With less than few months away until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, uncertainty still hangs over whether NHL players will participate at all. Construction delays at the new Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, the planned 16,000-seat home for Olympic hockey, have pushed test events into early January and tightened an already narrow timeline. Because the NHL does not have a backup plan if the venue is not ready, the league’s long-awaited Olympic return remains in doubt. If NHL players do attend, Winnipeg Jets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets] fans can expect to see several of their players representing their home countries on the sports biggest stage. TEAM USA Connor Hellebuyck appears almost certain to be the starting goaltender for the United States. The back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner and reigning league MVP has continued his dominant form this season, posting an 8-6-0 record with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 14 starts. Over the last two seasons, he has been the NHL’s most consistent and statistically dominant goalie with an 84-31-7 record, a 2.19 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Joining him is likely Kyle Connor, who has emerged as one of the most dangerous American wingers in the league. Connor appeared for Team USA at the Four Nations Face-Off in a depth role and recorded one assist in three games. With Winnipeg [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets]he continues to produce at an 80 to 90 point pace and is coming off a career year in which he scored 41 goals and added 56 assists for 97 points. TEAM CANADA Mark Scheifele is not yet a lock for Team Canada, but he has forced his name firmly back into the discussion. After being left off the Four Nations Face-Off roster, a decision that reportedly didn’t sit well with him, Scheifele has responded with an extended hot streak. Since that tournament ended, he has recorded 56 points in 51 games, even with the Jets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets]experiencing scoring droughts. He is coming off a career year with 39 goals and 48 assists for 87 points and has carried that momentum into this season with 32 points in 25 games. He even led the league in scoring for a stretch early in the year. Canada’s depth down the middle is crowded, but Scheifele’s combination of playmaking, consistency and two-way reliability gives him a realistic chance at a bottom-six centre role. Defenseman Josh Morrissey is a lock to make the team after making Team Canada for the Four Nations Face-Off, where he provided steady, reliable play throughout the tournament. The 30-year-old Calgary native has established himself as one of the NHL’s top blueliners, recording the fourth-most points among defensemen with 45 goals and 186 assists for 231 points in 264 games over the past three seasons. Morrissey has shown stretches of elite performance this season, including a hot run from late October to late November in which he produced five goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 13 games, a span where he outperformed Colorado’s Cale Makar. So far this season, he has registered five goals and 19 assists for 24 points in 25 games. TEAM SWITZERLAND Winnipeg [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets]’s only confirmed Olympian so far is Nino Niederreiter, who was named among Switzerland’s first six roster selections. He joins an impressive core of Kevin Fiala, Nico Hischier, Roman Josi, Timo Meier and Jonas Siegenthaler. Niederreiter’s blend of physicality, experience and dependable two-way play makes him one of Switzerland’s most trusted veterans. TEAM SWEDEN Gustav Nyquist could still find his way onto Team Sweden. He was part of the roster for the Four Nations Face-Off and even scored in the event, but his Olympic hopes have dimmed during a prolonged scoring slump. The 36-year-old has no goals and only six assists in his last 20 games and is coming off a career-worst season with 28 points in 79 games. Sweden has a history of valuing veteran presence, so it would not be surprising if the national team keeps him in consideration. However, unless Nyquist rediscovers some offensive rhythm, he may lose his spot to younger Swedish forwards. OLYMPIC PARTICIPATION STILL UNCERTAIN All of these projections hinge on the major question of if the NHL go to the 2026 Olympics at all? With construction at the Santagiulia arena running behind schedule and test events pushed into early January, the league remains hesitant without a contingency plan. If the NHL ultimately commits, Jets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets]fans can expect to see several familiar faces in Milan. If not, Winnipeg [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets]’s stars will have to wait until the 2028 World Cup of Hockey before seeing their stars on an international best-on-best stage. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7580a307-e387-4cc9-86ee-6eeb7a5cf1a7.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
