The stars of the National Hockey League -NHL- will make their long-awaited return to the Winter Olympic Games at Milano-Cortina 2026, twelve years after their last appearance. The tournament, which will gather the best players in the world, ends a long hiatus during which many top names were unable to represent their countries due to league decisions or injuries.
Sam Reinhart, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Florida Panthers, is one of the standout names of this Olympic comeback. The Canadian forward, included in Hockey Canada’s preliminary roster, shared his excitement about making his Olympic debut, telling Olympics.com it will be “a completely different experience.”
The symbolic weight of representing Canada at the Olympics
“You’re representing something more than just your city or your club; you’re representing your whole country,” Reinhart said as he reflected on what it means to wear the maple leaf. He also spoke about the collective spirit of the Games, where “you compete alongside athletes from other sports,” emphasizing that the sense of unity makes it “something much bigger than hockey.”
Canada was the last Olympic champion with NHL players on the ice, taking gold in Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014 under the leadership of Sidney Crosby. Since then, restrictions imposed by the professional league kept multiple generations from living that experience, heightening anticipation ahead of their 2026 return.
Generations converging: between memory and opportunity
Different generations of Canadian hockey will converge on the same roster. Veterans like Crosby, who led Canada to gold in the last two Olympics with NHL participation, will share the locker room with stars such as Connor McDavid and Steven Stamkos, both set to make their Olympic debuts. McDavid, who was 17 in 2014, missed PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 due to the league’s withdrawal, while Stamkos was sidelined from Sochi 2014 with a broken leg and missed the following two editions for the same reason.
For Reinhart, that blend of experience and youth will be key. The forward highlighted the importance of “buy-in” — embracing defined roles within a talent-packed lineup — as one of the foundations of Canadian hockey culture. “From junior levels, we learn that success comes when everyone understands their role,” he said.
Forced absences and institutional decisions
The NHL barred its players from competing at PyeongChang 2018 due to disagreements with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over insurance and travel costs. In 2022, although an agreement was initially in place, the pandemic and subsequent schedule disruptions led to another withdrawal. Those decisions kept dozens of elite players from fulfilling their Olympic dreams.
American forward Brian Gionta was one of the few exceptions. He stepped away from an NHL contract to represent the United States at PyeongChang 2018, even serving as team captain. His decision became a symbol of how much players value the chance to wear their national colours, even above their professional commitments.
A new chapter for Olympic ice hockey
A recent agreement between the International Ice Hockey Federation -IIHF-, the NHL, and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) has confirmed that professionals will take part in Milano-Cortina 2026. Reinhart, who played a major role in the Panthers’ back-to-back championships, expressed his excitement about the opportunity: “It’s something players have fought for. We all know what hockey means to Canada, and being able to represent our country is really special.”
As the Italian Games draw nearer, expectations continue to rise. Canada will once again feature its biggest stars in pursuit of Olympic gold, in a tournament set to restore the brilliance of hockey’s grandest international stage.
