Above: Connor McDavid is playing for Edmonton Oilers for 11 years, and has 395 goals, 783 assists in 770 games, making him the rank one NHL player. Photo by Connor Mah on Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The wait is finally over for ice hockey fans across the globe as the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic men's ice hockey tournament has officially begun. The coolest thing about the Italian Olympics 2026 is the comeback of NHL stars after 12 years. In 2018, financial disputes stopped them, and in 2022, they became victims of COVID-19-related schedule disruptions.

Eventually, it is time for fans to experience the real icy thrill as the world's best 12 teams, packed with elite talent and agility, face off. The structure of the tournament may be straightforward, but highly intense. We have seen fans go wild after both massive wins and humiliating defeats. As usual, the favourites are Canada and the USA, but you can't ignore the strength of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Finland and Italy. In fact, every team has some X-factor that makes this competition super interesting.

There are 12 teams divided into three groups: A, B, and C. While all the teams look like strong contenders, Group A has been called "Group of Death" because of the powerful track records of Canada, Czechia and Switzerland. On the other side, Finland and Slovakia are the Group B favourites, and the USA and Germany have strong potential to lead Group C.

With five stages of competition, each team will first play three preliminary games to determine ranking. Once the rankings are established, they'll play the qualifiers, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals in turn. They are using a multi-phase format: round-robin in the group stage and knockout after the qualifiers. The goal of every team is to stay until February 22 to play the much-awaited gold-medal match at the Milano Ice Hockey Arena. 

Also read || Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: Top Men’s Ice Hockey Teams & Groups

Spotlight on Superstars: The Faces of the Games

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David Pastrnak, the Czechian offensive engine has 19 career hat tricks, placing him second in Bruins history. Photo by Bostonbruinsfan22 on Wikimedia Commons(CC BY-SA 4.0)  

While hockey is a team sport, there are always players whose names become magazine headlines. All the eyes will be on Connor McDavid (Canada), David Pastrnak (Czechia), Auston Matthews (USA), and Leon Draisaitl(Germany). If you have been following the Boston Bruins for a while, you know the offensive engine David Pastrnak, who could annoy any team with his exceptional puck handling. If he can convert his NHL success into an Olympic medal, time will tell.

Connor McDavid needs no introduction. The 29-year-old man from Richmond Hill already has Hart trophies and serves as the captain of the Edmonton Oilers. His incredible speed, exceptional vision and stickhandling abilities make him a constant threat to anyone playing against Canada. Moreover, he is the fourth fastest player in NHL history.

Another player to watch is Leon Draisaitl, considered one of the greatest players in German ice hockey history. He nearly has every scoring record for his country in the NHL. Besides, the German team is filled with young exceptional talents such as defenseman Moritz Seider and forward Tim Stützle, who can flip the game in moments. For hockey purists, watching all these outstanding players would be the best highlight of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Team Canada: The Gold Standard of Hockey

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The Canadian Ice Hockey Team has been super consistent, winning 14 Olympic gold medals since 1920. Photo by Tricia Hall  on Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Canada is synonymous with two things: Maple syrup and Ice hockey. Team Canada is undoubtedly the favourite at the 2026 Winter Olympics 2026, having won their last four major international tournaments featuring NHL players. It includes Olympic golds in 2010 and 2014, as well as recent championship wins in 2016 and 2025. The Jon Cooper men are built on the foundation of winning at every single position.

The team's biggest highlight and trilemma is its goaltending. They have three Stanley Cup goalies on the roster, and it's a difficult choice for coaches to pick from Jordan Binnington, Darcy Kuemper and Logan Thompson. However, having a strong roster is a beautiful problem to have rather than having incompetent goalies.

Also read || Gold and Glory: Jutta Leerdam Sets a New Olympic Record at the Milano Cortina 2026

Team USA: Chasing a New "Miracle"

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Team USA during their Youth Olympic Games 2016 final against Canada, which they won 5-2 to claim their first Olympic Youth Gold Medal. Photo by  IOC Young Reporters on Flickr (CC BY NC-2.0)

Team USA are also a strong contender and has a roster filled with speed and youth. They have been waiting for the gold medal for the past 46 years and hope Auston Matthews's leadership will be a miracle for them. With a squad full of fast, skilled, and aggressive NHL players, Auston's men will be there to dominate against other heavyweights.

The USA is not relying only on offence, and has an impressive defence line-up, which Quinn Hughes will lead. As a mobile defenseman, Hughes is like a quarterback on the rink, who can move the puck quickly to the forwards and dominate when necessary. The strategy of Team USA would be to leverage extra space on the ice to tire opposing defenders and use their explosive young players to score more.

Also read || From Crash to Gold Glory: Ryan Cochran-Siegle's Fearless Path to Olympic Domination

Early Upsets and the Road Ahead

It's not the classical matches but the upsets that make sports interesting. When Finland played Slovakia on February 11, fans expected Finland to win easily, but Slovakia announced its arrival with a 4-1 victory. Slovakia's Juraj Slafkovsky, a young player from the Montreal Canadiens, scored twice in the 4-1 win, which serves as a sweet warning to the powerhouse teams that anything can happen.

As the preliminary round continues today, February 12, competition will be more intense, with Canada facing Czechia, Germany facing Denmark, and Latvia facing the USA. Moreover, you cannot underestimate the Swedish and Swiss squads, filled with NHL regulars, who can beat any capable team with their exceptional abilities.