Olympics 2026: Standouts, disappointments from all 32 NHL teams - ESPN

The 2026 Olympic men's hockey tournament ended in thrilling fashion Sunday, with the United States winning 2-1 in overtime against Canada.

Both of those teams were comprised of NHL players — many of them superstars, and all of them play prominent roles on their respective NHL clubs.

But those were only two of the 12 nations represented, and all but one of the countries had at least one active NHL player on the roster; Italy gets an asterisk, as standout goaltender Damian Clara is a prospect for the Anaheim Ducks.

So, as the NHL regular season starts back up Wednesday, it's time to assess which players will be coming home content with how they performed in Milan Cortina — and which ones perhaps have some regrets or frustrations as to how things turned out.

ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark (Western Conference) and Kristen Shilton (Eastern Conference) identify one standout or disappointment from all 32 teams' Olympians:

Standout: Charlie McAvoy, D, USA

It's hard not to wonder what could have been for the U.S. at last year's 4 Nations Face-off if McAvoy hadn't gotten injured during the tournament, which Canada won in a wild overtime showdown between the rival countries.

But McAvoy made up for lost time at the Olympics. He and Quinn Hughes (another injury absentee for 4 Nations) anchored Team USA's top defense pairing, and together they formed a formidable duo to bolster the U.S. at both ends of the ice. McAvoy has faced adversity in the NHL regular season, including missing time because of a broken jaw, but he showed little sign of wear and tear, making opponents pay along the boards and disrupting play through the neutral zone.

Standout: Tage Thompson, F, USA

The U.S. passed on Thompson for its 4 Nations Face-Off roster. Team