Five NHL squads emerge from the Olympic break with fresh legs and momentum from their stars' international exploits. Teams like the Panthers get Tkachuk back firing on all cylinders after his U.S. gold-medal heroics, while the Jets lean on Hellebuyck's tournament dominance to climb the standings. The Sharks and others pack new lineup wrinkles that could flip their seasons in the final stretch.

Matthew Tkachuk spearheads Team USA's raucous Miami celebration after clinching Olympic gold, the first men's triumph since 1980. The Panthers star revels with medalists in a party echoing their Stanley Cup vibes. Back-to-NHL reality looms large for the crew carrying international hardware into club battles.

Fresh off their overtime gold medal thriller against Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics, President Trump personally invites the U.S. men's hockey team to his State of the Union address tonight, with players like Matthew Tkachuk calling it an honor and one even blurting "We're in" during the locker room call. House leaders scramble behind the scenes to make room for the heroes, complete with FBI Director Kash Patel relaying the message amid celebrations.

Victor Nuño dives deep into Ottawa's prospect pool as the Senators ride their first playoff run since 2017 into a promising window anchored by Tkachuk, Stützle, and Sanderson. With Linus Ullmark locking down the crease, the front office hunts complementary pieces like offensive blue-liners and depth scorers to sustain contention. Managers face tough calls on rising stars with untapped power-play upside and under-the-radar gems showing sharp developmental jumps in pro leagues.

Team USA rides high off their 2026 gold, with 19 roster spots primed for returnees like Matthews, Eichel, and the Tkachuk brothers still in their prime. Canada faces a roster shakeup, waving goodbye to Crosby at 42 and vets like Doughty while leaning on McDavid, MacKinnon, and young guns such as Bedard and Celebrini. Goalie battles loom large on both sides, from Oettinger and Swayman for the Americans to Thompson and wild cards like Cossa for the Canadians.

Team USA's men's hockey squad clinches Olympic gold with a 2-1 overtime thriller over Canada, but the real story unfolds in the emotional aftermath as players honor the late Johnny Gaudreau. Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, and Zach Werenski carry Gaudreau's No. 13 jersey around the rink, then invite his young children onto the ice for the medal ceremony and photos.