This year's Olympic Games will look a lot like 2018's when no NHL players took part, meaning some of the game's best and brightest stars won't be on display in Beijing.
However, there will still be notable names competing — especially for the United States and Canada. On the U.S. side, it'll be a youth movement leading the charge as Matty Beniers and Jake Sanderson will be on a major international stage for their introductions to the world.
STREAM THE WINTER OLYMPICS ON fuboTV: Canada | United States
For Team Canada, it's former NHL veterans who'll be the big names — notably 1,000-plus point scorer Eric Staal, and Daniel Winnik and Jason Demers, who each have 650-plus NHL games under their belts.
Russia won gold in 2018 with Germany finishing second and Canada taking home bronze. Team USA hasn't medaled at the Olympics since 2010 and hasn't won gold since 1980. Canada, meanwhile, has medaled in four of the last five Olympics entering 2022, including three golds.
How does the Olympic men's hockey tournament work?
This year's Olympic tournament will feature 12 teams split into three groups of four.
Eight countries qualified automatically based on the IIHF's 2019 standings while China automatically qualified as the host nation despite being ranked No. 32 in the world. The final three teams made the tournament by winning a play-in game.
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The group stage at Beijing 2022 opens with each team playing its other group members once. After those games occur the top teams in each group and the highest-ranked second-place team will move on to the quarterfinals.
The remaining eight nations will face off in the qualification round, with the four winners also moving on to the quarterfinals.
2022 OLYMPIC MEN'S HOCKEY ROSTERS: USA | Canada
Finally, the tournament format concludes with a standard single-elimination format, with the exception of the bronze-medal game, which takes both losers of the semifinal round.
Olympic men's hockey groups, standings
Group A
| Team | W | OTW | OTL | L | PTS |
| USA* | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Canada | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Germany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| China | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Group B
| Team | W | OTW | OTL | L | PTS |
| ROC* | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Denmark | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Czechia | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Group C
| Team | W | OTW | OTL | L | PTS |
| Finland* | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Sweden* | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Latvia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
* - Bye into quarterfinals
Men's Olympic hockey schedule 2022
Wednesday, Feb. 9; Preliminary round
| Game | Time (ET) |
| ROC 1, Switzerland 0 | 3:40 a.m. |
| Denmark 2, Czechia 1 | 8:10 a.m. |
| Sweden 3, Latvia 2 | 11:10 p.m. |
Thursday, Feb. 10; Preliminary round
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Finland 6, Slovakia 2 | 3:40 a.m. |
| USA 8, China 0 | 8:10 a.m. |
| Canada 5, Germany 1 | 8:10 a.m. |
| ROC 2, Denmark 0 | 11:10 p.m. |
Friday, Feb. 11; Preliminary round
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Czechia 2, Switzerland 1 (OT) | 3:40 a.m. |
| Sweden 4, Slovakia 1 | 3:40 a.m. |
| Finland 3, Latvia 1 | 8:10 a.m. |
| USA 4, Canada 2 | 11:10 p.m. |
Saturday, Feb. 12; Preliminary round
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Germany 3, China 2 | 3:40 a.m. |
| Czechia 6, ROC 5 (OT) | 8:10 a.m. |
| Denmark 5, Switzerland 3 | 8:10 a.m. |
| Slovakia 5, Latvia 2 | 11:10 p.m. |
Sunday, Feb. 13; Preliminary round
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT) | 3:40 a.m. |
| Canada 5, China 0 | 8:10 a.m. |
| USA 3, Germany 2 | 8:10 a.m. |
Monday, Feb. 14; Qualification round
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Slovakia 4, Germany 0 | 11:10 p.m. |
| Denmark 3, Latvia | 11:10 p.m. |
Tuesday, Feb. 15; Qualification round & Quarterfinals
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Switzerland 4, Czechia 2 | 3:40 a.m. |
| Canada 7, China 2 | 8:10 a.m. |
| Slovakia 3, USA 2 (SO) | 11:10 p.m. |
Wednesday Feb. 16; Quarterfinals
| Game | Time (ET) |
| ROC 3, Denmark 1 | 1 a.m. |
| Finland 5, Switzerland 1 | 3:40 a.m. |
| Sweden 2, Canada 0 | 8:30 a.m. |
Thursday, Feb. 17; Semifinal
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Finland 2, Slovakia 0 | 11:10 p.m. |
Friday, Feb. 18; Semifinal
| Game | Time (ET) |
| ROC 2, Sweden 1 (SO) | 8:10 a.m. |
Saturday, Feb. 19: Medal games
| Game | Time (ET) |
| Bronze-medal game: Slovakia 4, Sweden 0 | 8:10 a.m. |
| Gold-medal game: Finland 2, ROC 1 | 11:10 p.m. |
