Aho, Barkov, Saros lead 1st projected Finland roster for 2027 All-Star Game

The NHL unveiled the logo for the 2027 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Wednesday, officially starting the countdown to the event at UBS Arena on Long Island on Feb. 5-6.

The All-Star Game will feature five teams -- Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a "World" team comprised of international players from countries outside of the other four teams -- competing in a three-on-three, round-robin exhibition tournament.

Each team will consist of 11 players: nine skaters and two goalies. The NHL and NHL Players' Association will select 30 players from each of the participating teams -- Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and the World team -- for the 2027 NHL All-Star Fan Vote, which will open in December. From that list, fans will have the opportunity to select eight players from each team. The remaining three roster spots for each team -- one forward, one defenseman and one goalie -- will be selected jointly by the NHL and NHLPA.

Although the NHL All-Star Game is still eight months away, NHL.com is going to take a first attempt to predict the rosters for each team and will revisit these predictions at times during the season. 

Today, senior director of editorial Shawn P. Roarke and staff writers Tracey Myers and David Satriano give their early prediction for Finland's roster (in alphabetical order by position):

Skaters

Sebastian Aho, F, Carolina Hurricanes

Aleksander Barkov, F, Florida Panthers

Mikael Granlund, F, Anaheim Ducks

Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars

Roope Hintz, F, Dallas Stars

Artturi Lehkonen, F, Colorado Avalanche

Anton Lundell, F, Florida Panthers

Eetu Luostarinen, F, Florida Panthers

Mikko Rantanen, F, Dallas Stars

No surprise the Stars and Panthers are represented heavily here, with three players each. Barkov will return after he was injured in training camp and needed ACL and MCL surgery in September, causing him to miss the entire 2025-26 season. Every other skater played for Team Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where it won bronze. Hintz should make this roster if he's healed from a torn hamstring he sustained March 6. Aho led Finland-born players with 80 points (27 goals, 53 assists) in 79 games last season. Rantanen was next with 77 points (22 goals, 55 assists) and Heiskanen, the lone defenseman of this group, was third with 63 points (nine goals, 54 assists). Lehkonen had an NHL career-high 48 points (21 goals, 27 assists) last season and Lundell's 44 points were one shy of the career-high of 45 he had in 2024-25. Luostarinen has been a dependable checking-line forward for the Panthers and the veteran Granlund had a solid season with the Ducks.

Goalies

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres

Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

Saros is a favorite to make the All-Star Game roster after he had a 1.66 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in six Olympic Games. He's also won at least 20 regular-season games in six straight seasons. Luukkonen is coming off a breakout season with 22 wins, but an injury caused him to miss the Olympics. He should be Buffalo's No. 1 this season and will have a good shot to make this roster.