Sweden veterans enjoying the moment in potential final Olympic run

MILAN -- No one needs to say it. Everybody knows.

The men’s hockey tournament is in single elimination at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. For Team Sweden, that means each game some older players could be wearing the Tre Kronor for the last time at the Olympics.

The Swedes defeated Team Latvia 5-1 at Santagiulia Arena on Tuesday in the qualification playoffs, advancing to face Team USA in the quarterfinals Wednesday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, NBC, ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBS [JIP], SN, TSN [JIP]).

GAMECENTER SUMMARY: Latvia-Sweden

Goalie Jacob Markstrom is 36. Forward Marcus Johansson is 35. So are defensemen Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is 34. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is 33. Six others are 32 or 31.

Who knows if they’ll have the chance to play for their country again in four years?

“I don’t think it has to be discussed,” 25-year-old defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “We know who those guys are. For me, as a young guy, I really want to make them happy and play for them, and this might be their last one, so let’s make something good out of it.”

Think of who these guys are.

Ekman-Larsson, Johansson, Karlsson and Landeskog were part of the team that won silver for Sweden at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the last Olympics to include NHL players. They had waited 12 years to get back. The rest had waited their entire lives for their first opportunity.

Markstrom ranks second in NHL history among goalies born in Sweden in games played (564) and wins (256), trailing only Henrik Lundqvist in each category (887 and 459, respectively).

“I’m here, one of 25 representing my country in an Olympics,” Markstrom said. “I waited 36 years to get my first one, and it’s a great feeling, but you don’t want it to end. You’ve got to keep pushing.”

Hedman won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. He won the Norris Trophy in 2017-18, when he was voted the NHL’s best defenseman, and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2020, when he was voted the Stanley Cup Playoffs most valuable player.

“It’s going fast, and enjoying every single second of it,” said Hedman, who has missed 34 games due to injuries this season. “I told other guys, being a little selfish, for me to get this extra game was huge. I haven’t played a whole lot this year, so get the timing, get the legs into it and get ready for tomorrow.”

Karlsson won the Norris three times, with the Ottawa Senators in 2011-12 and 2014-15, then with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23. He ranks eighth in NHL history among players born in Sweden with 905 points (204 goals, 701 assists) in 1,135 games. Among defensemen, he’s second, behind only Nicklas Lidstrom, who had 1,142 points (264 goals, 878 assists) in 1,564 games. He’s just in front of Hedman, third with 807 points (171 goals, 636 assists) in 1,152 games.

“I came to play these games,” said Karlsson, who now plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins. “I think everybody else did too. We expected to play [the Americans], and we get to do it tomorrow, so it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be an experience. We’re going to try and take care of the things that we can control, and whatever they do, it shouldn’t matter for us, and we just hope our best is better than their best.”

And then there’s Landeskog. He won the Stanley Cup as captain of the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, then missed almost three years of hockey battling knee problems before returning in the playoffs last year. He wasn’t sure he would get the chance to play in Milan. If anyone knows how precious this is, it’s him.

“This is when the fun begins, right?” Landeskog said. “You never look too far ahead. You got to be where your feet are, and right now, it’s important for us to regroup after this one, obviously recognize what we did well, but understanding how our opponent’s going to go up another level tomorrow and recognizing what a great opportunity it is to see what we’re made of. So, very exciting, and can’t wait to get going again.”

Team Sweden. Team USA. Olympic quarterfinals. So much on the line.

Win or go home, for some, maybe for the last time.

“I mean, if you tell me the situation last year or 12 years ago, however, that you get to play in the quarterfinals against the U.S., I’ll take it,” said forward Mika Zibanejad, who is 32 and in his first Olympics. “You’re going to have to play good teams either way. It’s obviously a tough challenge. We know what they are, but we’re excited.”