Veteran forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was among the first six players named to France's roster for the 2026 Olympics last month and will captain the team at the Milano Cortina games.

Bellemare, who now plays in the Swiss National League, has helped France return to the Olympic stage for the first time Salt Lake City 2002 will now be able to add Olympian to his resumé.

“I don’t think I expected me to be able to end up in the Olympics, to be honest,” Bellemare told NHL.com in a feature published Monday. “As I’m saying that, I realize actually how really shocked I am.”

Bellemare posted 10 goals and 28 points in 34 games with HC Ajoie in Switzerland last season after spending the the previous 10 years in the NHL. 

The 40-year-old winger had 64 goals and 132 points over 700 career NHL games. He's represented France 12 times at the World Hockey Championships and played in the qualifiers six times.

St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier was lone active NHL player among the first six named to Team France for the 2026 Games. Bellemare is attempting to keep expectations in check with France having to face Canada, Czechia and Switzerland in Group A in February. All 12 teams in the tournament will advance from the group stage into the knockout rounds. 

“This is the thing that’s a little bit daunting at times," Bellemare said, "because our country has no knowledge of our sport and so when (French fans) see a national team they straight compare it to the soccer national team. The Olympics for them is, ‘Oh, wow, can’t wait to see France try to get a gold.’ And you’re, like, ‘Buddy, it doesn’t that doesn’t work like that for us.’

“The goal is to try to win as many games as possible but knowing that we’re going to play nations that are on top of the world and you’re not going to come and do run-and-gun with those nations. It’s going to have to be an ugly game where you kind of show the dog in the French national team. We’ve done it in the past against some of those teams to just literally defend with five men and then when you have a chance to burst it, burst it.”

Yohann Auvitu, Jules Boscq, Hugo Gallet and Jordann Perret have also been named to Team France for the 2026 Olympics.