On Jan. 6, France announced its 2026 men’s hockey roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy in February. France is ranked 14th in the world according to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and the men’s program last competed at the 2022 Olympics in Salt Lake City, where they finished 14th.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
France will be looking to improve on that finish in 2026 in Milan. However, according to gaming analytics, they are heavy underdogs. Yet, here are three French players to watch as they hope to gain the world’s respect on the Olympic stage.
Alexandre Texier
France is not known for generating hockey players. Yet they have produced a steady stream, and a handful have had the fortune of playing for the NHL’s lone francophone franchise, the Montreal Canadiens. Alexandre Texier is currently living that experience, and armed with a new two-year contract extension, is expected to become France’s headliner.
Texier is the most prominent French hockey player today and the only active NHLer on the Olympic roster. He was also the first player ever drafted directly out of France into the NHL (45th overall in 2017 by the Columbus Blue Jackets). His rise from local French hockey to the highest level in the world has made him a role model for young French players and a symbol of the sport’s growing reach in that nation.
After the 26-year-old forward was bought out by the St-Louis Blues in November, he signed with Montreal. Since then, he has risen to the team’s top line playing alongside Nick Suzuki (Team Canada) and Cole Caufield. He has scored seven goals and 16 points in 27 games with the Canadiens and is currently on pace for career highs in goals and points. His speed and offensive skills will be crucial to any success France can create.
Stephane Da Costa
Stephane Da Costa has had one of the most internationally rich careers of any French-born player. He played parts of four seasons in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators before moving back to Europe, and is currently in his 11th Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season, this one with Avtomobilist, where he has 13 goals and 36 points in 36 games.
Born in Paris, De Costa, a creative player with good puck control and scoring ability, broke ground as one of the few French-born and trained players to play in the NHL, and has since become a highly respected veteran in the KHL. Beyond his offensive creativity, he has longevity and international experience as well as leadership. All of which will be crucial to a team returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2002.
Justin Addamo
Justin Addamo’s journey to the Olympics is unconventional compared to many of his teammates. He was a standout in U.S. college hockey (NCAA) at Robert Morris University, where he became one of the few players from his program to reach the Olympic stage.
After college, he played in the ECHL and American Hockey League (AHL). The 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward graduated from the NCAA and earned himself an AHL contract after a stellar ECHL season in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. After two professional seasons in North America, he moved to Europe and is currently playing in Finland’s Liiga with Jukurit, where he has five goals and 12 points in 39 games.
Addamo plays a power forward’s game. He’s a big winger who can build speed in the neutral zone before he attacks the net. He is physical and can be hard to play against. On the smaller ice surface in the Milan Arena (smaller than an NHL-sized rink), his style will be more important than ever for France, especially against the very physical teams they face in their group.
France will be competing in a very competitive Group A with Canada, Switzerland, and Czechia. They will have to rely on the experience of their current and former NHL players, as well as play a very tight defensive style if they hope to earn a berth in the Qualification Round.
