NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Playoff Picture & Olympic Impact
Hooked on hockey espn.com after the Olympics? The NHL's playoff picture is taking shape as teams sprint toward the regular season finish. With Olympic medals awarded, attention shifts to the final push for postseason positioning.
Player Injuries & Updates
Stars' Rantanen espn.com will miss time after sustaining a lower body injury during Olympic play. The Finnish forward didn't participate in the bronze medal game against Slovakia due to the injury.
Olympic Results
Finland iced Slovakia espn.com 6-1 to claim bronze at the Milan Cortina Games, securing their third consecutive Olympic medal with NHL players participating. Meanwhile, Team USA won a thriller espn.com against Canada in overtime, with Jack Hughes scoring the decisive goal and setting the stage for a growing rivalry heading toward 2030.
Olympic Standouts
Olympic standouts espn.com and disappointments emerged from all 32 NHL teams during the tournament. While it was an honor for every player to represent their country, some returned home frustrated with their performances or results.
Notable Absences
Crosby made call to sit espn.com as Canada missed its shot at gold. Sidney Crosby was not in Canada's lineup for Sunday's gold medal game, a decision that drew significant attention given his status as one of hockey's biggest stars.
Cultural Impact
Team USA men's hockey espn.com brought home gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice in 1980, prompting reactions from sports icons like Tom Brady and Devin Booker who celebrated the achievement on social media.