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Olympic boost? Five NHL players who could surge, including golden goal scorer Jack Hughes
Jack Hughes of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Italy. James Lang-Imagn Images

Olympic boost? Five NHL players who could surge, including golden goal scorer Jack Hughes

By Alex Wiederspiel  |  Last updated Feb 23, 2026 5:02 PM ET

Could a strong Olympics provide a boost to players when the NHL season restarts Wednesday?

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington took off after another international tournament in 2025. After starring at the 4 Nations Face-Off, he returned to NHL action and went 13-3-1 with a .910 save percentage, helping power St. Louis into the playoffs. 

Here are five players who could similarly carry momentum from this international tournament back to their NHL clubs:

Forward Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils

The golden goal scorer himself, Hughes has had an up-and-down season. He missed 18 games with an off-ice injury to his hand. Then he came back and only scored two goals in 19 games as the Devils labored to an 8-10-1 record.

Hughes isn't an elite goal scorer — he has one 40-plus-goal season in the NHL — but over the past three seasons, he has scored at a rate of 34 goals per 82 games. His real magic trick is his ability to create around him with his speed and vision.

Hughes started on the Americans' fourth line at the Olympics before earning a promotion. He rewarded the coaching staff's faith with seven points in six games and the golden goal.

Goaltender Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils

Sticking with the New Jersey Devils, Markstrom had a nice tournament for Sweden. The Swedes' goal differential resulted in them getting a tough draw against the Americans in the quarterfinal round, where Sweden lost 2-1 in overtime. Markstrom stopped 38 of 40 shots in the elimination loss. 

At the Olympics, he went 2-1-0 with a .936 save percentage and a 1.97 goals-against average. The Devils need Hughes and Markstrom to play up to tournament form to have a shot at a playoff spot. 

Goaltender Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

The Finnish netminder got better as the Olympics went along. The Finns didn't lose another game in regulation after getting blown out by Slovakia in the opening game of group play, and then beat the Slovaks for the bronze medal.

Saros powered that effort with a .940 save percentage and 1.66 goals-against average that rivaled Connor Hellebuyck's numbers for the U.S. Saros has labored for the Predators much of the season, particularly since the calendar flipped to 2026. In the run-up to the Olympics since Jan. 1, he was a respectable 6-5-2 but with a nasty .881 save percentage.

Forward Dalibor Dvorsky, St. Louis Blues

The No. 2 center for Slovakia is a rising prospect who is trying to establish himself as a full-time NHL center. Dvorsky, however, has just 15 points in 47 games and is underwater on every advanced possession metric.

Dvorsky was rock-solid for rising power Slovakia as its second-line pivot, scoring six points (three goals and three assists) in six games. The Blues have been a mess all season, but getting a strong finish from a critical young player would provide the fan base with hope.

Winger Kaapo Kakko, Seattle Kraken

Kakko was strong in the defensive zone and neutral zone at the Olympics, which isn't surprising. He contributed to Finland's run to bronze, scoring five points in six games. Three of those points, however, came against host Italy, which has no NHL players. Kakko's two-way game has bounced back some after last season, but he's still only scoring at a rate of 12.3 goals per 82 games.

Alex Wiederspiel

Alex Wiederspiel is a professional play-by-play broadcaster and co-host of Locked On NHL Game Night, recapping the full slate of NHL games in 30 minutes for fans three nights a week. 

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