Five Los Angeles Kings players have been selected to represent their countries in the men's hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Forwards Kevin Fiala, Joel Armia, and Adrian Kempe, along with goaltender Darcy Kuemper and defenseman Drew Doughty, will compete starting next week. This marks a significant international debut for several, as NHL players return to the Olympics after a 12-year absence.
The 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey tournament begins on February 11, bringing together top NHL talent for the first time since 2014. The Los Angeles Kings are well-represented with five players across different national teams, highlighting the franchise's depth and international appeal.
Kevin Fiala, a forward for Switzerland, expressed excitement about his Olympic debut. "I would love to play in those tournaments," Fiala said. "Next year, it’ll be the Olympics and I am very excited to go, first time going for me. To represent my country, to play at the Olympics, I mean, that’s a dream come true." Switzerland, ranked third in the IIHF World Rankings after silver medals at the 2024 and 2025 World Championships, relies on Fiala alongside Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Nino Niederreiter. Fiala, the 2024 World Championships MVP, is expected to play in the top-six and on the power play. Their group schedule includes games against France on February 12, Canada on February 13, and Czechia on February 15.
Joel Armia represents Finland, a medal favorite with four medals in the last five NHL-participating Olympics. Armia, who won gold at the 2022 World Championships with five goals, including a semifinal winner, will focus on penalty-killing duties. "Last year’s 4 Nations was a special experience, to get to play against all the best players in the world," Armia said. "It was a goal of mine to be on the Olympic team too." Finland opens against Slovakia on February 11, followed by Sweden on February 13 and host Italy on February 14.
Adrian Kempe joins Sweden, another deep forward group featuring William Nylander and Filip Forsberg. After his first best-on-best experience at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Kempe anticipates heightened intensity. "I am super excited, it's a dream come true to compete in the Olympics, for sure," he said. Sweden faces Italy on February 11, Finland on February 13, and Slovakia on February 14, with the Sweden-Finland rivalry a highlight.
Darcy Kuemper and Drew Doughty suit up for Canada, the tournament favorites. Kuemper, who missed the 2022 Games due to the NHL's withdrawal, views this as a career resurgence after a Vezina-nominated 2024-25 season. "It’s been a long time... such an honor to be named to the team," Kuemper said. He competes for starts with Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson. Canada's schedule: Czechia on February 12, Switzerland on February 13, and France on February 15.
NHL players arrived in Milan on February 8 for practices, with stars like Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid expressing thrill at the return to Olympic competition. The Kings' participants add to the excitement, as all 12 teams vie for seeding after group play, leading to playoffs from February 17 and the gold-medal game on February 22.
