Team Sweden Olympic projected lines by NHL.com have Hedman, Dahlin on same pair

The start of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina is one month away, with the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 6. The men's ice hockey tournament begins Feb. 11.

The tournament, the first with NHL players since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, will feature all 12 teams playing three preliminary games in their respective groups, then all 12 moving on to a single-elimination playoff that will conclude with the gold medal game Feb. 22.

Team Sweden, which is in Group B, will open against Team Italy on Feb. 11, then play Team Finland on Feb. 13 and Team Slovakia on Feb. 14.

Though Sweden announced its roster Jan. 2, NHL.com is taking it a step further, taking our shot at what some countries' forward lines, defense pairs and goalie depth chart should look like.

Explore NHL.com's Coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

Today, NHL.com senior writer Tom Gulitti plays coach of Team Sweden with his projected lines:

Forwards

Jesper Bratt -- Leo Carlsson -- William Nylander

Filip Forsberg -- Elias Pettersson -- Lucas Raymond

Adrian Kempe -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Mika Zibanejad

Gabriel Landeskog -- Elias Lindholm -- Rickard Rakell

Alexander Wennberg

Pontus Holmberg

This deep group of versatile forwards gives Sweden coach Sam Hallam a lot of options. The line combinations used at the 4 Nations Face-Off last season provided a good starting point, though, because previous familiarity could help in a short tournament like the Olympics. Bratt (New Jersey Devils) and Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs) played together at 4 Nations, but with Zibanejad (New York Rangers) as their center. Carlsson (Anaheim Ducks), who played one game at 4 Nations, has emerged as a legitimate first-line center this season, so the 21-year-old graduates to that role here, though he is the youngest player on the roster. There's also some 4 Nations continuity with Forsberg (Nashville Predators) and Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks) on the second line, Kempe (Los Angeles Kings) and Eriksson Ek (Minnesota Wild) on the third line and Lindholm (Boston Bruins) and Rakell (Pittsburgh Penguins) on the fourth line. Raymond (Detroit Red Wings), a right-handed shot, could benefit playing on the right wing with Pettersson, a left-handed shot. Zibanejad has played right wing for the Rangers this season, so he should be comfortable making that shift from center to play that position on this team. Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche), who did not play at 4 Nations while recovering from knee surgery, is expected to miss some time after sustaining an upper-body injury during a 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday. If he's healthy in time for the Olympics, he would undoubtedly be in the lineup for his two-way play and leadership.

Defensemen

Victor Hedman -- Rasmus Dahlin

Gustav Forsling -- Erik Karlsson

Jonas Brodin -- Rasmus Andersson

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Philip Broberg

Defense is probably Sweden's strongest position, but having only two right-handed shots -- Karlsson (Penguins) and Andersson (Calgary Flames) -- means at least one lefty will have to play on his off side. Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres) plays regularly on the right side of the Sabres' top pair, so slotting him next to Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning) on Sweden's top pair is an easy decision. Hedman, a six-time finalist for the Norris Trophy given to the top defenseman in the NHL six times who won it in 2018, is recovering from elbow surgery but is expected to be back in time for the Olympics and could reprise his 4 Nations role as Sweden's captain. Playing with Forsling (Florida Panthers), a Stanley Cup winner the past two seasons, at 4 Nations brought out the best in Karlsson, a three-time Norris winner (2012, 2015, 2023), so keeping that pair together makes sense. Brodin (Wild) and Andersson have potential to be a balanced third pair. Ekman-Larsson (Maple Leafs) also has experience playing on the right side, so he's another option to do it in Milan if needed.

Goalies

Filip Gustavsson

Jacob Markstrom

Jesper Wallstedt

Although pushed at times by Wallstedt for playing time with the Wild this season, Gustavsson recovered from a slow start. That makes him the leading candidate to start Sweden's Olympic opener. Wallstedt, a 23-year-old rookie, has come down to earth a little after going 8-0-2 with a 1.74 goals-against average, .944 save percentage and four shutouts in his first 10 starts. After missing 4 Nations with a knee injury, Markstrom brings valuable experience from 16 seasons in the NHL, though he's been inconsistent this season with the Devils.