Italy hockey roster set for Milano Cortina opener as hosts embrace underdog role
With the spotlight on home ice and a nation watching, the Italy hockey roster is preparing to test itself against the sport’s elite at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The hosts, without a single player with NHL experience, open Group B play against a Sweden squad comprised entirely of NHL regulars on Wednesday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
Group B opener presents an immediate measuring stick
The task could not be tougher out of the gate. Italy’s first assignment is Sweden, a perennial powerhouse bringing a full complement of NHL talent. It is the type of best-on-best matchup the Azzurri rarely see. Italy, which typically competes in the IIHF Division IA level internationally, earned an automatic berth as host nation and now steps into the highest tier of international men’s hockey.
The early test is also a chance to set a tone. Upsets at this level are rare, but the energy of a home Olympics can narrow gaps for stretches and create moments that sway a game. Beyond Sweden, Italy’s group features Finland and Slovakia, both deep and disciplined programs accustomed to competing for medals.
A diverse roster built at home and abroad
The Italy hockey roster blends local development with international experience. Thirteen players grew up within Italy’s borders, joined by nine Canadian-born players, two from the United States, and one from Sweden who satisfied eligibility requirements. None have NHL game experience, though several have logged minutes in top European leagues and North American minor pro, including the AHL and KHL.
That mix reflects both the realities and the resilience of Italian hockey. While the domestic talent pool remains comparatively small, the program has long leveraged dual nationals and naturalized players to raise its competitive ceiling. The result is a group that has logged pro minutes in demanding environments, even if the NHL stage remains uncharted.
Jalonen’s golden touch guides the bench
Behind the bench, Italy turns to Jukka Jalonen, a coach with a proven blueprint for international success. Jalonen steered his previous national team to Olympic gold in 2022, a résumé that immediately commands credibility in a short-tournament setting where structure and special teams can tilt outcomes. For Italy, his system and tactical discipline will be essential to closing space against faster, deeper rosters.
Expect Italy to lean into a compact defensive posture, quick counters, and scrupulous penalty killing. In a tournament where small margins decide everything, the details will determine whether the hosts can keep games within reach long enough to seize a break.
Larkin’s hometown pride fuels the moment
Defenseman Thomas Larkin embodies the host narrative as well as anyone on the roster. Raised about an hour from Milan, Larkin described the opportunity to skate an Olympic Games at home as “very surreal,” adding that growing up in Italy, playing in such a tournament felt outside the realm of possibility. He carries a distinctive path into this week: leaving Italy at 14 to continue his education and hockey at prep school in New England, becoming the first Italian-trained player selected in the NHL Draft in 2009, then carving out a pro career that included collegiate play, the AHL, and Europe.
Larkin is one of the team’s tone-setters, stressing both pride and responsibility. He has spoken about the chance to represent Italy’s tight-knit hockey community on a world stage, to show what the country’s players can do when the moment demands it. For a group that will spend long stretches defending against elite forwards, such conviction can be as valuable as any tactical tweak.
What a successful tournament would look like
For the hosts, success will not be defined solely by medal math. Keeping games within a goal late, winning special-teams battles, and creating a signature upset bid would resonate far beyond the standings. The mission is twofold: compete with poise against the best and showcase a brand of Italian hockey built on heart, structure, and opportunism.
In short tournaments, belief can be contagious. With a nation behind them and a system designed to maximize their strengths, Italy’s players insist they are prepared to surprise some people. The first chance arrives Wednesday at 3:10 p.m. ET. The assignment is daunting. The opportunity is undeniable.
