The men's Olympic ice hockey tournament opens Wednesday at the Santagiulia ice rink. Two matches are on the schedule: Italy will face Sweden, bronze medalists at the last World Championships, and Slovakia will take on Finland. Twelve teams are vying to succeed Finland, who won their first title in Beijing. Sakari Manninen's squad made the most of this opportunity, as the field has been completely reshuffled this year with the highly anticipated return of NHL players.
Sidney Crosby in the lead role
After missing out on PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, players from the North American league are participating for the first time since 2014. The announcement was made in 2024. A victory for the IIHF and its president, Luc Tardif: the best hockey players in the world will be gathered on the Olympic stage, promising an even more competitive tournament. Having star-studded rosters and a plethora of celebrities is also the best form of advertising and a guarantee of visibility with the public. And, consequently, a guarantee of revenue.
Eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2022, Canada has assembled an all-NHL roster, including two Olympic champions: Sidney Crosby (38 years old) and Drew Doughty (36 years old), gold medalists in Vancouver and Sochi. The United States, seeking their first gold medal since 1980, will also be fielding a strong team. roster Quite different from Beijing's team, led by Connor Hellebuyck, the league's best goaltender, as well as defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward Clayton Keller, already a four-time All-Star at 27. A total of 149 players from the league were selected. Among the twelve participating countries, eleven have at least one NHL player on their roster.
"Children dream of two things: the Stanley Cup and the Olympics."
While the IIHF is rubbing its hands with glee, the feeling is one of relief among the players, some of whom feared the train would never stop. The absence of NHL players at previous Games makes you think: you wonder if you'll have another opportunity like this. Some things are beyond our control, of course, and some players might have participated five or six times during their careers… " notes Canadian Sam Reinhart, who is about to experience the Games for the first time.
« I've always watched the Games on television. Now I'm going to represent Germany and wear the eagle on my chest. declares the German JJ Peterka in the Olympic Review. It's a tremendous honor. The return of so many NHL players will raise the level of competition and add incredible intensity to the ice. Playing with and against the best players in the world, each representing their country, will make the game faster, more competitive, and more unpredictable. This is an opportunity to see hockey at its best on the international stage. »
« The children dream of two things: the Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold medal."I'm so happy," said Zach Werenski, defenseman for the Columbus Blue Jackets, after his selection. Every year you have the chance to try to win the Stanley Cup, but the Olympics only happen every four years. In this case, it's been 12 years. So, at the top of my list as a hockey player is participating in the Olympics. Sidney Crosby, who has already had the privilege of participating twice, agrees: When you're a child, you dream of participating in the Olympic Games and playing hockey. Having experienced it myself, I can tell you it's truly something special, and I think everyone is eager for it. Canada's first match is scheduled for Thursday at 16:40 PM against the Czech Republic. The United States will begin their tournament that same evening against Latvia (21:10 PM).
