Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, last year to the Potomac River crash, just fulfilled a promise that he made to them a long time ago. A few days ago, in St. Louis at the 2026 US Figure Skating Championships, the 24-year-old delivered a fabulous performance, earning him the bronze medal with 249.16 points, and it also secured his place in Team USA for the Milano-Cortina Olympics.

So, with his quest for a medal at the prestigious event just beginning, the skater has revealed that he has another mission on his Olympic bucket list. As reported by Kat Cornetta on X, “Maxim Naumov told media today that one of his non-competition goals for the Olympics is to see a hockey game, especially one with Canada’s Tom Wilson who has been one of his favorite players for years.”

Wilson is indeed on Team Canada’s Olympic roster and presents a compelling figure for a fan like Naumov. The 31-year-old right wing for the Washington Capitals is in the midst of a career-best season, having been selected for his first Olympic team.

Just before a recent lower-body injury, which he suffered during a Capitals game against the Chicago Blackhawks after being hit by Connor Murphy, Wilson was on a remarkable scoring pace. He has secured 22 goals and 20 assists for 42 points across 41 games in the 2025-26 NHL season, alongside his signature physical play that has earned him 110 hits.

His performance on New Year’s Eve, where he scored two goals, added an assist, and got into a fight with New York Rangers’ Sam Carrick for a “Gordie Howe hat trick,” made him a favorite among the talented Canadian hockey roster.

So, for Naumov, as Canada is in a different group than the United States at the Winter Olympics, he has to wait it out for the later games in the competition. Indeed, those elimination rounds will bring more anticipation if the two nations that have been hockey rivals for a long time now face each other. But for the skater, making it to the Olympic Games was quite emotional.

Maxim Naumov had a lot to say following his Olympic qualification

“We did it. We absolutely did it. God is good. God is good” became the first words that came out of Maxim Naumov’s mouth after he secured himself in Team USA’s Olympic berth. The 24-year-old then confessed, “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family and it’s what I’ve been thinking about since I’ve been five years old before I even know how to think or what to think. So I can’t even say in words how much this means to me.”

Indeed, Naumov recalled how every year he had a discussion with his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, about the dreams he had for the Olympic Games. And this was a collective dream for all three of them. So, achieving his goal finally, after losing his parents to the tragic plane crash, made him very emotional.

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He also opened up about the supportive messages he received from his fans during the tough times, stating, “Unbelievable. Every message, every letter, every call, every text, I see it and it helps me just keep pushing through the difficult days, getting up and going to bed. Thank you, everyone.” Naumov then unveiled his mother’s mentality, saying, “I really hope that my mom watched because she never used to watch me skate. But they say we’re proud of you, but job’s not finished. We’re just getting started.”

So, as he heads towards Milano-Cortina, his goal will be simple: to make the most out of his very first Olympic Games and try to secure a medal for his nation.