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Gabriel Landeskog and Victor Olofsson have helped the Avalanche reach the pinnacle of this list. Will they be at the Olympics? Tyler Schank / Clarkson Creative / Getty Images
Is it too early to talk about Olympic hockey rosters? Of course not. The NHL’s triumphant return to the Winter Games in 2026 is a massive win for the sport and we’re already champing at the bit thinking about all the roster possibilities.
We know the locks. So, it’s the guys who may or may not make it offering the most intrigue. That’s the name of the game with this week’s edition, a game made more fun by an electric start to the season across the board. Almost every team has at least one player with worthwhile Olympic ambitions, and we spent some time taking stock of that.
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Here’s one player (or more) from each team who’s on the bubble and worth watching in the lead-up to the Milan roster announcements.
Last week: 3
Sean: 1
Dom: 1
The Avs are winning Brock Nelson’s minutes, but his production (five points in 14 games) has dipped. If the U.S. wants to add some dynamism to its forward group — and they should — his roster spot will probably be in jeopardy.
Elsewhere, Gabriel Landeskog has started slowly, but that doesn’t matter; the respect he’s earned has already helped put him on Sweden’s roster. Victor Olofsson just might join him — Colorado has been better with him on the ice, with a 66 percent expected goal share, and he has 12 points to Landeskog’s four. That’s the kind of cheap, quality depth that puts you atop really important lists like this one.
Last week: 14
Sean: 2
Dom: 4
Here’s a fun question: Is Leo Carlsson Sweden’s No. 1 center? The answer has to be yes, right? Not just because of how good he looks to start (real good!) but also because the other options — Elias Pettersson, Mika Zibanejad, Joel Eriksson Ek — have not started hot. Quite the glow up for a guy who only suited up for one game at 4 Nations.
On the actual bubble, both Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier have played their way into the mix for Team USA with strong starts. Kreider is a staple of USA hockey and looks like he’s back on track in Anaheim after a rough finish in New York. Gauthier is a long shot, but his ability to get a ton of pucks on net (and score a lot of goals!) is tough to ignore.
Last week: 5
Sean: 4
Dom: 2
Most of the Devils’ best players are locks to make their respective squads, so we’re not going to belabor that point. It’s time to wonder, though, whether Luke Hughes should be in the mix for the U.S. He’s cooled a bit after a scorching start, but he’s going to be on the roster sooner rather than later, and USA Hockey loves them some Hughes brothers. It’d be a future play more than anything, but he wouldn’t look out of place.
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Last week: 4
Sean: 3
Dom: 3
Seth Jarvis’ stock was at an all-time high over the first seven games of the season, where he had six goals and 11 points, including a point in every game. Combine that with a Selke-caliber defensive game and he looked like a superstar in the making — and a lock for Team Canada.
Jarvis has cooled down since, but he’s still scoring at a point-per-game pace while rocking a 57 percent xG. Considering his unique skillset, defensive ability and overall versatility, it’ll be hard to keep him off the roster.
Last week: 7
Sean: 6
Dom: 5
The bubble discussion starts with Mark Scheifele. He’s got international experience, he’s coming off a bounce-back season and he’s currently top-five in scoring, fueled by a wildly high goal rate (2.08 per 60). If he keeps that up, Canada has to make room.
Kyle Connor didn’t do himself a ton of favors at 4 Nations — Mike Sullivan scratched him for the final, remember — but leaving him in North America would be silly. Doesn’t seem particularly likely, either.
Last week: 6
Sean: 5
Dom: 8
No team has seen a bigger collective rise in its Olympic stock than Montreal. The guy making the best case among that group of emerging stars is Nick Suzuki. Since being left off Canada’s 4 Nations roster, Suzuki has seriously leveled up his game at both ends of the ice. He’s producing at one of the highest rates in the league and he’s turned into a legitimate Selke threat on top of that. Suzuki does it all and does it well in tough minutes — so well that a Team Canada snub this time around would feel like a massive misstep.
As for the other stars, size issues work heavily against Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson. And while both have been great this season, the field for wingers and defensemen on Team USA is a tough one to crack.
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Last week: 1
Sean: 7
Dom: 6
Shea Theodore made Canada’s 4 Nations roster but was injured in the first game. It was a tough break, but he should get another bite at the apple; with Alex Pietrangelo out of the picture, he’s facing tougher competition and doing a solid job. He’d probably have to play his way off, and that’s not happening. Consider him Cale Makar insurance.
The bigger question is whether Mark Stone is healthy enough to stick. At the moment, he’s on LTIR with a wrist injury. If he’s fully operational, he’s in, but this is Team Canada; there are plenty of options.
Last week: 2
Sean: 8
Dom: 7
In a short tournament, chemistry matters. That thought process has always been one of the hallmarks of Team Canada’s roster construction, and Team USA could follow suit with a trio of Mammoth players. Clayton Keller is the obvious choice after being snubbed from 4 Nations and could be on the inside track. But Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz have both played well enough to at least warrant some consideration, too.
Last week: 11
Sean: 9
Dom: 9
It’s probably a bit early for Wyatt Johnston, but he’s in the process of making it tough on Canada — he’s got points in 11 of 14 games, including two goals on Thursday night. If they’re looking for youth and versatility, he could have a shot. Jason Robertson probably played himself back into the picture after the U.S. left him off the 4 Nations roster, but there’s work to be done. He’s driving offense at a nice clip, but his goal scoring (0.66 per 60 overall) is lower than ever.
Last week: 22
Sean: 11
Dom: 10
Every year when we do Player Tiers, there’s a vocal group within the game that says we’re overrating John Tavares. Well, we may have underrated him. The weight of the “C” on his jersey is gone, the millstone of an $11 million cap hit has been shed, and Tavares has started the year with 18 points in 14 games. He won’t make Team Canada, but boy, is he making it interesting with an undeniably strong start.
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The same can be said about Matthew Knies, who also has 18 points in 14 games. He’s flashed an underrated playmaking side this season and would bring a different element to Team USA’s fourth line as a power forward.
Last week: 8
Sean: 10
Dom: 11
There are two things working against Anthony Cirelli and his chances of making Team Canada right now.
The first is that his job as the 4C is being threatened by Nick Suzuki, a franchise center who can impact the game just as much defensively while bringing way more to the table offensively. The second is that Cirelli’s defensive game has taken a massive step back this season. His 3.07 xGA/60 is the worst among Tampa Bay’s forwards.
Last week: 10
Sean: 12
Dom: 13
How bad is Canada’s goaltending? The third best guy in terms of goals saved above expected is Tristan Jarry. He’s not going to make the team, but boy, is that telling of the current state of affairs.
Last week: 13
Sean: 13
Dom: 14
It’s a shame that we didn’t get more prime-era Patrick Kane in international play, and the fact that he’s still in the discussion, given his age and injury history, is impressive. He’s been out since mid-October, though. If he’s not playing a top six — and given the competition, he shouldn’t be — it’s fair to wonder what he’d bring to the lineup. Simon Edvinsson, meanwhile, should be in the mix for Sweden. He’s crushing top-pair minutes alongside Moritz Seider.
Last week: 9
Sean: 16
Dom: 12
With Evan Bouchard on the ice, Oilers goaltenders are putting up a save percentage of .880. Regardless of who’s to blame, if that doesn’t change in a hurry, he’s going to end up on the wrong side of the bubble. Sweden benched Mattias Ekholm during the 4 Nations tournament, and he’s carrying around a negative Net Rating at the moment. That’s something to watch.
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Last week: 12
Sean: 14
Dom: 16
Team Canada made a mistake leaving Logan Thompson off the 4 Nations roster, but didn’t pay for it. They can’t take the same risk for the Olympics — not with the way the rest of the Canadian 4 Nations goalies look. With how great Thompson was last season and how he’s cementing his status as an elite goalie this season, it’s difficult to imagine he’s left off. The bigger question is whether the difference between him and Jordan Binnington over the next few months will be enough to be the starter.
Last week: 17
Sean: 15
Dom: 15
It’s starting to feel like an either/or proposition for Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand. The former has five points in 14 games, though he did score on Thursday night, and is getting horrifically outscored at five-on-five; the latter is top-40 in points per 60 (3.56) with more palatable play-driving numbers and is a preferred Sidney Crosby linemate. We know where we’d put our money.
Last week: 15
Sean: 17
Dom: 17
Travis Sanheim isn’t flashy, but Canada appreciates his well-rounded two-way game and ability to play both sides. He’s again performing well in top-pair minutes. Travis Konecny earned a spot in Canada’s 4 Nations bottom six, but he played in just two games and saw his production dip severely down the stretch. His five-on-five scoring has declined from 3.03 points per 60 in 2022-23 to 2.42 so far this season.
Last week: 26
Sean: 19
Dom: 18
It’s not a great sign for Jeremy Swayman that he can barely outplay Joonas Korpisalo. He’s off to a decent start this season, but the goaltending competition for Team USA is fierce. If it’s a “what have you done for me lately” contest, Swayman’s recent track record may make him the odd man out.
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Over in Sweden, the same questions about Ekholm apply to Hampus Lindholm. He’s dealt with a lot of injury issues over the last year and the end result hasn’t been great to start this season. Lindholm’s xG rate is sitting under 40 percent.
Last week: 16
Sean: 18
Dom: 19
Darcy Kuemper feels like he gets a little lost in the Canadian goalie discussion, but he’s once again putting up some strong numbers to warrant serious consideration. Among Canadians, only Logan Thompson has a higher GSAx this season than Kuemper’s plus-5.1, one season removed from finishing in the league’s top five. He’s been excellent since being left off the 4 Nations roster.
Last week: 23
Sean: 20
Dom: 20
We love Connor Bedard in these parts. We do. It’s fair to wonder, though, what he would do for Team Canada if he weren’t in the top six. Bring him as a luxury spare part. Bring him because of what he’ll mean to the 2030 team. But his spot in the lineup, at this particular moment, is not clear — especially when he’s going up against another recent No. 1 pick who’d work better on a bottom six.
Meanwhile, Spencer Knight might be having the best season of any American goalie, with more than 15 goals saved above expected. Expecting him to beat out Thatcher Demko or Jeremy Swayman would be unreasonable, but he deserves some credit for the work he’s done.
Last week: 18
Sean: 21
Dom: 22
Last season’s implosion in Boston left a glimmer of hope for Team USA’s No. 3 goalie spot. Joey Daccord was the only other goalie invited to Team USA’s summer orientation camp after the big three, giving him the inside track to usurp, but he hasn’t exactly taken advantage of it. After getting shelled by the Sharks, Daccord’s numbers for the year dropped to just average: an .898 save percentage and only 1.8 goals saved above expected. Considering how strong Spencer Knight and Thatcher Demko have been, the ship may be sailing on Daccord.
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Last week: 21
Sean: 23
Dom: 21
Just how bad would Mika Zibanejad have to be to play his way off Team Sweden? It’s an interesting question — and we might be finding out the answer in real time. He had one five-on-five goal in his first 14 games, and the Rangers were outscored 8-4 with him on the ice. Brutal. Sweden’s roster bubble is probably soft enough for him to sneak on, though.
On the American roster, J.T. Miller is a near-lock, but Vincent Trocheck should be a candidate to get swapped out for a more dynamic option. The U.S. has plenty of bottom-sixers, and Trocheck didn’t perform particularly well at 4 Nations.
Last week: 19
Sean: 22
Dom: 23
If the U.S. wants a fresh option as a potential shutdown, fourth-line center, they could do worse than Shane Pinto, who’s sixth league-wide among centers in Defensive Rating. Linus Ullmark is likely to make Sweden’s roster as the third goalie behind Jakob Markstrom and Filip Gustavsson. Other than that, it’s not about whether Jake Sanderson goes to Milan — it’s about how much further he can push himself up the lineup.
Last week: 20
Sean: 25
Dom: 24
In another universe, we’d be gassing up Kirill Marchenko’s potential Olympic debut for Team Russia. We don’t live in that universe, though, and that leaves the Blue Jackets light on Olympic hopefuls after Zach Werenski, a Team USA lock.
What we can talk about is the relative sense of disappointment that Adam Fantilli isn’t even on the radar. Making Team Canada is obviously very tough and there’s a good chance that Fantilli will earn that honor one day. He just turned 21, after all. But even if a bubble bid is unrealistic, it would’ve been nice to see Fantilli at least make a bid for the long list.
Considering all the breakthroughs around the NHL from other young phenoms — Celebrini, Bedard, Carlsson, Cooley, Gauthier — Fantilli’s tepid start leaves a lot to be desired.
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Last week: 27
Sean: 24
Dom: 25
Bo Horvat seems to have pushed himself into the Team Canada discussion, and it’s well deserved. He’s sandwiched between Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Eichel in goal rate (2.96 per 60) and again has solid numbers as a five-on-five play driver. He’d fit up and down an international lineup, too, which makes him a better bet than Mathew Barzal.
Last week: 24
Sean: 27
Dom: 26
At goalie for the U.S., Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger feel like locks, but the third spot could be wide open given Jeremy Swayman’s struggles. That spot used to belong to Thatcher Demko, but he had injury issues of his own last year. This season he’s back and looking his best behind a middling Canucks team. Through nine games, Demko has saved 9.3 goals above expected.
Last week: 30
Sean: 26
Dom: 28
Macklin Celebrini entered Thursday night’s games tied with Connor McDavid for the league lead in points with 21 in 14 games. If he’s not on Team Canada, we riot. He’s been out of this world over the last eight games, leading the Sharks to a 5-2-1 record.
Celebrini isn’t the only young star making waves in San Jose, though. William Eklund has also leveled up his game and could make a push for Team Sweden. Considering Sweden brought Viktor Arvidsson and Gustav Nyquist to 4 Nations, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a spot for Eklund.
Last week: 25
Sean: 28
Dom: 27
It’s still too early to put Tage Thompson in the shoo-in category — and that’s not a great sign for the Sabres. Coming out of 4 Nations, there was a very large, Tage-shaped hole in the Americans’ lineup. He’s spent a bit too much of this season giving them a reason to make a similar mistake for Milan.
Alex Tuch, though, skates, scores goals and drives play. That makes him a quality bottom-six option for the U.S. if they want to switch up the mix.
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Last week: 29
Sean: 29
Dom: 30
Brock Faber is being treated as something close to a lock for Team USA. Fair enough; on a best-on-best roster, he can focus on playing match-up minutes rather than overextending himself. This is where we say, gently, that he’s carrying a sub-40 percent on-ice goal share this season.
We’ll mention, too, that, Matt Boldy was one of the best U.S. forwards at 4 Nations. No reason to mess with that.
Last week: 28
Sean: 30
Dom: 29
From a Canadian perspective, maybe Jordan Binnington and his .859 save percentage should be on — or outside — the bubble. Given his rep after 4 Nations, though, that’s highly unlikely.
As for the other Team Canada hopefuls, Robert Thomas and Colton Parayko are heading in opposite directions. We’re big fans of Thomas around here, but he’s had an uninspiring start, with eight points in 11 games and some of the worst five-on-five numbers on the team. Parayko, on the other hand, continues to cement his place on Canada’s roster as a right-shot shutdown monster. Parayko felt like an odd choice when the 4 Nations rosters were announced, but his toolsy game has really blossomed under Jim Montgomery. He’s been St. Louis’ best play-driver from the blue line this year.
Last week: 31
Sean: 31
Dom: 31
The campaign for Erik Haula to make Team Finland starts now! Focus on that, Preds fans, and not that Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly played their way out of the Canada discussion two years ago.
Last week: 32
Sean: 32
Dom: 32
A lot of nerds were incensed that MacKenzie Weegar didn’t make the 4 Nations roster, but the fancy stats darling isn’t exactly eye-test friendly. Weegar has a very risky puck-moving profile that may not play well against tough opponents in an Olympic setting. He’s also had a pretty tough start to the season, with just four points in 15 games despite heavy power-play usage, and has also been outscored badly.
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