The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics men’s ice hockey tournament starts on February 11th. The gold medal game is set for Sunday, February 22nd. Team Canada is the clear favorite to win gold, and Team USA is hoping to meet their neighbors to the north in the gold medal game. The remaining 10 countries have their work cut out for them, but anything is possible. As the teams prepare for the trip to Italy, here are the rankings of the top 10 men’s hockey teams.
Latvia’s Olympic roster doesn’t feature well-known commodities. The team’s biggest name is Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. The veteran will have his work cut out for him throughout Latvia’s Olympic run. 18-year-old defenseman Alberts Smits is a player to watch in the 2026 tournament. Smits is one of the top international prospects in the upcoming NHL draft and is expected to be a top 10 draft selection.
Team Slovakia’s roster is different from that of previous Olympic Games. It’s without a high-profile NHL standout. Juraj Slafkovsky, the 2022 1st overall pick (Montreal Canadiens), will lead Slovakia’s offense in the tournament. Slafkovsky is 2nd in goals and 5th in points for the Canadiens this season. The team’s success will weigh heavily on the shoulders of Slovakia’s young goaltenders.
MORE: ESPN, NFL finalize billion-dollar media deal after government approval
Team Denmark is an Olympic dark horse, led by forwards Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina Hurricanes), Lars Eller (Ottawa Senators), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Tampa Bay Lightning), and goaltender Frederik Anderson (Carolina Hurricanes). The trio of Ehlers, Eller, and Bjorkstrand gives Denmark above-average scoring abilities. The team’s biggest question is on the blue line and how well their defensemen perform.
Team Germany will be a must-watch during the Milano Cortina Olympics. The team features goaltender Philipp Grubauer (Seattle Kraken), defenseman Moritz Seider (Detroit Red Wings), and forward Tim Stutzle (Ottawa Senators). Germany’s standout is NHL superstar forward Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers). Draisaitl’s elite offensive capabilities rank him top 5 among NHL points leaders. The Oilers’ forward is expected to be among the tournament’s goal leaders.
Team Finland is a favorite (besides Team Canada or Team USA) to reach the gold medal game and is the gold medal winner from the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The team’s roster is well-constructed and led by elite forwards Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes), Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars), and goaltender Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators).
Finland possesses the firepower to light the lamp while playing solid defense. If goaltender Juuse Saros struggles, the roster has capable backups in Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver Canucks) and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres).
Forward David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins), top 10 among NHL points leaders, headlines Team Czechia’s roster. Along with Pastrnak, Czechia’s roster includes prolific offensive players in Tomas Hertl (Vegas Golden Knights) and Pavel Zacha (Boston Bruins). Goaltender Karel Vejmelka (Utah Mammoth), tied for the NHL in wins, will be between the pipes in the upcoming tournament. Filip Hronek (Vancouver Canucks) is the team’s top defender, and Radko Gudas (Anaheim Ducks) will provide toughness to the defense.
Team Sweden is ready to avenge its 4th–place finish during the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. Sweden’s roster features notable NHL players in forwards Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators), Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers), William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs), Grabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche), defensemen Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto Maple Leafs), Gustav Forsling (Florida Panthers), Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning), Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh Penguins)
They also have goaltenders Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild) and Jacob Markstrom (New Jersey Devils). The roster possesses depth across the board and will be a difficult matchup during the tournament.
Team Switzerland’s roster isn’t as eye-popping as other teams but features high-producing players. The team’s forwards are headlined by Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils), Kevin Fiala (Los Angeles Kings), Timo Meier (New Jersey Devils), and Philipp Kurashev (San Jose Sharks). Defensively, Switzerland will rely on defenseman Roman Josi (Nashville Predators) to help alleviate pressure from the team’s young goaltenders.
The United States is ready to rid the taste of finishing second to Team Canada during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off. Team USA not only has sights set on the gold medal game but also on winning gold against Canada. The offense will be led by Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs), Tage Thompson (Buffalo Sabres), and Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings). Brothers Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators) and Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers) are ready to resume their outstanding play from 2025’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Defenseman Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild) is the top option on the team’s blue line. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) will start between the pipes, and if this season’s mediocre production follows him to Italy, Team USA will look to Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars) and Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) to pick up the production.
Team Canada is the favorite to win gold. Its talented roster features forwards Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks), defenseman Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), goaltenders Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings), Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals), and Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues).
From top to bottom, Canada possesses the best roster of any team in the 2026 Olympic Games. It’s hard to justify Team Canada falling short of gold in 2026. The team will start the road to glory during their first game, against Czechia, on February 12th.
NFL: Ranking the greatest Super Bowl quarterback performances
NBA: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s mom hints at next NBA team
MLB: Mets sign former Dodgers World Series champion
SPORTS MEDIA: Mattress Mack reveals massive $2 million Super Bowl 60 wager
ENTERTAINMENT: WWE star calls Pat McAfee to reveal shocking 2026 Royal Rumble return
VIRAL: Kendall Jenner halts interview for Tom Brady Super Bowl 60 prediction on FaceTime
© 2025 TheBigLead – All Rights Reserved
English 
Powered by OneTap
Default
Default