With 2025 already halfway over, the 2026 Winter Olympics are rapidly approaching.
One of the most anticipated events next February in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy will be hockey, as NHL players return to the Olympic Games for the first time since the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The NHL missed the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea due to a disagreement between the league and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China.
The United States is out for revenge after Canada defeated the U.S. 3-2 in overtime in the finals of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament at TD Garden in Boston this past February. It’ll be a tall task for the United States, as Canada has won each of the last four best-on-best tournaments where NHL players participated (2010 and 2014 Olympics, 2016 World Cup of Hockey and 4 Nations Face-Off).
Leading the charge for the United States is Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Charlie McAvoy and the Tkachuk brothers — Brady and Matthew — all who competed in the 4 Nations Face-Off. The lone player who made the first six for 2026 but didn’t play during the in-season tournament is Quinn Hughes, who missed the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament due to an undisclosed injury.
On Monday afternoon, all 12 countries announced their initial six players to roster, with the reveal for the remainder of the rosters coming sometime during the 2025-26 NHL season.
Here are the preliminary rosters for each country competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics:
Hockey News