Italy has competed in nine Olympic Winter Games for men’s ice hockey, with its best finish being seventh place at the 1956 Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The team’s most recent appearance was at the 2006 Games in Torino, and they are scheduled to compete in their 10th tournament as hosts of the 2026 Milano Cortina Games. The women’s team has played in only one Olympics, in 2006.
An “unknown fact” is that the team once suffered its biggest ever Olympic defeat, losing to the United States31−1 in 1948, and has never won an Olympic medal in the sport.
Italy’s ice hockey team at the Olympics Games.
Here’s a summary of Italy’s history and key statistics in Olympic men’s ice hockey:
| Statistics | Value |
|---|---|
| First Participation | 1936 Winter Olympics |
| Total Participations | 9 |
| Most Recent | 2006 Winter Olympics (Torino) |
| Best Finish | 7th place (1956 Winter Olympics) |
| Lowest Finish | 15th place (1964 Winter Olympics) |
| Most Tournaments Played (Player) | Lucio Topatigh (4 tournaments) |
| Most Games Played (Player) | Lucio Topatigh (23 games) |
| Most Goals (Player) | Bruno Zarrillo (10 goals) |
| Most Points (Player) | Bruno Zarrillo (15 points) |
Italy, as the host nation for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, automatically qualifies for the men’s ice hockey tournament.
While the full roster for the tournament has not yet been named, Italy has announced an initial set of six players for their preliminary roster:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Goaltender | Damian Clara |
| Defenseman | Thomas Larkin |
| Defenseman | Luca Zanatta |
| Forward | Diego Kostner |
| Forward | Tommy Purdeller |
| Forward | Daniel Mantenuto |
Damian Clara, an Anaheim Ducks prospect, made history as the highest Italian-born goalie ever selected in the NHL Draft. Thomas Larkin currently plays in the DEL (German Ice Hockey League), and Luca Zanatta, Diego Kostner, Tommy Purdeller, and Daniel Mantenuto are currently playing in European leagues. Head coach Jukka Jalonen is reportedly focused on selecting players who have represented Italy in the past, rather than primarily pursuing North American players of Italian descent.
