Through the first couple of days of men’s hockey competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, there’s been one distinct takeaway, and it isn’t the quality of ice.
It’s instead who has been playing on the ice: NHL players.
The Milano Cortina Games mark the first time that NHL players are allowed to represent their native countries on the Olympic stage since the Sochi Winter Games in 2014.
To no surprise, the United States and Canada are flooded with NHL talent. The USA men’s hockey team is captained by Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and consists of the Tkachuk and Hughes brothers, and the reigning Hart Memorial Trophy in Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ Sidney Crosby, one of the most decorated Canadian hockey players, is back for Canada as its captain. He has helped lead Canada to gold in his previous two trips to the Winter Olympics. Connor McDavid and Brad Marchand are also on Canada’s roster in Milan.
Sweden is tied with the United States and Canada for the most NHL players on its roster, while Finland is right behind with 24. Italy, the host country for the Olympics, is the only team not to have any NHL players on its roster.
Here is a country-by-country list of all the NHL players who are at the Milano Cortina Games for the 2026 Winter Olympics:
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