MILAN -- The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 men’s hockey tournament begins Wednesday when the 12 nations compete in three groups. Group A consists of Canada, Czechia, France and Switzerland. Finland, Italy, Sweden and Slovakia will play in Group B. Group C features Denmark, Germany, Latvia and the United States.

The most prominent Latvia-born players to reach the NHL are defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, who helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996 and played 875 games in 15 NHL seasons, and goalie Arturs Irbe, who had 218 wins and 33 shutouts in 13 seasons.

Seven members of the Canucks organization will represent their respective countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Elias Pettersson is projected to center Sweden's third-line, while Filip Hronek will quarterback Czechia's first-unit power play.

There are 12 men's hockey teams that will compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, but not all enter with the same chances of winning gold.

The on-ice leaders for one of the intriguing underdogs heading into the men’s ice hockey tournament in Milan have been named. On Tuesday, it was announced that former NHL forward Kaspars Daugavins has been named the captain of the Latvian men’s team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

NHL stars have landed in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics. This marks the league's return after a 12-year break. Players from top nations like Canada, USA, Sweden, and Finland are preparing for the tournament.