I’ve encountered countless fans like Merlin in Milan.
On Wednesday, I was walking near the Duomo, the huge iconic cathedral in the heart of the city, when I saw three guys in NHL jerseys. One wore a San Jose Sharks jersey. Another wore a Colorado Avalanche specialty jersey honoring their roots as the Quebec Nordiques. Another wore a Minnesota Wild third jersey.
“Where you guys from?” I asked.
“Germany,” they said.
Of course, they loved German stars like Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl and Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle. But they told me it was a dream for them to see the best players from Canada and the United States too.
On Sunday, I went back to the Duomo. The piazza was packed with people on a warm, sunny day. The bright colors of hockey jerseys popped everywhere I looked. There were many national team jerseys, and there were many NHL jerseys too. Detroit Red Wings. New York Rangers. Toronto Maple Leafs.
It was the same as I walked Via Dante to Castello Sforzesco, a medieval fortification that is now a tourist attraction.
Chris and Michele Granger from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, represented the two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. They had gone to the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic in Miami on Jan. 2. Now they were at the Olympics, where Florida has 10 players, more than any other NHL team.