Latvia, Slovakia, and Denmark have all qualified for the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy.

Notably, this qualification also heralds the return of NHL players to the Olympic stage, adding an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming tournament.

The three teams will now join the world’s top eight teams — the United States, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Czechia, Switzerland, Finland, and Italy — as they compete for Olympic glory.

The qualification tournament, which commenced on August 29th, saw 12 teams, including Latvia, Slovakia, and Denmark, showcasing their best hockey in three European cities. Latvia and Slovakia each won all three of their games, while Denmark secured wins in two of three games.

All three nations are no strangers to playing on an international stage. Denmark finished seventh in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will return for their second Olympic tournament with talents like Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes), Nikolaj Ehlers (Winnipeg Jets), and Lars Eller (Pittsburgh Penguins). Andersen’s exceptional performance, stopping 60 of the 64 shots on net, and the impressive four points each by Ehlers and Eller in the qualification matches, have heightened expectations for their performance in Milan.

Latvia will be making their seventh Olympic appearance and will be bolstered by the talents of  Florida Panthers defenceman Uvis Balinskis and Rodrigo Abols, who both scored four points during the qualifiers. Balinskis’ solid level of play and Abols’ recent signing with the Philadelphia Flyers American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, further enhance their prospects.  Their netminder, Kristers Gudlevski, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 124th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, stopped 53 of 58 shots. It’s been 10 years since Latvia came close to shutting down the Canadians (gold medal winners) in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. With the help of some noteworthy talent, the Latvian team is ready for their next shot at Olympic success.

Other than looking to defend their bronze medal, Slovakia will be entering their ninth Olympic winter games this time without their top players (Montreal Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky, Tampa Bay’s Erik Cernak, and Washington Capitals’ Martin Fehervary). However, the team’s resilience shone through, and new stars rose. Martin Pospisil (Calgary Flames) recorded three points, and netminder Samuel Hlavaj (Minnesota Wild) made 65 of 70 shots, inspiring hope for their performance in the upcoming games.

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson will join the Boston Bruins at training camp after signing a professional tryout agreement on August 31st.

Johnson was originally an undrafted player who caught the eye of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization after a standout four-year stint with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League, where he recorded 128 goals and 282 points and a Memorial Cup Championship in 2008.

The forward made his NHL ebut with the Lightning during the 2012-13 season and quickly became a key player, particularly during the 2014-15 season when he recorded 29 goals and 72 points throughout 77 games.

Johnson’s skills were crucial during the Lightning’s two back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2020 and 2021 when they captured their second and third Cups. However, following their third Stanley Cup Championship, Johnson was traded to the Blackhawks, with three years remaining on the seven-year deal he signed in 2017 with the Lighting in exchange for Brent Seabrook’s contract. Seabrook never ended up playing a game for the Lightning remained on the long-term injured reserve, and eventually retired in 2021.

In Chicago, Johnson battled with injuries and struggled to stay healthy, which caused a shaky start with the Blackhawks. However, in his final two seasons, he established himself as a middle-six player, tallying a record 32 goals and 70 points in 149 games.

As an unrestricted free agent for the past few months, Johnson was searching for a team that could provide him with the opportunity to contribute to a playoff run, which may take a rebuilding Blackhawks team a little more time to accomplish.

While Johnson’s entry into the Bruins’ training camp is on a tryout basis, it presents a promising opportunity for the forward. If successful, it could see him join a team that has become a consistent playoff contender.