The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, concluded with Team USA claiming gold in men's hockey after an overtime victory over Canada. Finland secured bronze with a 6-1 win against Slovakia, while several NHL players delivered standout performances. Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros topped rankings for his team with a .941 save percentage.
The men's ice hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 featured top NHL talent, marking the first inclusion of league players since 2014. Team USA defeated Canada in a thrilling gold-medal final that extended into overtime, capping a competitive event held in Italy.
Four Nashville Predators players participated: Juuse Saros and Erik Haula for Finland, Filip Forsberg for Sweden, and Roman Josi for Switzerland. Saros led the rankings with exceptional goaltending, allowing just 10 goals on 167 shots for a .941 save percentage and 1.66 goals-against average. He accused Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett of intentional goaltender interference during a game, stating, “He does that all the time, so it’s a part of his game. I think you know whether it’s on purpose.” Finland lost to Canada in the semifinals on a late power-play goal by Nathan MacKinnon but rebounded for bronze, with Saros saving 30 of 31 shots in the 6-1 victory over Slovakia.
Erik Haula ranked second among Predators, scoring three goals and three assists with a plus-4 rating, including two goals in the bronze-medal game. Roman Josi contributed two goals and two assists in five games for Switzerland, which finished fifth after a quarterfinal overtime loss to Finland on Artturi Lehkonen’s goal. Filip Forsberg had one goal and one assist with a plus-2 rating for Sweden, which placed seventh following a 2-1 overtime defeat to the USA in the quarterfinals. Controversy surrounded Sweden's limited use of Forsberg, despite his 24 goals in the NHL season.
Florida Panthers rookie Sandis Vilmanis represented Latvia, recording two shots on goal in 18:10 of ice time during a 4-3 preliminary-round win over Germany. Latvia did not medal but showed progress, as Vilmanis noted the high level of competition. He reflected on the experience as an “emotional whirlwind,” spending time with family and touring the Olympic village. Teammate Uvis Balinskis served as a mentor. Other Panthers players succeeded: Matthew Tkachuk won gold with the USA, while Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, and Niko Mikkola earned bronze with Finland.
New York Islanders forward Ondrej Palat returned to practice after Czechia's quarterfinal elimination by Canada. Bo Horvat, who won silver with Canada, is expected to rejoin the team soon. As NHL clubs resume schedules post-Olympics, players like these aim to carry momentum into the season's final stretch.
