NHL.com projects Finland roster for 2026 Olympics

With the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics less than a year away, NHL.com is predicting the Olympic rosters for the four countries that participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Today, NHL.com senior director of editorial Shawn P. Roarke makes his predictions for Team Finland.

Finland is already looking forward to the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics after a last-place finish in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Finns (0-1-0-2) defeated rival Sweden in overtime but lost 6-1 to the United States and 5-3 to Canada in a game where a win could have allowed them to advance.

“A lot of guys from this room will be there,” Aleksander Barkov, Finland's captain at the 4 Nations, said of the Olympics. “It was a lot of fun to play with these guys, to share these moments and play together. That will help a lot and building from this will be great. ... There’s always something you can build on and obviously it will be a little different with an Olympic sheet, bigger ice. We’ll see.”

The NHL will pause for its players to compete in the Olympics. The tournament, which will feature 12 teams, is scheduled for Feb. 11-22.

Finland won a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, which did not include NHL players. The Finns lost 1-0 to Canada in the quarterfinals at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, also without NHL participation. In the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the last Olympic tournament with best-on-best play, it earned a bronze medal, defeating the United States.

Can Finland defend its gold medal in 2026? That remains to be seen, but here is NHL.com’s first projection of the roster (in alphabetical order) that will attempt to do it. In the Olympics, each team carries 25 players and traditionally has 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies.

FORWARDS (14)

Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Mikael Granlund, Dallas Stars
Erik Haula, New Jersey Devils
Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
Kaapo Kakko, Seattle Kraken
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Carolina Hurricanes
Patrik Laine, Montreal Canadiens
Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche
Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
Matias Maccelli, Utah Hockey Club
Mikko Rantanen, Carolina Hurricanes
Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago Blackhawks

The core forwards for Finland are quite good. Barkov, Rantanen, Aho and Laine are a handful and could make any country’s roster. Granlund is a monster when he puts on the national team jersey and showed it again at the 4 Nations, where he was the best player for his country. Those players are in their prime and will be looking to make hay. But they will need help from some younger players developing into consistent threats. For that reason, Kakko and Maccelli, each 24, are on the roster, and several other young players are candidates.

Under consideration: Juha Jaaska, Carolina Hurricanes; Joakim Kemell, Nashville Predators; Joel Kiviranta, Colorado Avalanche; Eeli Tolvanen, Seattle Kraken

DEFENSEMEN (8)

Ville Heinola, Winnipeg Jets
Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Henri Jokiharju, Buffalo Sabres
Esa Lindell, Dallas Stars
Olli Maatta, Utah Hockey Club
Niko Mikkola, Florida Panthers
Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Juuso Valimaki, Utah Hockey Club

Heiskanen missed the 4 Nations after having knee surgery and is sidelined for the long term. He should be back and in form by February and will go a long way toward strengthening Finland’s defense, which was its Achilles’ heel during the 4 Nations. I’m also adding Ville Heinola from the Jets to the mix. The wait has been long enough and he should be ready for national-team duty. Mikkola continues to open eyes, playing his best on the biggest stages. He was great for the Panthers in the run to the Stanley Cup in 2024 and he was just as good for Finland last month. There is no bigger stage than the Olympics. Can’t wait to see what he does there.

Under consideration: Jani Hakanpaa, Toronto Maple Leafs; Urho Vaakanainen, New York Rangers

GOALIES (3)

Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver Canucks
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

Under consideration: Justus Annunen, Nashville Predators; Joonas Korpisalo, Boston Bruins; Leevi Merilainen, Ottawa Senators

Saros was the starter to begin the 4 Nations and wasn’t very good. He was replaced by Lankinen. Saros is having a down season for the Predators, but the hope is he will bounce back next season. He is the preferred No. 1, but Lankinen has shown he can handle those duties with the Canucks and is more than capable of taking the load. Luukkonen gets better each season and could be a more viable option by February.