Nathan McKinnon reacts to Tom Wilson’s fighting support
Canada moved to 3-0 in Olympic play with a 10-2 win over France. However, the result may not be the topic of conversation, as Canadian Tom Wilson dropped the gloves against Pierre Crinon.
While there are no fights at the Olympics, Wilson got into a fight after a hit against Nathan MacKinnonand McKinnon after the competition reacted to the match per ESPN.
“That guy obviously didn’t want to fight Tom,” McKinnon said. “He just wanted to wrestle. I wouldn’t want to wrestle Tom either.”
Wilson, who will likely captain the Washington Capitals when Alex Ovechkin retires, is known for his physical play and is also known for his incredible presence in the locker room. While Wilson didn’t speak to reporters after the game, his teammates made sure to stand up and support him, including Sam Bennett.
“We know Willie has our backs,” Bennett said. “He’s going to protect all our guys and bring us energy. We love that about Willie. He’s going to do anything for our team.”
Crinnon hit McKinnon high and was given a two-minute minor penalty for the tackle. He apologized for the hit, but still had to serve the punishment for illegally hitting one of the team’s best players. Canada didn’t like the hit, as Connor McDavid noted.
“We didn’t like the shot, we felt like it was late and high,” McDavid said after the game. “Willie just finishes the check and the guy jumps him and Willie just covers. That’s all he can do. That’s the type of guy, the type of teammate he is. Nothing but respect for him.”
The IIHF penalizes the fight for misconduct, unlike just a five-minute big fight in the NHL. Still, Wilson will take the ice again in the quarterfinals when Canada is back on the ice.
Canada is the favorite for the gold medal and they will have a bye in the quarterfinals, and they are waiting for their next opponent on February 18.
2026-02-15 21:34:00
