Olympians Chase Rest Ahead of Stanley Cup Runs

NHL players who competed at the Milan Cortina Games are trying to recharge before the playoffs.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:10am

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NHL players who competed at the recent Milan Cortina Olympics are now trying to recharge and peak again for the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs. Teams with Olympians on their rosters are trying to manage their workloads, giving them extra rest days and limiting practice time to help them recover from the condensed Olympic schedule. While some players feel the Olympic experience will benefit them in the playoffs, coaches acknowledge it's a delicate balance to get their star players rested and ready without sacrificing their team's positioning in the standings.

Why it matters

The NHL's condensed schedule this season, with the Olympic break and a return to an 82-game regular season, has put added strain on players who competed at the Milan Cortina Games. Teams with multiple Olympians are having to carefully manage their workloads to ensure they are fresh for the playoffs, while also maintaining their position in the standings. How coaches navigate this challenge could have a big impact on which teams make deep playoff runs.

The details

NHL teams are employing various strategies to help their Olympians recover, including skipping morning skates, limiting practice time, and in some cases sitting players out of games entirely. Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said the team is "limited in (their) options" and can't really afford to rest players with the Avalanche in the hunt for the Presidents' Trophy. Other teams like the Dallas Stars are trying to minimize the wear and tear by cutting down on minutes for their Olympic players. Players like Brock Nelson of the Avalanche and Brady Tkachuk of the Senators acknowledge the adjustment back to the NHL schedule has been challenging after the intensity of the Olympics.

  • The NHL season paused for 19 days from February 6-24 to allow players to participate in the Olympics.
  • Adding the holiday break, each team is playing 82 games over 170 days — one every 2.07 days, even more condensed than every 2.15 days in 2024-25 with the 4 Nations tournament.

The players

Bo Horvat

New York Islanders center who played for Canada at the Olympics, which played six games in 10 days.

Brock Nelson

Avalanche forward who helped the U.S. win its first men's Olympic hockey gold medal since 1980.

Brady Tkachuk

26-year-old captain of the Ottawa Senators who led the U.S. Olympic team.

Lars Eller

36-year-old Senators player who competed for Denmark at his first Olympics.

Tim Stützle

24-year-old Senators player who tied for second at the Olympics in goals with four while representing Germany.

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What they’re saying

“It's a lot of hockey in a short amount of time.”

— Bo Horvat, New York Islanders center

“Take the rest whenever you can find it, for sure. The (NHL) schedule is just so compact for everybody now. Just trying to ride the energy.”

— Brock Nelson, Avalanche forward

“It was definitely an adjustment coming back, not going to lie, playing in probably the biggest game that has been played in a while and then the emotions of winning. It took a little bit to get readjusted.”

— Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators captain

“We're kind of past that Olympic fatigue now, if there was any. Now your energy level is actually increasing here towards the end as you're fighting for a playoff spot and you're eyeing the end of the season.”

— Lars Eller, Ottawa Senators player

“Obviously right after the Olympics, I was pretty exhausted with the time change and everything. But now I feel great.”

— Tim Stützle, Ottawa Senators player

What’s next

The Avalanche, who had eight NHL players compete in the Olympics, are leading the race for the Presidents' Trophy and cannot afford to rest their Olympians. The Stars are trying to minimize the wear and tear on their Olympic players by cutting down on their minutes as much as possible.

The takeaway

The condensed NHL schedule this season, with the Olympic break and return to an 82-game regular season, has put significant strain on players who competed at the Milan Cortina Games. Teams with multiple Olympians are having to carefully manage their workloads to ensure their star players are rested and ready for the playoffs, while also maintaining their position in the standings. How coaches navigate this challenge could have a major impact on which teams make deep playoff runs.