The men's tournament in ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics took place in Milan, Italy, between 11 and 22 February 2026. Twelve countries qualified for the tournament; eight via ranking by the IIHF, three via qualification tournaments, and Italy as hosts. Russia and Belarus were banned from competing due to the countries' invasion of Ukraine.
The United States won their first gold medal since 1980, defeating Canada 2–1 in overtime in the gold medal game. Finland, the defending 2022 Olympic champions, were defeated by Canada in the semifinals and won the bronze medal over 2022 bronze medalists Slovakia.
Venues +Ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics venuesMilanPalaItaliaFiera MilanoCapacity: 16,000 (11,800 of which for the public)Capacity: 6,500
Qualified teams
Format The twelve teams were split into three groups of four teams, and played each team in the group once. A knockout system was used after the group stage. The top team of each group and the best second-ranked team advanced to the quarterfinals, while all other teams played in the qualification playoffs.
Rosters
NHL participation On 2 February 2024, the IIHF announced that an agreement had been reached with the National Hockey League (NHL) for a break in its regular season to allow the league's players to participate in the Olympics for the first time since 2014. The NHL was originally scheduled to compete in 2022 as well but opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials 14 referees and 12 linesmen were selected for the tournament, consisting of both IIHF and NHL officials. RefereesLinesmen Andris Ansons (IIHF) Michael Campbell (IIHF) Gord Dwyer (NHL) Eric Furlatt (NHL) Christopher Holm (IIHF) Michael Holm (IIHF) Jan Hribik (IIHF) Sean MacFarlane (IIHF) Wes McCauley (NHL) Dan O'Rourke (NHL) Brian Pochmara (NHL) Kyle Rehman (NHL) Chris Rooney (NHL) André Schrader (IIHF) Albert Ankerstjerne (IIHF) Nick Briganti (IIHF) David Brisebois (NHL) Scott Cherrey (NHL) Ryan Daisy (NHL) Jake Davis (IIHF) Onni Hautamäki (IIHF) Daniel Hynek (IIHF) Matt MacPherson (NHL) Jonny Murray (NHL) Libor Suchánek (NHL) Tarrington Wyonzek (IIHF)
Preliminary round All times are local (UTC+1).
Tiebreak criteria In each group, teams were ranked according to the following criteria: Number of points (three points for a regulation-time win, two points for an overtime or shootout win, one point for an overtime or shootout defeat, no points for a regulation-time defeat); In case two teams were tied on points, the result of their head-to-head game determined the ranking; In case three or four teams were tied on points, the following criteria applied (if, after applying a criterion, only two teams remained tied, the result of their head-to-head game determined their ranking): Points obtained in head-to-head games between the teams concerned; Goal differential in head-to-head games between the teams concerned; Number of goals scored in head-to-head games between the teams concerned; If three teams remained tied, result of head-to-head games between each of the teams concerned and the remaining team in the group (points, goal difference, goals scored); Pre-tournament seeding.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Ranking after preliminary round Following the completion of the preliminary round, all teams were ranked 1D through 12D. The semi-finals will be reseeded according to this ranking. To determine this ranking, the following criteria were used in the order presented: higher position in the group higher number of points better goal difference higher number of goals scored for better 2023 IIHF World Ranking.
Team advanced directly to quarterfinalsTeam participated in qualification playoffs Rank Team Group 1D A 1 3 9 +17 20 1 2D C 1 3 9 +11 16 4 3D B 1 3 6 +2 10 9 4D B 2 3 6 +11 16 2 5D A 2 3 5 +1 9 7 6D C 2 3 3 –3 7 5 7D B 3 3 6 +2 11 6 8D A 3 3 4 –3 9 8 9D C 3 3 3 –3 8 11 10D C 4 3 3 –5 7 10 11D A 4 3 0 –15 5 13 12D B 4 3 0 –15 4 18 Source: IIHF
Playoff round
Bracket Teams were reseeded after the quarterfinals based on the preliminary round ranking.
Qualification playoffs
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Bronze medal game
Gold medal game
The gold medal game was played on 22 February 2026 at PalaItalia in Milan. The United States defeated Canada 2–1 in overtime, claiming the country's first men's Olympic ice hockey gold medal in the event since the 1980 Winter Olympics. Coincidentally, the game took place on the 46th anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice".
Jack Hughes scored the winning goal 1 minute 41 seconds into overtime, assisted by Zach Werenski and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who made 41 saves in regulation and overtime, as Canada outshot the United States 42–28. Hellebuyck was named Best Goaltender of the tournament and Quinn Hughes Best Defenceman by the Tournament Directorate. The United States finished the tournament with a 6–0 record, outscoring opponents 26–9. Canada played without captain Sidney Crosby, who was sidelined after an injury in the quarterfinals against Czechia. Connor McDavid led all scorers with 13 points and was named the tournament's MVP by the Directorate.
Medalists Men's tournament Jeremy Swayman (G)Jackson LaCombeBrady TkachukZach WerenskiJack EichelJ.T. MillerMatt BoldyBrock FaberNoah HanifinVincent TrocheckMatthew Tkachuk (A)Dylan LarkinCharlie McAvoy (A)Brock NelsonJake Oettinger (G)Auston Matthews (C)Connor Hellebuyck (G)Quinn HughesJake GuentzelTage ThompsonJaccob SlavinKyle ConnorJake SandersonJack HughesClayton KellerHead coach: Mike Sullivan Travis SanheimDevon ToewsCale Makar (A)Sam BennettNick SuzukiSam ReinhartBo HorvatMacklin CelebriniThomas HarleySeth JarvisShea TheodoreNathan MacKinnon (A)Darcy Kuemper (G)Brandon HagelTom WilsonJosh MorrisseyLogan Thompson (G)Jordan Binnington (G)Colton ParaykoMark StoneBrad MarchandSidney Crosby (C)Drew DoughtyMitch MarnerConnor McDavid (A)/(C)Head coach: Jon Cooper Olli MäättäMikko LehtonenHenri JokiharjuAnton LundellSebastian Aho (A)Esa LindellRoope HintzEetu LuostarinenEeli TolvanenKevin Lankinen (G)Nikolas MatinpaloJoel ArmiaMiro HeiskanenRasmus RistolainenErik HaulaArtturi LehkonenMikael Granlund (C)Joonas Korpisalo (G)Juuse Saros (G)Niko MikkolaKaapo KakkoTeuvo TeräväinenOliver KapanenJoel KivirantaMikko Rantanen (A)Head coach: Antti Pennanen
Final ranking The gold medal game and bronze medal game determined the top 4 teams. Losers of the quarterfinals were ranked 5th–8th and losers of the qualification playoffs were ranked 9th–12th; within these, teams were ranked according to the preliminary round ranking.
Statistics Scoring leaders The list shows the top ten skaters sorted by points, then goals. Player Connor McDavid 6 2 11 13 +5 0 F Macklin Celebrini 6 5 5 10 +6 4 F Lucas Raymond 5 1 8 9 +4 6 F Juraj Slafkovský 6 4 4 8 –3 2 F Martin Nečas 5 3 5 8 +1 2 F Joel Armia 6 3 5 8 +7 2 F Quinn Hughes 6 1 7 8 +2 0 D Jack Hughes 6 4 3 7 +8 2 F Nathan MacKinnon 6 4 3 7 –2 2 F Timo Meier 5 3 4 7 +6 0 F Source: IIHF.com
Leading goaltenders The list shows the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played at least 40% of their team's minutes. Player Connor Hellebuyck 305:08 6 1.18 137 95.62 0 Leonardo Genoni 245:10 6 1.47 110 94.55 2 Juuse Saros 360:27 10 1.66 167 94.01 1 Jacob Markström 182:51 6 1.97 93 93.55 0 Jordan Binnington 303:03 9 1.78 109 91.74 1 Source: IIHF.com
Awards The awards were announced on 22 February 2026.
Media All-Stars Position Player Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck Defenceman Quinn Hughes Defenceman Cale Makar Forward Connor McDavid Forward Macklin Celebrini Forward Juraj Slafkovský MVP Connor McDavid
Individual awards Position Player Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck Defenceman Quinn Hughes Forward Connor McDavid
Notable firsts Although not an official award, the first known Gordie Howe hat trick in Olympic ice hockey history was achieved by Tom Wilson of Team Canada on 15 February 2026, when he fought French skater Pierre Crinon in retaliation for Crinon's forearm hit to Nathan MacKinnon's jaw earlier in the game. Wilson and Crinon were both ejected from the game for fighting. It was Wilson's first Olympic goal that contributed to the feat.
Aftermath
United States FBI Director Kash Patel took part in the locker room celebrations of the US men's team after their gold medal win, with Matthew Tkachuk draping a medal around Patel. Patel's presence received criticisms from Democratic politicians, political commentators and others in the American public who questioned his leadership and use of government resources to travel to Milan. Patel had previously said his trip to Italy during the Games was for the purpose of meeting with Italian law enforcement counterparts and American agencies providing security at the event, and later defended his inclusion in the locker room celebration. Patel stated on social media that he had been invited into the locker room by the team to celebrate their win.Additionally, video of the celebrations showed President Donald Trump calling the men's team to congratulate them on their win while joking about the gold-medal winning US women's ice hockey team. After inviting the men to his State of the Union address, Trump commented "I must tell you we're going to have to bring the women too; you do know that. Believe me, I probably would be impeached, okay?" Players were recorded laughing along with his joke, with at least one player shouting "Absolutely!", and another shouting "two-for-two", reportedly acknowledging gold medal wins by both the men and women's teams. Also heard in the video is an individual shouting to "close the northern border", which was attributed to player Brady Tkachuk, who later denied making the comment. The day after the win, the team landed in Miami after being diverted due to the blizzard in the North East and continued celebrating together at the COTE Korean Steakhouse and E11EVEN Miami.
The resulting video of the inclusion of Patel and the phone call sparked backlash for its sexist nature and potentially diminishing the US women's achievement of winning their third Olympic gold. Additional criticism was raised by members of the American public who felt that players of the men's team should have not laughed, or should have raised an objection during the call or apologized to the women's team members. Dominik Hašek, a Hall of Fame former NHL goalie, called Trump a liar and fraud who used his position to insult and bully others after it was announced that the women's team declined to visit the White House or attend the State of the Union. Female athletes such as Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, Ilona Maher, and Megan Rapinoe also posted on social media in support of the women's team and to express their outrage at the men's team's conduct and Trump's joke.
Player Jack Hughes later pushed back on accusations that the team was undermining the US women's team's accomplishments, describing the men's team's relationship with the women as "tight", and deriding that "everything is so political" and "people are so negative about things." Player Jeremy Swayman told reporters that the US men's team should have reacted differently to Trump's comments and that there is shared respect and excitement between both teams. Other players like Charlie McAvoy, Jake Sanderson, and captain Auston Matthews also expressed regret for the situation and reiterated their support and appreciation for the women's team and their accomplishments. Others such as Jackson LaCombe stated that Trump was merely trying to be funny during the call, while Brady Tkachuk reasoned he was caught up in the excitement of the moment. US men's hockey general manager Bill Guerin dismissed the backlash, stating "People react to everything nowadays" and that nothing about the celebration was political or meant to harm anyone, and that the win was for the country regardless of political stance, gender or race.