the real test begins now.
Let’s start with Tuesday’s quarterfinal qualification games, where eight teams will battle for a spot in the final eight. The matchups: Czechia vs.
Denmark, Sweden vs. Latvia, Germany vs.
France, and Switzerland vs. Italy.
The winners of those games will advance to face the three group winners and the highest-ranked second-place team in the quarterfinals.
Molgaard Scores, But Grubauer and Germany Prevail
Oscar Fisker Molgaard, the Kraken rookie making his Olympic debut for Denmark, notched his first-ever Olympic goal - a milestone moment for the 19-year-old forward. But it came in a 3-1 loss to Germany, where he faced off against Seattle teammate Philipp Grubauer in net. Grubauer was solid once again, helping Germany secure a win and a favorable matchup against a struggling French squad.
Now, Denmark faces an uphill battle against a Czechia team that hasn’t quite lived up to expectations but still enters the matchup as the clear favorite. The Danes aren’t backing down, though.
With Molgaard gaining confidence and playing with energy, Denmark will look to play spoiler. If they manage to shock Czechia, a rested and dominant Canadian team likely awaits - a tall order, but one step at a time.
Germany, on the other hand, is in a strong position. France, which had to navigate a brutal group featuring Canada, Switzerland, and Czechia, never really found its footing. If Grubauer continues his sharp play and Germany can strike early, they should handle business and move on to face a red-hot Slovakia team in the quarters.
Kakko, Tolvanen Lead Finland Into Knockout Stage
Elsewhere, Kraken forwards Kaapo Kakko and Eeli Tolvanen helped Finland close out the group stage in style with a dominant win over Italy - a game that locked up the best second-place seed for the Finns. Kakko’s continued production on the international stage has been a bright spot for Finland, and Tolvanen’s recent bump up the lineup is paying dividends as well.
Finland now gets a well-earned rest day while they wait to face the winner of Switzerland vs. Italy.
That game leans heavily in Switzerland’s favor, even with forward Kevin Fiala sidelined after suffering an injury against Canada. The Swiss have been one of the most disciplined and opportunistic teams in the tournament, and even without Fiala, they’re capable of pushing Finland to the limit.
A potential Finland-Switzerland quarterfinal has all the makings of a tightly contested, high-skill showdown - one where the Kraken duo could play a pivotal role.
Olympic Stakes Rising
With the elimination rounds about to begin, the intensity is only going to ramp up. For the Kraken players wearing national colors, the opportunity to shine on the Olympic stage is right in front of them. Whether it’s Molgaard trying to spark an underdog run with Denmark, Grubauer anchoring a poised German squad, or Kakko and Tolvanen driving Finland’s offense, the next few days will be telling.
The round robin was just the opening act. Now the real drama begins.