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Here's how many Canadians are on Italy's Olympic hockey roster

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Feb 11 2026, 10:39 pm
Here's how many Canadians are on Italy's Olympic hockey roster
David W Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images

Canadians tuning into men’s hockey at the Olympics may recognize a few more names on Italy’s roster than expected.

Italy, the host team of Milano Cortina 2026, was viewed as a massive underdog heading into this tournament. After all, they do not have a single player on their roster who has played a single game in the NHL.

What they do have, however, are a number of international players who are able to play on their roster thanks to having dual citizenship. Two players on Italy’s roster are American-born, while one hails from Sweden.

They also happen to have eight Canadians, who played a big part in their near upset in their tournament debut versus Sweden on Monday. Here is a look at those eight Canadians.

Alex Petan

  • Born: Vancouver, B.C.
  • Current team: Ljubljana Olimpija HK
  • 2025-26 stats: 42 GP, 7 G, 23 A, 30 PTS

Hockey fans in Canada may not recognize the name Alex Petan, but they have likely heard of his younger brother, Nic. Nic logged a total of 170 games at the NHL level before heading overseas after the 2023-24 season.

Alex, meanwhile, spent three seasons playing in the BCHL before heading to Michigan Tech. After four years of college, he spent a brief time in the AHL and ECHL before continuing his playing career in Europe.

Matt Bradley

  • Born: Vancouver, B.C.
  • Current team: Bolzano HC
  • 2025-26 stats: 41 GP, 12 G, 27 A, 39 PTS

Matt Bradley is one of the few players on Italy’s roster to have been drafted into the NHL. The 29-year-old was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft by the Montreal Canadiens, and after four seasons in the WHL, spent the majority of his first four pro seasons in the ECHL.

Bradley has since continued his career overseas, currently playing for Bolzano HC in Austria. The Vancouver native spent most of his WHL career with the Medicine Hat Tigers, but also played one lone season with the Regina Pats.

Jason Seed

  • Born: Ottawa, Ont.
  • Current team: Bolzano HC
  • 2025-26 stats: 40 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 8 PTS

Jason Seed, now 34, spent four seasons playing in the QMJHL. Two of those seasons saw him and his Saint John Sea Dogs teammates capture league titles. He was teammates with now Calgary Flame Jonathan Huberdeau on both of those championship teams.

After finishing his junior hockey career, Seed spent four seasons playing with Carleton University before heading overseas, where he has remained.

Phil Pietroniro

  • Born: St. Eustache, Que.
  • Current team: Kladno Knights
  • 2025-26 stats: 43 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 PTS

Phil Pietroniro is a very undersized defenceman, standing at just 5-foot-9. Make no mistake, however, the now 31-year-old has a very high skill set. He spent three seasons playing in the QMJHL, which included a league championship with Val d’Or Foreurs in 2014.

Pietroniro spent two seasons in the ECHL after his junior hockey career before heading over to Europe. He’s played the last two seasons with the Kladno Knights, a team that has one of the game’s all-time greats in Jaromir Jagr.

Cristiano DiGiacinto

  • Born: Hamilton, Ont.
  • Current team: Bolzano HC
  • 2025-26 stats: 41 GP, 8 G, 11 A, 19 PTS

Another drafted player on Italy’s roster who was also born in Canada is Cristiano DiGiacinto. The 30-year-old winger was selected in the sixth round of the 2014 draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

DiGiacinto spent four seasons playing for the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL, and also spent a considerable amount of time toiling in both the ECHL and AHL. He chose to head to Austria late in the 2023-24 season and has remained there since.

Daniel Mantenuto

  • Born: Thornhill, Ont.
  • Current team: Bolzano HC
  • 2025-26 stats: 43 GP, 6 G, 9 A, 15 PTS

If you’ve noticed, a lot of Canadians suiting up for Italy are members of the same team this season. Yet another member of Italy’s roster who plays for Bolzano HC is Daniel Mantenuto, who played his junior hockey with the Aurora Tigers in the OJHL.

Mantenuto spent four seasons playing for Robert Morris University following his junior hockey career, and has spent the past four years playing in Austria.

Dylan Di Perna

  • Born: Mississauga, Ont.
  • Current team: Bolzano HC
  • 2025-26 stats: 27 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS

Yet again, another member of Bolzano HC. Dylan Di Perna, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound defenceman, spent five seasons playing junior hockey in the OHL, during which time he suited up for the Kingston Frontenacs and Kitchener Rangers.

Di Perna played three seasons with St. Mary’s University following his junior career, and has been playing in Austria since the 2020-21 campaign.

Gregory DiTomaso

  • Born: Toronto, Ont.
  • Current team: Val Pusteria Wolves
  • 2025-26 stats: 43 GP, 8 G, 18 A, 26 PTS

The eighth and final Canadian suiting up for Italy is defenceman Gregory DiTomaso. The Toronto native suited up for three OHL teams during his junior hockey career in the Mississauga Steelheads, Saginaw Spirit, and Barrie Colts.

Following the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, DiTomaso spent four years with Ryerson University before making the decision to go pro. He, like many others in this list, is also playing in Austria this season.

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