* Joel Armia recorded three points to lead Team Finland to a bronze medal at Milano Cortina 2026 – the most points by a Finnish player in a medal game during an Olympics involving NHL players.
* Team Finland’s bronze medal victory ensures 31 NHL teams will have medalists return for regular season action, which resumes on Feb. 25.
* Team USA has its sights on finishing atop the podium at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and looks to do so on the 46th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice” – also the last time the country won a gold medal in men’s hockey.
* A handful of NHL stars on Team Canada look to join the illustrious “Triple Gold Club” when the country makes its third consecutive appearance in a gold medal game during the Winter Olympics featuring NHL players.
ARMIA AND HAULA LEAD COUNTRY TO BRONZE ‘FINNISH’
Kings forward Joel Armia (1-2—3) and Predators forward Erik Haula (2-0—2) were two of Team Finland’s five different goal scorers – a pair of which came in a 42-second span – who helped their country skate to the first medal awarded in men’s hockey at Milano Cortina 2026. Finland earned their fifth medal during an Olympics involving NHL players (bronze: 2026, 2014, 2010 & 1998; silver: 2006) – a total already the most entering the tournament.
* Armia became the first Finnish player with three points in a playoff game during an Olympics with NHL players. The Kings forward also became just the seventh player to register as many in a medal game in that scenario, joining Joe Sakic (4 in 2002 GMG w/ CAN), Pavol Demitra (3 in 2010 BMG w/ SVK), Jarome Iginla (3 in 2002 GMG w/ CAN), as well as Alex Kovalev, Igor Larionov and Pavel Datsyuk (all 3 in 2002 BMG w/ RUS).
* Armia finished the tournament as Team Finland’s top scorer (3-5—8 in 6 GP) – tied for the fourth-most points among all players. He matched the sixth-most points by a Finn in an Olympic tournament involving NHL players (also Jere Lehtinen in 2006 & Olli Jokinen in 2006), behind Saku Koivu (11 in 2006 & 10 in 1998), Teemu Selanne (11 in 2006 & 10 in 1998) and Ville Peltonen (9 in 2006).
* Haula became the third Finnish player to record a multi-goal outing in a medal game during an Olympics which featured NHL players. He joined Selanne (2 in 2014 BMG) and Jokinen (2 in 2010 BMG). Haula, who scored his second and third goal of the tournament after tallying his first in the semifinals, allowed Team Finland to become the third team in an Olympic Games including NHL players to feature at least nine skaters with multiple goals in a single tournament (also Team Canada: 10 in 2010 & Team Sweden: 9 in 2006). 
* Predators netminder Juuse Saros (30 saves) recorded his fourth win of Milano Cortina 2026, which tied Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (CAN) and Jets veteran Connor Hellebuyck (USA) for the most this tournament. Saros now owns the second-most career wins by a Finnish goaltender in Olympics involving NHL players behind Antero Niittymaki (5 between 2010 & 2006). He will return to Nashville, which sits just four points out of a playoff position, with 21 wins during the 2025-26 regular season – a total that is tied for the seventh most among all goalies.
* Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho (1-0—1) scored his fourth goal of the tournament, which tied for the second most among all players behind Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (5 w/ CAN). Only two Finnish players have scored more in a single Olympic Games involving NHL players: Jokinen (6 in 2006) and Selanne(6 in 2006). Aho will return to Carolina, which leads the Metropolitan Division, to resume regular season action on Feb. 26 – Aho currently sits second on his team in goals and recently became the second player in franchise history with 10-plus 20-goal seasons.
TEAM CANADA, USA READY TO RENEW RIVALRY IN GOLD MEDAL GAME
NHL star power, which includes a representation of 27 clubs, will be on full display when Team Canada and Team USA meet for the latest rendition of their international hockey rivalry during the gold medal game at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The two countries, going head-to-head for top spot on the podium for the third time with NHL involvement (also 2010 & 2002), enter the contest with two of the top 10 highest-scoring, single-tournament performances (CAN: 27 GF; t-4th & USA: 24 GF, t-9th).
* There have been 10 gold medal games for men’s hockey in Olympic history, with this set to be the sixth involving NHL players. The first men’s hockey tournament decided by a gold medal game at the Olympics was in 1920 when Canada defeated Sweden 12-1. It would be more than 70 years before the next such contest, with winners decided by other means in the intervening years.
Notable Performances in Gold Medal-Clinching Games
Current Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby famously scored the “Golden Goal” against Team USA in overtime on home soil during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but other players competing in Sunday’s contest have also produced memorable performances to lift their country to gold at other international tournaments:
Connor McDavid (CAN) – 2016 World Championship
The 2016 World Championship was the first international event Connor McDavid represented Canada since making his NHL debut with the Oilers in 2015-16. The 19-year-old was held to just one assist in the quarterfinals and semifinals before scoring his first goal of the tournament, the game winner, in the gold medal game against Team Finland.
Tage Thompson (USA) – 2025 World Championship
Tage Thompson competed with Team USA at the 2025 World Championship following his second career 40-goal season with the Sabres in 2024-25 (44 in 76 GP). Thompson found the back of the net five times during round robin play before scoring the lone goal in the gold medal game in overtime to lift his country past Team Switzerland – Team USA’s first gold medal at the event since 1933.
Sam Reinhart (CAN) – 2015 World Junior Championship
Sam Reinhart accumulated all the accolades for Team Canada during the 2015 World Junior Championship – finishing the tournament with the most goals and points (5-6—11) as well as being named to the tournament All-Star team. Reinhart, who finished with the gold medal clinching-goal after Team Russia nearly erased a four-goal deficit, was a team-high (tied) plus-3 in the contest.
Charlie McAvoy (USA) – 2017 World Junior Championship
Charlie McAvoy (1-1—2)spearheaded two Team USA rallies in the 2017 World Junior Championship gold medal game as his country erased 2-0 and 4-2 deficits before defeating Team Canada in a shootout. The 19-year-old would make his NHL debut with Boston later that year during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (0-3—3 in 6 GP).
TEAM USA EYES GOLD MEDAL ON 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE “MIRACLE ON ICE”
Mike Eruzione and the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team inspired Al Michaels’ iconic “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” exactly 46 years ago Sunday at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., but now in 2026, NHL stars Quinn Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk and Connor Hellebuyck look to help Team USA defeat their longstanding international hockey rivals and finish atop the podium on the iconic anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice”.
* Wild defenseman Hughes (1-6—7 in 5 GP) and Panthers forward Tkachuk (0-6—6 in 5 GP) have been pivotal offensive catalysts for Team USA in Milan and currently share the country’s single-tournament assist record in Olympics with NHL involvement, alongside James van Riemsdyk (1-6—7 in 2014) and Mike Modano (0-6—6 in 2002) – who recently saw his NHL record for career points by a U.S.-born skater overtaken by Red Wings forward Patrick Kane. Hughes also needs one point to tie the most by an American in an Olympic Games featuring NHL players (last: Phil Kessel: 5-3—8 in 2014).
* Hellebuyck (4-0-0, .947 SV%) will go head-to-head with Jordan Binnington (4-0-0, .914 SV%) in a tournament-deciding game for the second time in as many years after the two clashed in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final. The Jets goaltender, who can become the first American goaltender to finish an Olympic tournament with NHL players undefeated, has produced a top-10 save percentage in that scenario and currently the highest by a Team USA netminder ahead of Ryan Miller (.946 SV%).
EXCLUSIVE ACCOMPLISMENTS AT STAKE FOR CANADIAN PLAYERS IN GOLD MEDAL GAME
Team Canada already owns the most gold medals (3) and appearances in gold medal games (4) among all countries during Winter Olympics with NHL involvement, but a handful of their stars have first-class accomplishments on the horizon with a victory Sunday.
* Captain Sidney Crosby, not in the lineup for Team Canada’s semifinal win against Team Finland, and Drew Doughty are two players on the roster who also celebrated the country’s gold medal-winning performances in 2010 and 2014. The pair of teammates can tie Vitali Davydov (URS), Anatoli Firsov (URS), Andrei Khomutov (URS/RUS), Viktor Kuzkin (URS), Alexander Ragulin (URS) and Vladislav Tretiak (URS) for the most gold medals in the men’s Olympic tournament.
* Alternatively, Brad Marchand (2025 Stanley Cup, 2011 Stanley Cup, 2016 World Championship), Mark Stone (2023 Stanley Cup, 2016 World Championship), Nathan MacKinnon (2022 Stanley Cup, 2015 World Championship) and Sam Reinhart (2025 Stanley Cup, 2024 Stanley Cup, 2016 World Championship) are the only candidates remaining at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 that can join the “Triple Gold Club”. Of note, Darcy Kuemper (2022 Stanley Cup, 2021 World Championship) can also join the “Triple Gold Club” but would need to need play in the gold medal game.
* According to the IIHF, there are 30 players who are part of the “Triple Gold Club” – meaning they have won at least one Olympic gold medal, one Stanley Cup and one World Championship gold medal, including Crosby (PIT; Team Canada).
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