Twelve years. That’s how long it’s been since NHL players last suited up for their countries on Olympic ice.
But now, in 2026, the wait is over. The NHL is officially back in the Winter Games, and the scene in Milan is already delivering the kind of high-level, international hockey fans have been craving since Sochi.
Let’s rewind for a moment. After the 2014 Olympics, the NHL’s participation in the Games hit a wall.
The league had to pause its season midstream, sending its stars overseas with no financial return-just global exposure. And while that exposure was valuable, it came at a cost.
One of the most glaring examples? Islanders captain John Tavares tearing his MCL and meniscus in a preliminary game against Latvia.
That injury ended his season and reignited the debate over whether the risk was worth the reward.
By 2018, negotiations between the NHL and the IIHF hit a dead end. Commissioner Gary Bettman pushed for a revenue share, but the IIHF didn’t budge.
The result? No NHL players in PyeongChang.
The 2022 Games were also a no-go, this time due to the league’s COVID-19 chaos. Outbreaks and postponements made Olympic participation impossible.
But that’s all in the rearview now. Milan 2026 has brought NHLers back to the Olympic stage-and the early action has been electric.
For the Islanders, the Olympic spotlight shines a little brighter this time around. In 2014, Tavares was the team’s lone representative. Now, two current Isles forwards are skating in Milan: Bo Horvat for Team Canada and Ondrej Palat, the recently acquired Czech winger, for Team Czechia.
And wouldn’t you know it? When Canada and Czechia opened their Olympic campaigns, Horvat and Palat found themselves on opposite sides of the puck.
Canada, as expected, rolled out a star-studded lineup featuring Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Cale Makar. With that kind of firepower, the Canadians came in as heavy favorites.
But credit to Czechia-they held their own for nearly the entire first period. That is, until 19-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini broke through with just six seconds left on the clock, beating Czech netminder Lukas Dostal to give Canada a 1-0 lead.
That late-period goal shifted the momentum hard. Early in the second, Mitch Marner connected with his Vegas teammate Mark Stone for a backdoor tap-in.
Then came Bo Horvat’s moment. The Islanders center broke in alone and slid a smooth backhander through Dostal’s five-hole.
His first Olympic goal-and one he won’t forget anytime soon.
Canada didn’t let up. Nathan MacKinnon and Nick Suzuki each added third-period tallies, pushing the final score to 5-0. Jordan Binnington turned away all 26 Czech shots, including two from Palat, to earn the shutout.
Later that day, Team USA took the ice against Latvia, and it didn’t take long for another Islander to make headlines. Brock Nelson, now a three-time Olympian, lit the lamp twice and nearly had a third before it was called back. The Warroad, Minnesota native showed he still has plenty left in the tank, making a statement in his Olympic debut.
Fast forward to Friday morning: Czechia bounced back with a 6-3 win over France. Palat picked up his first point of the tournament, assisting on David Pastrnak’s second-period goal. A much-needed confidence boost for the Czech winger.
Meanwhile, Canada continued to roll, this time against Switzerland. McDavid got the party started, and the Canadians never looked back.
Horvat didn’t find the scoresheet but was active, logging minutes and taking a minor for high-sticking. Pius Suter netted the lone goal for the Swiss, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Final score: 5-1, Canada.
As for the Americans, they’ve got a day off before facing Denmark on Saturday. If Nelson keeps up his form, Team USA could be a real threat to make a deep run.
With NHL stars back in the Olympic mix, the level of play has jumped, the energy is up, and the storylines are already stacking. From Horvat’s first Olympic goal to Nelson’s resurgence and Palat’s quiet contributions, the Milan Games are giving hockey fans exactly what they’ve been missing: the best players in the world, playing for pride, country, and Olympic gold.