2026 Olympic Men's Hockey: NHL Stars Return as Canada Eyes 10th Gold

NHL players return to the 2026 Olympic men's hockey tournament for the first time since 2014, with Canada entering at +120 gold medal odds.

The 2026 Olympic men's hockey tournament begins Wednesday, marking the first time NHL players have competed in the Winter Games since Sochi 2014. Twelve nations are divided into three groups for the preliminary round robin, with Canada seeking its 10th gold medal in program history. DraftKings Sportsbook lists Canada as the favorite with +120 odds, followed by Finland at 10-1 and Czechia at 25-1. Group A features Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, and France; Group B includes Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, and Italy; and Group C consists of the United States, Germany, Latvia, and Denmark.

Canada opens its schedule against Czechia on Thursday at 10:40 a.m. ET, followed by a Friday matchup with Switzerland at 3:10 p.m. and a Sunday game against France at 10:40 a.m. The Canadian roster boasts elite scoring talent including Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks and Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers also join the forward ranks, with Bennett replacing the injured Anthony Cirelli. Seth Jarvis was added to the squad after Brayden Point suffered an injury. On defense, Cale Makar leads a group that includes Travis Sanheim and veteran Drew Doughty. Despite this depth, goaltending remains a question mark; Jordan Binnington holds a .856 save percentage this season, while Logan Thompson carries a .912 mark.

Czechia and Finland Target Medal Stand

Czechia enters the tournament as the reigning 2024 world champions, led by Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak and Martin Necas of the Colorado Avalanche. Their preliminary schedule starts Thursday at 10:40 a.m. ET against Canada, moves to a Friday clash with France at 10:40 a.m., and concludes Sunday against Switzerland at 6:10 a.m. The Czechs faced a late roster change when Filip Chlapik replaced the injured Pavel Zacha. Their goaltending depth features Lukas Dostal, Karel Vejmelka, and Dan Vladar, the latter of whom is currently performing well for the Philadelphia Flyers. Radko Gudas and Filip Hronek anchor a defense that lacks the same NHL-level depth found in their forward lines.

Finland, the 2022 gold medalists, will rely on a defensive structure led by Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell. The Finns open Wednesday at 10:40 a.m. ET against Slovakia, face Sweden Friday at 6:10 a.m., and play Italy Saturday at 10:40 a.m. Their roster features heavy chemistry from the Dallas Stars, with Heiskanen, Lindell, Mikko Rantanen, and Roope Hintz all representing the NHL club. Juuse Saros is the projected starter in net, despite an .895 save percentage for the Nashville Predators this season. The team must overcome the absence of captain Aleksander Barkov, who is sidelined with a torn ACL. Joonas Korpisalo joined the roster to replace injured goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Group C Contenders and Underdog Outlooks

Germany brings +65 gold medal odds to Group C, headlined by Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl and Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle. The Germans face Denmark on Thursday at 3:10 p.m. ET, Latvia on Saturday at 6:10 a.m., and the United States on Sunday at 3:10 p.m. Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings is the lone NHL defenseman on the German roster. Denmark, listed at 250-1 odds, features NHL forwards Nikolaj Ehlers and Lars Eller, along with goaltender Frederik Andersen. The Danes' schedule includes a Saturday game against the USA at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Italy serves as the host nation, returning to the Olympic bracket for the first time since 2006. The Italians are the lowest-ranked IIHF team in the field and the only nation without a single player who has ever appeared in an NHL game. They open against Sweden on Wednesday at 3:10 p.m. ET. France, competing in Group A, features only one current NHL skater, Alexandre Texier of the Montreal Canadiens. Julian Junca will likely start in net for the French after posting a .925 save percentage in the Slovakian league this season. Latvia rounds out the field with Philadelphia Flyers forward Rodrigo Abols replacing an injured player on their roster. The Americans, led by analyst Greg Wyshynski's preview, seek their first gold medal since the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' as they navigate a Group C schedule that concludes with the high-stakes matchup against Germany.