Stock Up, Stock Down on 5 NHL Players at the Olympics

We're three games deep into the men's hockey Olympic tournament, and we're already getting clear on a few main questions.

Team Canada's offensive firepower looks unstoppable, with a center depth chart of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Sidney Crosby.

Team USA's defense seems sturdy, with Connor Hellebuyck looking like the goalie Mike Sullivan and Co. are riding with after a tough performance from Jeremy Swayman.

Before we get to the big knockout games, which individual players are performing well and which are falling behind? Here are five NHL players at the Olympics who are playing significantly better or worse than expected.

Stock Up: Zach Werenski, USA

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It's not that Zach Werenski's stock has ever been down: He's been in the "best defenseman" conversation for years, and he was a runner-up for the Norris Trophy in 2024-25 behind Cale Makar.

It's just that Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes have dominated the conversation so much that we haven't appreciated Werenski's game enough.

Makar is on a Cup-winning juggernaut, and Hughes was on a hockey hotbed in Vancouver. Both players have elevated the role of defense and the idea of a defenseman as a scoring threat.

But Werenski has been doing the same thing in Columbus since he entered the league in 2016-17, and it's great to see him thriving at these Games.

He had a crucial, entry-zone assist in Team USA's first game of the Olympics, and opened the scoring with a goal of his own against Germany. In an unpredictable competition, he's steadied things on defense and held a plus-4 rating so far.

Stock Down: J.T. Miller, USA

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Criticism of J.T. Miller is more a criticism of Team USA management, right?

He's had a bad season with the Rangers, far worse than some other options on this roster have had.

Nevertheless, GM Bill Guerin and Company went with Miller, and it only took one period of gameplay for the guy to be the reason two Team USA goals were overturned. He's been invisible otherwise, with no goals or assists, and a minus-one rating over three games.

Sure, the chippiness he's supposed to provide will theoretically become more useful against an opponent like Canada, so maybe we'll understand the decision to bring him to Milan then. But so far, he's not proving the critics wrong.

Stock Up: Macklin Celebrini, Canada

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In his first Olympic appearance at 19, Macklin Celebrini is already veering toward legend status.

He became the first NHL player to score on a penalty shot in Olympic history during Canada's 10-2 win over France, which is fun for trivia. But he's also already broken the record for goals by a teenager at an NHL-era Olympics with four goals and two assists in just three games.

It helps to be on Connor McDavid's wing and to be on one of the best power play units ever assembled, but earning the trust to be in this position was a gigantic task. He's exceeding even our highest expectations for him during a fantastic sophomore season, and this Olympic performance adds to an incredible year.

It also makes you wonder what Celebrini will look like in the NHL with a few more offensive weapons to play with.

Stock Down: Jeremy Swayman, USA

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We all have our rough games, and goaltenders, especially, have goals against they'd love to have back.

Jeremy Swayman had one of those rough games when he got the nod in net for Team USA against Denmark.

The U.S. was as heavy a favorite as it gets, and a red-line clunker by the Boston Bruins netminder gave the Danes a 2-1 lead.

Apparently, the boards were darker than usual, and depth perception has been off in Milan due to the rink's unusual proportions. Plus, if we're talking about a player's stock, Swayman is having the kind of NHL season that gives his team a chance to make the playoffs.

However, the heartbreak of the Olympics is how momentous and unforgiving they are.

So, after that whiff and another slightly weak goal allowed, Swayman is done.

Stock Up: Juraj Slafkovský, Slovakia

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We might bemoan the concept of experience in Olympic play, but how about Juraj Slafkovský as a case study?

The up-and-coming winger, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Montreal Canadiens, led Slovakia to a bronze medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where he was named MVP of the men's hockey tournament with a tourney-best seven goals.

He's picked up right where he left off in 2026, with six points (three goals, three assists) in three games for Slovakia. He became the fourth player to score 10 goals at the Olympics before the age of 22.

These Winter Games have been something of a catharsis for several recent top draft picks, and the best is yet to come for Slafkovský with the Habs.