But if there’s one thing we’ve learned so far in this tournament, it’s that all 12 countries have either won a game or put a scare into their opponents.

France did the same to Czechia on Friday. After a ho-hum first period trailing 2-0, Louis Boudon scored twice, and Hugo Gallet fired home another in the span of four minutes and 53 seconds.

France was winning 3-2. However, this may end up being their claim to fame in the tournament, as David Pastrnak’s equalizer, combined with a late goal just 32 seconds left in the second period, shattered the French’s hopes.

“Being in the Olympics and you lead 3-2 against the Czechs, it’s just unfortunate that we had a little bit of rookie mistakes,” said captain Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

“That can’t happen at that level.”

Putting aside the wins and losses, being in that game will mean a lot to these French players.

“I think that’s the moment which [is] going to stay in my mind all my life long,” said goaltender Martin Neckar, who allowed six goals on 26 shots before being pulled.

“When Gallet scored his goal, and we were [up] 3-2, I was really thinking, ‘Is the dream going to really happen?’ At the end of the of the day, no, but I’m really happy how we battle.”

At the very least, they showed some fire after losing 4-0 to Switzerland in their opener, and grinded out both games.

Now, it’s David vs. Goliath against Team Canada.

‘Here to earn respect’

Bellemare is one of the few French players with NHL experience, 700 games in fact, most recently with the Seattle Kraken in 2023-24.

The only current NHLer on their team is Alexandre Texier, who’s put together a decent season since coming to the Montreal Canadiens following his contract termination. He has seven goals and 17 points in 30 games with the Habs.

The challenge isn’t lost on Bellemare, who admitted that France likely wouldn’t be here if Russia wasn’t barred from participation. Canada’s worst player would be France’s best player.

“We came here to earn respect…There was never talk about a medal. For us, we tried to explain to all of our newspapers at home; they don’t know the game, they don’t know our team, they compare us with handball or soccer or basketball or rugby. We are not there. At this international level, France is nowhere near 12th,” said Bellemare.

“That’s the truth, and we’re in the tournament where this is supposed to be the 12 best nations in the world. We knew it was going to be difficult, but we always said that whatever talent that we’re facing, they can not have more heart than us and more legs. Play like dogs and we’ll see at the end of the game.”

It’s safe to say France has earned their opponent’s respect twice.

‘Mold a generation’

This is the first Olympics for France’s men’s hockey team since 2002 in Salt Lake. They haven’t won a game since 1998 in Nagano. They are currently ranked 14th in the world, but this is healthy experience. France will return to the 2030 games in an automatic bid as Olympic hosts.

Three times France has finished fifth at the Olympics, but you have to go way back: 1920 Antwerp, 1924 Chamonix, and 1928 St. Moritz.

The highest achievement in French men’s hockey is a gold medal win at the 1924 European Championships, over a century ago.

“This is a moment that can mold a generation,” said Bellemare.

“This is the moment that can force kids to see, ‘OK, against those guys’ — because we’re never going to play against guys like this in our league in France — so this is the moment where you’re playing against the best. That’s a privilege to do that and those mistakes, if you don’t see them as a lesson, then there’s no point in playing this game that we all love so much.”

France did beat Canada at the 2014 World Championships.

International history

Olympics:

2006-2022: Did Not Participate
2002: 14th place
1998: 11th place

World Championships:

2025: 16th
2024: 14th
2023: 12th
2022: 12th

France was relegated from the top draw at the World Championships a year ago.

Projected lines

Canada

Celebrini – McDavid – MacKinnon
Marner – Crosby – Stone
Hagel – Suzuki – Wilson
Marchand – Horvat – Reinhart
Bennett

Toews – Makar
Theodore – Parayko
Harley – Doughty
Sanheim

Binnington

France

Stephane Da Costa – Pierre-Eduoard Bellemare – Dylan Fabre
Alexandre Texier – Louis Boudon – Aurèlien Dare
Anthony Rech – Nicolas Ritz – Charles Bertrand
Floran Douay – Justin Addamo – Sacha Treille
Pierre Crinon

Yohann Auvitu – Enzo Guebey
Jules Boscq – Hugo Gallet
Florian Chakiachvili – Enzo Cantagallo
Kevin Bozon

Martin Neckar

Notes:

Former Edmonton Oiler Yohann Auvitu has an assist in the tournament. He suited up with the Oilers in the 2017-18 season, playing 33 games and registering nine points. Currently, he plays in the Austrian League with Linz EHC.
Stéphane Da Costa worked his way up as a junior in North America, playing in the USHL before receiving a scholarship to Merrimack College in the NCAA. He played 47 games with the Ottawa Senators from 2010-2014.
Connor McDavid has six points in the tournament so far, only five behind the all-time Olympics record for points by an NHLer in a single Games. That record of 11 points is shared by Finland’s Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, who both collected those numbers at the 2006 games.
The most by a Canadian NHLer is Jonathan Toews in 2010 when he scored eight points.
The Olympic record for most points in one tournament is held by Harry Watson, who in 1924, allegedly scored 37 goals in five games!

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.