NHL players return to Olympics for first time since 2014

NHL Stars Return to Olympics as US and Canada Prepare for Milano Cortina Showdown

For the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games, NHL players will compete at the Winter Olympics when the Milano Cortina 2026 Games begin next month. The Opening Ceremony is set for February 6 at San Siro Stadium in Milan, with the men’s hockey tournament running from February 11-22.nhl

Team USA has embraced an unambiguous mandate heading into Italy. “It’s kind of gold or bust, just like it is for Canada,” American defenseman Quinn Hughes said. USA Hockey general manager Bill Guerin has made clear that nothing short of gold will suffice, a standard the players have welcomed.mymotherlode

“I love it,” winger Matt Boldy said. “You shouldn’t be doing anything unless you’re trying to be the best at it”.mymotherlode

A Star-Studded American Squad

The U.S. roster features 21 players returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off, where they lost to Canada in the final last February. Captain Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs leads a forward group that includes Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, the Tkachuk brothers—Matthew (Florida Panthers) and Brady (Ottawa Senators)—and star center Jack Hughes.nbcsports

Between the pipes, Connor Hellebuyck brings credentials unmatched by any goaltender in the tournament. The Winnipeg Jets netminder is the reigning Hart Memorial Trophy winner and a three-time Vezina Trophy recipient. He is joined by Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman.sportsnet

The Americans will open play against Latvia on February 12, followed by Denmark on February 14 and Germany on February 15.mymotherlode

Canada: The Favorite with Firepower

Canada enters as the prohibitive favorite, boasting perhaps the deepest roster in international hockey history. Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers will make his Olympic debut after the NHL skipped the PyeongChang and Beijing Games. He is joined on the roster by Nathan MacKinnon, widely considered the second-best player in the world, giving Canada what ESPN described as “an offensive tandem the likes of which may not have been seen since Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux at the 1987 Canada Cup”.espn

Sidney Crosby, now 38, returns seeking a third Olympic gold medal. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain scored the famous “Golden Goal” against the United States in overtime at the 2010 Vancouver Games and captained Canada to gold again in 2014. He and defenseman Drew Doughty are the only Canadians on the roster with Olympic experience.nhl

Making history is 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, the youngest player ever named to Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey team in a year with NHL participation.wikipedia

Women’s Rivalry Renewed

The U.S. women’s team will face longtime rival Canada in a crucial preliminary round matchup on February 10. The Americans, led by five-time Olympian Hilary Knight, have medaled in all seven Olympics featuring women’s hockey, including gold in 1998 and 2018. The two nations have met in the gold medal game at six of seven Winter Games since 1998.usahockey

The U.S. men haven’t won Olympic gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team, while Canada seeks to reclaim the title it won in Sochi.nbcolympics