![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates scoring against Team USA during the first period during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_877,y_858,w_2013,h_1132/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/108/01kh8wv9e9r0c8v6zwkq.jpg "Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates scoring against Team USA during the first period during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images")
Three Colorado Avalanche stars are set to make their highly anticipated Olympic debuts on Thursday.
Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Martin Necas will square off in the Canada-Czechia matchup in both teams’ first games as part of the 2026 Winter Olympics. All three Avalanche stars will be seeing their first Olympic participation.
For MacKinnon and Makar, they’ll be part of the big draw as Team Canada is the presumptive favorite to recapture gold. But fans shouldn’t sell the Czech side short. The team is highly talented across the board, with Necas being a superstar fueling the powerful Czech offense.
As for Avalanche fans, it might be a bit strange to see Necas in opposite colors from MacKinnon and Makar. But that’s life at the Olympics. With players representing their home countries, friendships take a momentary back seat to the pursuit of a medal.
Team Canada will face Team Czechia at 10:40 am EST. NBC Sports has been carrying every Olympic hockey match.
Another Avalanche star debuts in disappointing match
Another Colorado Avalanche star made his Olympic debut on Wednesday. Artturi Lehkonen played for Team Finland in their 4-1 upset loss to Slovakia.
The Finns ran into Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slafkovsky and an upstart Slovakian side that pulled off the Olympics' first major surprise. Lehkonen picked up an assist in Finland’s only goal.
Another Avalanche player on Team Finland, Joel Kiviranta, did not see action in the game. Kiviranta was a healthy scratch for the match. But there’s a chance he could see action in the Finns’ next game against Sweden on Saturday.
The Sweden-Finland matchup will be crucial in determining seeding for the playoff round. The winner of the group will earn a first-round bye into the quarterfinals. So, there’s plenty on the line for Lehkonen and Kiviranta, who’ll face Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and the Swedes.