Italy Skips NHL Stars, Imports Other Foreign Talent

Italy, hosting the Milano Cortina Olympics, opts out of the NHL player pool that every other nation is raiding for their rosters. They bring in foreign hockey help from elsewhere to bolster a squad facing Group B giants like Finland and Sweden. With the tournament already underway and NHL stars lighting up the ice everywhere else, Italy's strategy raises eyebrows among scouts who've seen hosts lean on imports before.