For the first time in 12 years, the best players in the hockey world are heading back to the Olympics. The Colorado Avalanche, the best team in the NHL, is sending several representatives to Italy in the hopes of capturing an Olympic medal.
Though the Avalanche will no doubt be busy seeking reinforcements coming out of the schedule freeze, that’s a story for another time. As the men’s tournament gets underway, it begs the question: who are the most successful Olympians to have played for the Avalanche?
The GOATS – Peter Forsberg and Jarome Iginla (Double Gold)
Winning at the Olympics is tough because winning at a team sport is tough. Even if you dominate, so many things can happen that swing these critical single-elimination games the wrong way. Winning gold twice in a career is the stuff of legends. For the Avalanche, there are two that stand above the rest, though one might get a little more credit for his efforts.
Forsberg (1994, 2006) – How do you top winning gold twice and finding yourself on a postage stamp as a result? Forsberg is one of the greatest Avalanche players of all-time, but his contributions to team Sweden have made him a virtual deity in Sweden.
(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Forsberg put himself on the map at the 1994 Lillehammer games, beating Canada’s Corey Hirsch with a move that would be simply called “The Forsberg.” After a disappointing 1998 showing, Forsberg returned in 2006 with six points in six games to help Sweden capture its second gold.
Iginla (2002, 2010) – Iginla made his first Olympic appearance with what may very well be the greatest Olympic team of all-time in the 2002 Canadian team. He had three goals in six games playing a support role but played a key part in the 2010 victory with five goals in seven games to capture his second gold medal.
Teemu Selanne – 4x Medal-Winner
There may be some debate as to whether Selanne or Jarri Kurri is the greatest Finn in NHL history, but Selanne has a decided edge on the biggest international stage in the world. Selanne played in a whopping six Olympic games, helping Finland reach the podium four times.
Selanne was also dominant in virtually all of his appearances. Despite failing to medal, he finished tied for fourth in the tournament with 11 points. In 1998, when Finland finished with a bronze, he tied for the tournament lead with 10 points. In 2006, when Finland captured silver, he tied for the tournament lead with 11 points. In his final appearance in 2014, when Finland captured bronze, he tied for fourth with six points.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
Selanne was the face of Finnish hockey for two decades, and it is hard to argue with his track record of international success considering he also has a silver and bronze medal at the World Championships as well.
Darius Kasparaitis – 3x Medal-Winner
To win at any level, you can’t have a team full of star scorers. You need to have those rough and tough players that are willing to get dirty and make the other team think a bit longer before they enter your zone. That was Darius Kasparaitis.
Kasparaitis played in four Olympic games for the Unified Team (1992) and Russia (1998, 2002, 2006). “Kaspar” won gold with the Unified Team in 1992, silver in Nagano in 1998, and bronze in Salt Lake City in 2002. He was always one of the top defensive options for his team, helping to shut down a litany of talented forwards.
The Double Medal Club
Winning multiple medals at the Olympic level is an impressive feat no matter how you slice it. These former Avalanche players have managed to win multiple times in their Olympic careers:
Paul Kariya – Kariya won silver in the same tournament where Forsberg made himself famous, returning to win gold with the loaded 2002 Canadian team.
Alexei Gusarov/Valeri Kamensky – This duo won gold with the Soviet Union in 1988 and then returned with the Russian team to capture silver in 1998.
Andrei Kovalenko – Kovalenko won gold with Kasparaitis and the Unified Team in 1992 before joining the 1998 silver medal effort.
Martin Rucinsky – Rucinsky’s three goals helped fuel the Czech Republic’s 1998 gold medal run, and he played a supporting role for the 2006 bronze medal team.
Milan Hejduk – One of the most famous Avalanche players ever, Hejduk was just starting to find his game on the gold medal team, playing a key role in the Czech’s bronze in 2006.
Chris Drury – Drury played a supporting role in a pair of silver medal efforts for Team USA in Salt Lake City (2002) and Vancouver (2010).
Single Gold Club
If you are going to win a single medal at the Olympics, why not make it a gold? When it comes to former Avalanche players, all of the single-gold winners happened to come from the 2002 Canadian team.
The ’02 Canadian Team – Rob Blake, Adam Foote, Theo Fleury, Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth – Smyth (one point in six games), Fleury (two points), and Foote played more of a supporting role for Canada. Blake (three points, a top four defensive role) and Sakic (a team-leading seven points) played major roles in helping Canada capture its first gold medal since 1952.
24 Feb 2002: Theo Fleury #74 (Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Single Medal Club
Going to the Olympics and coming home with a medal is an achievement regardless of role. These former Avalanche members all managed to add an Olympic medal to their collections:
Adam Deadmarsh – USA 2002 (silver)
Ville Nieminen – Finland 2006 (silver)
Brian Rolston – USA 2002 (silver)
Scott Young – USA 2002 (silver)
Antti Laaksonen – Finland 2006 (silver)
Erik Johnson – USA 2010 (silver)
Jack Johnson – USA 2010 (silver)
Paul Stastny – USA 2010 (silver)
Jarri Kurri – Finland 1998 (bronze)
Ossi Vaananen – Finland 2014 (bronze)
Andrei Nikolishin – Russia 2002 (bronze)
More Success Coming?
With representatives playing for Sweden, Canada, and the United States, someone is coming home with a medal. Brock Nelson is off to a hot start for team USA, one of the favorites in the tournament. We could be heading for yet another Canada-USA showdown for the gold.
The Avalanche have some things to work on down the stretch, but bringing back several Olympic medals will provide a major boost. Then again, can you imagine Nathan MacKinnon coming back after failing to win gold? That might be the kind of thing that leaves the rest of the NHL quaking in their boots.
