Canada’s NHL Stars Abandon Olympic Village—What’s Really Behind the Sudden Hotel Switch?

The Canadian men’s hockey squad is making a bold move that’s turning heads—ditching the traditional Olympic Village bunk for the luxe comfort of a five-star hotel. With a lineup bristling with NHL heavyweights, it’s clear Team Canada is sparing no expense to create the perfect environment to chase that elusive gold. Goalie Logan Thompson chimed in, underscoring it’s not about snubbing the Village but about setting the stage for victory. Meanwhile, just across the border, Team USA sticks to the tried-and-true camaraderie of the Olympic Village experience, reveling in the social buzz of mingling with fellow athletes. This isn’t a rookie tactic either; Canada’s choice echoes past Olympics where players opted for alternative accommodations to sharpen their edge. Led by the likes of Crosby, McDavid, and the rising star Macklin Celebrini, Canada is gunning for gold in Italy—hoping to repeat their triumphs from 2010 and 2014. Meanwhile, the Americans aim to end a four-decade drought since the iconic “Miracle on Ice.” Curious about the full scoop? LEARN MORE

The Canadian men’s hockey team is ditching the Olympic Village. 

With highly paid superstars up and down their roster, Team USA’s neighbors up north will leave the dorm-style accommodations for a five-star hotel, according to Sportsnet. 

“I don’t think we’re doing it as an insult or anything like that,” goaltender Logan Thompson told the outlet on Monday. “We want to win gold, and we want to give ourselves the best opportunity to do so.”

The Americans, on the other hand, are sticking with tradition and sleeping alongside the thousands of other Olympic athletes Milano Cortina, Italy.

“I’ve had some great times hanging out with the rest of the athletes, playing cards, watching the other Olympians,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “It’s been just an unbelievable experience.”

While much has been made of the Canadians’ hotel move, the team’s general manager Doug Armstrong downplayed its significance, noting that the players stayed elsewhere during the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and in 2014 in Sochi. 

“They’ve stayed with their families. They have a room in the village, they have a room provided by the NHL and NHLPA outside there,” Armstrong said, according to The Post’s Mollie Walker. “I think this has sort of grown a life of its own. This is no different than the tournaments we had before. We just wanted to give our players that option to stay where they’re most comfortable to prepare for the games.”

The Canadians, led by superstars Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini, are the favorites to win gold in Italy. 

They took first each of the last two times NHL players were allowed to play in the Winter Games in 2010 and 2014. 

Team USA is looking to win its first men’s hockey gold medal since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980.