NHL.com projects Sweden 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 staff writer Tracey Myers makes her predictions for Team Sweden.

Sweden was frustrated when it finished third in the 4 Nations Face-Off but knows good things are on the horizon, especially with the Olympics a year away.

"We're just disappointed we're not one of the teams (in the final). Not losing a game in regulation and not being there is a tough one for us to swallow," Swedish captain Victor Hedman said after a 2-1 win against the United States on Feb. 17.

"But there are a lot of good building blocks for us to look forward to. Moving forward, the Three Crowns can look forward to the World Championships at home and the Olympics next year moving forward."

The Swedes (1-0-2-0) also lost to Canada 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 12 and to Finland 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 15.

The NHL will pause for its players to compete at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics. The tournament, which features 12 teams, runs from Feb. 11-22.

Sweden finished fourth in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, which did not feature NHL players. In the last Olympic tournament with best-on-best play, 2014 in Sochi, the Swedes won silver when they lost to Canada 3-0 in the gold-medal game.

Can Sweden find its way back to a medal in 2026?

Time will tell, as will what the roster of 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies will look like.

Here is NHL.com's first projection (in alphabetical order):

FORWARDS (14)

Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils
Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks
William Eklund, San Jose Sharks
Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild
Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights
Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
Elias Lindholm, Boston Bruins
William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
Gustav Nyquist, Nashville Predators
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings
Fabian Zetterlund, San Jose Sharks
Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers

Under consideration: Simon Holmstrom, New York Islanders; Viktor Arvidsson, Edmonton Oilers; Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh Penguins; Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames; Alexander Wennberg, San Jose Sharks

So, let's start with Karlsson, who would've been at the 4 Nations if not for a lower-body injury. Then I'm adding two Sharks to the mix: William Eklund, 22, and Fabian Zetterlund, 25. Eklund has 42 points (12 goals, 30 assists) in 54 games, tied for second on the team. Zetterlund has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 59 games. I was torn between keeping Nyqvist, who's 35 and likely looking to play in his final Olympics, and Holmstrom, 23, who has 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) in 50 games for the Islanders this season. I'll stay with Nyqvist for now. Obviously, I'm going with a majority of the group that went to the 4 Nations. Raymond led Sweden's forwards with three assists, and it was just a solid group throughout the tournament.

DEFENSEMEN (8)

Philip Broberg, St. Louis Blues
Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers
Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Peguins
Hampus Lindholm, Boston Bruins

Under consideration: Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames; Adam Larsson, Seattle Kraken; Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings; Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Toronto Maple Leafs

Lindholm certainly would've been at the 4 Nations if not for the lower-body injury he sustained Nov. 12, from which he still hasn't returned. I'm also adding Broberg, who is having a good season with the Blues. After that, the big question is where will Karlsson be in the mix? The 34-year-old looked good at the 4 Nations, and this could very well be his last chance at an Olympics, so I'm going to include him. I can't argue with the other Swedish defensemen who played big parts before their tournament ended in Boston. Hedman continues to be outstanding, as does Ekholm, Brodin, Dahlin and Forsling. I'm leaving Rasmus Andersson off my list because he was scratched in Sweden's first two games at the 4 Nations.

GOALIES (3)

Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild
Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils
Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators

Under consideration: Samuel Ersson, Philadelphia Flyers; Anton Forsberg, Ottawa Senators

This one was tough, only because Ersson looked very good in Sweden's 2-1 win against the United States in Sweden's final game of the tournament and you can see the steps he's taking with the Flyers. But I would stunned if a healthy Markstrom wasn't going to the Olympics after missing the 4 Nations with an injury. It's also hard to argue against Gustavsson and Ullmark, who are proven NHL starters, and also put forth good performances at the 4 Nations. Ersson will get his chance, I'm just not sure it'll come in 2026.