Bruins Embrace Olympic Honor, ‘Dream Since I Was That Little Kid’

VANCOUVER –– Jeremy Swayman stood in the hall before the Boston Bruins’ practice on Wednesday, stretching and rolling his back out on the wall.

Then, the goaltender’s phone rang.

It was Team USA general manager Bill Guerin. He called to congratulate Swayman on earning a spot on the roster for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games.

“I was really hoping to be a part of it,” Swayman said. “But you get caught by surprise, and when the phone call finally comes, it becomes reality. It’s an incredible moment that I’ll never forget.”

Swayman will join Charlie McAvoy – who was one of the first six players named to Team USA in June – in the Red, White and Blue. The Bruins teammates were also part of the U.S. squad that competed in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

“It was a really good chance to get that group together and get close. Sort of build chemistry in there, and I think we did a really good job with that,” McAvoy said. “Obviously, I had my own stuff go down during that, but the time that I was there was nothing but joy and just fun. You’re playing with and against the best players in the world. You raise your level, you get to see the purest part of hockey, honestly."

The 2026 Games mark the first time since 2014 that NHL players have been permitted to participate in the Olympics. The men’s tournament will run from Feb. 11-22. It is an opportunity that many have dreamed of since childhood; Swayman’s first call after receiving the notice was to his dad, who shared his son's hope of one day becoming an Olympian. It was a similar sentiment for former Terrier Charlie McAvoy, too.

“I’ve seen Miracle like 1,000 times, probably…I have a unique relationship with Mike Eruzione from BU. He spends a lot of time there, I talk to him a lot and see him all the time,” McAvoy said. “For me, it’s been a dream since I was that little kid to get the chance to do this. It is still surreal to me. Probably will be until we take the ice there.”

McAvoy and Swayman will compete against some of their other NHL teammates when the games commence. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha were named to Team Czechia with the preliminary group in June, and Elias Lindholm (Team Sweden) and Henri Jokiharju (Team Finland) were officially announced on Friday.

Head coach Marco Sturm understands the pride his players take in the accolade. He was the head coach of Germany’s national team from 2015-18, and earned a silver medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

“It’s a great day for them, also for us as an organization. It is always nice to have a few players represent your own team,” Sturm said. “It means a lot; probably more than you think. Just having that color, the jersey, the logo on your chest, and on probably one of the biggest stages ever internationally. It is pretty cool. That’s why the guys are so, so excited.”

The selected Bruins players have represented their respective countries throughout their hockey careers, namely at the IIHF World Championship.​

Swayman was undefeated in seven games at the 2025 IIHF World Championship for Team USA, en route to securing a gold medal. Lindholm, who won the bronze medal, was the tournament’s leading scorer with eight goals and was tied for second in points with 14. He was also on Team Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off, as Jokiharju was for Team Finland.

Pastrnak has represented Czechia in six IIHF World Championships (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2025), capturing gold in 2024 alongside Zacha.​

“It’s just different,” Pastrnak said. “Different, obviously, speaking your language, music – finally understand the lyrics – and just the vibe. It’s different. Same mentality since everybody is from the same country. It’s a little different, and it’s special.”

Being part of the national team was always the goal for Lindholm.

“It’s everything. Growing up as a young kid in Sweden, you follow the national team. The NHL was a long shot and hard to follow back in the days, with the time difference. It was all about the national team, Olympics and World Championship,” he said. “The guys you know – Sundin, Forsberg – you don’t remember their NHL careers so much growing up, but you remember them playing for the national team and for the country.”​

With 16 NHL games remaining until the Olympic break, the Bruins are staying present and working towards consistent success while tuning up for the tournament of a lifetime.

“I think it’s just a great opportunity to experience playing with the best of the best and representing our country – of course, something that is a lot bigger than us as individuals,” Swayman said. “That is something I can really get behind. That’s what I love most about this kind of event, is because you’re playing your heart out for your country and you’re representing more than yourself.”