Team Canada Men's Hockey Team Opts for 5-Star Hotel Over Olympic Village

The team says they want to give themselves the 'best opportunity to win gold'

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Canadian Men's Hockey Team is choosing to stay at a five-star hotel instead of the Olympic Village during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Goaltender Logan Thompson said the team wants to "win gold" and feels staying at the hotel will give them the "best opportunity to do so." This is not the first time Team Canada has made this decision, as they had similar arrangements for the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.

Why it matters

The decision by Team Canada to forego the Olympic Village accommodations in favor of a five-star hotel is an interesting strategic move. The Olympic Village is meant to foster a sense of community and camaraderie among all the athletes, but Team Canada seems to prioritize their competitive edge over that experience. This raises questions about the balance between athlete comfort/preparation and the spirit of the Olympics.

The details

Team Canada's general manager Doug Armstrong said the team had similar hotel arrangements for the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Olympics. Goaltender Logan Thompson noted that high-profile players like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid tend to draw a lot of attention in the Olympic Village, which can be distracting. Thompson said he still plans to visit the Village to experience it and interact with other athletes.

  • Team Canada plays its first Olympic game on Friday, February 13, 2026.
  • Team Canada stayed in the Olympic Village for the first few nights of the Olympics before switching to a hotel.

The players

Logan Thompson

A Canadian goaltender on the men's hockey team.

Darcy Kuemper

A Canadian goaltender on the men's hockey team.

Doug Armstrong

The general manager of the Canadian men's hockey team.

Sidney Crosby

The captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins and a star player on the Canadian men's hockey team.

Connor McDavid

The captain of the Edmonton Oilers and a star player on the Canadian men's hockey team.

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What they’re saying

“We want to win gold, and we want to give ourselves the best opportunity to do so.”

— Logan Thompson, Canadian goaltender (Sportsnet)

“Whatever we do, we'll do as a team. We're gonna make the decision that we feel is giving us the best chance to win.”

— Darcy Kuemper, Canadian goaltender (Sportsnet)

“I think this has sort of grown a life of its own. This is no different than the tournaments we had before. We just wanted to give our players that option to stay where they're most comfortable to prepare for the games.”

— Doug Armstrong, General Manager, Team Canada (Sportsnet)

“You see everyone just staring at them, because they're the superstars. So, it's cool to see how other countries really notice them, and how they all just want to come over and say hi to Crosby and McDavid and those guys.”

— Logan Thompson, Canadian goaltender (Sportsnet)

What’s next

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The takeaway

This decision by Team Canada highlights the balance between athlete comfort/preparation and the spirit of the Olympics. While the Olympic Village is meant to foster unity, Team Canada seems to prioritize their competitive edge, raising questions about how far teams will go to gain an advantage.