The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina came with a lot of dreams for many athletes. Swiss ice hockey star Kevin Fiala, too, dreamt of leading his team to a championship run. But it all came crashing down as the 29-year-old shockingly ended up in the hospital. However, he did not let his team feel his absence.

Suffering a serious injury against Canada, Fiala is currently recovering from his surgery. But even in adverse circumstances, he extended his support towards his team by sending an emotional video ahead of their clash against Czechia on February 15.

Overcome with emotions, his fellow teammate, Nico Hischier, said,

“He’s still with us. We’ll play for him…He’s one of our best players, so it’s obviously a tough loss for us. He’s still engaged with us, and he’ll cheer us on.” His best wishes even led the Swiss team get a 4-3 win over Czechia in the preliminaries.

It all started when both Fiala and Canada’s Tom Wilson made an attempt to win the puck on the ice. Engaging in an intense scuffle, they tangled up, and the duo fell over. Unfortunately, while falling down, Wilson landed awkwardly on the Swiss athlete’s leg. Unable to bear the weight, his left leg twisted, and the Swiss star looked to be in significant pain. 

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Immediately signaling for help, the medical team rushed out on the ice to provide assistance. But following a lengthy delay, the 29-year-old had to be stretchered off from the ice. Fiala recorded one assist in two games, and alongside his injury, even Switzerland suffered a 5-1 loss. 

Even Wilson understood the extent of the injury and expressed his feelings on this incident. He said, “I feel terrible that he may not be able to keep playing.”

After the incident, Fiala underwent surgery, ending his Olympic journey in the most unfortunate manner. However, this injury also puts his time in the NHL in jeopardy. During the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, he dealt with a similar leg injury, but was able to make a strong return a few months later. This gives all his well-wishers some hope of his speedy recovery.

As the Swiss star awaits his return to the ice, here’s a look at how Fiala’s career panned out so far. 

How did Kevin Fiala’s career look until his Milano Cortina injury?

Fiala has been an impactful player for every team he has played for. Take his latest game in the 2026 Winter Olympics, for example. Following a tough outing, the Swiss men’s team lost 1-5 to Canada, playing their preliminary rounds in the Olympics. From the very first minute, Canada took control of the game, shooting 27-16 in the initial couple of rounds. And the final nail in the coffin came in the form of Fiala’s injury. Following his departure, Switzerland gave up completely.

Speaking about his illustrious career so far, Fiala started his NHL journey with the Nashville Predators back in the 2014-15 season. And while he played only one game in his debut year, the 29-year-old soon became an inseparable part of the team. He donned the Nashville colors before joining the Minnesota Wild in 2018-19. Following four seasons in Minnesota, the Swiss star finally joined his current team, the Los Angeles Kings, back in 2022-23. 

Fiala has played 707 games in his career so far, with 229 goals and 299 assists, which make him one of the key offensive weapons, no matter which team he represents. It looks like his injury will come as quite a blow for both Switzerland and the Kings.