Tom Wilson Explains Avoiding Escalation in Canada vs. France Olympic Hockey Match
Published on February 17, 2026 at 6:39 PM. Follow the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games live on our platforms. Medal Table | Special Section | Broadcast Schedule
Tom Wilson wasn’t willing to risk further consequences for an altercation during the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. The Canadian team forward spoke to the media for the first time since the incident with Pierre Crinon during the preliminary round match against France. Wilson was ensuring that the hit on Nathan MacKinnon wouldn’t go unpunished.
However, with a zero-tolerance policy for fighting on the Olympic stage, Wilson didn’t want to risk a more severe penalty than an ejection and potentially miss Canada’s quarter-final game. That’s why he didn’t prolong the confrontation and allowed officials to intervene.
A Calculated Decision
“When it started, it was a bit chaotic and he kept coming,” Wilson explained after his team’s practice on Tuesday. “There’s a point where you have to defend yourself. Once I got myself into a better position, I figured it was time to stop. It had gone far enough.”
“The linesmen were trying to do their job, and you don’t want to get carried away,” he added.
Protecting His Teammate
Canada was comfortably ahead when the sequence occurred, so Wilson wasn’t overly concerned about the impact of a potential ejection on the game’s outcome. This allowed him to stand up for his teammate following the initial incident.
“The game was out of reach, so there wasn’t a huge impact if I got kicked out. I wanted to stand up for my teammates,” he clarified.
Reaction to Crinon’s Suspension
When he learned that his opponent had been removed from the Olympic tournament by the French Federation, Wilson simply stated: “That surprised me a bit. It’s not my decision.”
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