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2026 Olympics: Major Snubs Raise Eyebrows in Hockey

2/7/2026

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Summary

Olympic Roster Snubs

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina include notable omissions from Team Canada and Team USA, sparking discussion of snubs.
Connor Bedard and Mark Scheifele were left off Canada’s roster.
Thatcher Demko's injury sidelined him from Team USA.
Russia remains banned from Olympic competition due to geopolitical issues, raising questions about potential impact of their goaltending.
The upcoming NHL Trade Deadline may see teams target Olympic performers for playoff pushes.

Summary

NHL Stars Compete

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina mark the return of NHL players to Olympic hockey since 2014.
The men's ice hockey tournament features 12 teams, including Connor McDavid (Canada) and Auston Matthews (Canada) and Jack Eichel (United States).
Each team will play three games before a single-elimination playoff format determines the winner.
The gold medal game is scheduled for February 22, 2026.

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Olympic Roster Snubs

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina include notable omissions from Team Canada and Team USA, sparking discussion of snubs.
Connor Bedard and Mark Scheifele were left off Canada’s roster.
Thatcher Demko's injury sidelined him from Team USA.
Russia remains banned from Olympic competition due to geopolitical issues, raising questions about potential impact of their goaltending.
The upcoming NHL Trade Deadline may see teams target Olympic performers for playoff pushes.

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