NHL Stars Get Set to Shine in Milan

Joseph McLaughlin
5 days ago
7 min read

Joseph McLaughlin

2/6/2026

Sportz Nation

Finally, the wait is over. The 2026 Winter Olympic Games, held in Milan-Cortina, Italy, will officially begin today with the Opening Ceremony, welcoming each participating nation and its athletes.

Among those athletes will be the best of the best from the National Hockey League, as they make their first Olympic appearance since the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, when Team Canada won the Gold Medal game, 3-0, over Sweden courtesy of a Carey Price shutout. Now, a new slate of NHL talent aims to make their mark on Olympic hockey. Nearly 150 NHL players from 11 countries (Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, France, Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, USA, Germany, Latvia, and Denmark) will all play for the chance at a Gold Medal, but here are some star players to look out for on each team.

Group A

Photo Credit: Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press.

Canada

Team Canada is one of three teams whose roster is entirely comprised of NHL players, making every name notable. The Canadian roster has a mix of younger and older talented players, such as Sidney Crosby (PIT), making his third Olympic appearance, Macklin Celebrini (SJS), the 19-year-old sensation who recently became the fourth active player to reach 120 career points as a teenager, and Sam Bennett (FLA), the 2025 Conn Smythe winner, replacing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli, who is injured.

Other names offensively include Bo Horvat (NYI), Seth Jarvis (CAR), Branden Hagel (TBL), Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart (FLA), Mark Stone (VGK), Nick Suzuki (MTL), Mitch Marner (VGK), Tom Wilson (WSH), and who can forget about Nathan McKinnon (COL) and Connor McDavid (EDM) who have been generational talents in the NHL.

Defensively, players like Drew Doughty (LAK), Thomas Harley (DAL), Josh Morrissey (WPG), Colton Parayko (STL), Travis Sanheim (PHI), Shea Theodore (VGK), Devon Teows (COL), and Cale Makar (COL) are headliners. Along with the defense are the three goaltenders, Jordan Binnington (STL), who looked phenomenal in the 4 Nations Face Off, Darcy Kuemper (LAK), and Logan Thompson (WSH).

Switzerland

The Swiss aim for their first Olympic medal since 1948, when they won Bronze. Switzerland will have 10 NHL players on its roster. Offensively, Kevin Fiala (LAK), Nico Hischier (NJD), Philipp Kurashev (SJS), Timo Meier (NJD), Nino Neiderreiter (WPG), and Pius Suter (STL) will represent the Swiss Cross. Another notable name not on an NHL team is Sven Andrighetto (ZSC Lions), who played 216 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche.

Defensively, Roman Josi (NSH) is the most notable name. The Predators defenseman is joined by J.J. Moser (TBL), Jonas Seigenthaler (NJD), and goaltender Akira Schmid (VGK). Despite Schmid making it, the likely starting goaltender will be Reto Berra (Fribourg-Gotteron), the 39-year-old veteran who has played in both the 2014 Sochi and 2022 Beijing Games and has played 76 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, and Anaheim Ducks.

Czechia

The Czech Republic boasts 11 NHL stars this Olympics. Many Bruins fans will note that both David Pastrnak (BOS) and Pavel Zacha (BOS) will play for Team Czechia, making their first Olympic appearances. Joining them on the offensive side are Radek Faksa (DAL), Tomas Hertl (SJS), David Kampf (VAN), Martin Necas (COL), and Ondrej Palat (NYI).

On the defensive side, Radko Gudas (ANA) and Filip Hronek (VAN) will play in the Games. All three goaltenders for Czechia are NHL goalies. Lukas Dostal (ANA) serves as the No.1 netminder, followed by Karel Vejmelka (UTAH) and Dan Vlader (PHI), giving the Czechs a solid goalie rotation.

France

Team France did not make it out of the Qualifying Round; however, the French made it in after the Russians were banned due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The French only have one NHL player among their ranks this Olympics. That title goes to Alexandre Texier (MTL), who is playing the best hockey of his career so far. Texier is joined by Jordann Perret, who is France's most lethal weapon offensively, already scoring six points in three games with the national team this year, Yohann Auvitu, a 36-year-old veteran who has played more than 100 international games, and Antoine Keller, the likely starting goaltender and former 2023 seventh-round pick by the Washington Capitals.

Group B

Sweden

Sweden is another team with a full NHL roster after it participated in the 4 Nations Face Off tournament. Bruins fans can expect to see both Elias and Hampus Lindholm (BOS) on the 25-man roster. Other names, on the offensive side, include Jesper Bratt (NJD), Joel Eriksson Ek (MIN), Filip Forsberg (NSH), Pontus Holmberg (TBL), Marcus Johansson (MIN), Adrian Kempe (LAK), Gabriel Landeskog (COL), William Nylander (TOR), Elias Pettersson (VAN), Rickard Rakell (PIT), Lucas Raymond (DET), Alexander Wennberg (SJS), and Mika Zibanejad (NYR).

Defensively, Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) and Victor Hedman (TBL) are the biggest names. They are followed by Rasmus Andersson (VGK), Philip Broberg (STL), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (TOR), Gustav Forsling (FLA), and Erik Karlsson (PIT). Two Minnesota Wild goalies will be between the pipes as Filip Gustavsson (MIN), Jacob Markstrom (NJD), and Jesper Wallstedt (MIN) are rostered as Team Sweden's Goalies.

Finland

Another participant in the 4 Nations Face Off, Finland rostered 24 NHL players on their 25-man roster. The lone non-NHL player is defenseman Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC Lions), who brings veteran European experience that helped Finland win the Gold Medal in the 2022 Beijing Games.

Alongside Lehtonen on the defensive side are Miro Heiskanen (DAL), Esa Lindell (DAL), Olli Maatta (UTAH), Nikolas Mantinpalo (OTT), Niko Mikkola (FLA), Rasmus Ristolainen (PHI), and Henri Jokiharju (BOS). Joonas Korpisalo (BOS) is another Bruin to join Team Finland. He will start games along with Kevin Lankinen (VAN) and Juuse Saros (NSH).

Offensively, Finland boasts stars such as Sebastian Aho (CAR), Joel Armia (LAK), Mikael Granlund (ANA), Erik Haula (NSH), Roope Hintz (DAL), Kaapa Kakko (SEA), Oliver Kapanen (MTL), Joel Kiviranta (COL), Artturi Lehkonen (COL), Anton Lundell (FLA), Eetu Luostarinen (FLA), Mikko Rantanen (DAL), Teuvo Teravainen (CHI), and Eeli Tolvanen (SEA).

Slovakia

Seven members of Team Slovakia are from the NHL, four on the offense and three on the defense. On the offensive side of the puck are skaters Dalibor Dvorsky (STL), Martin Pospisil (CGY), Pavol Regenda (SJS), and Juraj Slafkovsky (MTL). Defensively, Erik Cernak (TBL), Martin Fehervary (WSH), and Simon Nemec (NJD) will play for Slovakia.

Italy

The Italians, the host team, are the only group to not include any NHL players on their roster. There are only two players with NHL ties, as goaltender Damian Clara and defenseman Thomas Larkin were drafted by the Anaheim Ducks and the Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively. This is the first time Italy will field a team to play in the Winter Olympics hockey tournament in 20 years, since Italy hosted the Olympics in Milan. The highest the team has ever finished was in 1956, when the Italians finished 7th in a 10-team tournament.

Group C

Photo Credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images.

USA

The USA is the last team on this list with a full NHL roster. A lot of the names for the Americans are the same group that played in the 4 Nations Face Off. The most famous being the Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew, who play for the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, respectively; the Hughes brothers, Jack and Quinn, who play for the New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks, respectively; Auston Matthews (TOR), and Matt Boldy (MIN).

Other names on the offense include Kyle Connor (WPG), Jack Eichel (VGK), Jake Guentzel (TBL), Clayton Keller (UTAH), Dylan Larkin (DET), J.T. Miller (NYR), Brock Nelson (COL), Tage Thompson (BUF), and Vincent Trocheck (NYR).

On the defensive side, joining Quinn Hughes are Brock Faber (MIN), Noah Hanifin (VGK), Jackson LaCombe (ANA), Charlie McAvoy (BOS), Jake Sanderson (OTT), Jaccob Slavin (CAR), and Zach Werenski (CBJ).

Boston's Jeremy Swayman will be one of three goaltenders for the games. The other two goaltenders joining him are Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) and Jake Oettinger (DAL). America came up just short of Canada in the 4 Nations Face Off and has a stacked roster aiming to get revenge on the biggest stage.

Germany

The Germans rostered six NHL stars for the 2026 Olympic Games. One of Germany's star players will be forward Leon Draisaitl (EDM), who recently became the fifth Oiler in team history to reach 1,000 career points. Along with Draisaitl will be JJ Peterka (UTAH), Lukas Reichel (VAN), Nico Sturm (MIN), Tim Stutzle (OTT), and Moritz Seider (DET), who has become one of the league's best defensemen this season.

Latvia

Team Latvia also rostered six NHL players on their team for the 2026 Games, four of them being skaters and two being goalies. On the offensive side of the puck are Rodrigo Abols (PHI), Teddy Blueger (VAN), Zemgus Girgensons (TBL), and Uvis Balenskis (FLA). The two Latvian goalies are Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ) and Arturs Silovs (PIT). The Latvians are hoping to exceed their best finish in the 2014 Games when they made it to the quarterfinals.

Denmark

Seven Danes will be from the NHL in the 2026 Games. It is the first time Denmark will field a team with NHL players after participating in its first Olympic Hockey tournament in 2022, finishing seventh. Among the Danish roster, the seven NHL players include Oliver Bjorkstrand (TBL), Nikolaj Ehlers (CAR), Lars Eller (OTT), Oscar Fisker Molgaard (SEA), and Jonas Rondbjerg (VGK) on the offensive side. Frederik Andersen (CAR) will be the No. 1 goalie for the Danes, with Mads Sogaard (OTT) being one of the other two goalies for Denmark.

There is a lot of NHL talent in this year's Olympic Hockey tournament, and it is setting up to be one of the best on record. It feels good to see professional players back on the ice, representing their respective countries. The first Men's Hockey game will be on Wednesday, February 11th, between Slovakia and Finland at 4:40 p.m. local time (10:40 a.m. EST), followed by Sweden vs Italy at 9:10 local (3:10 p.m. EST). Today, the opening ceremony is happening now, starting at 2:00 p.m. EST with the torch being lit and the players being introduced by country. Even though there is no Men's Hockey for a little bit, it is coming soon and will be exciting when it starts.