If you’re looking for something to look forward to this winter now that the new year is here, keep in mind the Winter Olympics will be starting up soon in Italy.
NHL Players Weren’t Always Allowed To Play In The NHL
It wasn’t until 1998 that the NHL began allowing its players to take part in the Olympics. However, they were invited to play in Nagano (1998), Salt Lake City (2002), Turin (2006), Vancouver (2010), and Sochi (2014). Then the NHL bowed out in 2018 in PyeongChan and again in Beijing in 2022. The 2026 Olympics will be the first time NHL players will represent their home countries in over a decade.
Three Sabres Will Represent In the 2026 Olympics
This year, when teams take the ice in Italy, there will be three Buffalo Sabres on the ice with their fellow citizens. Tage Thompson will be representing the USA. Rasmus Dahlin will represent Sweden, and Ukko Pekka-Luukkonen will represent Finland.
When Does Olympic Hockey Start?
The Olympics will be here before you know it. The opening ceremonies from Milano Cortina, Italy will begin on Friday February 6th. However, a few events will begin before the opening events like curling, snowboarding, and hockey.
If you’re just excited for Olympic hockey to start, mark off February 5th on your calendar. That is when the women’s tournament will begin. The men’s tournament will begin on February 11th and continue through the men’s final on February 22.
The Buffalo Sabres Are On A Roll
For now, Sabres fans don’t even want the Sabres to take a break. They seem to be on a roll with wins in their last 10 games. They’ll hope to continue that trend through January and hopefully kick that drought this year.
Top 10 Most Underrated Buffalo Sabres of All-Time
Gallery Credit: Brett Alan
Buffalo Sabres Goalie Masks
Take a look at some amazing Goalie Masks in Buffalo Sabres history.
Gallery Credit: Dave Fields
Â