Brock Nelson scores for Team USA as Olympic hockey opens in Milan
Brock Nelson’s Olympic moment arrived Thursday afternoon, when the veteran forward scored in Team USA’s men’s hockey opener against Latvia in Milan. The goal capped a strong start to the tournament for the United States and added another headline to Nelson’s already-busy season as a key piece for Colorado and a fixture in the national team’s top-nine mix.
With NHL players back in the Winter Games, Nelson’s combination of size, finishing touch, and two-way reliability has made him one of the steadier options as the U.S. begins group play.
Goal in the opener vs. Latvia
Team USA’s first group-stage game against Latvia began at 3:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at the Milano Santagiulia ice hockey venue. After a choppy early stretch that included multiple video reviews and disallowed U.S. goals, the Americans eventually broke the game open.
Nelson scored late in the second period, registering the United States’ fourth goal in what became a comfortable win. The scoring sequence mattered beyond the box score: it arrived at a point when Latvia was still within striking distance, and it helped push the game firmly out of reach before the third period began.
Officials also reviewed a separate U.S. sequence earlier in the game that involved a Nelson deflection, but that play did not stand after video review. The net effect was that Nelson still came away with a clear, on-the-record Olympic goal in the opener—and a reminder that he can influence games even when chaos and challenges interrupt rhythm.
A scoring surge that carried into the Olympics
Nelson entered the Olympic break as one of the hottest American goal scorers in the NHL, a stretch that helped quiet doubts that surfaced when the U.S. roster was finalized in early January. In late January, he produced a hat trick in a 4–1 road win in Toronto and was credited at the time with 27 goals on the season, putting him on pace to challenge his career-best total from earlier in his career.
That heater matters in the Olympic context because Team USA’s lineup is built around elite puck carriers and high-tempo wingers. Nelson’s value is that he can finish from the interior, win pucks along the wall, and still hold his own in matchup minutes—traits that tend to translate well to short tournaments.
What he’s doing for Colorado right now
Nelson’s club situation is unusually stable for a player who changed teams not long ago. After arriving from the Islanders at the 2025 trade deadline, he signed a three-year extension with Colorado on June 4, 2025, keeping him under contract through the 2027–28 season at a $7.5 million annual cap hit.
For Colorado, the appeal is straightforward: Nelson gives them a big, legitimate scoring center option behind the top line, and he can slide to wing if injuries or matchup choices require it. That versatility is part of why he was also viewed as a natural fit for Team USA’s tournament roster.
Family legacy and the stakes of a short tournament
Nelson’s Olympic story has an extra layer because of his family’s history in U.S. Olympic hockey. The tournament in Italy offers him a chance to connect that legacy to the modern era of NHL participation—something that hasn’t been available to American players since 2014.
That context doesn’t win games, but it does explain why Nelson’s role is being watched closely: he’s not just a complementary scorer. In a tight single-elimination environment, a player who can chip in a timely goal, kill penalties, and handle defensive-zone starts can swing a medal run.
Timeline: key Brock Nelson milestones
| Date (ET) | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Mar. 9, 2025 | Traded from the Islanders to Colorado | Career reset into a contender’s top-six mix |
| Jun. 4, 2025 | Signed a 3-year extension | Locked in through 2027–28 at $7.5M AAV |
| Jan. 26, 2026 | Hat trick highlighted a midseason surge | Reinforced his case as a top U.S. finisher |
| Feb. 12, 2026 | Scored vs. Latvia in Olympic opener | Early production in the medal chase |
What comes next for Nelson and Team USA
The immediate question is how the coaching staff deploys Nelson as group play continues. If the U.S. stays in control of games, his minutes may tilt toward matchup and special-teams usage; if games tighten, his net-front instincts and shooting could become even more central.
For Nelson personally, the next few games are an opportunity to turn a strong opening into a defining tournament stretch. One goal doesn’t guarantee anything in a short event—but it does put him on the board early, and that’s often the difference between “solid contributor” and “tournament driver” when the knockout rounds arrive.
