The Ice Hockey Tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics: Team Analysis and Surprises
The men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will begin on February 12 in Milan, Italy, promises to be an exciting event. The expectation is high, as long as the infrastructure is ready, something that has been assured to the competing nations.With the official templates already defined at the end of 2025, we can now analyze the strengths, weaknesses, surprises, and absences of the Olympic hockey teams. Here’s a detailed evaluation of each team, position by position, and the NHL players who might be disappointed not to have been selected.We have taken measures to have backup plans if we need them, but we have heard from the IIHF and the IOC that the arena will be built and will be ready, and that is our expectation.
Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada executive
United States of America
Contents
Forwards
- Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
- Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
- Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights*
- Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
- Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth
- Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
- Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs*
- J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
- Brock Nelson, Colorado Avalanche
- Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
- Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
- Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers*
- Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
Overall rating of the forwards: A-Jack is a unique player with his ability to generate offense. We liked the structure of the lines in the 4 Nations, we thought the strength of the group was in the center.
Mike Sullivan, coach
Defenses
- Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
- Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
- Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild*
- Seth Jones, Florida Panthers
- Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins*
- Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
- Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
- Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Although most of these defensemen played in the 4 Nations, there are some important changes. Adam Fox was not included. Seth Jones, who revitalized his career with Florida, was.
The biggest addition is Quinn Hughes, the star of Minnesota Wild. Guerin said there is much to appreciate in this group.Overall rating of the defenders: A-It’s an incredible defensive group, combining skill, skating, defensive ability, and mobility. We have players who can play on the power play and kill penalties. Versatility, mobility… it’s a very good group.
Bill Guerin
Goalkeepers
- Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
- Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
- Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
Surprises
Seth Jones
Was there a trade in the NHL that rehabilitated a player’s reputation more than Seth Jones’ to the Florida Panthers last season?
Jones, who previously received votes for the Norris Trophy, was traded to Chicago in 2021 and saw his esteem fall. In Florida, he formed an effective defense and helped the team win the Stanley Cup.Clayton Keller
It was expected that the United States would repeat with the same 4 Nations roster, but with some additions. Tage Thompson and Keller were included. Keller captained the American team that won gold at the IIHF World Championship. Team USA management considered participation in the World Cup as an important factor in the Olympic selection.Notable Absences
Cole Caufield
Caufield, with 57 goals in his last 122 NHL games, is an electrifying player. However, he was not selected, in part due to his defensive performance.Alex DeBrincat
DeBrincat, with 87 goals in 206 games in the last three seasons, was not selected due to his size and defensive skills.Adam Fox
Fox, a Norris Trophy winner, was not included after a less-than-stellar tournament in the 4 Nations. His defensive error on McDavid’s golden goal was criticized.Lane Hutson
Hutson, a dynamic offensive defenseman, was not selected. He did not participate in the World Cup.Patrick Kane
Kane, 37, was not selected despite his Olympic experience and good performance in the NHL.Matthew Knies
Knies, with Olympic experience, was not selected.Chris Kreider
Kreider, who had a good start to the season, was not selected.Jackson LaCombe
LaCombe, invited to the Olympic orientation camp, was not selected.Jason Robertson
Robertson, with a good offensive performance in the NHL, was not selected.Alex Tuch
Tuch, a forward with size and scoring ability, was not selected. Overall team rating: B+ This team was built to beat Canada. It’s time for the United States to show that it has the same talent as its rivals. The “Miracle on Ice” has influenced the decisions of American hockey executives for decades. The United States needs to set aside the idea that grit and hard work are the key to beating Canada and Russia. The talent gap between the United States and Canada has narrowed thanks to the growth of hockey in the United States. The time is now for the United States to showcase its talent with a team full of stars. However, five of the top ten American scorers in the NHL are not on this team. This seems like a team built to mitigate risks, rather than take them. This team has what it takes to beat Canada and win the Olympic gold. The defense and the goalkeeper could be enough to reach the final.Sweden
Forwards
- Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils
- Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks
- Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild
- Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
- Pontus Holmberg, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
- Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
- Elias Lindholm, Boston Bruins
- William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
