Team Canada absolutely trounced Team Czechia on the second day of men's Olympic hockey with a decisive 5-0 shutout. All five goals were scored by different players, with 19-year old phenom Macklin Celebrini opening the scoring for the Canadians. Despite the victory, there was one setback for the Canadians: an injury to defenseman Josh Morrissey that forced him to leave the game and not return.
Josh Morrissey will not return...hopefully not serious.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 12, 2026
Now that Canada has played, no injury replacement can be added to the roster
Morrissey, who plays for the Winnipeg Jets, is an offensive defenseman who's scored 10 goals and 42 points in 56 games for Winnipeg, and was slotted on the second pair for the Canadians with Colton Parayko. The Canadians play tomorrow, and it's unclear whether he'll be able to suit up or not. He tried to return to the game, but was unable to do so.
Enter Travis Sanheim, one of the three healthy scratches for today's game. His inclusion on Team Canada was a bit of a headscratcher for many, as he's not an offensive dynamo (six goals and 24 points in 56 games) and isn't a shutdown defenseman. Sanheim's prime attributes are his well-roundedness and his ability to comfortably play both the left and right sides. It’s a valuable commodity in international play with limited roster spots and a highly competitive atmosphere that can lead to injuries.
Olympic rules are a little odd, because teams are allowed to dress an extra forward and an extra defenseman for games so the Canadians had Shea Theodore waiting in the wings once Morrissey was ruled out. That means Sanheim's almost guaranteed to dress tomorrow if Morrissey can't play, because he will be, at the very least, the seventh defenseman, ready to go if another injury occurs.
Or, if the coaching staff decides to switch things up, they can put Sanheim on the ice and leave another player in reserve in case of injury. Since Canada has already played, they are not allowed to add any injury replacements outside of the rostered players.
Either way, there's a good chance we see another Flyer make their Olympic debut tomorrow.