Flyers' Olympic History Spans Decades

NHL participation in the Winter Games has included many Flyers players and staff over the years.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics marks the sixth time the National Hockey League has participated in the men's hockey tournament. This article looks back at the history of Flyers players and staff representing their countries at the Olympics, dating back to the 1998 Nagano Games when the NHL first joined the event.

Why it matters

The Flyers have been well-represented at the Olympics over the past three decades, with numerous players, coaches, and executives participating in the prestigious international hockey tournament. This history provides insight into the global reach and impact of the Flyers organization.

The details

In 1998, Flyers players Eric Lindros, John LeClair, Eric Desjardins, and Joel Otto represented Canada and the United States, while Petr Svoboda won gold with the Czech Republic. In 2002, seven active Flyers players competed, including Simon Gagne, John LeClair, and Jeremy Roenick. The 2006 Olympics saw six Flyers on rosters, including Peter Forsberg, Simon Gagne, and Antero Niittymaki. The 2010 Games featured Chris Pronger and Mike Richards for Canada, Kimmo Timonen for Finland, and Oskars Bartulis for Latvia. In 2014, Jakub Voracek, Kimmo Timonen, Mark Streit, Andrej Meszaros, and Michal Raffl represented their home countries.

  • The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics marks the sixth time the NHL has participated in the men's hockey tournament.
  • The 1998 Nagano Olympics was the first time the NHL fully participated in the Winter Games.
  • The 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics saw seven active Flyers players compete.
  • The 2006 Torino Olympics featured six Flyers on Olympic rosters.
  • The 2010 Vancouver Olympics had four Flyers representatives.
  • The 2014 Sochi Olympics included five active Flyers players.

The players

Eric Lindros

A Flyers center who served as the captain of the Canadian Olympic team in 1998.

Petr Svoboda

A Flyers defenseman who won the gold medal with the Czech Republic in 1998.

Peter Forsberg

A former Flyers center who played for Sweden in the 2006 Olympics, helping the team win the gold medal.

Chris Pronger

A Flyers defenseman who represented Canada at the 2010 Olympics, winning the gold medal.

Jakub Voracek

A Flyers forward who played for the Czech Republic at the 2014 Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“Thirty-five-year old Steve Tsjiura, a Flyers draft pick back in 1981 and longtime Maine Mariners player, represented Team Japan due his Japanese heritage and experience playing pro hockey in Japan for the Kokudo Bunnies.”

— Bill Meltzer, Author (nhl.com)

“Lindros hit the post on his shootout attempt against Dominik Hasek in the semifinal game. The Czechs won the shootout, 1-0, and the game, 2-1.”

— Bill Meltzer, Author (nhl.com)

What’s next

The article notes that the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will mark the sixth time the NHL has participated in the men's hockey tournament. An upcoming article will look at some of the top Flyers-related Olympic performances both before and during NHL participation.

The takeaway

The Flyers' long history of Olympic participation, dating back to the 1998 Nagano Games, demonstrates the organization's global reach and the international impact of its players and staff. This legacy of Flyers representation at the Winter Olympics is a point of pride for the franchise and its fans.