US, Canada Reach Hockey Semifinals; 'Tariff Derby' Final Looms

Could a US-Canada ice hockey "tariff derby" be decided in the Olympic final?

The United States and Canada have advanced to the men's ice hockey semifinals at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. They will face Slovakia and Finland respectively on February 21. If both teams win their semifinal matches, they will meet in the final on February 22.

This tournament marks the first Olympic appearance by NHL stars in 12 years, since the 2014 Sochi Games. The potential US-Canada matchup has drawn particular attention amid deteriorating relations between the two nations. US President Donald Trump mocked Canada as "America's 51st state" and imposed 25% tariffs, souring bilateral ties. When Canada retaliated with its own tariffs, the US responded by threatening to raise reciprocal duties further.

The deepening conflict first surfaced at the Four Nations Face-Off tournament, which replaced the NHL All-Star Game in February 2025. The event featured the US, Canada, Sweden, and Finland in a round-robin format. Fans from both North American nations booed loudly during each other's national anthems. Players were equally combative, engaging in three brawls within the first nine seconds of their match.

After Canada won that tournament, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared: "You cannot take our country, and you cannot take our game."

The hockey rivalry has transcended sport to become a battle of national pride.

Canada dominates the historical Olympic record with nine gold medals compared to America's two. In head-to-head Olympic matchups featuring NHL players, Canada has won four of five encounters. Canada defeated the US in the finals at both the 2002 Salt Lake City and 2010 Vancouver Games. At the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Canada eliminated the US in the semifinals before claiming gold.