- The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo have brought NHL professionals back to the international ice hockey stage for the first time since 2014.
- The men's and women's tournaments have featured high-level competition, with the United States and Canada emerging as frontrunners in the women's event, and Canada and the USA leading the way in the men's competition.
- Key Avalanche players like Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon have been standouts for the Canadian men's team, while the USA women's team is led by star forward Hilary Knight.