At last week’s All-Star Game, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that there was an agreement for NHL players to resume playing in best-on-best competitions, including the next Winter Olympics, which will be played in Milan, Italy, in 2026. As it has done in the past, the NHL will take a break to allow its players to travel to Italy and participate in the games, finally allowing them to settle the argument of which country’s best is currently the best. For Devils fans, there should be many familiar faces in the Games. Here is a look at who is likely to head to Milan in 2026.
Team Canada
The Devils are among the few teams in the NHL whose biggest stars are almost all from outside Canada. Here are two players who could be an option for the red and white in Milan.
Dougie Hamilton
Three summers ago, the Devils made Dougie Hamilton their highest-paid player, signing the Canadian free agent to accelerate their rebuild and provide a significant talent infusion. Two of his three seasons in New Jersey have been marred by serious injury, but Hamilton’s talent is undeniable.
He has previously played for Canada in international competitions and is considered one of the premier offensive-defensemen in the NHL, but will a then 32-year-old Hamilton still be considered one of the top ten Canadian defense options? It’s unlikely, but certainly plausible.
Dawson Mercer
Certainly, an underdog to make the roster, but Dawson Mercer is a useful player, especially on a team of stars. He can contribute at all three forward positions and has succeeded at all three strengths in his time with New Jersey. His toughness and grit should not be overlooked, as his consecutive game streak has continued past 200. At 24 years old, perhaps Mercer is the kind of Swiss Army knife Canada brings to Italy.
Team Sweden
Jesper Bratt
Were the Olympics to be played in 2024, Bratt would be a lock for the top six. In two years, he will likely be a top-line forward who will be relied upon with William Nylander to take Sweden to the medal round. Bratt has previously represented Sweden at every stage of his career, including at the World Championship. The only competition missing is the Olympics. At the time of the 2026 games, he will be squarely in his prime at 27 and poised to be one of the best two-way wingers in the tournament. Look for Bratt to take on a leadership role with his teammates as he has done in New Jersey.
Alexander Holtz
Like Mercer, Alex Holtz is now not likely to be the player he will be in February 2026. In his first full season in the NHL, the 22-year-old Holtz, with sheltered ice time, is on pace to total nearly 40 points. As his ice time increases and he gains comfort in the NHL, he projects to be a perennial 30-goal scorer. His shooting is elite, and he possesses underrated play-making skills that will make him a devastating power-play contributor for years.
Related: Who Wins a New Jersey Devils World Cup?
Holtz has represented Sweden through his youth career. He has played in multiple junior world championships and, since 2018-19, has 49 points in 50 international games played. While Bratt is the more polished player, Holtz is bursting with potential and could make a case for a top-six role for Sweden in two years. Absent something unforeseen, he will likely be wearing the Swedish colors, looking to return to the glory of the 2006 victory in Turin. Perhaps the Devils’ duo can take Sweden back to the medal stand as it did the last time the games were in Italy.
Team Switzerland
Nico Hischier
There is a good chance that the Devils’ captain will take on the same role for Switzerland at the Olympics. Hischier is excited to finally have the opportunity to represent his country on the world’s biggest stage. He, along with teammate Timo Meier, was selected as one of the provisional players to represent Switzerland in the Beijing Olympics. But ultimately, NHL players were not included in the games.
“That’s something as an athlete, I’ve never done. I want to be a part of that. The last two I couldn’t because it was what it was. It’s really exciting news that we’ll be playing. It’s far away, too, but that excited me a bit.”
Nico Hischier, after learning the NHL would participate in the Milan Olympic Games
Hischier is no stranger to elite international competition. He has been a leading contributor for the last four World Championships, with 26 points in 28 games for Team Switzerland. Look for a 27-year-old Hischier to not only captain the squad but also center its first line and contribute heavily to the special teams. As one of the most talented players to come out of Switzerland, there is no team without him.
Timo Meier
Another no-brainer, Timo Meier, is a lock for the Swiss team. Like Hischier, he has played internationally for Switzerland and is regarded as among the greatest Swiss forwards in history. Meier will be called upon to play an integral role, serving as the main scoring threat at even strength and on a power play featuring players like Hischier and Roman Josi.
Meier has competed in three World Championships with impressive results. He has nine goals and 21 points in just 23 games in those tournaments. Playing on the same line, Meier and Hischier led the Swiss team to a 6-0-1 record in the 2023 World Championships, winning Group B before ending their tournament against Germany in the playoff round.
Jonas Siegenthaler
Like his two teammates, Jonas Siegenthaler is experienced in international play for Switzerland. He was part of the 2023 World Championship team and was utilized in the team’s top four defensemen. He is a lock to make the Olympic team; the only issue will be how big of a role he will have.
Team USA
Jack Hughes
TV rights holders are drooling over the potential for Jack Hughes to play the 2026 Olympics alongside his two brothers as part of the best hockey team the federation has iced in two decades, if not ever. Team USA promises to be ultra-competitive, but few, if any, will be invited onto the team before Jack. With Auston Matthews projected to center the top line, Hughes is in line to be the 2C and will be surrounded by a star-studded cast of wingers. In his last time playing on the national team, Hughes scored 27 points in 18 games across three tournaments. Fans need to look no further than last season’s playoffs to see that Hughes can raise his game based on the competition and stakes.
Luke Hughes
Team USA is loaded. If Luke Hughes remains on the trajectory he has begun, he will undoubtedly play in the Olympics. Whether that will be in 2026 is to be determined, but it is difficult to believe that there will be ten better American defensemen than Luke Hughes by the time he is in his third full season in the NHL. Like his brother, Luke is familiar with playing for his country, having played in last year’s World Junior Championship. In his two stints at the Under-20 World Juniors, he scored 11 points in just 12 games. USA Hockey certainly values Luke’s contributions, as it selected him as last year’s Junior National Team captain before the tournament. Luke will be on the plane to Italy in February 2026, absent an injury or unexpected regression.
Others With Plane Tickets to Milan?
Ondrej Palat
The Devils swooped in and signed Ondrej Palat as a free agent in the summer of 2022, hoping that his determination, leadership, and work ethic would set the example the team needed as it headed toward playoff contention. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion would bring the same pedigree and his knack for playing well in the clutch to Team Czechia. The last time NHL players were permitted to play in the Olympics, Palat suited up for the Czech Republic and played four games. In between, he found himself playing in some World Championship games, but as his seasons with the Lightning lasted later and later, he was unavailable for most international play. A return to the Olympics with Czechia in a leadership role appears to be in the cards for Palat.
Erik Haula
In some ways, Erik Haula may be the most difficult on the list to predict. By the time the Olympics arrive, he will be about six weeks shy of his 35th birthday. There is bound to be significant competition to make the team of the defending championship team from Finland. THW projects Haula as being the last player cut from the team.
His experience and ability to play in all three zones and phases should make him attractive to Finland. Questions about Haula’s locker room presence abounded when the Devils acquired him. But he has silenced any critics by becoming one of the leaders in the room and was even bestowed with the “A” when Palat was out due to injury. With his competitive drive, betting against Haula is usually a mistake, but time stops for no one.
Simon Nemec
A week shy of his 20th birthday, Simon Nemec has his entire career before him. Like his teammate Luke Hughes, he should be part of the Slovak Olympic Team for the next decade. Like Hughes, he was chosen as his country’s World Junior Championship team captain. Unlike Hughes, he has already played in an Olympics, and unlike the rest of his Devils teammates, Nemec has medaled in the Olympics. Last season, he was a part of the bronze medal-winning side that won the first-ever hockey medal for the country. It is difficult to conceive of a Team Slovakia without Nemec patrolling its blue line.
More than half of the Devils’ current skaters have a legitimate shot at representing their home countries in Milan. There is a lot for Devils fans to be excited for as the 2026 Games approach, as they won’t have far to go to watch their favorite players while the team is on hiatus.
