The Winter Olympics are set to take place in Milan from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22, 2026. Students are looking forward to hockey, skiing, figure skating, and watching Team USA chase the gold across a packed Olympic schedule. From the return of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) professional athletes like Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils to American alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin, and Belgian figure skater Loena Hendrickx. This year’s Olympics tournament will also include Snoop Dogg’s return to television coverage.
Winter Olympic sports are capturing students and fans alike. In figure skating, eyes will be on Japan’s Monta Chiba, who just won her first-ever Grand Prix series victory, and American star Nathan Chen, who recently claimed another World Championship with his record-setting technical routines.
“I think it’s really impressive how they can do all those different tricks on ice,” sophomore Carys Viau said. “You can tell it takes so much practice to be that good, especially at the Olympic level.”
In men’s alpine skiing, Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt is renowned for winning the gold medal in the giant slalom at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, in women’s skiing, American skier Lindsey Vonn has been adding to her collection of Olympic and World Cup medals, currently holding three Olympic medals, one gold and two bronze.
“I am really looking forward to watching Lindsey Vonn ski,” senior Reese Cordeo said. “It will be exciting to see how she performs in the Olympics, especially coming back from retirement.”
For hockey, Team USA’s projected roster features a mix of youth and experience. Center Auston Matthews is expected to lead the American attack, while veterans like Patrick Kane and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck add leadership and reliability, and newcomers such as Matthew Tkachuk bring fresh energy to the lineup.
“I’ll be keeping a close eye on the Tkachuk brothers. In the US-Canada match earlier this year, they started 3 fights in the first 9 seconds. They play with pride and intensity,” AP European History and AP Art History teacher Robert Watson said.
Team Canada’s projected lineup blends generational icons with rising stars. Back-to-back gold medal winner Sidney Crosby returns for what could be his Olympic farewell, while goalies Carter Hart and Jordan Binnington are likely to compete for the starting job.
Other nations are projected to bring in names like Sweden’s Elias Pettersson, Finland’s Niko Mikkola, and Czechia’s David Pastrnak. With the world’s biggest players on display, class rivalries are set to be renewed.
“The NHL hasn’t released its players for the last one or two Olympics, so the games weren’t as good, but they’ll be back this year, and it should be great,” Watson said. “The NHL did a small international tournament in place of an All-Star Game, and it was competitive and fantastic. [I’m] hoping for more of the same in February.”
The Winter Olympics will feature a guest returning from the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics: Snoop Dogg, an award-winning rapper and online social figure. Snoop’s coverage has showcased an outside perspective on the games.
“He always adds great commentary that makes it more fun and entertaining,” freshman Emma Stewart said. “I think it will be exciting.”
He will serve as a correspondent for NBCUniversal’s primetime coverage, which will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. Snoop will immerse himself in Italian culture and provide behind-the-scenes content with athletes and their families.
The Milan Winter Olympics will be televised on NBC and Peacock from Feb. 6 to Feb. 26.
