Dalibor Dvorsky and the rest of Team Slovakia lost in the Bronze Medal game of the 2026 Winter Olympics in a decisive 6-1 decision at the hands of Team Finland. The Slovaks were always going to be underdogs in this game, as the NHL talent discrepancy between the two rosters was stark, but making it to a medal game given the level of competition in Milan is still quite a feat. The Slovaks had a good run, even if the conclusion was disappointing.
For St. Louis Blues rookie Dvorsky, it was a breakout performance. He was one of Slovakia's top centers and finished second in team scoring with six points, two behind Juraj Slafkovsky's team-leading eight. Dvorsky's three goals and three assists set an Olympic record as well, for the most points by an NHL rookie in their Olympic debut, besting the greatest goal scorer of all time, Alex Ovechkin. Despite missing out on an Olympic medal, Dvorsky should be proud of how he played in Milan, and will hopefully carry that confidence back to North America with him to finish out the season with the Blues.
Dvorsky's already having a solid rookie campaign in St. Louis, and his Olympic performance gives him a case for being the Blues' top-line center when the regular season starts up again. A lot of that will hinge on the injury status of Robert Thomas, but Dvorsky's established himself as the clear heir to Thomas if Thomas does get traded (he is on a few trade boards, after all).
Regardless of the Olympic outcome for Dvorsky, Blues fans should be excited that their 20-year old rookie showed so well on an international stage. That can only mean good things for the future of the St. Louis Blues, no matter what role he ultimately ends up playing