Sports
The NHL is back at the Olympics! Everything you need to know about hockey in Milan-Cortina
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Ryan S. Clark
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Kristen Shilton
For the first time since 2014, NHL players will be competing in the Olympic Games — minus those who call Russia home.
On the women’s side, the best players have been participating without restriction this whole time.
You might have several questions based on those two sentences.
ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton are here with answers to those — and many more about the format, favorites, etc. — as the start of the Milan-Cortina Games approaches in early February.
When do the tournaments begin?
As pop poet laureate Taylor Swift would say: Baby, let the Games begin!
In this 25th iteration of the iconic winter sports showcase, hockey’s best will compete over 18 days. The women’s side kicks things off Feb. 5, with round-robin action extending to Feb. 10. The men get started Feb. 11 with their own round-robin going until Feb. 18.
Quarterfinals for the women will open Feb. 13, and the men will have qualification playoff games starting Feb. 17. Further quarterfinal and semifinal matchups will follow, leading into medal rounds slated for Feb. 19 (both bronze and gold on the women’s end) and then Feb. 21 (bronze) and Feb. 22 (gold) for the men. — Shilton
Which countries are competing?
Twelve nations will compete in the men’s division, while 10 nations will comprise the women’s division.
Men’s hockey was first introduced as an Olympic sport during the 1920 Summer Olympics, but was then made a permanent sport at the 1924 Winter Games.
Canada was the first nation to win gold in men’s hockey, winning four consecutively; in total, Canada has won gold nine times — the most of any nation. The U.S. is tied for third all time with two gold medals, while its eight silver medals are the most of any nation in men’s hockey.
Finland enters the tournament as the reigning men’s champion, with the nation winning its first-ever gold in 2022. The Finns are seeking to become the first country since Canada in 2010 and 2014 to win consecutive gold medals. It’ll try to pull off that achievement in a field that will also feature Canada, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S.
Women’s hockey was introduced at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.
The U.S. was the first country to win gold in women’s hockey when it defeated Canada. Since then, there has been just one Olympics (2006 Torino) in which the gold medal game hasn’t been played between the two North American rivals. The Canadians won their first gold in 2002, and kept those gold medals coming until they were defeated by the U.S. in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Canada would strike back in 2022 to win its fifth gold medal in six tries.
Both Canada and the U.S., which are the only countries to win a gold medal in women’s hockey, are back in 2026. They’ll be joined by Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland. — Clark
Why is it a big deal that NHL players are participating on the men’s side?
The NHL is back competing at the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 event in Sochi. There had been league players participating at the Winter Olympics since 1998, but the NHL eventually had a change of heart about being involved. The NHL opted to stop taking Olympic breaks, disallowing its athletes from going to the 2018 showcase.
There were a number of reasons for that choice cited by NHL officials, ranging from pricing and cost issues with the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation (particularly when it came to insurance, travel and lodging). Furthermore, there was consideration for the impact of shutting down for a month on the NHL’s bottom line, not to mention the logistical gymnastics involved in a shortened season. Basically, the NHL owners didn’t think there was enough benefit to seeing their players suit up for their countries.
It wasn’t until the NHLPA pushed back at the collective bargaining table and worked Olympic participation back into the labor laws that it became an option once again. NHL players were slated to return for the 2022 Games, but because of widespread COVID-19 outbreaks at that time, the league stepped in and barred its players again — this time for health reasons — from heading to Beijing.
Those days are behind us now though. The NHL is all-in, and ready to build on the best-on-best momentum from last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off — Shilton
What is the format of the tournament, and what rules are different from the NHL’s?
The tournament is straightforward for the women: 10 countries will be represented, spread across two groups of five teams each. All teams will play each other once in preliminary action. From there, all five teams from Group A and the top three teams from Group B will advance to the quarterfinals. Standard knockout rules apply once the round-robin is done.
The men’s situation is a tad more complex.
We’ve already covered some of the basics: There are 12 teams competing, seeded across three groups of four. Each team will play three round-robin games. When that preliminary round ends, all 12 clubs will be reranked according to a specific system: Which team had the higher position in the group, which had more points, which had the better goal differential, which had the higher number of goals scored and which had a higher IIHF ranking in 2020.
At that point, teams rated 1-4 will have a bye into the quarterfinals. Teams 5-12 will participate in a qualifying round that pits 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10 and 8 vs. 9. The four winners from that mini tournament will advance to the quarterfinals, where the matchup system (highest vs. lowest seed) will carry on. Ditto into the semifinals, and then the gold and bronze medal games will be played by the winners and losers of the semis. The team with the higher preliminary round ranking will be considered the home squad in each final round game.
There will also be some differences from what rules and procedures govern the NHL.
The Olympic event’s outcomes will be run by a points system: three for the winning team in regulation, zero for the losing team in regulation, two for the winning team in overtime or a shootout and one for the losing team in overtime or a shootout. During the preliminary action, overtime will last five minutes before the sides go to a shootout. At the Olympics, there will be five preliminary shooters per side instead of the NHL’s usual three. In qualifying, quarterfinal and semifinal games, there will be a 10-minute overtime followed by a shootout. In medal rounds, overtime periods will last 20 minutes until someone scores.
Intermissions will also be shorter — 15 minutes, as opposed to 18 in the NHL. Men’s teams can bring 25 skaters (including three goalies) and ice a game-day roster of 20 players.
Oh, and as always, there is no fighting allowed at the Olympics (or any IIHF hockey events). Sorry, Tkachuk brothers! — Shilton
What’s the latest on the construction of a new rink?
Creating the space where both male and female players will compete has been an arduous process ahead of these Games. Various delays put laborers behind schedule, and by mid-December — just seven weeks from when the women’s hockey teams are slated to start playing — the ice surface inside Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena had not been installed.
The IOC executive board has made assurances that the arena will be ready by February, even though previously planned pre-Olympic events to test out the pending ice surface had to be canceled. There are reported to be thousands of workers on site around the clock each day to ensure the final deadlines are made.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly said the NHL had nothing to do with the arena construction process, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly reiterated recently that the safety of NHL players remains the league’s primary concern when it comes to any arena setbacks. — Shilton
What happens if the rink isn’t finished? Is there a deadline for a decision?
Officially, there is no Plan B if the Milano Santaguila rink isn’t finished in time and deemed safe for the athletes. In order for the NHL to make that designation, there has to be some kind of hockey played in the arena so that ice can be tested on its own and when the 16,000-person capacity venue has actual people inside. Bettman and Daly have both stated that if the league doesn’t feel the rink is adequately prepared and vetted they will not send players as planned.
NHL officials have been on the ground in Milan to see what progress there has been, and on one of those trips discovered the size of the ice surface will measure 196.85 feet by 85.3 feet, something the IIHF agreed upon but was a surprise to the league (which has its own standard rinks at 200 feet by 85 feet). International tournaments have been played on smaller ice surfaces than that in the past, but this will be shorter and wider than what athletes have experienced before. The IIHF defended itself against any backlash while moving ahead with their plans.
“While these dimensions differ slightly from a typical NHL rink, they are consistent with IIHF regulations, match the rink size used at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and are fully consistent with the dimensions the NHL requires as part of its Global Series Game arena specifications,” the federation said in a statement. “All involved — the IIHF, the organizing committee, NHL, NHLPA, International Olympic Committee and the relevant venue authorities — agree that the differences in rink specifications are insignificant and should not impact either the safety or quality of game play.”
Still, it’s yet another wrench in an increasingly stressful situation for both Olympic organizers and men’s and women’s league executives who want to see their players properly showcased but without risking their health in the process.
“We have offered [to help with the construction] and they are utilizing our ice experts and technicians and outside providers,” Daly said. “We’re basically moving everybody there to try to help get this done in a way that is acceptable for NHL athletes.”
There has been no publicly announced cut-off date as of yet that would indicate how much runway the organizers have before the NHL or any of the women’s teams would drop out of the tournament. — Shilton
Who are some of the top women’s players who I need to know?
Canada is expected to be led by its established stars, and that starts with its captain Marie-Philip Poulin. She’s a three-time Olympic gold medalist, a four-time women’s world champion, the reigning IIHF Women’s Player of the Year, and is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time.
Poulin is just one of two Player of the Year recipients who are expected to play for Canada. Natalie Spooner won the award in 2024 and has won two Olympic golds and three world championships. Canada’s bid for a consecutive gold medal is also likely to be heavily bolstered by other stars such as Erin Ambrose, Renata Fast, Sarah Fillier, Brianne Jenner, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull.
The U.S. has its own collection of stars who will be led by captain Hilary Knight. She is a four-time Olympic medalist who was part of the U.S. team that won gold in 2018 and is also a 10-time world champion. Knight was the first recipient of the IIHF Women’s Player of the Year back in 2023.
America’s path for a gold is also expected to feature Alex Carpenter, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Britta Curl-Salemme, Aerin Frankel and Lee Stecklein. Laila Edwards and Caroline Harvey, teammates at the University of Wisconsin, are also expected to be on the roster.
Outside of the North American powers, there’s Finland duo Jenni Hiirikoski and Michelle Karvinen, who are considered to be two of the best players in the world. Switzerland’s Alina Muller might be a familiar name, with the forward winning a bronze medal when she was 15 at the 2014 Olympics.
Another country to watch is Czechia, which has been among the top four women’s teams over the past four years because of players such as Kristyna Kaltounkova, Natalie Mlynkova, Katerina Mrazova and Aneta Tejralova. — Clark
Who are the key non-NHL players to know on the men’s side?
The U.S., Canada, Finland and Sweden are expected to field rosters that exclusively feature NHL players. Although it’s possible Finland could have to rely on skaters playing elsewhere considering how many expected roster players are out because of injury, led by Florida Panthers star Aleksander Barkov.
Czechia, Germany and Switzerland will have NHL players on their respective rosters but will need players from leagues beyond the NHL in order to field a full team. Czechia is expected to rely on Ondrej Beranek, Roman Cervenka and Jakub Flek, along with other players who have previous NHL experience like Libor Hajek, Michal Kempny and Dominik Kubalik.
Switzerland could be an under-the-radar medal threat. In addition to NHL players like Nico Hischier and Timo Meier, it also has players who either have NHL experience or have played in North American leagues. It’s a group that consists of Sven Andrighetto, Dean Kukan and Denis Malgin. There are also players who’ve stayed in Europe for their whole careers such as Swiss goalie Leonardo Genoni, a veteran of nearly 90 games for his country at the senior level. — Clark
Who are the medal favorites?
Part of what made the 4 Nations Face-Off intriguing is that it was seen as a dress rehearsal for the Olympics. Canada and the U.S. were the heavy favorites and showed why with Canada winning in overtime in the final. The tight margins between those two teams is more evidence that either could win the men’s tournament. That narrative was enhanced by the U.S. winning its first men’s world championships gold medal since 1960 this past spring.
HISTORY MADE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 92 YEARS, TEAM USA IS BRINGING HOME THE #MENSWORLDS GOLD 🇺🇸🏆 pic.twitter.com/4qqRdIc3VF
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) May 25, 2025
That said, Czechia, Finland and Sweden all have a strong history of finding cohesion at numerous international tournaments en route to either winning gold or being somewhere on the podium. And as noted above, Switzerland could build upon its consecutive second-place finishes at the two most recent men’s world championships and parlay that into a place on the medal stand.
On the women’s side, the U.S. and Canada are considered to be the two strongest nations when it comes to talent and infrastructure, and they enter the tournament as the favorites for gold.
That’s not to suggest that others won’t force the issue and give the Olympics its second-ever gold medal game that isn’t played between Canada and the U.S.; the two most likely candidates to do so appear to be Finland and Czechia.
Finland has won bronze in three of the four most recent Olympics. The Finns have also won bronze in the two most recent women’s world championships.
Both of those third-place finishes for Finland were against a surging Czechia. The 2022 Olympics was Czechia’s first time at the Games, and they finished seventh. They were the bronze medalists at the women’s world championships in 2022 and 2023, losing the bronze to Finland the past two years. — Clark
Why isn’t Russia in the tournament?
The IOC is continuing its ban on teams from Russia (and Belarus) competing in both men’s and women’s hockey at the 2026 Games. This will be the second straight Olympics where those countries won’t be represented in group sports, although certain individual athletes will be allowed to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes.
The IOC initially had its executive board call for sanctions against Russia in response to their invasion of Ukraine — with Belarus’ support — in 2022. Those recommendations were made in 2023, and consequently Russia and Belarus were barred from the summer 2024 Games in Paris. The IOC asked the IIHF for a projected schedule and groupings in May for the 2026 Games, making their decision to uphold the previous recommendations against Russia and Belarus at the end of that month.
This isn’t the first time the IOC has taken a stance against Russia. When a state-sponsored doping program was exposed there in 2016, the IOC and World Doping Agency determined as punishment that Russia’s name, flag and anthem be banned from all upcoming Games. As such, Russia’s last two Olympic teams competed as “Olympic Athletes from Russia” in 2018 and “Russia Olympic Committee” in 2022. — Shilton
“Is this going to be a busy cycle?”
It’s the question most asked of industry insiders around this time every year, as athletic directors, coaches, search firms and agents gear up for the college basketball coaching carousel. Normally, it’s easy to tell which direction the cycle is heading. Last year, there were five high-major programs already open when this story appeared, and 15 power-conference jobs changed hands when the carousel finally stopped spinning.
Could we match that number this season? Kansas State is the only high-major job open as things stand, with Jerome Tang’s ousting failing to jump-start an early string of firings thus far.
There are more than a dozen high-major jobs on the hot seat, but administrations are facing a similar quandary to last season: give their embattled head coach more money to build a roster or pay out the rest of that coach’s contract and start anew? Several of the coaches mentioned below have a substantial amount of money remaining on their deals, and schools will be hesitant to pay those buyouts. Word is already starting to trickle out from some schools that are instead opting to raise their men’s basketball NIL budget and giving their coach one more season to turn things around. But some schools are also hoping to raise their NIL budget — to give to a new coach.
There’s also the question of what type of hiring cycle this will be. Last year, the power-conference carousel featured a mix of lateral moves, mid-major names taking a jump, NBA assistants dropping into college and the occasional high-major assistant getting an opportunity. If more than 10 power-conference programs open up again, it will be interesting to see which bucket is the most prevalent.
To prepare you for the next two months of coaching machinations and the accompanying rumors — of which there will be many — let’s take a look at the biggest jobs and names to watch on the 2026 men’s college basketball carousel.
Jump to a section:
Jobs already open | Jobs that could open | Least a year away
Potential retirements | High-profile candidates | Who’s ready to jump up?
Jobs already open
Jerome Tang was let go earlier this month after less than four seasons in Manhattan and less than three seasons removed from an Elite Eight run. But the Wildcats were 1-11 in Big 12 play and hadn’t returned to the NCAA tournament since 2023. Whether Kansas State had enough to fire him for cause will be figured out in the future.
Meanwhile, athletic director Gene Taylor will look for Tang’s replacement. It’s still early in the search, but names such as Utah State‘s Jerrod Calhoun, Belmont‘s Casey Alexander, Northern Iowa‘s Ben Jacobson and Creighton associate head coach — and Bluejays coach-in-waiting — Alan Huss are already sprouting up. Could Taylor also look to get a sitting high-major head coach, someone like Mississippi State‘s Chris Jans?
Other jobs currently open or with an interim head coach: Air Force, Cal State Bakersfield, North Florida, San Diego, Tarleton State
Jobs that could open
Bobby Hurley’s contract is up after this season and all signs point to the Sun Devils moving on from him. They’ve been playing better basketball of late, but they’re headed for their third straight season without an NCAA tournament appearance. Overall, in Hurley’s 11 seasons at the helm, Arizona State has gone to only three NCAA tournaments (it would have been a fourth had the tournament been held in 2020) and has yet to win a game. But when the dust settles on this cycle, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Hurley land on his feet closer to the Northeast.
The optimism that followed a 20-win 2023-24 season seems a long time ago. BC finished next-to-last in the ACC in 2024-25, and is trending toward a similar ending this season. In fact, coach Earl Grant has yet to lead the Eagles to a .500 finish in conference play, and they entered the week just 6-28 in ACC games over the past two seasons. He’s under contract through the 2028-29 season, and it’s one of the worst Power 4 jobs in the country, but an opening appears likely.
Thad Matta is in the fourth year of his second stint at Butler, but he has yet to lead the Bulldogs to an NCAA tournament appearance since returning. In fact, the program hasn’t gone dancing since 2018 (although it would’ve gone in 2020). There is speculation Matta, 58, could step down, and Atlanta Hawks assistant Ronald Nored, who played at Butler under Brad Stevens, has long been linked as a potential candidate.
Wes Miller might be coaching himself off of the hot seat with the Bearcats’ recent play. They entered the week on a four-game winning streak, including Saturday’s 16-point win over Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. Another couple of wins, and Cincinnati could even find itself in the midst of the bubble conversation. The Bearcats haven’t gone to the NCAA tournament since Miller was hired in 2021, and they’ve spent real money on talented rosters the past few seasons. The former UNC Greensboro coach is owed nearly $10 million if he’s fired before April 1, but that guarantee drops to less than $5 million on April 1.
Industry sources are beginning to believe Tech is trending toward opening. The athletic director who hired Stoudamire is no longer at the school, the Yellow Jackets are currently in last place in the ACC — despite having a roster with a respectable level of talent — and Damon Stoudamire is just 42-52 in three seasons. He would reportedly be owed less than $3 million if the program moved on at the end of the season.
Athletic director Verge Ausberry raised the temperature on Matt McMahon last month, telling the Baton Rouge Advocate he’d made it clear to McMahon that the Tigers needed to make the NCAA tournament, or he would be forced to “reevaluate.” After a 12-1 start to the season, the Tigers are just 2-12 in SEC play, struggling mightily with star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. sitting out most of conference play because of a foot injury. McMahon hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament in four years since arriving at LSU, and he’s just 16-52 in the SEC during that time. He would be owed about $8 million if fired — which, along with the injury issues, could ultimately play a role in McMahon trending toward returning for another season.
Penny Hardaway appeared to have Memphis on the right track after last season’s 29-win season and 5-seed in the NCAA tournament — the Tigers’ third tourney trip in four years. But things have fallen apart this season. Hardaway had won at least 20 games in each of his previous seven seasons in charge, but the Tigers dropped to 12-15 overall after their third straight double-digit loss Sunday. He was very emotional in his postgame news conference after an earlier loss, at times fighting back tears. Whether athletic director Ed Scott wants to fire a program legend 12 months after earning a 5-seed remains to be seen — as does whether Hardaway wants to step away on his own. He signed a six-year contract extension in 2022 that runs through the 2027-28 season.
It’s only two years into Jake Diebler’s tenure in Columbus, but the Buckeyes are squarely on the cutline for the NCAA tournament. If they don’t hear their name on Selection Sunday, that will be two years without a tournament appearance for Diebler, four years for the program as a whole. The latest word out of Columbus is that he’s probably safe for another season, but that could depend on what happens over the next three weeks. The school would be on the hook for just over $3 million.
Porter Moser led the Sooners on a late-season surge last season that staved off hot seat pressure, but the program entered this week with losses in 11 of its past 13 games. A roster built via the transfer portal last offseason hasn’t clicked, and OU is now going to miss the NCAA tournament for a fourth time in five seasons. New athletic director Roger Denny, who was hired in late January, will face a critical decision within weeks of his arrival. Moser has more than $5 million left on his deal.
It has been an inconsistent eight seasons in Pittsburgh for Jeff Capel. The Panthers struggled in his first four seasons, then turned things around with 46 wins and one NCAA tournament appearance over the next two (2022-23 and 2023-24). But they took a step back last season, and are now hovering near last place in the ACC, sitting at 10-17 overall and 3-11 in league play. In 2024, Capel signed a contract extension through the 2029-30 season, and would be owed eight figures if fired.
Kim English showed considerable promise in Year 1 (2023-24), leading the Friars to 21 wins and within reach of the NCAA tournament. But he has failed to build off that first year, entering this week with a 24-35 (11-25 Big East) record over the past two seasons despite spending substantial money to build those rosters. Providence gave English a contract extension after that first season, signing him through 2029-30. He would be owed a significant amount of money if fired.
It simply hasn’t quite clicked for Red Autry since he took over for Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim in 2023. He won 20 games in Year 1, then struggled last season. After compiling an impressive on-paper roster with enough talent to compete in the ACC, Syracuse is now just 6-9 in conference play. The Orange made an attempt at bubble consideration after beating Cal and SMU earlier this month, but a pair of blowout losses to Duke and North Carolina probably ended those hopes. One variable to consider: athletic director John Wildhack recently announced he would be retiring this summer.
Probably at least a year away
In reality, Ed Cooley is arguably the safest name on this list. He’s only three years into a long-term contract that reportedly pays him nearly $6 million a season, and the Hoyas have poured plenty of resources into helping him be the coach to return them to their glory days. It hasn’t gone well thus far, with Cooley entering the week with a 15-41 record in Big East play since taking over in the District. But he’ll get at least another season to turn it around.
Hubert Davis entered the season on one of the hotter seats in college basketball, but the Tar Heels are now ranked in the top 20 and are a second-weekend threat with Caleb Wilson expected to return from a hand injury. Barring a catastrophic finish to the season, Davis isn’t at risk of losing his job. He signed a contract extension in December 2024 that keeps him in Chapel Hill through the 2029-30 season, and he would be owed around $5 million if Carolina moved on. A couple of NCAA tournament wins might also ease some of the perceived pressure from the fan base, though this season’s performance, combined with a top-10 recruiting class coming in next season, cools off his seat moving forward.
Three seasons into his tenure in South Bend, Micah Shrewsberry has yet to finish above .500 overall, or in the ACC. The 2025-26 season has been his worst showing, with the Fighting Irish entering the week just 3-11 in conference play. There’s no appetite to make an immediate move, sources told ESPN, though, and Shrewsberry is still signed through the 2029-30 season.
Mike Rhoades arrived in State College in 2023 with three NCAA tournament trips in his previous five seasons at VCU. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions haven’t come close to the tournament during his three seasons in the Big Ten. They’re last in the conference this season, with a 2-15 record. When Rhoades was hired, he signed a seven-year contract with nearly $26 million guaranteed. There’s still $15.4 million remaining on it.
Since going to back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 2021 and 2022, it has been a steady downhill turn for Steve Pikiell and the Scarlet Knights. Despite having two top-five NBA draft picks last season, Rutgers finished 15-17 overall. It entered this week 11-16 overall and 4-12 in the Big Ten. Pikiell is owed an enormous amount of money, though, with a fully guaranteed deal through the 2030-31 season and more than $20 million left on his contract.
After struggling in Year 1 in Columbia, Lamont Paris guided the Gamecocks to a 26-win season in 2023-24, earning a 6-seed in the NCAA tournament and winning SEC Coach of the Year. But the Gamecocks haven’t come close to sustaining that momentum, entering the week with a 24-35 (5-27 SEC) record over the past two seasons. But it sounds as if the school plans to increase Paris’ NIL budget, in the hope that he will turn things around next season. Paris signed a six-year, $26 million extension through 2029-30, and there’s just over $12 million remaining.
The Hokies entered the week with bubble hopes still alive, sitting at 18-10 overall (7-8 ACC) with games at North Carolina and Virginia remaining that could boost their tournament résumé. Regardless of those results, it appears Mike Young is safe for another season — after which his last contract extension ends. Tech has missed the past three NCAA tournaments after making back-to-back appearances in 2021 and 2022.
The latest intel out of Winston-Salem points to Steve Forbes returning to the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest is poised to miss the NCAA tournament for a sixth straight season, entering the week with a 14-13 overall record (5-9 ACC) — despite the fact that Forbes has won at least 19 games in four of his six seasons. Forbes, who signed a long-term extension in 2022 on a contract that had already run through 2026, also has a strong relationship with athletic director John Currie.
It’s only Year 2 for Danny Sprinkle with the Huskies, but things are already starting to heat up in Seattle. The program has spent significant money on Sprinkle’s rosters, but is just 26-32 overall in those two seasons, including 9-27 in Big Ten play. When Sprinkle was hired in March 2024, he’d signed a six-year, $22.1 million contract.
Others to watch: UAlbany, Ball State, The Citadel, East Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Florida International, Florida Gulf Coast, Cal State Fullerton, Gardner-Webb, Georgia State, Holy Cross, Little Rock, Niagara, Northern Illinois, Rider, Sacred Heart, Southern Indiana, Tennessee Tech, UNC Greensboro, UTEP, Weber State, Western Michigan
Potential retirements to monitor
The obvious place to start is Creighton’s Greg McDermott, who hired Alan Huss last season from High Point to be his associate head coach and coach-in-waiting. There has been no definitive timeline given by McDermott, although the change could happen as soon as after this season.
While speculation has surrounded Colorado’s Tad Boyle and Oregon’s Dana Altman seemingly every season, both are likely to be back in their positions for the 2026-27 campaign, sources told ESPN. The Buffaloes have struggled since moving to the Big 12, sitting at 29-33 (8-26 Big 12) in two seasons, but there have been no significant retirement discussions at Colorado, as the conversations have been focused on retaining the Buffaloes’ young core for next season. Altman is in the midst of his worst season since going 7-19 at Creighton in 1994-95, with the Ducks currently 10-17 (3-13 Big Ten). Before this season, he had won at least 20 games in 15 straight seasons and went to the past two NCAA tournaments. But after a season beset by injuries, there’s no expectation for any change or a retirement. Oregon also remains fully committed to the longtime head coach.
In the elite coaches tier, there’s annual speculation about Tennessee’s Rick Barnes, Gonzaga‘s Mark Few, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, Kansas’ Bill Self and Michigan State‘s Tom Izzo — but all five programs are ranked in the top 20 and none of the coaches seem overly eager to step away. It wouldn’t be a shock if one of them did, but it’s impossible to predict at this point.
Dayton’s Anthony Grant is also rumored to be mulling a potential retirement. The Flyers entered the week tied for third in the Atlantic 10, but they have gone to only one NCAA tournament since he took over in 2017. It should be noted that the Flyers were tracking for a 1-seed in 2020 before the NCAA tournament was canceled. Grant was also recently named the head coach of the USA Basketball men’s U18 national team for this summer; does that make him more likely to stay?
High-profile candidates to keep an eye on
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State
Otzelberger has established himself as one of the elite coaches in college basketball, and he signed a new contract in December 2024 with a restructured buyout that makes him potentially attainable. If Ohio State were to open, there’s reason to believe the Buckeyes would look to gauge Otzelberger’s interest. That said, he’s happy in Ames, with no signs of him itching to leave, and he has a great relationship with Cyclones athletic director Jamie Pollard.
Chris Jans, Mississippi State
After going to the NCAA tournament in each of his first three seasons in Starkville, Jans and the Bulldogs are limping toward a sub-.500 finish this season. Mississippi State is considered one of the worst jobs in the SEC, so it’s conceivable he could look to jump to another high-major program with the right fit.
Will Wade, NC State
Wade has quickly turned around NC State in Year 1, as promised, with the Wolfpack trending toward wearing home jerseys in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But there is growing speculation that LSU would be potentially interested in a reunion, should the Tigers move on from Matt McMahon. Whether Wade would leave NC State after one season is a different story. He previously led LSU to three NCAA tournaments and an SEC title before being fired in 2022 following an NCAA investigation.
Porter Moser, Oklahoma
It’s true, we had Moser on the hot seat earlier, but he also has a big enough name and résumé to land on his feet at a reasonably strong job — whether it’s by leaving on his own or being let go. He has a Final Four and Sweet 16 on his ledger from his time at Loyola Chicago.
Chris Beard, Ole Miss
Beard is in the same category as Jans: a coach who could look to bounce to a job with a bigger budget if something becomes available. The Rebels are struggling mightily this season, sitting only one game out of last place in the SEC at 3-11 (11-16 overall). But Beard did lead Ole Miss to the Sweet 16 last season.
Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s
Bennett has never shown interest in leaving Saint Mary’s, despite taking the Gaels to 11 NCAA tournament appearances since arriving in Moraga in 2001. But with Arizona State potentially opening, could Bennett — an Arizona native — find that it’s time to make the jump, especially with Gonzaga leaving the WCC?
Shaheen Holloway, Seton Hall
Holloway has guided the Pirates to one of the biggest single-season improvements in the country in 2025-26, going from 7-25 last season to 19-9 entering the week. They’re still trending toward missing the NCAA tournament, but they were picked last in the Big East and their NIL pales in comparison to that of the rest of the conference. Seton Hall hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament under Holloway but did win the NIT in 2024.
Mark Byington, Vanderbilt
There’s no sign Byington has interest in leaving Vanderbilt, but of the coaches at the top 20 schools, he is one of the few who could still potentially make a jump up. He has done one of the best jobs in the country this season, guiding the Commodores to a 16-0 start and a second straight NCAA tournament appearance. But Vanderbilt also checks a lot of boxes for Byington, and there doesn’t appear to be anything in line to open that would be a clear step up. There’s also a sizable buyout to get him out of Nashville.
Richard Pitino, Xavier
Rumors connecting Pitino to Providence have been circulating for several weeks, although it’s difficult to see the partnership coming to fruition. His buyout at Xavier is well into eight figures, and Providence would already have to pay close to $10 million to fire Kim English. With a much lower buyout figure? Perhaps it’s possible. But paying the largest buyout on record to lure a coach in the same league — who entered the week with the same 5-11 Big East record as the potential outgoing coach — doesn’t seem viable.
Kevin Keatts
Keatts was fired by NC State last season, just one year after leading the Wolfpack to the Final Four. He could get back into the sport after only one season out, as his résumé is better than those of other potential candidates this cycle. In addition to the Final Four, Keatts has made five NCAA tournament appearances and won two CAA titles at UNC Wilmington.
Who’s ready to make the jump?
Josh Schertz, Saint Louis
After being one of the hottest names on the coaching carousel only two years ago at Indiana State, Schertz is again the crown jewel of the coaching cycle. He has Saint Louis at 25-2 entering the week, ranked inside the top 25 nationally and on track for a single-digit seed on Selection Sunday. The only thing missing from his résumé is an NCAA tournament appearance — something that will change this season. It’s worth noting Schertz isn’t eager to jump at just any high-major job; he can afford to be selective, or even wait until next year.
Jerrod Calhoun, Utah State
The latest to come off the Utah State high-major coach assembly line, Calhoun has the Aggies atop the Mountain West one year after leading them to the NCAA tournament in his first season in Logan. He’s likely to be high on the list of candidates for any Midwest job, given his Ohio roots. He also has high-major experience from his time as an assistant coach at West Virginia. Calhoun’s new contract, which he signed last March, does include a buyout of more than $3 million.
Casey Alexander, Belmont
Alexander has done a tremendous job this season, taking a Belmont team picked fifth in the Missouri Valley to an outright regular-season title. The Bruins have yet to go to an NCAA tournament since hiring Alexander from Lipscomb in 2019 (though they did win the Ohio Valley tournament in 2020), but will be the favorites to cut down the nets at Arch Madness this season. Alexander has won at least 20 games in each of his past 10 seasons as head coach.
Travis Steele, Miami (Ohio)
Steele is at the helm of the last unbeaten team in men’s college basketball. The topic of a new contract has also already been publicly discussed, with Steele acknowledging over the weekend that the school has offered him a contract extension — and that he has yet to sign it. He has the RedHawks on track for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007, and also won 25 games last season. He failed to make the NCAA tournament during his four seasons at Xavier in 2019-22 but could soon get a second chance at the high-major level.
Eric Olen, New Mexico
Olen is in his first season at New Mexico, with the Lobos right on the cutline for the NCAA tournament despite being picked fifth in the preseason Mountain West poll. Last season, he led UC San Diego to 30 wins and an NCAA tournament appearance, and was a consistent winner with the Toreros when they were still in Division II.
Bryan Hodgson, South Florida
Hodgson, a former Alabama assistant coach under Nate Oats, has now shown the ability to quickly turn around programs at two different schools. He won 45 games in two seasons at Arkansas State, including a share of the Sun Belt regular-season title last year, and now has South Florida atop the American in Year 1.
Takayo Siddle, UNC Wilmington
Since a 7-10 record in Wilmington during the COVID-19 2020-21 campaign, Siddle has become one of the most consistently successful mid-major coaches in the country. He has won at least 21 games in each of the past five seasons, leading the Seahawks to the 2022 CAA regular-season title and a 2025 NCAA tournament appearance. This season, UNCW sits in first place in the CAA, and it could be the right time for Siddle to make a jump.
Joe Gallo, Merrimack
Gallo and the Warriors won the outright MAAC regular-season championship, with room to spare, this season, holding a four-game lead with two games to go. It’s Gallo’s fourth regular-season title in seven years at the Division I level, and he has done it in two different conferences. Over the past four seasons — two in the NEC and two in the MAAC — Gallo is 55-15 in conference play. Merrimack also won the NEC tournament in 2023, but was then ineligible for the NCAA tournament. Expect Gallo to be involved in the conversation for bigger jobs in the Northeast.
Tony Skinn, George Mason
A couple of weeks ago, Skinn might have been higher up on this list, alongside Schertz and Calhoun. But the Patriots have fallen apart down the stretch and currently sit third in the Atlantic 10. He did lead Mason to a share of the conference regular-season title last season and has won 68 games in three seasons as a head coach, but he has yet to get to the NCAA tournament. He also has high-major experience from his time as an assistant at Maryland, Ohio State and Seton Hall.
John Groce, Akron
Groce has been one of the most consistent mid-major coaches in the country over the last handful of years, going to three NCAA tournaments in four years and winning the MAC regular-season title last year. The Zips are currently 13-1 in league play, their lone loss coming by three points at unbeaten Miami (Ohio). Groce spent five seasons as Illinois’ head coach from 2012 to 2017, winning 20 games three times but taking the Illini to only one NCAA tournament. With the Midwest seeming like the epicenter of this year’s carousel, he could find himself in the mix for a spot.
Others to watch: Dustin Kerns, App State; Chris Mack, Charleston; Matt Langel, Colgate; Brooks Savage, East Tennessee State; Bob Richey, Furman; Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon; Rob Senderoff, Kent State; Ritchie McKay, Liberty; Rod Strickland, Long Island University; Robert Jones, Norfolk State; Bob Richman, North Dakota State; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; Andy Toole, Robert Morris; Bashir Mason, Saint Peter’s; Chris Mudge, Sam Houston; Herb Sendek, Santa Clara; Richie Riley, South Alabama; Brad Korn, Southeast Missouri State; Matt Braeuer, Stephen F. Austin; Scott Cross, Troy; Eric Konkol, Tulsa; Andy Kennedy, UAB; Russell Turner, UC Irvine; James Jones, Yale
ESPN’s Pete Thamel contributed to this report.
For the third consecutive year, the Miami Dolphins ranked first in the NFL Players Association annual report cards, according to survey results obtained by ESPN. The Minnesota Vikings finished second, followed by the Washington Commanders in third.
“Players consistently describe the organization as ‘the best in the NFL,'” the NFLPA survey wrote about the Dolphins.
The Pittsburgh Steelers finished last for the first time in the four-year history of the union’s survey. Last year, the Steelers ranked 28th. The Arizona Cardinals finished 31st in the 2026 survey, after a last-place finish in 2025, and the Cleveland Browns finished in 30th, the same as in 2025.
The NFLPA is not making the report cards public this year after a grievance filed by the NFL, which said the survey violated the collective bargaining agreement. Earlier this month, an arbitrator agreed with the league, saying the report cards violated the CBA by “disparaging NFL clubs and individuals.” The NFLPA said it would continue to collect responses for report cards even if it can’t publish them.
A spokesperson for the NFLPA declined to comment.
An NFL spokesperson also declined to comment, saying that, as in previous years, the league had no knowledge of the survey. The league sent a memo to all teams later Thursday, saying that, as the arbitration hearing showed, the survey results are “neither reliable nor scientifically valid.”
“… We continue to recommend that clubs prioritize feedback and information provided directly by their own players rather than relying on the NFLPA’s agenda-driven exercise,” the league said in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN. “We further recommend that Clubs refrain from commenting or engaging publicly on the alleged survey and Report Card results.”
The report cards grade franchises from A-plus to F-minus on everything from ownership to treatment of families. Per the survey results obtained by ESPN, this year’s report cards are based on responses from 1,759 players. All players who were on a 2025 roster at the time of the survey were eligible to participate, and it was conducted from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11.
The Steelers received low grades in several categories, according to the results obtained by ESPN.
“[Steelers owner] Art Rooney ranks last in the league for willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers’ poor facility ratings across the board,” according to the survey.
In a new category added this year, the Steelers had the lowest-rated home field in the league “by a wide margin.”
“Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games,” according to the survey. “Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard.”
The Steelers’ locker room was graded an F. Players reported that it “has only five bathroom stalls for the entire team.”
Per the survey, players report that the Steelers’ training room lacks updated recovery technology and “modalities.” Pittsburgh’s strength coaches ranked last in the NFL, though the training staff ranked first.
“We are not going to comment on a report that we have not seen in its entirety,” Steelers senior director of communications Burt Lauten told ESPN.
A spokesperson for the Cardinals declined to comment.
Miami ranked fourth in home field because of the natural grass at Hard Rock Stadium, “with players highlighting their preference for quality grass fields like this one,” the survey said.
Former Miami coach Mike McDaniel’s grade dropped from an A-plus to a B. “Players identify scheduling, communication, and leadership as key areas for head coaching improvement, presenting an opportunity for [new head coach Jeff] Hafley next season,” the survey said.
Last year, 1,695 players leaguewide responded to the survey. The Vikings and Dolphins earned the highest marks for workplace environment, with owners Zygi Wilf of the Vikings, Stephen Ross of the Dolphins and Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons receiving A-plus grades.
Before filing its grievance in November, the NFL had twice asked the union to suspend the survey, once in 2024 and a second time in June of this year — and the NFLPA declined.
At the NFL league meeting in March 2025, New York Jets chairman Woody Johnson — who along with Art Rooney of the Steelers, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Michael Bidwill of the Cardinals and David Tepper of the Carolina Panthers received ownership grades of D or worse in 2025 — called the survey “totally bogus” and hinted that it violated the CBA.
Johnson said he took issue with “how they collected the information [and] who they collected it from. [It] was supposed to be, according to the agreement we have with the league. It’s supposed to be a process [where] we have representatives, and they have representatives, so we know that it’s an honest survey.
“And that was violated, in my opinion. I’m going to leave it at that, but I think there are a lot of owners that looked at that survey and said this is not fair, it’s not balanced, it’s not every player, it’s not even representative of the players.”
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Brady Tkachuk is back with his Ottawa Senators, and he stood his ground when faced with a question about the viral moment when Team USA laughed at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s ice hockey team during a phone call after both teams won gold medals in Milan.
As players like Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman admitted, players “should have reacted differently.”
Tkachuk responded to a reporter’s question about the moment Trump said he would “have” to invite the women’s team, which also defeated Canada in the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union or else he “probably would be impeached.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Tkachuk said when a reporter asked if he understood that the women’s team felt displeased with the men’s team’s reaction. “I have no other comments other than for the things we can control. We supported them. They supported us. Can’t control what other people say.”
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Brady Tkachuk (7) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States celebrate after their game against Team Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 22, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Tkachuk added it was “fun” being around the women’s team while in Milan.
“It was fun seeing them play, fun to see the excellence they brought every single game and how they’re, by far, the best team in that tournament,” he said. “It was just fun seeing them after picking their brains. They were picking our brains, and it was just fun being around them.”
Tkachuk was asked a follow-up question about why he would laugh at Trump’s joke. Again, he stood his ground.
“It was a whirlwind of a moment. You can’t really control what somebody says, and I guess it caught [us] off guard a little bit,” he said. “I mean, when you’re talking to the president 10 minutes after you just achieved your dream, it’s just the fact that you’re talking to him,
“You can’t really believe where your life is at where you’re talking to the president of the United States after you just won a gold medal.”
Tkachuk was with his U.S. teammates at Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, and the chamber gave the team a standing ovation as players showcased their Olympic gold medals
The women’s team declined an invitation to Washington, D.C., citing “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.” Trump said at the State of the Union address that the women’s team will visit the White House “soon.”
Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal during the men’s gold medal match against Canada at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
USA Hockey responded to Trump’s suggestion that the team would be going to the White House.
“Players are back competing with their professional and collegiate teams and are in the midst of their season,” a USA Hockey spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “They’re honored and grateful to be invited, and any opportunity to visit the White House as a team will be based on their schedules once their seasons conclude.”
While there’s been a divide on social media about the moment, Ellen Hughes, the mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes, who played a role in Team USA’s fate in Milan as a player development staff member with the women’s team, did not seem bothered by Trump’s comments.
“These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” she told “Today.” “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.
Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators during warmups before a game against the Nashville Predators Oct. 13, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (André Ringuette/NHLI)
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“If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women — that’s what it’s all about,” she added.
“And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity, and they care about the country.”
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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