MILAN – Standing 6-foot-6, Italy's starting goaltender for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games takes up more than just the crease.
For Ducks prospect Damian Clara, the net has become a proving ground, not only for his future in the NHL, but for a hockey nation fighting for global relevance.
Born in Brunico, Italy, the 21-year-old is the youngest goaltender on the Italian national team and the first Italian player ever drafted into the NHL. At 18 years old, Anaheim selected the Italian goaltender 60th overall in the 2023 draft, signifying a milestone moment for both Clara and Italian hockey.
"Being a hockey goalie is special," Clara told Stefano Bizzotto in an interview from December 2025. "I think about the Olympics every day."
His path to Olympic ice was not sudden or surprising. It was built over years of steady development and quiet consistency.
"He works his ass off," Italian national team forward Dan Catenacci told Daniel Amoia of TheHockeyWriter. "He's such a young goalie, and right away you see his process at the rink of working hard, taking care of himself and having the will to learn. I've been around a lot of pros in my career and to see what he's like at that young age is very impressive. The sky's the limit for him and he has what it takes to be a great goaltender in the NHL."
In order to pursue a professional career, Clara left Brunico at just 14 years old to join the Red Bull Hockey Academy in Salzburg, Austria. At 16, he debuted for Italy's senior national team – setting a modern-era record as the youngest goaltender ever to achieve the milestone.
Prior to his arrival in Milan, Clara played games with Brynas IF, widely regarded as one of Europe's top professional hockey leagues. In 30 appearances this season, Clara recorded 645 saves, 2.49 goals allowed per game and notched two shutouts.
In his final five games before the Olympics, he stopped 155 shots while allowing 17 goals, posting a .901 save percentage under a heavy workload.
That workload only intensified on the Olympic stage.
Despite facing a surplus of NHL-level firepower such as Jesper Bratt , Sebastian Aho and Nico Hischier , Clara stopped 133 of 146 shots in four games, outpacing the combined saves of USA's Connor Hellebuyck , Canada's Jordan Binnington and Sweden's Jacob Markström, who totaled 127 through Tuesday's action.
The NHL did not allow its players to participate in the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games because of a dispute with the International Olympic Committee over participation-related costs and the disruption to the NHL schedule – making this Olympics the first for the NHL's best since the 2014 Winter Games in Russia.
In an intense preliminary matchup with Sweden on Feb.11, Italy's goalie made a remarkable 46 saves before injuring his right leg on a sprawling stop of a breakaway shot attempt from center Elias Pettersson , the Vancouver Canucks center in his eighth NHL season.
In Tuesday's qualification loss to Switzerland, Clara collected 48 saves in a 3-0 loss that ended Italy's Olympic run – the fifth-most saves ever recorded in a single Olympic game featuring NHL players.
Critics may point out his 5.13 goals-allowed per game mark and question whether his play on the ice made a real impact. However, those who tuned in witnessed Italy being routinely outshot by powerhouse nations, leaving Clara to withstand relentless pressure.
Despite the disparity, he kept games competitive deep into the third period and proved to be a major bright spot for the Olympic hosting country.
His size and athleticism project him as a formidable presence in net, capable of challenging the NHL's top scorers, including Connor McDavid , Nathan MacKinnon and Jason Robertson .
Clara combines size with uncommon control.
According to eliteprospects.com, "Clara moves with balance and makes strong, confident pushes across the crease, displaying skating ability rarely seen in goaltenders of his frame. His technical foundation explains how he managed to absorb Olympic-level pressure and heavy shot totals while maintaining composure against elite competition."
And his Olympic performance could fast-track his rise to Anaheim's NHL roster.
The Ducks feature another Olympic athlete as the team's starting goaltender, with 25-year-old Lukas Dostal representing Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
After signing a three-year, entry-level contract with Anaheim in June 2024, the Ducks loaned Clara to the SHL for the 2025-26 season to guarantee he gets consistent starts before transitioning back to Anaheim's AHL affiliate San Diego Gulls full-time.
Clara's performance in Milan offered a glimpse of what could lie ahead, not only for Italy, but for an Anaheim team looking to secure its first Stanley Cup in nearly 20 years. If his progression continues, the Ducks may already have their next cornerstone between the pipes.
One thing is certain, the Brunico native's determination in the Winter Olympic Games made the Italian faithful proud.
