Olympic Grind Fuels NHL Stars’ Push for Stanley Cup Glory

The NHL players who competed in the Milan Cortina Games experienced an unprecedented peak in their performance, driven by the pursuit of an Olympic gold medal. With little downtime following the Games, these athletes are now focused on reaching peak form once again as they set their sights on the Stanley Cup.

For teams with Olympians, the strategy leading into the playoffs emphasizes rest. This may involve skipping morning skates, reducing practice time, or even sitting players out in extreme cases. For national teams like the U.S., Canada, Finland, and Slovakia, the intensity of their Olympic schedules was akin to a first-round playoff battle, as noted by New York Islanders center Bo Horvat, who played six games in ten days for Canada. “It’s a lot of hockey in a short amount of time,” Horvat remarked.

Some players are drawing from their experiences at the 4 Nations Face-Off last season to guide their recovery. Avalanche forward Brock Nelson, who helped the U.S. secure its first men’s Olympic hockey gold since 1980, emphasized the importance of taking every opportunity to rest. “The (NHL) schedule is just so compact for everybody now. Just trying to ride the energy,” he said.

The NHL season took a break for 19 days from February 6 to 24 to accommodate the Olympics, resulting in an 82-game schedule stretched over 170 days. This compressed timeline means teams are playing every 2.07 days, a tighter schedule than in previous seasons. Brady Tkachuk, captain of the Ottawa Senators, acknowledged the challenges of returning to his team after such a high-stakes tournament. “It was definitely an adjustment coming back, not going to lie,” Tkachuk said, reflecting on the emotional toll of winning a major game.

Now back to “normal,” Tkachuk is joined by teammate Lars Eller, who played for Denmark in his first Olympics at age 36. Eller believes the Olympic experience has invigorated players as they approach the end of the season, especially as the Senators push for a playoff spot. “We’re kind of past that Olympic fatigue now, if there was any,” Eller stated confidently.

Tim Stützle of the Senators has been preparing for this moment since last summer, aiming to lead Germany at the Olympics while also striving to return his team to playoff contention. After tying for second in Olympic goals with four, he admitted to feeling exhausted initially but is now back to optimal form. “I feel great,” Stützle added.

Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar emphasized the necessity of rest and recovery for his players. “You’re limited in your options. It’s very little practice, lots of recovery days,” he explained. Given the Avalanche’s position in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy, Bednar believes resting players is not an option. “So you play through,” he concluded.

The Dallas Stars have taken a different approach by managing the ice time of their Olympic players to mitigate wear and tear. Coach Glen Gulutzan noted that recovery is a gradual process rather than a quick fix. Defenseman Thomas Harley, who logged significant minutes for Canada, claims he hasn’t felt the effects of his Olympic experience, while goaltender Jake Oettinger, who did not play in the Olympics, feels fresh and believes the experience gained by teammates will pay dividends in the playoffs.

Avalanche forward Martin Necas, who led Czechia with eight points at the Olympics, expressed enthusiasm for returning to NHL action. “It was great to play on a different stage for a little bit. Now it’s exciting to come back,” he said. The Avalanche boasted eight players participating in the Olympics, including stars like Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon.

The Stars featured four Finnish players who secured bronze alongside Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen, while the Florida Panthers, with a league-high ten players in Milan, are currently facing the prospect of missing the playoffs after two consecutive championship runs. Historically, the last time NHL players won gold and lifted the Stanley Cup in the same season was in 2014.

As the NHL season heads towards its climax, players recognize the need to adapt and maintain their energy levels. Nelson summarized the sentiment well: “Individually, guys have different things that they do (to get ready). But down the stretch here and playing these games, the energy is going to be high no matter what.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.