milan — Leonardo Genoni is 38 years old. He won the Swiss National League seven times and won three silver medals with the Swiss team at the IIHF World Championship.

But he has never faced a shot in the NHL.

However, he will be Switzerland’s No. 1 goalkeeper at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, shutting out the Italian team 3-0 in Tuesday’s qualifying playoff match and leading Switzerland to the quarterfinals.

Genoni has a 0.99 goals-against average and .962 save percentage with Switzerland. He was between the pipes for each of the Olympic victories, including the qualifying round against France (4-0 on February 12) and the Czech Republic (4-3 in overtime on Sunday).

He is expected to be in goal in Wednesday’s quarterfinal game when Switzerland plays Finland (12:10 p.m. ET, Peacock, CBC Gem, S.C.).

“He’s definitely a Swiss goaltending legend,” center Nico Isier said Monday. “I think when I was a kid he was already playing for the Swiss national team and I watched them play. I knew him from watching on TV, but now by playing together I have the opportunity to get to know him personally. He’s a great goalkeeper. He’s a great goalkeeper.”

“We have a hard time getting goals from him in practice. He reads the play very well and puts his whole body in the right position, like he knows where to shoot. He’s a really smart goalie and a really essential part of our team.”

Hisier’s memory was accurate. Genoni, 27, was only 4 years old when he debuted on SNL’s Zurich. Genoni has been playing in the Swiss top flight since 2003.

Genoni, who has played his entire career in his home country, has played in Zurich, Bern, Davos and Zug. He has won the Swiss Championship seven times with HC Davos in 2009, 2011 and 2014, SC Bern in 2017 and 2019 and EV Zug in 2021 and 2022.

He has also won the Jacques Plante Trophy, which is given annually to Switzerland’s best goalkeeper, four times (2011, 2015, 2017 and 2019).