Men’s ice hockey is officially underway at the XXV Winter Olympic Games, and the Milano Cortina 2026 tournament is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Olympic hockey events in over a decade. The biggest storyline is the return of National Hockey League players, marking the first time since Sochi 2014 that the world’s best professionals are back on the Olympic stage. After Finland captured gold at Beijing 2022, followed by silver for the ROC and a historic bronze for Slovakia, both the United States and Canada were left off the podium for the first time since Torino 2006. With the NHL’s 2025 4 Nations Face-Off reigniting interest in international hockey, and with political and competitive tensions simmering (especially between the United States and Canada), this tournament arrives with immense pressure and global attention. Twelve nations will compete for gold, but the defining rivalry heading into Milano Cortina remains USA versus Canada.
Games will be played at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which seats 11,800, and the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, with a capacity of 6,500. Those numbers feel modest for what is arguably the premier event of the Winter Olympics, especially when compared to the NHL’s smallest arena at over 15,000 seats. These venues resemble minor league arenas more than global hockey showcases, which has sparked debate. A USA–Canada final could easily fill a much larger stadium, and the idea of an outdoor gold medal game at San Siro, with its 75,000-plus capacity, feels like a missed opportunity. Santagiulia, in particular, generated headlines due to construction delays and concerns over readiness, but complaints from players have been minimal. The rink is slightly shorter than NHL dimensions, the scoreboard is small, and the seating design leaves gaps around the bowl, yet most criticism has come from observers rather than athletes. Visually, the arena stands out, especially with its LED-covered exterior, a design choice that feels modern and forward-thinking.
The men’s tournament features twelve teams, with Italy qualifying automatically as the host nation. Canada, Finland, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic earned their spots in 2023 through IIHF rankings. Slovakia, Latvia, and Denmark qualified through final qualification tournaments in 2024, while France entered the field after Russia was barred from competition. While the field is strong, expanding the tournament to sixteen teams (with each group assigned its own venue) would better reflect the growing depth and global reach of international hockey.
Italy enters the tournament looking to outperform expectations on home ice. Their best Olympic finish remains an eighth-place result at St. Moritz 1948, and Milano Cortina marks their first appearance since Torino 2006 after missing Beijing 2022. Italy is the only team without NHL players on its roster, largely due to the absence of any active Italian-born NHL skaters. Goaltender Damian Clara is the lone player under NHL contract, though he currently plays in Sweden. The Italians are coached by Jukka Jalonen, one of the most accomplished international coaches in the world, who previously led Finland to World Junior gold in 2016, IIHF World Championship titles in 2019 and 2022, and Olympic gold at Beijing 2022. With Jalonen behind the bench, Italy will aim to be competitive and surprise critics.
Canada arrives in Italy carrying both history and expectation. With nine gold medals, four silvers, and three bronzes in Olympic men’s hockey, Canada’s résumé is unmatched, yet their most recent podium finish was a bronze at PyeongChang 2018. They have not won Olympic gold since Sochi 2014 and finished a disappointing sixth at Beijing 2022. This roster is stacked entirely with NHL players and resembles an all-star team, highlighted by Sidney Crosby (likely making his final Olympic appearance) and Connor McDavid, skating in his first. Shea Theodore, Mark Stone, and Mitch Marner headline a roster that was further bolstered by the additions of Sam Bennett and Seth Jarvis due to injuries. Coached by Jon Cooper, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with over 600 NHL wins, Canada enters these Olympics with redemption as the clear objective. Anything short of gold will be viewed as failure. A possible showdown with the United States carries political and emotional weight.
Finland returns as the defending Olympic champions, having captured their first-ever men’s hockey gold at Beijing 2022. Historically, Finland has added two silvers and four bronzes to that lone gold, and the pressure is on to prove that their success wasn’t a one-off. Nearly the entire roster is NHL-based, with Mikko Lehtonen as the lone non-NHL player, though he does have NHL experience. Led by stars such as Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, and Teuvo Teräväinen, and coached by Antti Pennanen, Finland will look to defend their title while demonstrating they can win with NHL talent fully involved.
The United States enters Milano Cortina desperate to end a long medal drought. Their last Olympic medal was silver at Vancouver 2010, and their last gold came at the iconic Lake Placid Games in 1980. After finishing fifth at Beijing 2022, Team USA brings a loaded NHL roster featuring Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Connor Hellebuyck, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, and many others. The roster closely mirrors their 2025 4 Nations Face-Off squad, with Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin from the Vegas Golden Knights. Coached by Mike Sullivan, a two-time Stanley Cup winner with Pittsburgh, the United States faces immense pressure, especially after anthem-booing incidents and on-ice altercations with Canada in 2025. With tensions high and expectations even higher, the Americans are chasing their first medal in sixteen years and their first gold in forty-six.
Germany remains a competitive but inconsistent presence in Olympic hockey. Their silver medal run at PyeongChang 2018 stands as their best-ever result, complemented by two bronze medals. After finishing tenth at Beijing 2022, Germany enters Milano Cortina with a mixed roster featuring six NHL players, several AHL skaters, and a core that plays domestically. Leon Draisaitl, Moritz Seider, and Philipp Grubauer headline the team, which is coached by Harold Kreis. Germany sits squarely in the middle of the pack, capable of challenging top teams but still searching for consistency on the Olympic stage.
Sweden arrives with a proud Olympic history that includes two gold medals, three silvers, and four bronzes. Their most recent gold came at Torino 2006, and their last medal was silver at Sochi 2014. After narrowly missing the podium at Beijing 2022, Sweden brings an NHL-only roster led by Gabriel Landeskog, Adrian Kempe, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, with Rasmus Andersson representing the Vegas Golden Knights. Coached by Sam Hallam, Sweden will be looking to turn near-misses into another gold medal run.
Switzerland continues its long pursuit of Olympic glory, having never won gold in men’s ice hockey. Their only medals came at St. Moritz 1948, where they captured bronze twice. After finishing eighth at Beijing 2022, Switzerland fields a roster with ten NHL players, including Roman Josi, Nino Niederreiter, and Akira Schmid of the Vegas Golden Knights. Coached by Patrick Fischer, Switzerland is known for its structure and discipline and will be aiming to pull off upsets and finally break its decades-long medal drought.
The Czech Republic, or Czechia, last tasted Olympic gold at Nagano 1998 and last medaled with bronze at Torino 2006. After finishing ninth at Beijing 2022, they return with eleven NHL players, including David Pastrňák, Radko Gudas, and Tomáš Hertl, the lone Vegas Golden Knights representative. Coached by Radim Rulík, Czechia enters the tournament as a dangerous outsider, capable of upsetting favorites and pushing for a deep run.
Slovakia enters Milano Cortina as one of the tournament’s most intriguing teams after winning bronze at Beijing 2022, their first-ever Olympic medal in men’s hockey. With seven NHL players, including Erik Černák and Martin Fehérváry, Slovakia has proven it cannot be overlooked. Head coach Vladimír Országh brings deep ties to the national program, and Slovakia will be looking to replicate (or even improve upon) their historic 2022 performance.
Latvia continues to search for its first Olympic medal after finishing eleventh at Beijing 2022. With six NHL players and a roster largely based in Europe, Latvia is led by veterans such as Zemgus Girgensons and Kaspars Daugaviņš. Coached by Harijs Vītoliņš, Latvia will be hoping to end a long Olympic drought and secure its first win at the Games since Salt Lake City 2002.
Denmark makes just its second Olympic appearance after a respectable seventh-place finish at Beijing 2022. With four NHL players, including Nikolaj Ehlers and Oliver Bjorkstrand, Denmark is still early in its Olympic journey. Coached by Mikael Gath, the Danes will look to build on their momentum and continue establishing themselves on the international stage.
France rounds out the field after replacing Russia, marking their first Olympic appearance since Salt Lake City 2002. With Alexandre Texier as their lone NHL player, France enters the tournament simply looking for a breakthrough win. Any victory would feel monumental for a program that has never medaled and hasn’t won an Olympic game since 1998.
The tournament format features three groups of four teams, with all twelve advancing to the elimination round. Group winners and the best second-place team earn direct quarterfinal berths, while the remaining teams play qualification games. Group A includes Canada, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and France. Group B features Finland, Italy, Slovakia, and Sweden. Group C is made up of the United States, Germany, Denmark, and Latvia. While functional, the format leaves room for improvement, and a sixteen-team expansion would create a more balanced and exciting competition.
IIHF rules apply throughout the tournament, with fighting strictly prohibited and penalties enforced differently than in the NHL. Overtime formats vary by round, and medal games feature continuous 3-on-3 overtime with no shootout. Rosters are larger, intermissions are shorter, and the point system rewards regulation wins more heavily. While some rules differ significantly from the NHL, they add a unique Olympic flavor to the competition.
According to IIHF power rankings, Canada and the United States sit atop the field, followed by Sweden and Finland. However, the gap between contenders and challengers feels smaller than ever. With the group stage running from February 11 to 15 and the gold medal game set for February 22, Olympic ice hockey will command constant attention. With storylines unfolding daily, Milano Cortina 2026 promises drama, intensity, and unforgettable moments on hockey’s biggest international stage.
Zac Electrifly 
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