How U23 NHL players and top prospects performed at the 2026 Olympics
There’s something about the big stage, the bright lights, and the eyes of the world that bring out the best in some players. The rush of adrenaline and the stakes make them operate at levels we haven't seen before.
Usually, it’s the veterans who dominate this event, knowing how to overcome nerves and impose their will on the competition. But this time, entrusted with bigger roles for their respective countries, many young players also stepped up, accumulating highlights and displaying parts of their game we hadn’t seen as much before.
Here, we’ll discuss the performance of eight under-23 players, including 2026 NHL draft-eligible prospect Alberts Šmits. Only the players who played a few games and project to become regular NHLers were evaluated.
Macklin Celebrini, LW, Canada
Macklin Celebrini was the perfect running mate for Connor McDavid, matching his pace off the rush and giving the top player in the world multiple chances to show his talents.
He drove at defenders, dragging them away, and dropping perfect passes to his centre, enabling him to pick up speed and break down the wing to take on the goalie. As McDavid skated behind the net, Celebrini found space in front of it, the perfect target for passes. He unleashed hard one-timers and picked up his share of goals.
It's on the forecheck where Celebrini made the greatest impact. Barely giving any space to the opposition and displaying contact skills well beyond his years, he continuously managed to free the puck, putting the opposition in a scramble and creating even more scoring chances. He was on opponents at every turn, sticking to them in the defensive zone, knocking them off the puck, and pushing the puck toward his teammates.
By making give-and-goes, carrying the puck in the neutral zone, and constantly moving in the offensive zone, Celebrini put on a show, cementing his status as the best young player in the league at the moment. If he can carry this momentum through the rest of the regular season, the Sharks will earn their playoff spot.
Dalibor Dvorský, C, Slovakia
The biggest concern we have about Dalibor Dvorský is his lack of play-driving skills. Acting more as a supporter and finisher, he has managed to accumulate points at every level, but this season, we wanted to see him take steps toward becoming a take-charge centre, capable of pushing his team toward wins.
In moments, Dvorský did transform into that player at the Olympics, bumping the puck past defenders, catching it himself, and rushing ahead for scoring chances. While he was still at his best, trailing the play and finding space to use his shot, he drove his team’s transition play with short passes and carries, too.
His impact was more muted against the top teams, but this tournament could give him the jolt of confidence he needs to push his scoring for the rest of the regular season.
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, C, Denmark
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard deserved the NHL chance he got right before the Olympic break. Not only was he performing admirably well for an AHL rookie, but he was playing the game like an NHLer. Once again at the Olympics, he looked like one of the most projectable young players at the tournament, showcasing a complete two-way game and playmaking vision.
The foundation of Fisker Mølgaard’s game is his skating. It became clear over the four games he played that he’s one of the best skaters in the World, capable of pressuring multiple players at once and instantly taking advantage of openings. His mature defence separates him from his peers. Displaying advanced puck-protection mechanics, he wins loose pucks, getting to them first or sealing them from the opposition.
With possession, he finds passing lanes, deceives defenders, and his hands can keep up with his feet in rushes.
Fisker Mølgaard doesn’t yet spot all the ways he could influence games with his speed. Making more dynamic pass receptions, where he instantly passes defenders, would open up even more possibilities for him.
There are a lot of similarities between his game and Oliver Moore’s, who’s getting some top-six opportunities.
Seattle may have stumbled upon a highly useful player in the second round.
Oliver Kapanen, RW/C, Finland
Oliver Kapanen is the ultimate plug-and-play facilitator.
While controlling the puck on the wall, they can shoulder check and spot him open at the far post. In transition, he creates layers, adding depth to the formation by attacking a few steps ahead and behind. Never outpacing the game, he’s always reacting and adapting to the play. He initiates battles, disrupts opposing attacks, and times his movement well with the play in the offensive zone, getting a ton of scoring chances by sneaking past defenders.
His hockey sense is likely higher-end, but, lacking the tools or special elements to go with it, the only way for his game to shine is if he’s placed with other players who have the necessary skill set to take advantage of his talent for positioning.
Now that the World has noticed his ability, however, he is getting those opportunities.
When Finland needed a replacement for Mikko Rantanen, they didn’t shuffle their lineup around. They plugged Kapanen in there, and he more than held his own. By creating turnovers on the forecheck, connecting plays, and making the right decisions in every situation, he kept the puck in his team's control. He also got similar scoring chances as in Montreal, around the net and in the middle of the slot, when the defence overlooked him to focus on his linemates.
Although the two aren’t perfect comparables, Sean Monahan started his career playing a similar role next to Johnny Gaudreau. It’s now up to Kapanen to continue leveraging his opportunities to develop into a similarly useful center.
Dans Ločmelis, LW, Latvia
Dans Ločmelis could score in the NHL. He showed that kind of upside at the Olympics.
Capable of spotting vulnerable defenders and exploiting their positioning, he cut inside the defensive formation, made passes through it, and launched shots past goalies. He was consistently deceptive, faking opponents and building plays methodically with cross-ice passes.
Latvia needed a forward capable of making more advanced plays. He stepped up when needed.
Although he did engage in battles along the wall, he wasn't strong enough to put a stop to the opposition's cycle or win back pucks consistently. His defensive rotations and puck management also need some work before he can aspire to an NHL role.
Overall, this tournament mostly boosted his value, reminding everyone of why he put up two points per game in the AHL right out of college.
Simon Nemec, RD, Slovakia
We saw the best of Simon Nemec in this tournament.
Always contributing to the offence, he skated down the wing, becoming another option for the rush and linking passing plays. The deception in his passing helped him sell some difficult cross-ice passes. With hard pinches, he kept the puck in control of his team and distributed the puck well on the power play.
Over the years, he has become more physical. Closing in instantly on opponents as they attack up ice, he erases them from the play and enables his team to orchestrate quick counter-attacks.
At this point, Nemec’s offensive strengths are well known, but his inconsistent gapping, lack of strength and technique in battles, and tendency to bite on feints cost his team in moments.
It seems more and more clear that Nemec will need the right role to succeed at the NHL level, a powerplay one spot, the freedom to activate, and a partner capable of compensating for his weaknesses.
Juraj Slafkovský, LW, Slovakia
Juraj Slafkovský’s game against Finland in the group stage was one of the top performances I've seen out of a U23 player on the international stage and one of the best performances by anyone at the Olympics, too.
It was also the single greatest game I’ve seen him play since his draft-minus-one season.
All of Montreal’s teachings, the lessons he learned playing with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, and his own growth and maturation cumulated in that adrenaline-filled game where the underdog prevailed.
It started with a reverse hit and a couple of intense shifts on the forecheck, where his skating development fully shone. Combined with his reach, his speed makes him hard to avoid. No matter where the opposition skated, there he was, blocking the way. His defensive impact extended to all three zones, as he also back checked hard and took away space and lanes in the defensive zone.
But it's really his manipulation game which gave Slovakia the edge. Not only did he stickhandle around pressure, but he set up his passes and shots, leveraging options around him to take defenders, freeze them in place, and skate around them.
Borrowing moves out of Ivan Demidov’s repertoire, he attacked Finland’s defensive line, held them in place, and bought time for teammates to get in position for passes.
It may be because of his work as a bumper player on the power play, but his shooting ability is also evolving. Slafkovský used to only be comfortable releasing off the rush, with some runway ahead and a longer draw. Now, he's a threat in smaller spaces, capable of firing while covered, hitting more off-target passes, and adapting his release to the goalie’s movement.
While Slafkovský didn't manage to reach the same heights again at the tournament, he still lined up some solid performances.
We now know what his ceiling looks like.
That’s a warning to NHL teams. You can't play Slafkovský passively and give him space, especially in the neutral zone. He will make you pay.
Alberts Šmits, LD, Latvia
Slafkovský’s performance at the 2022 Olympics against some of the top non-NHL talents in the world helped cement him as the number one overall choice for the Montreal Canadiens. He dominated in some games, showing a skill set that would translate well to the top league.
While Šmits didn’t exactly reach that level of play in Milan, he did show those same translatable skills, while facing much stronger competition than Slafkovský, including all-star USA and Sweden teams.
He closed on opponents in between blue lines, blocked shots, boxed out some of the league’s top stars, pinned them to the boards, and then sealed the puck from them. With short rims, he got the puck away from the opposition and into his team’s hands. His ability to get the interior position on loose pucks, protecting and pushing them toward teammates in space, will make him a highly useful NHL blue-liner. Those are difficult plays, but they fuel most of the top league’s offence.
Sorting out coverages became quite challenging as the opposition showed their creativity, but Šmits generally managed to maintain a defensive-side position and push the opposition to the outside.
His performance will certainly give him a boost across many draft boards.
For us, it mostly cemented his place on the floor. We know that Šmits could fill a top-four, insulator role in his prime, logging long minutes against top competitions, as long as he manages the puck safely.
His upside remains more in flux, as his offensive game continues to lack control. He acts more as a puck-carrier than anything else, holding on to the puck deep in the opposing zone. Finding a way to get out of his carries or creating meaningful advantages for his team offensively remains a work in progress.
A team could learn to exploit his tools, using his activations and shots to supplement their offence, but we want to see more vision and playmaking before elevating him to a top-five spot on our board.
David Špaček, RD, Czechia
The selection of David Špaček over David Jiříček, his higher-drafted teammate and countryman, raised some questions. Watching Špaček play with Czechia, however, one can't say that the team made the wrong choice there.
Avoiding risky choices and costly mistakes, Špaček managed the game well, making the expected plays, activating when he could, and firing the occasional point shot.
It's the kind of game that he could translate to an NHL role at some point, if he continues to develop as a stopper. Lacking the size and strength of high end shutdown defenceman, he will have to perfect his anticipation and rotations.
