In the lead-up to the men’s hockey quarterfinals at the Milan Cortina Olympics, Canadian players Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett did not participate in practice on Tuesday. This absence was attributed to "maintenance" according to head coach Jon Cooper, who reassured that there was no cause for alarm as the team prepared for a critical game against either Czechia or Denmark set to unfold the next day. Despite the stakes of the upcoming match, the coaching staff remains confident in their players' readiness.

Earlier in the week, MacKinnon had sustained a forearm injury to his jaw from French defenceman Pierre Crinon during Canada's decisively dominant 10-2 win over France, which secured their place in the quarterfinals with a perfect record in the preliminary rounds. The game had also featured a rare altercation, marked by Tom Wilson engaging in a fight with Crinon, which was the first fight seen in Olympic hockey since 1998, leading to ejections for both players under the International Ice Hockey Federation's rules regarding fighting.

In brighter news for the team, defenceman Josh Morrissey returned to practice after missing the earlier games due to an undisclosed injury. Cooper noted that Morrissey had a strong showing in practice, though it remains uncertain whether he will be cleared to play in the crucial quarterfinals. With these developments, Canada aims to maintain its momentum as it heads into the knockout stage of the competition, hoping to secure a spot in the medal rounds and ultimately pursue gold.