MILAN — There's no fighting at the Olympics.
Unless your name is Tom Wilson .
Canada's enforcer dropped the gloves with France's Pierre Crinon late in the third period of a blowout 10-2 victory for the Canadians on Sunday. Crinon had hit Nathan MacKinnon up high with an elbow a few minutes prior, and Wilson took the opportunity during a scrum in front of the net.
In accordance with IIHF rules, both Crinon and Wilson were given game misconduct penalties in addition to five minutes for fighting and two for roughing. A fan appeared to throw something at Wilson on his way off the ice.
Tom Wilson of Canada fights Pierre Crinon of France during an Olympics hockey game on Feb. 15, 2026. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
No one expected to see a Gordie Howe hat trick at the Olympics, but Wilson would have been the odds-on favorite to get one. That's just what he did Sunday.
"That guy obviously didn't want to fight Tom," MacKinnon said. "He just wanted to wrestle. I wouldn't want to fight Tom either."
MacKinnon said he was surprised the elbow only earned Crinon an interference minor.
"He elbowed me in the face and I was nowhere near the puck," MacKinnon said.
Neither Wilson nor Crinon spoke after the game — having been tossed from the game, neither was obligated to come through the mixed zone, since they were already in their dressing rooms — but Wilson's teammates universally praised him.
Tom Wilson of Canada clashes with Pierre Crinon of France during an Olympics hockey game on Feb. 15, 2026. REUTERS
"I don't think we could go this tournament without seeing one [fight]," Brandon Hagel said. "That was probably the talk about him coming to the tournament. That's just what Willy does. He sticks up for teammates."
Sunday, ironically, was exactly 365 days from the three fights in nine seconds that opened Canada's match against Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Hagel, Colton Parayko and Sam Bennett fought then on a Team Canada that Wilson was left off.
"We know Willy's got our backs," Bennett said.
"You get kicked out for the rest of the game," Parayko said. "But you saw what happened before."
Neither Wilson nor Crinon is suspended for the knockout rounds, so the discipline for the fight amounted to both players missing the last 7:59 of a game that was long over.
"We didn't like the hit [on MacKinnon]," Connor McDavid said. "Willy just finishes a check and the guy jumps him and Willy's just protecting himself. That's all he can do. That's the type of guy he is, type of teammate he is. Nothing but respect for him."
Cooper said that Brad Marchand would be back in Canada's lineup in the quarterfinals after being scratched the last two games.
"He was [dealing with something] but not anymore," Cooper said.
