The countdown is on

365 days from puck drop in Pyeongchang, take a look at Canada’s three preliminary-round opponents.

Jason La Rose

Today marks exactly 365 days until the men’s hockey tournament begins at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and 365 days until Canada begins its quest for a third-consecutive gold medal.

The schedule has yet to be released, but the groups are set and the Canadians – nine-time Olympic gold medallist and the No. 1-ranked country by the International Ice Hockey Federation – will face off against the Czech Republic, host South Korea and Switzerland in preliminary-round play.

Historically, how has Canada fared against its first three opponents?

Czech Republic
2016 IIHF World Ranking: 6th

The Czechs have played in all six Olympic tournaments since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, beating the odds to top the podium at the 1998 Games, the first to include NHLers. That tournament featured the Czechs’ lone win over Canada in Olympic play, the memorable semifinal shootout where Dominik Hasek stopped Theoren Fleury, Ray Bourque, Joe Nieuwendyk, Eric Lindros and Brendan Shanahan to send his country to the gold medal game.

Last international meeting: Canada 2, CZE 0
May 16, 2015 – IIHF World Championship (semifinals)

ALL-TIME OLYMPIC GAMES VS. CANADA
Canada leads all-time series 1-0-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T)

February 21, 2006 – Canada 3, CZE 2 (preliminary round)
February 18, 2002 – Canada 2, CZE 2 (medal round)
February 20, 1998 – CZE 2, Canada 1 SO (semifinals)

PREVIOUS RESULTS
2014 – 6th place
2010 – 7th place
2006 – bronze medal
2002 – 7th place
1998 – gold medal
1994 – 5th place

South Korea
2016 IIHF World Ranking: 23rd

The host country enters its first top-level international tournament, having never competed at the Olympic Winter Games or IIHF World Championship. South Korea fell just a single point short of reaching the final qualification stages in 2014, and didn’t make it out of regional qualification tournaments in 1998 and 2002, the only other times it had been through the qualifying process.

Last international meeting: none

ALL-TIME OLYMPIC GAMES VS. CANADA
Canada and South Korea have never met in international competition.

PREVIOUS RESULTS
South Korea has never participated in men’s hockey at the Olympic Winter Games.

Switzerland
2016 IIHF World Ranking: 7th

Canada has dominated the all-time Olympic series, winning eight of nine games, but the last two meetings have been the closest – the Swiss earned their first-ever win over Canada in 2006, before the Canadians needed a shootout to score the victory in 2010. Switzerland has been in and out of Olympic tournaments since the inaugural event in 1920, claiming a pair of bronze medals in 1928 and 1948.

Last international meeting: Canada 7, SUI 2
May 10, 2015 – IIHF World Championship (preliminary round)

ALL-TIME OLYMPIC GAMES VS. CANADA
Canada leads all-time series 7-1-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T)

February 18, 2010 – Canada 3, SUI 2 SO (preliminary round)
February 18, 2006 – SUI 2, Canada 0 (preliminary round)
February 10, 1992 – Canada 6, SUI 1 (preliminary round)
February 16, 1988 – Canada 4, SUI 2 (preliminary round)
January 29, 1964 – Canada 8, SUI 0 (round robin)
February 21, 1952 – Canada 11, SUI 2 (round robin)
February 8, 1948 – Canada 3, SUI 0 (round robin)
February 19, 1928 – Canada 13, SUI 0 (medal round)
January 30, 1924 – Canada 33, SUI 0 (preliminary round)

PREVIOUS RESULTS
2014 – 9th place
2010 – 8th place
2006 – 6th place
2002 – 11th place
1998 – did not qualify
1994 – did not qualify
1992 – 10th place
1988 – 8th place
1984 – did not qualify
1980 – did not qualify
1976 – 11th place
1972 – 10th place
1968 – did not qualify
1964 – 8th place
1960 – did not qualify
1956 – 9th place
1952 – 5th place
1948 – bronze medal
1936 – 9th place
1932 – did not qualify
1928 – bronze medal
1924 – 7th place
1920 – 5th place