Olympic men’s hockey preview: Canada, U.S., Finland and Sweden are the contenders

The United States hasn’t won a gold medal in men’s hockey at the Olympics since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980 at Lake Placid.

Canada’s drought isn’t nearly as long, just the past two Winter Games in 2022 and 2018, but those two countries will have the most pressure to prevail in Milan once the tournament starts on Feb. 11.

They will be joined by Sweden and Finland, who secured gold in Beijing four years ago, as the headliners in a 12-team tournament that historically doesn’t always stay on script.

Europe dominated the podium when NHLers were sidelined from the past two Olympics, but their return has elevated the U.S. and Canada as the favorites.

The American roster is rich with talent, from Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel at center to the Wild’s Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski on defense, and reigning NHL MVP Connor Hellebuyck in net.

If Team USA doesn’t score enough, the decision to leave 30-goal scorers Cole Caufield, Jason Robertson and Alex DeBrincat at home could come back to haunt the Americans. But with a stacked blue line and rock-solid crease, they may not have to win track meets to have success.

Cue Canada, who might need to run up the score.

Fortunately for Canada, goals shouldn’t be in short supply.

Three of the top-four point-getters in the NHL are on the team in Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini. The always-reliable Sidney Crosby, 38, is Canada’s leader.

Sweden last captured gold in 2006 but earned silver in 2014 and certainly has the style and substance to be victorious.

From Wild forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson to defensemen Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson, the Swedish lineup oozes experience. The country also has one of the steadiest goaltending tandems in the NHL at its disposal in the Wild’s Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt.

But don’t forget about Finland.

Russia is not allowed to participate, leaving the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin at home. Kaprizov, the Wild’s scoring leader, won gold in 2018 with the Olympic Athletes from Russia.

Slovakia finished with bronze in Beijing, and the bulk of its roster plays outside of the NHL.

Juraj Slafkovský is the 2022 first overall draft pick and a 20-goal scorer with Montreal. He scored twice in the 2022 third-place game vs. Sweden that delivered Slovakia its first Olympic medal and is back for his second Games.

Germany won silver in 2018 and is led by one of the NHL’s biggest stars in Leon Draisaitl. The Edmonton forward reached 1,000 career points earlier this season and is the defending Rocket Richard Trophy winner after pacing the NHL with 52 goals last season.

The Czech Republic’s first and only gold at the Olympics was in 1998, the first time NHLers played in the tournament, but the country also secured bronze in 2006. Its youngest player is Wild defensive prospect David Spacek.

Switzerland earned silver at the 2025 world championship after losing to the U.S. 1-0 in overtime, and much of that lineup is back for the Olympics.

Former Wild forwards Kevin Fiala and Nino Niederreiter, Nashville captain Roman Josi and New Jersey forwards Nico Hischier and Timo Meier are the notable names; Niederreiter and Josi participated in the 2014 Olympics, too.

Italy is in as the host country; its best finish was seventh in 1956, which was also on home ice, and the Italians’ last victory at the Olympics was against Austria in 1998. All 25 players on the Italy roster are first-time Olympians.

Denmark is returning after making its Olympic debut in 2022, and six of its players have competed in the NHL this season, including Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen, Carolina forward Nikolaj Ehlers and Ottawa’s Lars Eller, who is the only Danish Stanley Cup champion after scoring the Finals-clinching goal for Washington in 2018.

Latvia has two NHLers in net with Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins and Pittsburgh’s Arturs Silovs. The country last made it to the quarterfinals, the furthest Latvia has advanced, in 2014. Four current players were on that team, and 12 are returning from the 2022 roster.