In under 24 hours, NHL players will be taking the ice at The Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014. Among those players will be eight members of the Avalanche, including Sweden captain Gabriel Landeskog, Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon, Czechia’s Martin Necas and the United States’ Brock Nelson, who are ready to hit the ice in Milan.
Of the three aforementioned players, Landeskog is the only one with Olympics experience, taking home a Silver Medal in 2014. In its second game of that tournament, Sweden defeated Switzerland 1-0, which Landeskog said served as a reminder that every game is important.
“Every game is its own separate challenge,” Landeskog said. “You can't take anybody lightly. There are no easy games in tournaments like this. And just how short the tournament is, you [have] got to play as well as you possibly can in the group stage, and then you have to improve your game as you go on and hopefully play your best game for [the] last [game].”
Landeskog said it’s important to him and his Team Sweden teammates to inspire younger generations of hockey players. He recalls his memories from when Sweden’s men’s hockey team won Gold in 2006 in Torino, Italy, when he was 13 years old.
“I just remember standing on the couch in my childhood home and jumping up and down when the final buzzer went in 2006 in Torino,” Landeskog said. “And that is absolutely one of the reasons you want to be here, [to] create new memories for the next generation and inspire the next round of kids that are coming up and boys and girls all over Sweden.”
As for expectations, it’s Gold or bust for Landeskog and Team Sweden.
“I think everybody feels that way, to be honest,” Landeskog said. “I think there's probably six or seven teams that come into the tournament feeling that way. If it was just to come here just to be here, you're probably playing for a different team, I would imagine. But we feel like we were here to compete for gold, and that's at the end of the day, that's what you come for.”
This season, Landeskog played in his first regular-season action since the 2021-22 campaign after a long recovery. During that recovery, Landeskog said there were days where he thought he may not be at the Olympics and times he thought he’d have to retire. He added that the recovery he went through is something that will always be a part of him.
"I think I just come out on the other side feeling very grateful for the opportunity to play the sport again and do what I love doing and competing against the best in the world,” Landeskog said. “And here's another great example of that being at stake.”
Necas said that he’s so happy for Landeskog to be at The Winter Olympics and called the Avs captain an amazing person and a true leader. And while he said Landeskog deserves all of it, Necas still wants to take home Gold.
“I don’t wish him the best in this tournament,” Necas said. “Hopefully, we can beat him. But he deserves everything. And I’m happy that he got back from [his] injury and he’s here.”
Czechia’s opening game of the tournament is against Canada on Thursday, a matchup that will include Necas, MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Devon Toews, all of whom are making their first appearance at The Winter Olympics.
“It’s obviously way easier to play with them than against them,” Necas said about his Avs teammates representing Canada.
Necas, who won the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Czechia, was clear about his expectations for himself and his team at The Winter Olympics.
“We’re gonna give our best,” Necas said. “We’re gonna battle every game [until] the last minute. And we’re gonna do whatever we can to get the best result and be proud of what we did here.”
MacKinnon was 14 years old when his fellow native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Sidney Crosby, scored the golden goal to win Canada the Gold Medal at The Winter Olympics in 2010. Now, 16 years later, MacKinnon’s locker is next to Crosby’s in Canada’s dressing room.
“This is a dream for me,” MacKinnon said. “Sitting next to Sid in the dressing room. At 10 years old, how cool would that be, right? Marchy’s (Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand) there. (Edmonton Oilers forward) Connor’s (McDavid) right there. And Reino’s (Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart) next to me. So it’s amazing. You have to pinch yourself, for sure.”
While MacKinnon will look to help Canada win its third-consecutive Gold Medal in Olympics that feature participation from NHL players, Nelson and Team USA are looking to break a 46-year Gold Medal drought in men’s hockey.
Nelson, a native of Warroad, Minnesota, is continuing his family’s long legacy of playing for Team USA at The Winter Olympics. His uncle, Dave Christian, won Gold in 1980, and his grandfather, Bill Christian, won Gold in 1960 and competed in 1964.
Additionally, Nelson’s great uncle, Roger Christian, played at The Winter Olympics twice and won Gold in 1960. Another of Nelson’s great uncles, Gord Christian, won Silver in 1956.
"You know, it's incredible," Dave Christian told NHL.com. "It's surreal. Looking at the different scenarios and thinking about it, you go back to an uncle who played in '56 in Cortina and won a silver medal -- in some ways it's come full circle with the hockey in Milan and Cortina co-hosting.
"We're just so excited for Brock. … We're so excited for him to have his moment and enjoy and have the experience in his own way."
Upon arrival in Milan, Nelson opened a package filled with letters of support from members of his family, including Bill and Dave Christian.
"Special for sure," Nelson told NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. "I had a couple letters from family members; grandfather, uncle, my wife, all my family members sent messages. But to have that connection with them and what they've accomplished before me, it means a lot for sure.
"Any time you get to represent the country it's an incredible honor, and to think about, obviously, at the Olympics, too, it's pretty special to have that chance. It gives me a lot of chills and goosebumps and emotions."
After making the Team USA’s roster at 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025, Nelson had an emotional call with his grandfather. He did the same after learning he made the team that will take the ice at Milano Cortina 2026.
"Pretty similar conversation," Nelson said. "Special phone call. He's been my biggest fan and supporter from when I was just a little boy. I remember skating with him on the river back home and at the rink in Warroad (Minnesota). I had half days in kindergarten, and he would take me up there and we would skate, just kind of learning and loving the game. Really special.
"Never any pressure from him to be here; always supported me, youth hockey on, and even sends messages now. He watches all the games. A great role model for me."
Nelson knows he’s in a position to join his uncle and grandfather as members of the only teams to win a Gold Medal for Team USA in men’s hockey at The Winter Olympics.
"Now to be able to say that you have that same opportunity gives me chills,” Nelson said.
