P.K. Subban is full of praise for Team USA men's hockey after it defeated Canada to win the gold medal. (2:07) The NHL paused its season on Feb. 6 to allow its players to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Some of them return as newly minted gold medalists. Some return as bitter runners-up. Many will return worn down from an epic best-on-best tournament -- a few return having been injured during those intense games. Around 143 players saw action in the Olympic men's hockey tournament. Of course, that means most NHL players didn't participate, getting a multiweek break from the action before the games resume on Wednesday. That includes all the Russian-born stars who would have played in the Olympics were it not for their country being banned from competing by the IOC and IIHF.…