Ryan S. ClarkCloseRyan S. ClarkESPN NHL reporterRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.Follow on X and Kristen ShiltonCloseKristen ShiltonESPN NHL reporterKristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.Follow on XMultiple AuthorsFeb 23, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
play1:13Dylan Larkin and Auston Matthews react to winning goldEmily Kaplan captures a post game reaction from USA Men’s Hockey’s Dylan Larkin and Auston Matthews.
P.K. Subban: This is an ‘unbelievable moment for USA hockey’ (2:07)P.K. Subban is full of praise for Team USA men’s hockey after defeating Canada to win the gold medal. (2:07)
Dylan Larkin and Auston Matthews react to winning goldEmily Kaplan captures a post game reaction from USA Men’s Hockey’s Dylan Larkin and Auston Matthews.
Emily Kaplan captures a post game reaction from USA Men’s Hockey’s Dylan Larkin and Auston Matthews.
The 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament ended in thrilling fashion Sunday, with the United States winning 2-1 in overtime against Canada.
Both of those teams were comprised of NHL players — many of them superstars, and all of them play prominent roles on their respective NHL clubs.
But those were only two of the 12 nations represented, and all but one of the countries had at least one active NHL player on the roster; Italy gets an asterisk, as standout goaltender Damian Clara is a prospect for the Anaheim Ducks.
ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark (Western Conference) and Kristen Shilton (Eastern Conference) identify one standout or disappointment from all 32 teams’ Olympians:
It’s hard not to wonder what could have been for the U.S. at last year’s 4 Nations Face-off if McAvoy hadn’t gotten injured during the tournament, which Canada won in a wild overtime showdown between the rival countries.
But McAvoy made up for lost time at the Olympics. He and Quinn Hughes (another injury absentee for 4 Nations) anchored Team USA’s top defense pairing, and together they formed a formidable duo to bolster the U.S. at both ends of the ice. McAvoy has faced adversity in the NHL regular season, including missing time because of a broken jaw, but he showed little sign of wear and tear, making opponents pay along the boards and disrupting play through the neutral zone.
The U.S. passed on Thompson for its 4 Nations Face-Off roster. Team USA general manager Bill Guerin didn’t make that mistake again. Thompson, who was top 10 in goals at the Olympic break, has continued to reveal the many facets of his game.
The 6-foot-6 forward has elite hands and bursts of speed, attributes that make him tough to contain from the start of the Olympics. He had two goals in Team USA’s first four games. Thompson might have deserved even more ice time from coach Mike Sullivan. Still, Thompson found solid chemistry in a third-line role with Dylan Larkin, and in the quarterfinal win over Sweden — and on the top power-play unit — and that carried momentum for the rest of the tournament.
Larkin provided Team USA with an icebreaker in its quarterfinal game against Sweden, scoring the first goal of the game in an eventual 2-1 win. His teammates know he can be an X factor (he had a go-ahead goal for Team USA against Canada at the 4 Nations), and Larkin proved it again throughout the Olympics.
Whether acting as a leader and mentor in the dressing room, executing a strong two-way game, pitching in on special teams, or, crucially, firing one past Jacob Markstrom to ignite the Americans in the quarterfinals, Larkin is a veteran who has shown up when it matters most for Team USA.
Reinhart is a point-per-game NHL player who didn’t make much of an impact for Canada at the Games. But he wasn’t getting top-six minutes or nearly the same amount of opportunity in Canada’s stacked forward group that he enjoys in Florida. Regardless. Reinhart didn’t make his usual impact when he was on the ice, showcasing so little of the elite scoring touch and impressive speed that helped power the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup championship runs.
The Canadians’ depth doesn’t explain why Reinhart wasn’t more of a factor, especially considering Canada almost lost in the quarters, and it had to make adjustments after Sidney Crosby went down because of an injury.
If there was a Cinderella story in this tournament, it was Slovakia, the comparatively small nation that advanced to the semifinals. And Juraj Slafkovsky wrote the Slovaks’ script.
The forward was not only his country’s best player, but one of the tournament’s top performers, collecting four goals and seven points in four games before Slovakia’s semifinal matchup with Team USA. Few skaters in the Olympics’ field drew opponents’ attention like Slafkovsky, who forced opponents to prepare for what he could do. Slafkovsky seemed to relish taking on a larger leadership role, and his Olympic experience was another sign of the 21-year-old’s potential in Montreal.
It’s not what you think. Sogaard was supposed to be alongside Frederik Andersen in Denmark’s crease. When Andersen floundered in the Danes’ tournament opener, Sogaard stepped in against Team USA, and he exceeded Denmark’s expectations. Sogaard made 32 of 37 stops to give his country a chance, but then he suffered a lower-body injury that forced him out of action midway through the third period.
The U.S. won 6-3, but it was crushing to see the 25-year-old Sogaard sidelined when he showed such promise. Had he finished the game or returned before the Olympics ended, who knows what might have gone differently for Denmark?
Cernak said Slovakia’s strength is its family atmosphere and that it’s a collective unit that works well together. Consider the defenseman an integral patriarch. The veteran blueliner has never been flashy, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more reliable, steady defenseman in key moments; that’s what Cernak brought for Slovakia.
He picked up his first Olympic point, scoring the Slovaks’ opening goal against Germany, and was deployed in all situations to guide his nation through its toughest competition. Whether Cernak shows up on the score sheet will never reflect his true value. That’s more evident when you watch him, and the small plays he can make that come from ample experience and winning experience.
Nylander should have been primed to shine when the Swedes were facing elimination in the quarterfinals against the U.S. — particularly late in overtime — but he failed throughout that matchup to create the offensive chaos that usually makes him such a threat.
Despite battling an injury, Nylander was still cleared to be in the lineup. Sweden had to be disappointed that it did not get more from one of its best offensive players.
Dylan Larkin and Auston Matthews react to winning gold
This tournament gave us a glimpse at what it would be like if Aho and Mikko Rantanen played on the same NHL team in their prime — and it was beautiful. Aho quickly developed chemistry with his linemate after a short sojourn last season. Aho had three goals and five points in five games as Finland reached the bronze medal game.
Aho was especially strong in the Finns’ heartbreaking semifinal loss to Canada, putting excellent pressure on Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington and nearly beating him late in the third with a tiebreaking goal for Finland. Aho has a well-rounded game, and he showed all facets of it in Milan Cortina.
Team USA’s Quinn Hughes took center stage when he scored the overtime winner to put his country into the semifinals. Though Hughes was the U.S’s best offensive defenseman, Werenski was its best overall.
The blueliner was a buzz saw for the U.S., anchoring its back end with the same poise, skill and physicality that have made him a Norris Trophy contender. Werenski was clearly trusted in every situation for the U.S., and despite the relatively short time to prepare for the Games, he seemed to carry over chemistry from the 4 Nations and elevate his Team USA.
Werenski has been a difference-maker in Columbus, and he put it all on display for the world to enjoy at the Games.
The Devils’ center embraced a bottom-six role and had an incredible tournament for the U.S., scoring four goals and seven points and pocketing Team USA’s golden goal in overtime to top Canada, 2-1. He also tallied two goals in the U.S.’s semifinal rout of Slovakia, being the game-changer the Americans needed going into the final.
Hughes scoring the winner Sunday was more than just an Olympic exclamation point. Hughes turned in the sort of performance that recalled his dominance in the NHL two seasons ago. Injuries have plagued him of late, but these Olympics have reignited his play in a significant way. He has etched his name into hockey history among other great skaters who have the ability to shine brightest when it matters most.
Czechia wasn’t called for too many men on the ice when Palat scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period of its quarterfinal matchup with Canada. Czechia lost the game in overtime, leaving that marker as Palat’s lone significant contribution to his nation’s run.
Palat had just one assist in the four previous games. He was expected to provide the depth scoring that could complement Czechia’s superb goaltender Lukas Dostal. But in the end, Palat was more along for the ride.
Sanheim was a somewhat polarizing selection for Team Canada. Leave it to him to answer his critics when Canada needed him most.
Rakell had to make the most of a smaller opportunity for Sweden than what he gets in the NHL (when on a line centered by, say, Sidney Crosby). Though Rakell averaged just under 12 minutes per game for the Swedes, he didn’t do much to bolster their depth. In five tournament games, Rakell recorded an assist and brought little of the skill and speed that have made him a dangerous 30-plus-goal scorer in Pittsburgh.
Did Rakell fail to excel because he wasn’t familiar with his teammates and was relegated to that bottom-six role despite his obvious talent? Who can say? But it was obvious when Sweden needed its complementary players to shine that Rakell didn’t step into the spotlight and help keep the Swedes alive past their quarterfinals departure.