Senators Olympic Tracker: Tkachuk and Sanderson to Play for Medal, Stutzle Heading Home
Four of the six Ottawa Senators competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics were in action during the quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday, with mixed results for the NHL stars. Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson propelled Team USA to a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Sweden, securing a spot in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Tim Stutzle's outstanding tournament concluded as Germany fell 6-2 to Slovakia, ending their Olympic journey.
Brady Tkachuk (Team USA)
Team USA faced its most formidable challenge yet in the late quarterfinal game against Sweden. The offensive powerhouse Americans unleashed 40 shots on Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom, managing to beat him only twice. However, those two goals proved sufficient for the win.
Mika Zibanejad tied the game 1-1 with just 1:31 remaining in regulation, scoring with an empty net. Quinn Hughes secured the victory for the United States in 3-on-3 overtime with a precise wrist shot from the slot that found the back of the net.
Tkachuk recorded two shots in 15:36 of ice time during the contest. Through four tournament games, he has accumulated three points, consisting of two goals and one assist, along with an impressive plus-5 rating.
Jake Sanderson (Team USA)
In the tightly contested quarterfinal matchup, Sanderson contributed one shot in 11:04 of ice time. He also received a shift in overtime alongside Dylan Larkin and Jack Hughes, demonstrating the coaching staff's trust in his abilities.
Sanderson has tallied two assists and maintains an even rating across four Olympic appearances. The defensive stalwart will look to continue his solid play as Team USA advances to the next round.
Next Game: USA vs. Slovakia semifinal — Friday, February 20, at 3:10 p.m. (CBC, TSN, RDS2)
Tim Stutzle (Team Germany)
Stutzle and Team Germany have been eliminated from Olympic competition following a 6-2 quarterfinal loss to Slovakia. Despite the defeat, Stutzle showcased his playmaking skills by setting up Moritz Seider for a one-timer from the top of the slot in the first period. He remained dangerous on the rush throughout the game but finished with zero points and one shot in 22:27 of ice time.
Stutzle was one of two German players who recorded a minus-4 rating in the effort, with two of his faceoff losses directly leading to Slovak goals.
"I think before, if you would've said that we'd play in the quarterfinals, we would've been happy with that," Stutzle reflected. "But at the end of the day, I felt like we left something on the table and could've definitely won that game."
Nevertheless, the 24-year-old center delivered a monstrous performance throughout his first Olympic appearance. Stutzle concluded the tournament with six points in five games, including four goals and two assists. For several days, he actually led the entire tournament in goals scored.
While other teams benefited from distributing talent throughout their lineups, Germany relied heavily on their top players. Stutzle averaged 21:55 of ice time per game—only one forward in the entire tournament averaged more, his teammate Leon Draisaitl at 24:29.
"To be honest, pretty exhausted," Stutzle admitted. "Body's hurting, but I'm excited to get back to playing hockey again."
It remains uncertain when Stutzle will return to practice with the Senators in Ottawa, but he has undoubtedly earned a few extra days of rest following his exceptional Olympic performance.
