Pietroniro ascends from hockey nomad to Olympics with Team Italy

MILAN -- There is only one Quebec native in the men's hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, but he's not playing for Team Canada.

Phil Pietroniro is instead wearing the jersey of the host nation, Team Italy.

"I had no idea up until someone recently told me that," Pietroniro said following practice at Santagiulia Arena on Monday. "I don't feel any extra pressure being the sole Québécois at the men's tournament. I'm not thinking about all that. I'm focus on my team, and that's Italy.

"I don't really have the words to describe what I'm experiencing. I keep telling people that it's an honor and a great privilege. I'm at the Olympics. I can't believe it. It feels like being in a dream and I still haven't woken up yet. I want to make the most of this experience."

Pietroniro, born in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, is the epitome of a hockey nomad. He played for four different teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2012-15: Shawinigan, Val-d'Or, Gatineau and Victoriaville.

If the 31-year-old lacked stability during his junior career, he failed to find any on his ascent to the professional level. In 11 seasons, the undersized defenseman (5-foot-9, 176 pounds) has played in the ECHL, the Alps Hockey League in Central Europe, the Ligue Magnus in France, the Slovakian Extraliga and the Czech Extraliga. He's lived in six different cities in five different countries (Salt Lake City, United States; Asiago and Cortina, Italy; Mulhouse, France; Trencin, Slovakia; Kladno, Czechia).

"I'd never even played in Quebec before making my debut in the QMJHL," Pietroniro said with a smile. "I've been pretty much everywhere. I was born in Quebec, but I moved several times since my father (Marco) was also a hockey player. These days, I can say that I've followed in Dad's footsteps with my own crazy hockey journey."

Even upon his arrival at the Olympics, the journey had its share of surprises.

"I caught a puck in the face during our practice on Sunday, so I have more of a classic hockey player's face now with the stitches and the black eye," Pietroniro said. "But, unfortunately, we took our team photos right before that practice."

Pietroniro will go up against Mika Zibanejad, Lucas Raymond, Adrian Kempe and other stars when Italy plays its first game against Team Sweden on Wednesday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, USA, ICI TOU.TV, CBC Gem, SN, RDS).

"There are nerves, but I want to approach the game the same way," he said following the morning skate. "When I hit the ice, I'm going to feel so, so good. I don't even know how to describe it. It'll be great.

"That's the peak of my career. For me, the Olympics is the realization of a dream. I'm representing Italy and proud to do so. It's a crazy experience, once in a lifetime."

Pietroniro is in his second season with Rytiri Kladno in Czechia. His head coach is Tomas Plekanec, an assistant with Team Czechia. Jaromir Jagr is one of his teammates with the 53-year-old forward playing six games this season.

"I can't describe Jagr in just one word," Pietroniro said, "but if I had to choose, I'd say 'legend.' He's still playing hockey past 50. He's a great guy who loves the game so much. I'm very lucky, I can say that he's one of my teammates.

"And I really love 'Pleky' (Plekanec). We're playing better hockey since he became coach (at the end of December). Right now, we're just three points out of a playoff spot."

Even before his Czech excursion, before his wild hockey career took off, Pietroniro had already crossed paths with another player at the 2026 Olympics: Team USA captain Auston Matthews.

"I know Matthews; he played with Matteo, one of my little brothers, in Arizona," he said. "We used to live there, so I've already skated with Auston in the summer in Arizona, but that was many years ago."

For the moment, Pietroniro and Matthews are not expected to cross paths on the ice. Italy plays in a difficult Group B with Sweden, Team Finland and Team Slovakia, whereas the United States plays in Group C. He still hopes to see his old skating buddy once again, many years and many, many miles later.

"I'm looking forward to running into him in the athletes' village," he said. "I've promised myself that I'd go say hi."