Face it. You’ve thought about this at home or at work. You’ve done it when you’re with family and friends. You’ve even thought about it before bed and when you should be watching your favorite team.
Who is going to make the national team for [insert nation] at the Olympics?
Every national team is facing tough personnel decisions. Some more than others. But it all comes with the caveat that so much can change until it’s time to submit their final rosters at the end of December.
Until then, here’s a projection examining what the teams for Canada, Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States might look like ahead of the Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament that begins Feb. 11 in Milan-Cortina.
Jump to a roster:
United States
Canada
Sweden
Finland
Czechia
Note: Players in bold were the first six selected.
Names to watch: G Joey Daccord, F Alex DeBrincat, G Thatcher Demko, D Lane Hutson, F Patrick Kane, F Chris Kreider, F Frank Nazar, F Shane Pinto, F Jason Robertson, F Vincent Trocheck, F Trevor Zegras
From the point: Finding options isn’t going to be a problem for Team USA. Within this projected roster, the Americans can field a lineup that possesses balance and versatility in many areas.
Yet it appears that the two players who could impact Team USA’s roster selection process might be Patrick Kane and Vincent Trocheck. Kane is currently injured and has been out of the lineup since mid-October. Before the injury, he had five points in as many games, which allowed him to present an early case for making the roster in what’s a crowded field at winger.
Trocheck was injured in the second game of the season and began practicing with the New York Rangers on Monday. A fully healthy Trocheck would give Team USA another two-way center who can be trusted to play in numerous situations — as well as one more selection discussion for what makes the most sense down the middle.
How does Thatcher Demko factor into the goaltending discussion?
The U.S. is believed to have the strongest set of goalies of any team eligible for the Olympics. But should its group of three include Demko?
The Vancouver Canucks goaltender was a Vezina Trophy finalist in the 2023-24 season before an injury-riddled 2024-25 season saw him struggle to attain consistency. As of Tuesday, Demko’s save percentage (.911) and goals-against average (2.57) were significantly better than Jeremy Swayman’s marks (.896, 3.14). He is also fourth in goals saved above average, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Note: Players in bold were the first six selected.
Names to watch: F Connor Bedard, F Sam Bennett, G Mackenzie Blackwood, D Evan Bouchard, F Anthony Cirelli, D Noah Dobson, F Bo Horvat, F Zach Hyman, D Mike Matheson, F John Tavares
From the point: A wealth of options is Canada’s greatest strength while simultaneously being its biggest challenge. With this particular projection, there is a two-way element with many of the forwards, while the defensive setup has puck movers partnered with stay-at-home options who have size. There are remaining questions:
Could Canada take Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini?
Speed — and those who know how to use that speed in tight spaces — played a big role in Canada’s success at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Although Canada has numerous players like that in this projection, is it possible it could add more by bringing in Bedard and moving Celebrini into the active lineup?
Both provide another offensive dimension, and Celebrini has shown he can handle the demands of being a two-way center. Either way, expect both to be heavily in the mix in 2030.
Note: Players in bold were the first six selected.
Names to watch: F Mikael Backlund, F Andre Burakovsky, D Philip Broberg, D Simon Edvinsson, G Samuel Ersson, D Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D Adam Larsson, F Victor Olofsson
From the point: Sweden appears to have balance throughout its lineup in this projection, although there could still be certain adjustments. Namely, what makes the most sense for Sweden at left wing?
Lucas Raymond and Jesper Bratt have had starts that justify them being on the top two lines; it’s at the bottom two lines where the questions begin. Gabriel Landeskog has three points through his first 13 games though his average ice time is seventh among forwards on the Colorado Avalanche. Before Rickard Rakell broke his hand, he had eight points in nine games; he’ll return sometime in December. And of course, there’s the discussion about whether Sweden should use Elias Pettersson down the middle or on the wing.
Sweden also could be facing questions related to Linus Ullmark’s struggles to start the season, and if the team could be inclined to take a look at Edvinsson after his start.
Are Simon Edvinsson and Victor Olofsson becoming too hard to ignore?
Playing for two of the top teams in the NHL entering November usually attracts attention, which is the case for Edvinsson and Olofsson.
Edvinsson has continued to carve out his place as one of the Red Wings’ most important players. He has played a top-pairing role, is second on the team in average ice time and 5-on-5 minutes, and is fourth in short-handed minutes.
Olofsson is operating in a top-nine role for the Avs and has used that opportunity to be fifth on the team in points. He’s on pace for a career-high 63 points this season.
Note: Players in bold were the first six selected.
Names to watch: F Kasperi Kapanen, G Joonas Korpisalo, F Patrik Laine, F Jani Nyman, F Juuso Parssinen, C Aatu Raty, F Eeli Tolvanen, D Juuso Valimaki
From the point: Finland’s potential roster has been — and will likely continue to be — impacted by major injuries this season.
Aleksander Barkov, who was one of Finland’s “first six,” tore an ACL and MCL in training camp, and was the first domino to fall. Finland has seen other players — such as Kaapo Kakko, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Rasmus Ristolainen — miss the start of the regular season while recovering from injuries. Kakko played his first game Nov. 1, Luukkonen made his debut Oct. 25, and Ristolainen is expected to be out until December with a triceps injury.
Patrik Laine sustained a core muscle injury in late October, which could see him miss at least three months — and potentially place his Olympic chances in jeopardy.
What does Finland’s plan look like should more injuries arise?
It’s possible that Finland could find some relief should Laine be cleared to play at the Olympics. But in the event he’s not, Finland could be tempted to turn to some of its younger players in the NHL such as Nyman, Parssinen and Raty at forward. All three entered Nov. 3 with either the same or slightly more points than Jesperi Kotkaniemi in a similar number of games. There’s also the possibility that Finland could opt for more experienced forwards such as Kasperi Kapanen or Eeli Tolvanen.
Another option for Finland’s defense is Valimaki. He was named to Finland’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster but didn’t play. He tore an ACL in March and is expected to return sometime around November or December. He could be an option, given there have been only seven Finnish defensemen who have played in the NHL this season entering November.
Note: Players in bold were the first six selected.
Names to watch: F Filip Chlapik, F Jakub Lauko, F Adam Klapka, D Jan Kostalek, F Tomas Nosek, F Michael Spacek, F Matej Stransky, F Simon Stransky, G Karel Vejmelka, F Adam Zboril
From the point: Tomas Hertl, Martin Necas, David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha have had the sort of starts to the season that strengthen the notion Czechia’s top-six forward corps could make a significant impact at the Games.
Now it’s a matter of determining what Czechia could receive from its supporting cast — with a number of them playing outside of the NHL.
In the most recent men’s IIHF World Championship, Roman Cevenka and Lukas Sedlak finished second and third on the team in points. They’ve continued to produce in the Czech Extraliga, the nation’s top professional league. Jakub Flek has opened the season with 15 goals and 22 points through 21 games.
Which two goalies will join Lukas Dostal on the Czechia roster?
There was a time when Czechia seemed poised to take Dostal, Vejmelka and Dan Vladar as its three goalies. But that appears to have changed — or at least merited a conversation.
The expectation is that Dostal, who was among the first six players named to Czechia’s provisional roster, will be the starter. As for the rest of the field? Jakub Dobes has won his first six games, while his GSAA ranks third in the NHL, per Natural Stat Trick. Vladar entered Tuesday ranked third in goals-against average (2.11) and save percentage (.924) while being 14th in GSAA.
Although Vejmelka has the same number of wins (six) as Dobes, he was 25th in goals-against average, 34th in save percentage and 55th in GSAA.