The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full swing, and this year, men’s ice hockey is back on the global stage-with a heavy dose of NHL talent sprinkled across nearly every roster. Few teams are more well-represented than the Colorado Avalanche, who sent eight players to Italy to compete for their respective countries. That group includes three skaters on Team Canada, one on Team USA, two with Finland, one representing Sweden, and another skating for Czechia.
And yes, that means we’re going to see some intriguing Avalanche-on-Avalanche matchups over the next few weeks. One of the most anticipated?
Team Canada vs. Team Czechia, where Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews will line up against their Colorado teammate, Martin Necas.
Necas, who’s been a key piece on the Avalanche’s top line this season, knows exactly what he’s up against.
“Obviously, it’s much easier to be playing with them than against them,” Necas said with a smile.
That quote says it all. These guys battle together night after night in the NHL, but when national pride is on the line, friendships take a back seat. This is the Olympics, after all.
The competition promises to be fierce. If the recent 4 Nations tournament taught us anything, it’s that these international matchups are tight.
Outside of Team USA’s 6-1 blowout win over Finland, most games were decided by just a goal or two. Expect more of the same in Italy-high stakes, tight margins, and no easy outs.
And with the global spotlight on the Olympics, the audience will be massive. The Canada-USA showdown during the 4 Nations tournament drew over 16 million viewers. That’s the kind of reach and energy we’re talking about here-especially with NHL stars leading the charge.
Necas, despite missing some time recently due to injury, has been having a standout season. With 22 goals and 40 assists in 52 games, he’s found real chemistry with MacKinnon on Colorado’s top line. The fact that he’s healthy and ready to go for Czechia is a big boost-not just for his national team, but for fans eager to see some of the world’s best go head-to-head.
He’s not the only Avalanche player bouncing back from injury. Gabriel Landeskog, who suffered an upper-body injury after crashing into the net during a January 4 game against the Panthers, is also good to go. That’s great news for Sweden and a welcome sight for Avs fans keeping tabs on their stars overseas.
Of course, the Olympic break isn’t just about international bragging rights-it’s also a strategic pause in the NHL season. The Avalanche currently sit atop the league in both record and points, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been flawless. They’ve had stretches of inconsistency, and with teams like the Wild and Stars lurking just behind them in the standings, this break could serve as a much-needed reset.
There’s an old adage in hockey: the team that wins the Presidents’ Trophy rarely wins the Stanley Cup. Whether that’s superstition or statistical trend, it’s something to think about.
Maybe letting another contender take the regular-season crown wouldn’t be the worst thing for Colorado. But make no mistake-the Avs aren’t backing down from the challenge.
They’ve built a culture around competition, and that fire doesn’t cool off just because the setting shifts from Denver to Milan.
For now, though, it’s all about country over club. The bonds forged in the Avalanche locker room will be put on hold as teammates become opponents on Olympic ice.
These moments don’t come around often, and they’re what make international hockey so special. So settle in-because whether it’s MacKinnon threading a pass through traffic or Necas trying to beat Makar one-on-one, we’re in for a show.