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NHL Players Return to Olympic Hockey at Milan-Cortina 2026

Ice safety at the Milan venues remains under review before play begins in February.

Overview

  • The men’s tournament runs Feb. 11–22, with the women’s event starting Feb. 5 and concluding with the final on Feb. 19.
  • NHL participation returns for the first time since 2014, bringing marquee names such as Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid back to the Olympic stage.
  • Every NHL club will have at least one player in the tournament, with the Tampa Bay Lightning leading reported representation at 11 players, according to Daily Faceoff.
  • Games are slated for the new 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena and a smaller rink in Rho, where non-NHL dimensions and questions about a safe ice surface persist, though IIHF leadership has said the ice will be ready on schedule.
  • Russia remains barred because of the war in Ukraine, sidelining top talents including Alex Ovechkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov.