The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway, and for the first time in over a decade, NHL stars are back on the Olympic ice. That alone is enough to stir excitement across the hockey world, but for players like Connor McDavid, this moment carries a deeper significance.
McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers’ All-Star and one of the game’s generational talents, is finally getting his shot to wear the maple leaf on the sport’s biggest international stage. After practice on Sunday night, McDavid didn’t shy away from the emotion of the moment.
“Surreal, surreal,” he said, visibly soaking it all in. “It’s been a long time. It’s been a long time coming.”
And he’s right. McDavid’s been lighting up the NHL since 2015, but due to COVID-related restrictions, NHL players were sidelined from the 2022 Beijing Olympics. For someone who’s been at the top of the league for nearly a decade, this Olympic debut has been a long wait - and now, it’s finally here.
He’s not alone in feeling the weight and wonder of the moment. Auston Matthews, suiting up as Team USA’s captain, echoed that same sense of awe.
“It means a lot,” Matthews said. “It’s crazy to think about - now we’re here, and you get this opportunity, and it’s just very special. … I think it definitely hits you once you touch down and get to the Olympic village and get settled in, just how special and cool it is to be here representing your country and experiencing what the Olympics is all about.”
That sentiment is being felt across locker rooms, regardless of flags on jerseys. Even players with Olympic gold already in their trophy case are feeling the buzz.
Sidney Crosby, who famously scored the "Golden Goal" back in 2010, is back to lead Team Canada once again. And despite his wealth of international experience, the thrill hasn’t faded one bit.
“I think there’s some days that it feels like 12 years and other days where it feels like yesterday,” Crosby said with a grin. “It’s so great, though.
There’s been a lot of anticipation ever since we found out we were going back to the Olympics. And then the naming of the team, just a lot of anticipation.
It’s just great to be with the guys and get out there and get to work and see the speed and try to get better here and become a team.”
That last part - “become a team” - is key. Olympic hockey isn’t just about assembling a roster of stars; it’s about molding them into a cohesive unit in a matter of days.
Chemistry, timing, communication - all of it has to come together fast. And with rosters this stacked, the margin for error is razor-thin.
Still, the excitement is palpable. For McDavid, Matthews, Crosby, and the rest of the NHL elite, this isn’t just another tournament. It’s a rare chance to wear their country’s colors, chase Olympic gold, and do it on a stage that only comes around once every four years - if you’re lucky.
We don’t know how the games will unfold. We don’t know who will rise, who will falter, or who will deliver the next iconic moment.
But one thing is certain: hockey fans are in for something special. The stars are here, the stakes are sky-high, and the 2026 Olympics are just getting started.