The most prominent Latvia-born players to reach the NHL are defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, who helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996 and played 875 games in 15 NHL seasons, and goalie Arturs Irbe, who had 218 wins and 33 shutouts in 13 seasons.
The U.S. men's hockey team hasn't won an Olympic gold medal since the Miracle on Ice in 1980, but this year's team might just be capable of ending that drought. The Americans have brought their best roster ever to Italy,
Elvis Merzlikins, a star NHL goalie for the Columbus Blue Jackets, is set to represent Team Latvia at the Olympics. He faces a tough opener against Team USA. Merzlikins sees this as a significant personal challenge to showcase his skills on the world's biggest stage.
The NHL players compete in the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014, as the 2026 Men's Hockey Tournament is scheduled to start on February 11 in Milan. There will be 12 teams competing in the group stage,
NHL players are back at the Olympics, and preliminary play opened with two contests in Milan. Here's how Day 1 went.
Take a look at the complete 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey schedule for Team USA and others.
The toughest group of the Men’s tournament in these Olympics, this group features the powerhouse Team Canada, the ever-competing Team Czechia, the new threat of Team Switzerland, and the respectable outsider Team France. Let’s start with Team Canada.
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