In the past weeks, a handful of countries have announced their hockey rosters for the upcoming Olympic Games in Milan, one of them being the home country Italy. The program is riding high after a promotion to the World Championships last year, and have three solid goaltenders to lead them onto the ice in front of their home crowd.
As we detail their careers, which of these goalies do you think will end up being the team’s starting goalie as Italy competes for wins this year?
Damian Clara (Brynäs IF)
Age: 21
A journeyman of the Italian Ice Hockey Program, Clara was born in Brunico, Italy. After two WJC D1B/A Bronze medals and multiple Top Goaltender Awards, the 6’6 goaltender became the first Italian drafted to the NHL when he was taken in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Ducks.
The following season, as a rookie in the HockeyAllsvanskan (Sweden’s second best league), Clara won the league’s “rookie of the year” award, and the championship with Brynäs IF, going 10-1 with .931% en route.
In 2023 and 2024 Clara won games for Italy at the D1A World Championships, backing the team to back to back Bronze medals. In 2025, Clara took a backseat to Davide Fadani who started five games as Italy took a Silver medal and a promotion to the World Championships this year.
Clara found himself in two AHL games with the San Diego Gulls last season, and is currently the starter for Brynäs IF in the SHL, having posted an .889% in 28 games.
Davide Fadani (EHC Kloten)
Age: 24
Fadani was born in Milan, Italy, but is a product of the Swiss development system, having come through HC Lugano’s organization. He earned Top Player honours at multiple WJC D1B tournaments and was named Best Goaltender at the 2019 U20 D1B World Championship.
Fadani made his senior debut for Italy at the 2021 IIHF World Championship in the top division, gaining early experience against elite international competition. Over the following seasons, he continued his professional development in Switzerland with stints in both the NL (Switzerland’s top pro league) and the SL (Swiss div 2), gradually moving into larger roles at the club level.
In 2025, Fadani assumed the starting role for Italy at the D1A World Championships, starting five games and posting a .900% as Italy captured Silver and earned promotion back to the top-tier World Championships in their most successful senior tournament run in over a decade.
Fadani has appeared in 22 NL games with EHC Kloten this season posting a .922%, and will be a reliable option for his country in his hometown Milan.
Gianluca Vallini (HC Bolzano)
Age: 32
Vallini was born in Bolzano, Italy. Save for two years in high school, Vallini’s entire career has been spent playing junior and professional hockey in Italy. Between 2017 and 2022, Vallini was a workhorse starter in the AlpsHL with Vipiteno and Asiago, posting elite numbers including a career-best .931 with a 2.03 goals-against average in 2020/21. Over that span, he logged nearly 200 AlpsHL appearances with a cumulative save percentage above .920, establishing himself as one of the league’s all time best goaltenders.
At the international level, Vallini has spottily represented Italy, appearing primarily as a third string during many transitory stages for the program. Still, he provides experience and stability.
In recent seasons, Vallini returned to his hometown to play for HC Bolzano in the ICEHL (Austria’s top pro league, currently featuring additional teams from Hungary, Italy, and Slovenia). He has served in a rotational role, sharing starts with and deferring to younger goaltenders, which has allowed him to stay closer to his family at home. In 2023/24, he posted a 1.62 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage across 14 appearances, before regressing to .893 in 13 games the following season. This season, though he has played just seven games, he is 5-1 with a .927%.
Left off the team ⬇️ ?
Justin Fazio (Guildford Flames)
Age: 28
Fazio, born in Sarnia (Canadian-Italian dual citizen), spent three years as an OHL starter for his hometown team the Sting. After going undrafted he would spend one season with the Queen’s University Men’s Hockey Team, winning the 2019 USports Best SVS% award with a .936, and being named to the USports All Rookie Team alongside the Second All-Star Team.
Five years as a starter in the ICEHL would follow, but after a difficult 2025 season Justin finds himself the starting goalie for the Guildford Flames in the EIHL (British Elite League), having left Italy. In 19 games this season he has a .922%.
Justin cemented himself on Italy’s watchlist at the 2021 World Championships, where he posted an .865% alongside a 5.59 GAA; incredible statistics for an Italian team that went 0-7 scoring just 11 goals. Fazio was named one of Italy’s Top 3 Players on the team to prove it.
What do you think? Did Italy make the right decision? Let us know below!