Jonas Brodin (Minnesota Wild) and Leo Carlsson (Anaheim Ducks) are unlikely to play for Team Sweden in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, national team coach Sam Hallam told TT News Agency in Sweden on Tuesday.
"We'll give it a few more days to see if anything extraordinary happens, but currently we are operating under the assumption they won't be playing in the Olympics," Hallam said.
Brodin hasn't played since Jan. 12, and the Wild said he was week to week when the defenseman was placed on injured reserve Jan. 15. The 32-year-old also missed four games from Dec. 13-18 because of the injury before returning to play the next 12. He's never represented Sweden in the Olympics after previously playing for the country at the 4 Nations Face-Off last season, the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship and three times at the IIHF World Championship (2017, 2024, 2025).
Carlsson had a procedure to treat a left thigh injury Friday. The 21-year-old forward is expected to be out 3-5 weeks.
The NHL Olympic break begins Feb. 6. Sweden plays its first game against host Team Italy on Feb. 11.
"Both of them are amazing players and amazing people and it looks like they won't get a chance to play," Hallam said. "I feel their pain. We'll see what our next steps are with regards to our team and our roster. We remain confident in the depth available to us."
Hallam was asked if Carlsson could go to the Olympics and sit out early in the tournament and then possibly be cleared to play later.
"Perhaps, if the medical reports made that sound feasible, but I'm not sure that is the right way to go," he said. "I'm sure players will sit out a game here or there, but if we're looking at a situation where a player has a very small chance of playing, I think we'd rather have a player that is fully healthy."
