The National Hockey League has sent players to the Winter Olympics for the first time since the Sochi games in 2014. This is the sixth time we’ve seen the top NHL stars compete in the Winter Games — they participated in five consecutive Olympics, from 1998 to 2014, but no NHL players have played since.
While hockey fans benefit the most from the NHL’s participation in the Olympics, so do some countries. Here's a look at who gains the biggest edge, and which countries actually thrive without participation.
Canada
- Medals with NHL players: 3 gold
- Medals without NHL players: 6 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze
- Big takeaway: NHL stars raise Canada’s ceiling, but the program’s dominance long predates NHL involvement.
Any time there's an international men's hockey tournament, Canada has to be considered the favorite, whether NHL or draft prospects are involved. The inventors of the sport pride themselves on being the best on the international stage, and anything less than a gold medal is considered a failure.
Canada has medaled in 16 of the 25 Olympic men's hockey tournaments. They have won nine gold medals, the most of any country, and five of the first six gold medals.
Where Canada separates itself though is when the NHL opens the door. With access to the world’s deepest talent pool, Canada can build a roster that looks more like an All-Star team than a national lineup. They have only won three gold medals since 1952, but those came in 2002, 2010 and 2014, all years in which the NHL participated.
When the NHL stays home, the margin narrows. They won a bronze medal in 2018 with a team composed mostly of former NHLers and AHL players. They failed to win a medal in 2022 after losing to Sweden in the quarterfinals, when their roster was a mix of AHL , junior league and college players. (We should note: Current NHLers Jack McBain, Kent Johnson, Owen Power and Mason McTavish were among the youngsters who made the trip to Beijing though).
That context matters heading into this tournament, where Canada remains the favorite, largely because no other nation can match its depth. They get to handpick a team full of future Hall of Famers. Their player pool is so deep, a roster made up of their snubs would compete for a medal. However, as we’ve seen, an NHL roster doesn’t guarantee gold for Canada. With their goaltending this year, the elimination round could get a little dicey.
United States
- Medals with NHL players: 2 silver
- Medals without NHL players: 2 gold, 6 silver, 1 bronze
- Big takeaway: NHL participation boosts depth and expectations, but the U.S.’s only Olympic golds came without NHL players.
The United States has won two gold medals in Olympic history, but none since the famed “Miracle on Ice” team of 1980. They have won more silver medals than any other country (8), and while bringing over a roster of NHL stars makes Team USA a legit contender, they've not enjoyed as much success as you'd think.
Team USA has won only two medals across five tournaments featuring NHL players (silver in 2002 and 2010), losing to Canada in both finals. (Who can forget Sidney Crosby’s “Golden Goal” to beat the U.S. in overtime at the 2010 Vancouver Games?)
But this year could be the American’s best shot at their first gold medal in 46 years. They have an exceptionally deep and talented team and may have the best goaltending in the tournament. After the buzz created from last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, failing to medal in Milan would be a huge disappointment.
The Americans are bringing a squad that can hang with Canada and everyone else. They are loaded up front with the likes of Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel and the Tkachuk brothers. The blueline is manned by stars like Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy and Jaccob Slavin. And their biggest advantage could be in the crease, with a talented goaltending trio of Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman.
Sweden
- Medals with NHL players: 1 gold, 1 silver
- Medals without NHL players: 1 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze
- Big takeaway: Sweden remains competitive in any era, relying on structure and system as much as star power.
After Canada and the United States, the next best hockey countries are Finland and Sweden. Both have had success on the international stage with and without NHL players. The two Scandinavian powerhouses are all a tough team to play against. They focus on a solid two-way game because they know they normally can’t match the offensive firepower of some of the other top countries.
Sweden has won a total of nine medals, including two gold, three silver and four bronze. Their first gold medal came in 1994, without NHL players, but they did have a young, budding star named Peter Forsberg, perhaps you’ve heard of him. Their second gold medal came at the 2006 tournament, when they defeated Finland in the final. A trio of all-time Detroit Red Wings greats, Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall and Niklas Lidstrom, found the back of the net in a 3-2 victory.
The Swedes' only other medal with NHL players came in 2014, when they lost to Canada in the gold medal game. Their other six medals came before the 1998 games, when they fielded their best professional players.
Finland
- Medals with NHL players: 1 silver, 3 bronze
- Medals without NHL players: 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
- Big takeaway: NHL players raise Finland’s consistency, but their breakthrough gold came without them.
Finland lives for international competition. They are consistently among the stingiest defensive teams in any tournament on the world stage. They usually have enough talent to get them deep into the elimination rounds at the Olympics, but can’t seem to get over the hump. They finally won their first gold medal at the 2022 games, with a team comprising Finnish professionals and a handful of former NHL players.
The Fins are among the countries that benefit most from sending NHL players. They have medaled in four of the five tournaments with NHL stars, including bronze medals in 1998, 2010 and 2014, and a silver medal in 2006. When you take away the gold medal from the last Olympics, they have only medaled in two other tournaments: a silver medal in 1988 and a bronze medal in 1994.
Czechia
- Medals with NHL players: 1 gold, 1 bronze
- Medals without NHL players: None
- Big takeaway: NHL participation is the difference between medal contention and the middle of the pack.
Three countries will benefit most from having their NHL players join their teams: Czechia, Germany and Switzerland. With NHL stars, they become dark horses for a medal, but without them, they’d have a very difficult road to get out of the quarterfinals.
Czechia has won two medals since Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries. They were the surprise gold medalists in the first Winter Games with NHL players back in 1998. That team was led by Hall of Famers Dominik Hasek and Jaromir Jagr. That duo also that helped them win the bronze medal in 2006, along with other NHL stars like Patrik Elias, Milan Hejduk and Robert Lang.
As a whole, Czechia has made tremendous strides on the international stage, especially at the junior level. They have a legitimate shot at the medal round because of the NHL talent they are bringing to Italy, including David Pastrnak, Tomas Hertl, Martin Necas and Filip Hronek. They have a nice mix of NHL talent and stars from Czechia’s top professional league.
Germany
- Medals with NHL players: 1 silver
- Medals without NHL players: 2 bronze
- Big takeaway: NHL talent elevates Germany from historical long shot to legitimate modern contender.
Germany has won three medals in Olympic history: Bronze in 1932 and 1976, and silver in 2018. Their roster gets a huge boost with the inclusion of the NHL. Anytime you can add Leon Draisaitl to your lineup, you have a chance to win. Throw in J.J. Peterka, Tim Stutzle and Moritz Seider, and you have a team capable of making some noise in the tournament.
Switzerland
- Medals with NHL players: None
- Medals without NHL players: 2 bronze
- Big takeaway: NHL stars give Switzerland its clearest path to an Olympic medal in decades
Switzerland hopes the return of the NHL can elevate its standing on the Olympic stage. They are looking to medal for the third time, and for the first time since a bronze in 1948. The Swiss have made strides on the international stage, but without their NHL talent, they would have a very difficult time competing with the top countries. However, adding the likes of Nico Hischier, Kevin Fiala, Timo Meier and Roman Josi gives you more than just straws at which to grasp. They are a real dark horse in this tournament, and if they get good goaltending, they can pull off an upset or two.
With the teams hitting the ice this week and working on their line combinations, excitement is building toward what should be an excellent tournament. No matter if you’re a diehard hockey fan or someone just getting into the sport, the next two weeks will keep you entertained and give you plenty of drama.