**NHL Players Gear Up for Olympics: Who's Going and Who's Not** As the 2025-26 NHL season heats up, players are preparing for their biggest stage yet - the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Eleven of the 12 participating teams have announced their rosters, featuring a mix of current and former NHL stars. Here's a look at the top NHL teams represented at the Olympics: * **Colorado Avalanche**: Eight players, including Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Gabriel Landeskog, will represent Sweden, Finland, and the USA. * **Tampa Bay Lightning**: Eleven players, including Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, and Anthony Cirelli, will represent Sweden, SUI, and the USA. * **Minnesota Wild**: Seven players, including Kirill Kaprizov's absence due to Russia's non-participation, will represent Finland and the USA. * **Dallas Stars**: Five players, including Radek Faksa, Miro Heiskanen, and Jake Oettinger, will represent Czech Republic, Finland, and the USA. Other notable teams and players include the Toronto Maple Leafs, who will send six players to the Olympics, and the Montreal Canadiens, who will send four players. The Olympics will take place from February 6-22, with the NHL season resuming after the tournament. **Key Storylines:** * The Lightning have the most players represented at the Olympics, with 11. * The Avalanche have the most players from a single team in this year's Olympics with eight. * Several top NHL players, including Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl, will suit up for their respective countries. The NHL season will take a break during the Olympics, with teams resuming play on February 23. Stay tuned for updates on the 2026 Winter Olympics and the NHL season.