Kevin Fiala Injury Update: Swiss Star Out of 2026 Olympics After Scary Leg Injury vs. Canada

The 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey tournament suffered a devastating blow on Friday, February 13th, when Swiss forward and Los Angeles Kings star Kevin Fiala was stretchered off the ice following a gruesome leg injury against Canada. The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation confirmed early Saturday that Fiala has been ruled out for the remainder of the Milano Cortina Games .

The incident occurred with just under three minutes remaining in Switzerland's 5-1 loss to the gold-medal favorite Canadians. Fiala became tangled with rugged Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson along the boards, with Wilson's weight landing awkwardly on Fiala's left leg . The arena fell silent as medical personnel attended to Fiala for several minutes before carefully placing him face down on a stretcher, his left leg appearing to be in an air cast .

"It was an accident," Swiss coach Patrick Fischer said after the game, confirming no penalty was assessed on the play. "I haven't seen him yet. I think he went to the hospital. Obviously, it doesn't look very good. Tough moment for Kevin and the whole team, obviously" .

Official Diagnosis and Tournament Status

Medical examinations revealed a lower leg injury that will force Fiala to miss the rest of the Olympic tournament . The 29-year-old alternate captain had recorded one assist in two games for Switzerland prior to the injury .

"Kevin Fiala had to leave the ice due to injury three minutes before the end of the game. Medical examinations revealed a lower leg injury that rules him out of the 2026 Olympic Games," the Swiss national team confirmed in an official statement .

The injury sent shockwaves through the Swiss locker room. "It's a shock," said defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler. "He's one of our biggest leaders on the ice" . Captain Roman Josi, the veteran Nashville Predators blueliner, now carries an even greater burden for a Swiss team suddenly depleted at forward .

The Incident: What Happened?

Video replays showed Fiala backing into a hit from Wilson near the boards at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Their legs tangled, and both players fell heavily to the ice. Wilson, listed at 220 pounds, landed on Fiala's left leg . Fiala immediately grabbed his leg and remained down as players from both teams signaled urgently for medical attention .

Canada captain Sidney Crosby, a generational talent playing in his fifth Olympics, expressed concern for his opponent. "We all want to play as hard as we can, but you don't like to see that. And obviously it didn't look good, and we hope that he's OK," Crosby told media after the game .

The entire Canadian team came onto the ice to offer supportive applause as Fiala was wheeled off .

NHL Implications: Kings Face Critical Loss

Beyond the Olympic tournament, Fiala's injury carries significant consequences for his NHL club, the Los Angeles Kings .

Fiala has been a driving force for the Kings this season, recording 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points in 56 games . He ranks as the team's second-highest scorer and is logging a career-high 19:09 of ice time per game, underscoring his importance to Los Angeles' offensive structure .

The Kings acquired Artemi Panarin just before the Olympic break, but Fiala's absence creates a massive hole in their forward group as they push for a playoff position . Los Angeles currently sits in a competitive Western Conference wild-card race, and Fiala's production—particularly his 17 power-play points—will be difficult to replace .

The Kings' first game following the Olympic break is scheduled for February 25 against the Vegas Golden Knights at Crypto.com Arena . Whether Fiala will be available by then—or how much time he might miss—remains unclear pending further evaluation .

A Troubling History

This is not the first time Fiala has suffered a significant leg injury. In 2017, during his time with the Nashville Predators, Fiala sustained a fracture in his left femur in Game 1 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues . That injury required surgery and ended his postseason prematurely as Nashville advanced to the Cup Final .

The similarity between the two incidents has raised concerns about the severity of the current injury, though the Swiss federation has not specified whether this involves a fracture .

Impact on Switzerland's Olympic Hopes

Switzerland now faces an uphill battle to advance deep into the tournament without their most dynamic offensive weapon. The Swiss opened with a 4-0 victory over France but looked overmatched against Canada's star-studded lineup featuring Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Macklin Celebrini .

Beyond Fiala, Switzerland also lost defenseman Andrea Glauser (suspected concussion) and center Denis Malgin (shoulder injury) in the first period against Canada, compounding their roster challenges .

The team faces Czechia on Sunday, February 15th, in their final group game . With Fiala sidelined, coach Fischer must reconfigure his forward lines and power-play units. "It's important that we stay together as a team. We have to get over this setback. It's not easy for all of us emotionally. But that's life. We'll get back up and look for solutions," Fischer said .

Captain Roman Josi echoed that sentiment: "Now we have to get our heads together quickly so that we're ready to face the Czech Republic on Sunday" .

The NHL's Olympic Dilemma

The Fiala injury represents the exact scenario the NHL has long feared about releasing its players for Olympic participation . League executives, including Commissioner Gary Bettman, have historically been uneasy about exposing star players—and multimillion-dollar investments—to injury risks on the international stage .

The last comparable incident occurred at the 2014 Sochi Olympics when Canadian star John Tavares tore his MCL and meniscus in a quarterfinal game against Latvia . That injury, like Fiala's, occurred along the boards and cost Tavares significant time.

What's Next for Fiala?

Fiala's immediate focus is on recovery, though the timeline remains uncertain. The Swiss federation has not indicated whether he will return to Los Angeles immediately or remain with the team in Italy for support .

His availability for Switzerland's home World Championship in May is also unclear . For now, the hockey world watches and waits, hoping for positive news about one of the sport's most exciting talents.

Switzerland's remaining schedule: