Nine Russian and Belarusian athletes are granted neutral status to compete in Olympic skiing and snowboarding qualifying events.

JuJu Watkins is out with an ACL injury sustained last spring, but still attended the Team USA camp with her teammates of the future.

With three Lightning games scheduled in February before the NHL season pauses for the break, Hedman may even get to play before the tournament starts in Italy on Feb. 11.

The International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday it would announce eligibility criteria for transgender athletes early next year, after months of deliberation as it seeks to find a consensus on how to protect the female category.

Winter Olympic staples like Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Chloe Kim highlight the list of players to keep an eye on at the 2026 Games.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Monday that if NHL players feel that the ice quality at the Olympic arena isn't safe, "we're not going to play."

The Olympics, which return to Los Angeles for the third time, will be held July 14-30. That's right in the typical time frame of The Open. The most recent Olympic competition in Paris in 2024 was from July 26 through Aug. 11, allowing the Open to keep its traditional spot on the calendar.

Sweden could have a well-balanced, slick and skilled team that could upset the Canadian and American teams and finish atop the Olympic podium in men's hockey.