EDGE stats: X-factors for Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we identify the X-factors for each country at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

MORE COVERAGE:

Fantasy top 100 player rankings for Olympics

Fantasy top 10 sleeper picks for Olympics

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Canada: Macklin Celebrini, F (San Jose Sharks)

The youngest NHL player at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 (19 years old), Celebrini has a chance to play on center Connor McDavid’s line and is a dark horse to lead the tournament in points. Celebrini ranks fourth in the entire NHL in points (81 in 55 games) this season and has factored on 47.9 percent of San Jose’s goals (81 of 169), making him one of the top Hart Trophy candidates. Per NHL EDGE stats, Celebrini is second in the entire NHL in both midrange shots on goal (101; behind Nathan MacKinnon’s 110) and midrange goals (15; behind MacKinnon’s 16) and ranks sixth among forwards in hardest shot (97.89 mph). Celebrini also ranks in the 95th percentile among forwards in both average shot speed (62.39 mph) and 20-plus mph speed bursts (140) this season. -- Troy Perlowitz

Czechia: Tomas Hertl, F (Vegas Golden Knights)

The 32-year-old could form a strong forward duo with elite right wing David Pastrnak and be a power-play difference-maker considering he’s tied for fifth in the NHL in power-play goals (11) this season. Hertl has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) over his past 17 games for the Golden Knights and brings positional versatility as a center or wing to his country, which won a gold medal at home during the 2024 World Championship without him on the roster. Per NHL EDGE stats, Hertl is second in the entire NHL in high-danger shots on goal (90; behind McDavid’s 94) and ranks among the forward leaders in high-danger goals (16; 98th percentile) and offensive zone time percentage (46.6; 97th percentile) this season. -- Perlowitz

Denmark: Nikolaj Ehlers, F (Carolina Hurricanes)

The highest-scoring Denmark-born player in NHL history (563 points in 731 games), Ehlers has had a seamless transition after signing with the Hurricanes in the offseason, ranking among their leaders in assists (29; tied for second), points (43 in 57 games; tied for third), shots on goal (139; third) and power-play points (17; tied for second) this season. Ehlers, who will turn 30 years old on Feb. 14, leads Denmark into the Olympics after powering them in recent international competition; he had four points (one goal, three assists) in three games during Olympic qualifier games and then scored three goals in four games for his country during the 2025 IIHF World Championship, including the game-tying goal late in the third period against Canada in Denmark’s eventual upset victory. Per NHL EDGE stats, Ehlers ranks in the 95th percentile or higher among forwards in the following categories this season: long-range shots on goal (24; 98th percentile), offensive zone time percentage (46.9; 98th percentile), average shot speed (63.57 mph; 96th percentile), 22-plus mph speed bursts (14; 96th percentile) and hardest shot (93.63 mph; 95th percentile). -- Pete Jensen

Finland: Roope Hintz, F (Dallas Stars)

Hintz ranks fifth on the Stars in points (44 in 52 games) this season and is fourth on the team in power-play points (19). With Aleksander Barkov (knee surgery) ruled out of the Olympics for Finland, Hintz could play center on the top line with Dallas teammate Mikko Rantanen and former teammate Mikael Granlund, who led Finland in points (four) at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. Per NHL EDGE stats, Hintz is fifth in the entire NHL in 20-plus mph speed bursts (258), third in 22-plus mph bursts (33) and also ranks highly among forwards in max skating speed (23.61 mph; 98th percentile), high-danger shots on goal (70; 98th percentile) and hardest shot (92.03 mph; 91st percentile) this season. -- Chris Meaney

Germany: Moritz Seider, D (Detroit Red Wings)

Seider, the only German defenseman taken in the first round of an NHL Draft (selected by Detroit Red Wings with sixth pick in 2019), helped his country win its first silver medal at the IIHF World Championship in 2023. Seider, who won the Calder Trophy with Detroit in 2022 as rookie of the year, is one of 11 active NHL players on Germany’s roster. The 24-year-old ranks fourth in the NHL in average ice time (25:40 per game) this season and tied for sixth at his position in power-play points (18). Per NHL EDGE stats, Seider ranks sixth in the entire League in long-range shots on goal (74) and tied for ninth in long-range goals (four) this season. -- Perlowitz

Latvia: Elvis Merzlikins, G (Columbus Blue Jackets)

The 31-year-old looks to carry over the momentum from his recent surge with the Columbus Blue Jackets; he is 5-1-0 with a .924 save percentage in six games under new coach Rick Bowness. Although he is one of only six current NHL players on Latvia’s roster for the Olympics, Merzlikins has had two seasons of at least 26 wins in his career, and, in six trips to the IIHF World Championship for Latvia, Merzlikins has a 13-17 record. He is also 1-1 with a .946 save percentage in two career Stanley Cup Playoff games, including a 49-save effort in an overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2020 postseason. Per NHL EDGE stats, Merzlikins has had quality starts (greater than .900 save percentage) in four of his six games under Bowness. -- Jensen

Slovakia: Juraj Slafkovsky, F (Montreal Canadiens)

In his fourth NHL season, Slafkovsky has already reached career highs in goals (21), power-play goals (10) and power-play points (17) through 57 games. Slafkovsky is the only NHL player with at least 20 goals, 100 shots on goal (117), 80 hits (83) and 40 blocks (53) this season. Slafkovsky, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, scored seven goals in seven games for Slovakia to lead the entire 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was also tied for the tournament lead in points (seven). Per NHL EDGE stats, Slafkovsky ranks highly among forwards in high-danger goals (12; 91st percentile), midrange goals (six; 88th percentile), midrange shots on goal (43; 87th percentile) and max skating speed (23.03 mph; 87th percentile) this season. -- Meaney

Sweden: Jesper Wallstedt, G (Minnesota Wild)

Wallstedt ranks fifth in the NHL in save percentage (.914) among goalies with at least 20 games played this season and is tied for second in shutouts (four). The rookie is 14-5-4 with a 2.72 goals-against average in 23 games for the Wild this season and part of one of the strongest goalie tandems in the NHL with fellow Sweden teammate Filip Gustavsson (20-9-6). Wallstedt was 3-0 with a 0.67 goals-against average and .947 save percentage with one shutout for Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. Per NHL EDGE stats, Wallstedt leads the NHL in quality starts percentage (69.6; starts with greater than .900 save percentage) among goalies with at least 20 starts this season. -- Meaney

Switzerland: Nico Hischier, F (New Jersey Devils)

Hischier, one of 15 current NHL captains competing in the Olympics and one of two on Switzerland’s roster (other: Roman Josi), leads the New Jersey Devils in goals (19 in 57 games), points (42) and power-play points (14) this season. Hischier is one of three Devils representing Switzerland in the tournament (others: Timo Meier, Jonas Siegenthaler). Considering Switzerland reached the gold medal game at both the 2024 and 2025 World Championship, Hischier could help the country reach another level in his Olympics debut. Per NHL EDGE stats, Hischier ranks among the forward leaders in high-danger shots on goal (68; 97th percentile), midrange shots on goal (60; 96th percentile) and midrange goals (eight; 94th percentile) this season. -- Perlowitz

United States: Quinn Hughes, D (Minnesota Wild)

The U.S. will have Hughes healthy for the Olympics after he missed the entire 4 Nations Face-Off because of injury, giving the country the NHL’s top two skaters in terms of average ice time this season: Hughes (27:52 per game) is first, and Zach Werenski is second (26:22). Hughes ranks second among active NHL defensemen in career points per game (0.96) behind Cale Makar (1.08). While Werenski led the 4 Nations Face-Off in assists and points (six each), Hughes is now expected to take over the top pair and first power play for the U.S. and could carry over his momentum since being acquired by the Wild from the Vancouver Canucks (34 points in 26 games since trade). Per NHL EDGE stats, Hughes ranks third among defensemen in midrange shots on goal (52) and sixth at the position in 20-plus mph speed bursts (113). -- Jensen

Honorable mention: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, F, France)

Key NHL EDGE stat: Bellemare, who last played in the NHL in 2023-24, ranked in the 92nd percentile among forwards that season in max skating speed (23.22 mph).

NOTE: Italy has been excluded from this list as its roster does not have anyone with past NHL experience in his career; those players, therefore, do not have any EDGE puck and player tracking stats.