NHL stars are heading back to the Olympics, and the initial roster reveals are already turning heads.
For the first time in 12 years, the world’s best hockey players will compete for Olympic gold, with the 2026 Winter Games in Milan just around the corner.
Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby will lead Team Canada’s charge, while American hopes rest on stars Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk as teams begin announcing their first six players.
It’s a moment hockey fans have been waiting for since 2014, the last time NHL players hit Olympic ice in Sochi, Russia.
The tournament will have a different look this time around. Russian athletes won’t be competing, as their ban following the invasion of Ukraine remains in effect.
Finland comes in as the defending Olympic champion after their stunning gold medal run in 2022. But that was without NHL players in the mix.
Canada’s already showing they’re ready for the big stage. They just topped the U.S. 3-2 in overtime at the 4 Nations Face-Off, with McDavid playing hero with the game-winner.
Teams are rolling out their initial rosters gradually, with more announcements expected as we get closer to next February’s Games.
Italy, the host nation, has already named their first six, including forwards Diego Kostner and Daniel Mantenuto, plus promising young goalie Damian Clara from the San Diego Gulls.
The tournament’s shaping up to be something special. With NHL superstars back in the mix, we might just see some of the most exciting Olympic hockey in years.
Will Canada reclaim their spot at the top? Can the Americans finally break through? We’re less than a year away from finding out.
