The men’s ice hockey competition is about to get underway at the Winter Olympics, and NHL players are participating for the first time since 2014. The Los Angeles Kings will be sending five players to the competition. Let’s take a look at who will be suiting up for their home countries in Italy.

Canada: Drew Doughty and Darcy Kuemper

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Defenseman Drew Doughty and goalie Darcy Kuemper will remain teammates through the Olympics as members of the Canadian team. Both are veteran leaders who can still make contributions on the ice. Having recently turned 36, Doughty achieved multiple milestones this season. A King for his entire 18-year career thus far, he broke the franchise record for goals by a defenseman while also reaching 700 career points.

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Kuemper has had some of the best seasons of his career in Los Angeles. After finishing as a Vezina Trophy finalist last season, his numbers haven’t been quite as good, but he’s still managed a .900 save percentage and a 2.59 goals against average this season, a huge part of the reason why the Kings are allowing the sixth-fewest goals per game in the NHL this season.

Doughty is one of the most experienced international players at the entire Olympics, having won gold with Canada in both 2010 and 2014. In total, he’s appeared in nine international tournaments across his youth and professional careers, posting 33 points in 57 games while winning eight medals including seven golds. Kuemper has never played in the Olympics, but played in the World Championships in 2018 and 2021, winning gold at the latter.

Finland: Joel Armia

In his first year with the Kings, forward Joel Armia established himself as a versatile player capable of taking on a wide range of roles and playing on numerous different lines. He’s also a critical penalty killer — his four shorthanded goals are tied for the NHL lead, and he’s the main reason the Kings have seven such goals, tied for second-most in the league. Perhaps nothing better highlights how good a season he’s having than the fact that he made Finland’s Olympic team despite not being on the preliminary roster the NHL released last offseason.

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Although he doesn’t have any Olympic experience, Armia has represented Finland on nine occasions, most of which were youth tournaments. He was a key part of the country’s gold medal win at the 2022 World Championship, scoring five goals and eight points. Most recently, he appeared for his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off, although he only appeared in two of Finland’s three games as they finished last in the competition.

Switzerland: Kevin Fiala

Forward Kevin Fiala provides a crucial punch for the Kings on offense, with an explosive playmaking ability on a team that sometimes struggles to generate scoring. Earlier this season, he scored his 100th goal as a King, and his 18 goals and 22 assists are both second on the team as he is well on his way to his eighth career 20-goal season. That scoring ability made him a no-doubt selection for Switzerland’s team.

Fiala leads Kings Olympians in international tournament appearances with 12, and has won three silver medals at the World Championships in 2018, 2024 and 2025. In total, he has 70 points in 74 career international games. His status as one of Switzerland’s best offensive players will likely put him on the team’s top line.

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Sweden: Adrian Kempe

In terms of pure numbers, forward Adrian Kempe has been the Kings’ best offensive player this season. His 20 goals, 26 assists and 46 points all lead the team, and he’s aiming for his fifth straight season with at least 28 goals. A consistent producer on their top line throughout the year, he established himself as a critical part of Los Angeles’ future by signing an eight-year extension worth $85 million.

Also appearing in his first Olympics, Kempe has appeared in 10 international competitions and won three medals. He most recently appeared for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, playing in all three of their games and scoring one goal. The Olympics are undeniably the biggest international tournament since that event, and he hopes that his past experiences can help him take the next step on the global stage.

Kings Representatives Get Major Opportunity

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Of the five players headed to Italy, only Doughty has Olympic experience. He’ll get a chance to continue his past successes at the Games, while each of the other four look to add a new experience to their resumes. All of them have playoff experience, including a few who have played on the NHL’s biggest stage at the Stanley Cup Final. However, they all have international experience as well, and they know that nothing is quite the same as playing to represent your country.