Dallas Stars fans survive NHL break with Olympic drama, Team USA dominance and superstars from Canada steal the show

Although Dallas Stars fans may be in their second week without NHL action, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics games are ensuring that hockey fans are not left out. The fact that the men’s and ladies’ games are on, with some Dallas Stars players featuring in these games, ensures that Olympic action is the new alternative to NHL action for Stars fans.
With Team USA’s dominance, along with Canada’s loaded roster and some surprising results for countries in the bracket early on, the Olympic tournament has provided no shortage of storylines and even some intra-club flair with Dallas players representing different countries.

Olympic hockey captivates Dallas Stars fans as USA, Canada and Finland give must-see performances

The men’s tournament has been intriguing. Finland entered the tournament as the defending Olympic gold medalists, but they fell in a major early upset to Slovakia. In the meantime, Canada started their tournament dominantly, dispatching Czechia 5-0, with Stars defenseman Thomas Harley recording two assists. Canada has a potent roster, highlighted by generational talents Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, a duo that speaks to the danger of the overall team.
Meanwhile, in the women's tournament, the United States and Canada again appear to be the top teams favored to win. The United States blew through the preliminary games undefeated, scoring five goals in every game, giving up only one goal in the six games, including a shutout against Canada. Veteran forward Hilary Knight tied the United States Olympic Games point record at 32 points and may do it again during the medal games, creating another historic narrative.
Team USA bounced back from a chaotic first period of play against Latvia, during which the Latvians had two goals called back, to post a convincing 5-1 win. Against the Latvians, the Stars' goalkeepers, including Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, could see action in the team's upcoming games with Denmark and Germany. Even the Dallas fans were treated to an apparent near-scrap between teammates Radek Faksa and Harley during international play.
The Dallas Stars begin NHL play on Feb. 25 with a six-game winning streak, but until then, Olympic hockey represents the ideal substitute—perhaps with the bonus of bragging rights for Stars players returning home with medals.


Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.