Speed skater Ivanie Blondin distinctly recalls the instance when Sidney Crosby entered the room.
During the 2014 Olympics, a table tennis setup was available in Canada’s athlete common area. The celebrated hockey player picked up a paddle, and Blondin followed suit.
“I was quite young then, and you inevitably experience those awe-struck occasions,” remarked the long-track speed skater from Ottawa. “I found myself speechless. I simply began playing alongside him and thought, ‘Wow, what just transpired?'”
Blondin, along with other elite Canadian winter sports competitors, will again compete in the world’s premier athletic event, as the NHL is set to rejoin the Games in 2026 after a hiatus of twelve years.
Men’s ice hockey is almost certain to command significant attention. Much of the spotlight will be directed at stars such as Crosby and Connor McDavid when they represent Canada in Milan.
Therefore, will the considerable focus given to hockey’s prominent figures, who competed in five previous Olympics from 1998 to 2014, overshadow the achievements of other athletes?
“I don’t anticipate them overshadowing anyone,” Blondin commented. “On the contrary, it will likely enhance the overall atmosphere.”
Young athlete Macklin Celebrini, 19, is set to join Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon on the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey roster, marking the return of NHL players to the Winter Games after over ten years.
‘My Aim is to See Crosby’
Trennt Michaud, a Canadian pairs figure skating champion, shares this view and plans to be assertive upon arriving at the Olympic Village.
“I’m eager to encounter Crosby,” stated the athlete from Trenton, Ontario. “He holds the title of Captain Canada for valid reasons.”
David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, views the return of NHL players as exclusively beneficial.
“The Canadian men’s hockey team is expected to attract immense attention, and rightly so,” he commented. “We possess the planet’s most skilled hockey players. Furthermore, if it’s not already apparent, this implies our Canadian women’s hockey team will also receive considerable notice.
“Our hockey athletes themselves admire the outstanding Canadian Olympians competing in diverse sports.”
Women’s hockey, nonetheless, received more media coverage than previously at both the 2018 and 2022 Games when the NHL chose not to send its players.
Claire Thompson, a Canadian defender, expressed that the league’s return is wonderful, even if it means distributing the attention.
“Each edition of the Games presents something unique,” remarked the Toronto native. “I’m very enthusiastic for many of them – numerous exceptional hockey players – to participate in their inaugural Olympics.”
Canadian curler Brett Gallant indicated that the presence of star players will heighten the allure for general spectators.
“Increased viewership of the Olympic Games and heightened discussion about them is excellent,” stated the athlete from Charlottetown. “As a hockey enthusiast, it’s quite thrilling that the elite athletes will be competing.”
Michaud further suggested that NHL players might encourage those same casual viewers to stay engaged for extended periods.
“Once individuals begin observing the Olympics, they typically don’t cease,” he explained. “Regardless of whether it’s hockey that initially attracts them, leading them to watch figure skating, I still consider it highly positive, and that’s how we’ll attract a larger audience. It’s incredibly stimulating.”
Sidney Crosby engages in a private discussion with Ariel Helwani regarding his seasonal drive as the 2026 Winter Olympics draw near, the requirements for representing Canada internationally once more, and previously unheard accounts of the legendary 2010 golden goal.
Instances of Narratives
Sarah Nurse, a prominent Canadian women’s hockey player, noted that narratives such as rink measurements and venue building setbacks have already emerged, which likely wouldn’t have generated as much buzz without the NHL’s upcoming re-entry.
“It’s certainly intriguing,” commented the 32-year-old forward from Hamilton, Ontario. “Numerous factors always influence the Olympic Games, and people don’t always perceive the complexities, like the issues with the ice; I doubt anyone would have paid attention if the NHL players weren’t involved.”
Nurse, to clarify, is not expressing dissatisfaction.
“Their return is fantastic,” she further stated. “Everyone desires to witness the highest level of competition.”
Marc Gagnon, a Canadian short-track speedskating coach and five-time Olympic medalist, competed in the Games with and without NHL participants in 1994, 1998, and 2002.
“Should we achieve triumphs in short-track, I believe we will retain comparable attention,” he remarked. “If a significant short-track achievement coincides with a Canadian hockey match, might that have some minor impact? Perhaps.
“I have sufficient faith in our media to allocate equal prominence to both, as all events hold significance.”
However, while ice hockey, figure skating, and speedskating events will take place in Milan, competitors in other disciplines will be dispersed across Northern Italy in five additional Olympic villages.
“It feels somewhat unusual since we are quite distant from all the other primary events, such as hockey,” explained men’s curler Tyler Tardi from Langley, B.C., who will be situated a five-hour drive away in Cortina d’Ampezzo. “I have consistently appreciated NHL players being involved. One of my most cherished Olympic recollections is from 2010 when Sidney Crosby scored (to secure gold in Vancouver).
“Extremely eager to keep track.”
Blondin, for her part, intends to be more sociable if she encounters Crosby once more.
“I would absolutely initiate a discussion,” she affirmed. “I feel more self-assured and less reserved.”
