The 2026 Winter Olympics, hosted by Milano and Cortina, Italy, are underway. The opening ceremony for the Olympics will take place on Friday, as over 90 countries are introduced. Over 150 players from the NHL will be participating in the games, and two players, Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak, will have a special honor.
Draisaitl, representing Team Germany, and Pastrnak, representing Team Czechia, have been selected to be flag-bearers at the opening ceremony, according to a press release from the NHL on NHL.com.
“Wow. I am extremely proud and happy. It will be a great honor for me,” Pastrnak said about being the flag-bearer for team Czechia. “I am looking forward to having a chance to represent our country along with all other athletes. Wonderful.”
While Pastrnak was selected by an Olympic committee, Draisaitl was selected by a fan vote and other members of Team Germany.
“I'm honored to be a part of that and to even be in the conversation is something that I don’t take lightly and something I don’t take for granted,” Draisaitl said last week. “It's something that would be a highlight in my career and in my life. There's a lot of great athletes coming out of our country, and to be able to represent them, regardless whether I win or not, it's pretty special.”
Draisaitl and Pastrnak did not get a chance to represent their countries at the 4 Nations Face-Off, with their respective countries not included in the tournament. They did play as teammates on Team McDavid in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. They will not face each other in the preliminary round of the tournament, with Germany in Group C and Czechia in Group A.
“It will be a quick trip. We are flying back to Boston right after the game and I'll be on my way to Milan the next day,” Pastrnak added about getting to the opening ceremony. “I'm looking forward to it so much. I have been waiting a long time to have this opportunity to represent my country at the Olympics so I can't wait to get started.”
Both the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins have one more game before the Olympic break. The Oilers visit the Calgary Flames, while the Bruins visit the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night.
