Folks, aside from playing for the Stanley Cup, one of the most exciting things that can happen for a player in the current National Hockey League landscape is going to the Olympics. An Olympic gold medal in hockey is up there with a Cup in terms of solidifying your Hockey Hall of Fame case – just ask two-time gold medallist and first ballot Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.

Starting on Thursday, the final three spots for the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament in Italy will be decided. And Calgary Flames forward Martin Pospisil, fresh off a breakout campaign with the Flames in 2023-24, will be representing Slovakia as they attempt to return to the Olympics.

Here’s a look at what to expect over the next few days.

The 2026 qualifiers

12 teams will be part of the 2026 men’s tournament.

• Automatically qualifying is Italy as the host team.
• The eight highest-ranked teams in the 2023 IIHF World Rankings also qualify automatically, which is how Canada, Finland, Russia*, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Czechia get in.
• The last three spots go to the three winning teams from these qualifying tournaments.

However, you may have read the name “Russia” and went “Hey, I thought they’re not allowed to participate in IIHF tournaments?” And that’s true, but only on a year-to-year basis. For instance, Russia and Belarus were booted out of the 2024-25 IIHF tournaments back in February. The presumption is that the IIHF will make a determination in early 2025 whether Russia (and Belarus) will be allowed into 2025-26 tournaments.

If Russia isn’t allowed back in for 2025-26 tournaments, then based on how Belarus’ absence was treated for the final qualification round, we would likely see the highest-ranked second-place team from these tournaments qualify for the Olympics in Russia’s place. (Hungary advanced to the final qualifying round because they had the most standings points of the second-place teams in the previous round.)

Group D

Slovakia

IIHF rank: 9th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2022 (won bronze), 2018, 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002

NHLers/prospects: G Samuel Hlavaj (MIN), D Samuel Knazko (CBJ), D Patrick Koch (UTA), D Simon Nemec (NJ), D Martin Fehervary (WSH), F Milos Kelemen (UTA), F Martin Pospisil (CGY), F Pavol Regenda (ANA), F Adam Sykora (NYR), F Tomas Tatar (NJ)

Austria

IIHF rank: 13th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2014, 2002

NHLers/prospects: D David Reinbacher (MTL), F Vinzenz Rohrer (MTL), F Marco Kasper (DET)

Kazakhstan

IIHF rank: 15th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2006

NHLers/prospects: none

Hungary

IIHF rank: 18th

Olympic appearances since 2000: none

NHLers/prospects: none

Games

• Aug. 29: Kazakhstan vs. Hungary (6 a.m. MT), Slovakia vs. Austria (10 a.m. MT)
• Aug. 30: Kazakhstan vs. Austria (6 a.m. MT), Slovakia vs. Hungary (10 a.m. MT)
• Sept. 1: Austria vs. Hungary (6 a.m. MT): Slovakia vs. Kazakhstan (10 a.m. MT)

Streaming link (IIHF)

Slovakia qualified in 2022 through this tournament process, then managed to win a bronze medal (in one of the cooler stories we’ve seen on the international level in awhile). They should be considered the favourites to qualify, but keep an eye on Austria.

Group E

Latvia

IIHF rank: 10th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2022, 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002

NHLers/prospects: D Uvis Balinskis (FLA), F Dans Locmelis (BOS), F Martins Dzierkals (VGK), F Rodrigo Abols (PHI), F Teddy Blueger (LAT), F Zemgus Girgensons (TB)

France

IIHF rank: 14th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2002

NHLers/prospects: G Antoine Keller (WSH), F Pierrick Dube (WSH), F Alexandre Texier (STL)

Slovenia

IIHF rank: 19th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2018, 2014

NHLers/prospects: none

Ukraine

IIHF rank: 27th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2002

NHLers/prospects: D Artur Cholach (VGK)

Games

• Aug. 29: France vs. Ukraine (7 a.m. MT), Latvia vs. Slovenia (11 a.m. MT)
• Aug. 30: France vs. Slovenia (7 a.m. MT), Latvia vs. Ukraine (11 a.m. MT)
• Sept. 1: Slovenia vs. Ukraine (7 a.m. MT), Latvia vs. France (11 a.m. MT)

Streaming link (IIHF)

First off, how cool would it be if Ukraine managed to qualify for the Olympics? Based on their placement relative to the other teams we wouldn’t expect it – we would project Latvia in first and France or Slovenia in second – but crazier things have happened. Look for France to try to make a statement in advance of qualifying as hosts in 2030’s games.

Group F

Denmark

IIHF rank: 11th

Olympic appearances since 2000: 2022

NHLers/prospects: G Frederik Andersen (CAR), G Mads Sogaard (OTT) F Nikolaj Ehlers (WPG), F Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA), F Lars Eller (PIT), F Jonas Rondbjerg (VGK)

Norway

IIHF rank: 12th

Olympic appearances: 2018, 2014, 2010

NHLers/prospects: D Emil Lilleberg (TBL), D Stian Solberg (ANA), F Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (DET), F Emilio Pettersen (DAL), F Noah Steen (TBL), F Mats Zuccarello (MIN)

Great Britain

IIHF rank: 17th

Olympic appearances: none

NHLers/prospects: none

Japan

IIHF rank: 24th

Olympic appearances: none

NHLers/prospects: none

Games

• Aug. 29: Norway vs. Japan (7:30 a.m. MT), Denmark vs. Great Britain (11:30 a.m. MT)
• Aug. 30: Norway vs. Great Britain (7:30 a.m. MT), Denmark vs. Japan (11:30 a.m. MT)
• Sept. 1: Japan vs. Great Britain (7:30 a.m. MT), Denmark vs. Norway (11:30 a.m. MT)

Streaming link (IIHF)

This group is a battle between Denmark and Norway. It’s basically a coin-flip, with Denmark favoured ever-so-slightly.

Which countries do you expect to qualify for the Olympics? How do you think Pospisil will perform in the upcoming tournament?