Team USA's NHL studs finally bag Olympic gold, ripping Canada 2-1 in OT with Jack Hughes' snipe off a Werenski feed sealing the deal at Milano Cortina. These guys - Matthews captaining, Hellebuyck stonewalling MacKinnon's shorthanded breakaway whiff - just etched their names next to the Miracle crew after 46 years. Back in NHL rinks this week, expect parade vibes in locker rooms from Jersey to Winnipeg as the league hits pause to let these heroes bask.

The NHL season roars back Wednesday with 28 teams hitting the ice, and oddsmakers scramble to adjust after the Milano Cortina chaos. Teams like the Kings face a dream homestand against mostly playoff locks, while bubble squads such as Buffalo and San Jose stare down soft schedules that could flip their seasons. Celebrini returns from Olympic glory with the Sharks hungry for a wild-card push, and sharp bettors eye value in overlooked playoff chases before front offices hit the deadline phones.

Fresh details emerge on Connor McDavid's injury status following Canada's tough Olympic exit, leaving fans and teammates on edge. The phenom gutted through pain in Milano, but NHL return timelines hinge on medicals back home. Edmonton monitors closely, knowing his health dictates their Cup window in a loaded West.

The Tampa Bay Lightning sent nine members to Milano Cortina for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where they chased hardware on the international stage. Stars like Victor Hedman rack up assists for Sweden, Jake Guentzel grabs gold with a gritty Team USA squad that stunned Canada in overtime, and Darren Raddysh pays up on a bold bet by donning a USA jersey at practice.

NHL players keep lobbying hard for Olympic spots even as the injury bugbites loom large from those high-stakes international clashes. Guys like McDavid and MacKinnon just wrapped Milano-Cortina with records smashed and gold on the line, but front offices still grumble about lost seasons and banged-up rosters heading into playoffs. The NHLPA knows the pull of that Olympic dream runs deep in every locker room, and they push on because skipping it again risks fracturing the league's global grip.

Milano Cortina's hockey fireworks prime the pump for the 2028 World Cup, drawing NHL stars back to national pride on split continents. League brass leverages this hype to pack arenas from Toronto to Stockholm, blending best-on-best with global appeal. Front offices buzz about how this tournament reshapes schedules and rivalries, cementing hockey's elite showcase calendar.