Team Canada’s hockey team isn’t embracing an important Olympic tradition.
Okay, so everyone’s staying in the Olympic Village for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, which is cool, but I just learned something AMAZING! My guy, Logan Thompson – seriously, the best goalie ever – explained why Team Canada’s hockey team is doing things differently. They’re actually staying in a hotel instead of mixing with everyone else in the Village! I’m so intrigued – I need to know everything about why they made that choice! It just shows how seriously they’re taking this, and honestly, I respect it so much.
Thompson, 28, explained in a SportsNet interview on February 9th that their actions weren’t meant to be disrespectful. He said the team’s focus is simply on winning gold and maximizing their chances of success.
As a huge hockey fan, I’m so excited for the men’s team to start their journey on February 12th against Team Czechia – with stars like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, it’s going to be incredible! The women’s team already had a great start, winning against the Czech Republic, but unfortunately lost to Team USA on February 10th. They’ll finish out the group stage against Finland on February 12th, though that game was delayed a bit because the Finnish team was dealing with a norovirus outbreak. I’m really hoping both teams do well!
Team Canada initially stayed in the Olympic Village in Milan – the housing there is similar to college dorms – but later moved to a hotel. While they appreciated the Village experience, the team found the hotel better suited their needs.
However, Thompson will still visit the six different villages for two important reasons.
He emphasized the value of gaining experience, saying it’s great to connect with fellow athletes. He also expressed his excitement about attending the Olympics, both to compete and to watch other events.
Thompson said he and teammates such as Crosby and McDavid have already met some other athletes, and he finds those encounters unbelievable.
Thompson remembers people constantly watching players like Crosby and McDavid, because they’re such big stars. It’s amazing to see how much attention they get internationally, with fans from other countries eager to meet them.
Beyond working separately, the many teams at the event are also focused on one unusual feature: the beds. These cardboard beds, first used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, became famous—and were jokingly called “anti-sex beds”—due to their simple, and somewhat sturdy, construction.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the Olympic preparations closely, and it’s fascinating to see how things evolve! The village famously used these incredible beds for five years running, and it looks like they’ve taken comfort to the next level this year with an upgraded material. It’s all about maximizing athlete recovery, and these beds are a key part of that!
In a TikTok video posted on February 1st, Team Great Britain ice dancer Phebe Bekker addressed a popular question: Were the beds at the Olympics made of cardboard? She tapped on the bed frame and mattress to demonstrate that they weren’t, saying, “You heard it here first. There are no cardboard beds—at least, not that I’ve found!”
Keep reading to see more notable moments at the 2026 Winter Olympics outside of the villages…
A cameraman captured a heartwarming moment as U.S. skiers Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin embraced after completing their second run in the women’s team combined slalom competition.
Biathlete Lou Jeanmonnot of France playfully posed with the stuffed mascots, Milo and Tina, from the Milan-Cortina Olympics. She received the plushies after winning a silver medal in the women’s 15km individual biathlon event.
After completing the super-G race, skier Dmytro Shepiuk wrote a message of support for Ukrainians on a sticky note.
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women’s singles free skating team event.
Speedskater Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands cried tears of joy after discovering she’d broken the Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
China’s Eileen Gu competes in the women’s freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
After his performance in the men’s singles short program, U.S. skater Maxim Naumov held a photo of his parents, who have passed away, close to his heart.
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women’s freestyle slopestyle.
Figure skater Ekaterina Kurakova of Poland celebrated her performance in the women’s singles short program with her teammates, holding up a plush pierogi – a popular and well-known Polish food.
No, it’s Team Austria’s ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women’s doubles.
The figure skating team who won the medal took a selfie with a special Olympic Edition Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 while celebrating on the podium.
Lindsey Vonn, a U.S. skier, showed her determination while training just days after suffering an ACL tear in a crash.
Alysa Liu, representing the United States, performs a Biellmann spin during her short program in the women’s singles skating competition.
Jennifer Dodds of Team Great Britain looked very anxious while watching the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Snoop Dogg,serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
Oh my gosh, Evan Bates and Madison Chock… seriously, watching them skate together is just magical! They’re not just an amazing skating pair, but you can feel the connection they have – it’s like they’re perfectly in sync, especially during their rhythm dance. It’s not just technique, it’s like they were made to skate together!
Laila Edwards, the first African American woman to play hockey for the U.S. in the Olympics, competes against Sara Cajanova of the Czech Republic during their game.
During the men’s snowboard big air qualifying round, Australian athlete Valentino Guseli embraced Jakub Hrones from Team Czechia.
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a training session.
Korey Dropkin, an American curler, celebrated with a shout after his team won against Switzerland in a mixed doubles curling match.
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2026-02-12 18:17