Shoot for Gold 2026

USA's overtime victory over Canada provided a last-second reshaping of the leaderboard, as Gavin Pledger took the gold with the five-point bonus for taking USA. Gavin took the six most popular players - McDavid, MacKinnon, Eichel, Celebrini, and Matthews along with Hellebuyck in net - and the USA victory. The bonus points plus the game-winner from Jack Hughes and the earlier goal from Cale Makar lifted Isabella MacDonald from 34th place yesterday into second place and the silver medal. And there is a logjam for third place with Sam Kozlowich, Jeremy Johnson, Tony Bruno, Lucas Chua (who also picked USA), Richard Crowe and Erica Jeffery tied for the bronze. Jeremy, Tony and Erica all took the most favoured players - and favoured Canada to win - to make it onto the podium.

Congratulations to all the winners and see you in April for Lord Stanley's Pool!

The Dream Team - the picks that would get you the best possible score in the pool - was packed with the expected top players, along with a couple of surprises. Canada's Macklin Celebrini (60 picks), Connor McDavid (152), and Nathan MacKinnon (144), along with USA's Jack Hughes (4), and Slovakia's Juraj Slafkovski (zero picks) were the Dream Team forwards, while four goalies were equally great with 15 points - any of Leonardo Genoni, Switzerland (zero picks), Juuse Saros, Finland (8), Jordan Binnington, Canada (31), and Connor Hellebuyck, USA (80). Check out all of the Lord Stanley and Shoot for Gold Dream Teams here.

It all comes down to the highly anticipated Canada vs USA gold medal match. Of course we will all be watching for the Olympic gold outcome, but it also will determine the winners of Shoot for Gold 2026. The win is the key factor, because the current top five have Jordan Binnington while the next five have Connor Hellebuyck, and the three points for the win - or possibly six for a shutout - is enough to flip the results.

If USA wins: Gavin Pledger is likely to win the pool gold if USA wins, getting the 5-point bonus for picking them to win and separating him from the pack. He would also get the goalie win, along with Erica Jeffery, Tony Bruno, and Jeremy Johnson. Erica, Tony and Jeremy would battle with Jerry Gluss and Gareth Nielson for silver and bronze based on Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Tage Thompson, and Quinn Hughes.

If Canada wins: The goalie win would elevate the current top four, but the final outcome will be based on USA scoring - Thompson is Gareth's ace in the hole along with Matthews, while Eichel is Jerry's along with Hughes. Dan Meister and Andrew Tompkins could hold on to their share of first if the USA players are held off the board, or they could be caught by those below if USA scores some in the loss. Longshot outside hopes are Ruth Beder with Mark Stone, and Ruth and Wayne Burke with Sidney Crosby. It could be a wild and dramatic finish - both in the game and in the pool. Good luck to all!

Finland players had a chance to impact the pool, but with Mikko Rantanen out of the lineup, and with Slovakia scoring a goal to prevent Jusse Saros' second shutout, the bronze medal game impact was low. Saros' win has lifted Hanna-Marea Kennedy into a share of fifth and Ruth Beder one point behind. But with their goalie picks spent, those three points will be negated by either the Jordan Binnington or Connor Hellebuyck win on Sunday.

Canada had its second straight dramatic comeback, but it was a big offensive game by USA that was the story in Friday's semifinals. Big games by Jack Eichel and Tage Thompson lifted Jerry Gluss and Gareth Neilson into a four-way first place tie with Andrew Tompkins and Dan Meister. Wayne Burke sits just one point back, in fifth. One point behind them, just two off the lead, are five people who took Connor Hellebuyck as their goalie instead of Jordan Binnington, setting up a final showdown Sunday that is based on the winning team and goalie.

Macklin Celebrini's goal and two assists on Wednesday gives him 15 points in the pool, putting the 19-year-old at the head of the pack, two points ahead of linemate Connor McDavid. Who knew he'd be this good? Apparently 60 poolies did, including all of the top 26. Holding the podium spots going into the semis are Andrew Tompkins and Dan Meister, tied with 66 points with Ruth Beder two points back in third. Gareth Neilson, Ethan Suski and Mark MacDonald are one point behind Ruth and the final podium spot.

After a scary round of quarterfinals - where Canada and Finland were both trailing in the third period and won in overtime, as USA also got an OT scare - we get the expected final four. Sweden, with 59 players and 2 Gold picks, were a victim of the format while Czechia (32 picks) and Germany (20) were also eliminated. It leaves Canada (539 players, 136 Gold picks), USA (311, 27) and Finland (38, 1) along with Slovakia (none) for the final two games.

The qualifying games proved to be helpful for those with niche picks not on Canada and US. Dan Meister has regained first place with three points from William Nylander, to lead by one point. Andrew Tompkins collected a point to enter the top three while Ethan Suski got four from Leon Draisaitl to tie for fourth.

Then we have some big jumpers. Matthew Messer's nine points from Germany launched him from 106th to 25th, an 81-spot rise. Cameron Messer's Swedes lifted him 75 spots (125 to 50). Three different countries helped Joshua Workman up 74 spots while Colin Kennedy and Dwane Harris are also up over 50 places. Good picking to all involved.