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The Lost Generation: NHL Players Who Missed Their Olympic Moment
The Olympics have long been the pinnacle of athletic achievement, offering a unique platform for athletes to represent their countries on the world stage. For NHL players, the opportunity to compete in the Olympics is a cherished dream, one that combines patriotism, camaraderie, and the chance to showcase their skills against the best of the best. However, for a generation of NHL stars, this dream has remained elusive, a victim of circumstance, timing, and the complexities of the NHL’s relationship with the Olympics. Players like Tyler Seguin, Steven Stamkos, and Ryan O’Reilly—talented athletes who have achieved incredible success in their careers—have been left with a lingering sense of what could have been.
When the Door Slammed Shut: The 2014 and 2022 Olympics
In 2014, Tyler Seguin, then just 21 years old, was on the rise, having already won a Stanley Cup at 18 and emerging as one of the most dynamic young players in the NHL. His exclusion from Team Canada for the Sochi Olympics stung, but he was confident that his time would come. After all, youth and talent were on his side. Fast forward to 2025, and the reality is starkly different. Seguin, now nearing the twilight of his career, knows that his chance to be an Olympian has slipped away. The same applies to players like Steven Stamkos, who missed the 2018 PyeongChang Games due to a debilitating injury and the 2022 Beijing Olympics because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Stamkos, what could have been a three-time Olympic career has instead become a series of missed opportunities. “It is what it is,” he shrugs, but the regret simmers just below the surface.
The 2018 PyeongChang Olympics were particularly frustration-filled for NHL players. It was the first time since 1994 that the league had not participated in the Winter Games, and the decision left a sour taste in the mouths of players, fans, and even some owners. The Games, won by the Olympic Athletes from Russia, felt hollow without the world’s best hockey players. For players like Claude Giroux, who had a career year in 2017-18, the absence was especially painful. Giroux would have been a lock for Team Canada, but instead, he watched from home as others took the ice. Similarly, Ryan O’Reilly, fresh off a Conn Smythe Trophy win in 2021, was primed to represent Canada in Beijing, only to see those plans derailed by the pandemic. “It’s a bummer,” he admits, his voice tinged with disappointment. “You don’t realize how much you want something until it’s taken away.”
A Legacy Unfulfilled: The Weight of Missing the Olympics
Missing the Olympics doesn’t define an NHL player’s career, but it leaves an undeniable gap in their resume. Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in 2010 cemented his legacy, elevating him from a great player to an iconic figure in the sport. For players like Seguin, Stamkos, and Giroux, the absence of an Olympic medal means missing out on a chance to etch their names into hockey history in a different way. “Not going to the Olympics doesn’t hurt a legacy,” Seguin acknowledges, “but going to the Olympics can cement one.” It’s a sentiment echoed by Carey Price, whose performance in Sochi added a new layer to his reputation. The Olympics offer a unique stage, one that transcends the NHL’s regular-season grind and playoff battles. It’s a chance to be part of something bigger, to represent one’s country in a way that resonates far beyond the rink.
The disappointment goes beyond hockey. The Olympics are a cultural phenomenon, an event that brings together athletes from all corners of the globe. Players like O’Reilly speak wistfully about the opportunity to live in the Olympic Village, to watch other sports, and to experience the camaraderie that only the Games can provide. “To be an Olympian is something so cool and different,” he says. “It’s not even the hockey and representing your country—it’s just being an Olympian. That’s something special.” It’s an experience that these players will never have, a chapter in their careers that will forever remain unwritten.
A New Era: The Road to Milan-Cortina and Beyond
For some players, the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics represent one last chance to realize their Olympic dreams. Frederik Andersen, the Danish goaltender, has spent his entire career chasing this moment. Growing up in Denmark, he was inspired by the 1998 Nagano Games, and becoming an Olympian has been a lifelong ambition. Even at 36, he’s determined to make it happen, even if it means suiting up for Denmark without an NHL contract. “In Denmark, we didn’t really watch the NHL as much growing up,” he recalls. “But I remember watching the ‘98 Olympics on TV because they were in Japan, and the time zone was better for us. It was really cool and it made me want to do that.” For Andersen, the Olympics are more than just a tournament—they’re the culmination of a childhood dream.
A Call to Action: Ensuring the Best on Best Returns to the Olympics
As the puck drops on the 2026 Games, players, fans, and the hockey world at large hope that this marks the beginning of a new era of Olympic participation for the NHL. The 2018 and 2022 Games were missed opportunities, and the league’s relationship with the Olympics remains fragile. But for the next generation of players, the hope is that they won’t suffer the same fate as Seguin, Stamkos, and O’Reilly. “Hopefully, they don’t make that mistake again,” Hall says, his voice filled with conviction. “We belong at the Olympics. Hockey fans deserve to see best on best. It’s good for the game and good for everybody.”
The lost generation of NHL Olympians serves as a poignant reminder of what’s at stake. For players like Seguin, Stamkos, and Giroux, the Olympics represent a missed opportunity, a chapter that will forever remain unwritten in their careers. But for the next generation, the hope is that they’ll have the chance to chase their own Olympic dreams, to stand on the podium, and to hear their national anthems played on the world’s biggest stage. The Olympics are more than just a hockey tournament—they’re a celebration of sport, patriotism, and the human spirit. And for the NHL’s best players, there’s no better place to showcase what they do.
