RALEIGH, N.C. - As Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho gears up for his first taste of Olympic hockey, he'll do so with an extra badge of honor on his sweater.
Named to Team Finland's leadership group as an alternate captain, the Canes' leading scorer will look to help set the tone for his national team alongside captain Mikael Granlund of the Anaheim Ducks and fellow alternate Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars.
Aho also wore an "A" for his country during the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, showcasing the respect he has earned both in Finland and throughout the hockey world.
"We're a tight-knit group. Everyone's pulling on the same rope here, so it's an unbelievable feeling when you come put this jersey on," said Aho when speaking with the media on Sunday. "You can feel it, you can sense it, from the equipment guys, the coaches, your brothers... You can just feel the special bond. It's an easy group to wear a letter [with], and I'm obviously very honored to have the opportunity."
This year's event will be the first time since 2014 that NHL players will participate in the Olympic Winter Games. The 4 Nations Face-Off marked the sport's first return to best-on-best international competition since 2016's World Cup of Hockey, but the Olympics represent an even grander stage on which Aho and the Finns are eager to shine.
"You definitely sense that you're around something big here. It's so huge for hockey, in general, and as players, it's a dream come true to put this jersey on on the Olympic stage. I can definitely feel that's a big event, but at the same time, it's hockey," he said. "We just have to enjoy it and take it all in."
Team Finland opens preliminary round play against Team Slovakia on Feb. 11 at 10:40 a.m. ET, kicking off the men's hockey portion of the Olympic Winter Games.
