Leon Draisaitl is one of six Germans born in October, the most among Olympians this year.
photo: Andrea Cardin/IIHF
Of the 300 players registered to play for the 12 teams in the men’s competition in Milan, a whopping 41 (13.67 per cent) were born in May. The average should be 25 (i.e., 300 players divided by 12 months).
This is one of many fascinating facts gleaned by looking at birth months of all men at the 2026 Olympics.
Canada and Slovakia, for instance, are the only countries that have at least one player born in every month of the year on their roster. In Canada’s case, seven months have only one player each and, going against prevailing wisdom, their biggest months are May (think Mitch Marner) and August (think Sidney Crosby), with five players born in these months.
Slovakia also has five born in May (including Samuel Hlavaj), as does Italy (Luca Frigo), the only month to have three nations with five players born in any month.
Germany, meanwhile, has six players born in October, including Leon Draisaitl, the most of any month for any country.
Italy and Latvia have players born in only nine months. Latvia’s greatest wealth is in April (Elvis Merzlikins) and December (Kristians Rubins), with five in each, while Italy has five in January and May.
While May accounts for 41 players, “lowly” June, September, and November have only 18 each, well below that average of 25. But if you look at the calendar by quarter, April to June is the most successful at providing Olympians, with 81 players born in this quarter. Second is January to March, with 79, followed closely by October to December, 74, and July to September with only 66.
After May’s 41 comes January and October, with 32 players (10.67 per cent), and July, with 29 (9.67 per cent). Additionally, March, May, and August are the only months in which all teams have a player born. There are four months which are represented only nine times out of 12—February, June, November, and December.
The summer months, the middle four months of the calendar, are especially fruitful for Canada, when 13 of their players were brought into the world. The Swiss have eleven and the Germans ten. The last four months of the calendar are particularly favoured by the Americans, from which 12 of their roster were born (including Auston Matthews, September).
The first four months, often considered the most populous, has given the U.S. a scant four players. But those first four months have been especially kind to Italy, which has 13 players from that cohort, ahead of Denmark, with 12 (Frederik Storm, February).
Sweden has the most balanced representation. They have at least two players born in ten months, never more than three in any one month, and only one born in August (Filip Forsberg). Meanwhile, 18 of Switzerland’s 25 players were born in the first half of the year (but arguably their best player, Nino Niederreiter, was a September baby).
There you have it. In summary, if you were born in May, you seem to have the best chance of playing in the Olympics. But, remember, you first have to become a pretty good hockey player!
This is one of many fascinating facts gleaned by looking at birth months of all men at the 2026 Olympics.
Canada and Slovakia, for instance, are the only countries that have at least one player born in every month of the year on their roster. In Canada’s case, seven months have only one player each and, going against prevailing wisdom, their biggest months are May (think Mitch Marner) and August (think Sidney Crosby), with five players born in these months.
Slovakia also has five born in May (including Samuel Hlavaj), as does Italy (Luca Frigo), the only month to have three nations with five players born in any month.
Germany, meanwhile, has six players born in October, including Leon Draisaitl, the most of any month for any country.
Italy and Latvia have players born in only nine months. Latvia’s greatest wealth is in April (Elvis Merzlikins) and December (Kristians Rubins), with five in each, while Italy has five in January and May.
While May accounts for 41 players, “lowly” June, September, and November have only 18 each, well below that average of 25. But if you look at the calendar by quarter, April to June is the most successful at providing Olympians, with 81 players born in this quarter. Second is January to March, with 79, followed closely by October to December, 74, and July to September with only 66.
After May’s 41 comes January and October, with 32 players (10.67 per cent), and July, with 29 (9.67 per cent). Additionally, March, May, and August are the only months in which all teams have a player born. There are four months which are represented only nine times out of 12—February, June, November, and December.
The summer months, the middle four months of the calendar, are especially fruitful for Canada, when 13 of their players were brought into the world. The Swiss have eleven and the Germans ten. The last four months of the calendar are particularly favoured by the Americans, from which 12 of their roster were born (including Auston Matthews, September).
The first four months, often considered the most populous, has given the U.S. a scant four players. But those first four months have been especially kind to Italy, which has 13 players from that cohort, ahead of Denmark, with 12 (Frederik Storm, February).
Sweden has the most balanced representation. They have at least two players born in ten months, never more than three in any one month, and only one born in August (Filip Forsberg). Meanwhile, 18 of Switzerland’s 25 players were born in the first half of the year (but arguably their best player, Nino Niederreiter, was a September baby).
There you have it. In summary, if you were born in May, you seem to have the best chance of playing in the Olympics. But, remember, you first have to become a pretty good hockey player!