After winning an historic gold four years ago in Beijing, the Finnish men face a new challenge as NHLers return to the Olympics in Milan.
photo: PHOTO: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDREA CARDIN
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Group B of the men’s hockey tournament features four nations feeling the weight of expectations.
Finland is the defending champion, having won its first Olympic gold medal ever in Beijing four years ago. Slovakia also broke new ground in 2022 with its bronze medal, and its fans are hungry for more. Sweden aspires to end a 20-year gold-medal drought dating back to Turin, the last Olympics held in Italy. And naturally, underdog Italy is under the microscope as the host nation.
Let’s take a closer look at each team’s strengths, weaknesses, and hopes.
Finland
As the NHL returns to the Olympics after a 12-year absence, Finland will ice only one returning player from Beijing: veteran puck-moving defenceman Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC Lions). In the big picture, not much has gone right for Suomi in men’s hockey since 2022, which also featured a memorable “double-gold” triumph at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Tampere.
The Finns have suffered three straight WM quarter-final exits, and their full NHL cohort came last at the non-IIHF-sanctioned 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025.
Finland is the defending champion, having won its first Olympic gold medal ever in Beijing four years ago. Slovakia also broke new ground in 2022 with its bronze medal, and its fans are hungry for more. Sweden aspires to end a 20-year gold-medal drought dating back to Turin, the last Olympics held in Italy. And naturally, underdog Italy is under the microscope as the host nation.
Let’s take a closer look at each team’s strengths, weaknesses, and hopes.
Finland
As the NHL returns to the Olympics after a 12-year absence, Finland will ice only one returning player from Beijing: veteran puck-moving defenceman Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC Lions). In the big picture, not much has gone right for Suomi in men’s hockey since 2022, which also featured a memorable “double-gold” triumph at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Tampere.
The Finns have suffered three straight WM quarter-final exits, and their full NHL cohort came last at the non-IIHF-sanctioned 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025.
Mikko Rantanen (#96) last appeared in IIHF competition at the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Tampere, Finland.
Entering these Olympics without centre Alexander Barkov (Florida) – the captain of the two-time Stanley Cup champions – is a big setback. It places the onus on stars like Mikko Rantanen (Dallas), Sebastian Aho (Carolina), and Roope Hintz (Dallas) to make up the deficit with scoring and two-way intensity.
On defence, coach Antti Pennanen can deploy a world-class talent in Miro Heiskanen, and his Dallas teammate Esa Lindell will likewise log big minutes. The playoff experience of hard-hitting Niko Mikkola (Florida) could prove valuable in medal-round action against the U.S. or Canada. Unusually, Finland’s goaltending is a question mark. Presumptive starter Juuso Saros (Nashville) remains a workhorse but has posted some of his weakest NHL numbers this season.
Finland’s strength is always its team play, and it thrives on being underestimated. That said, repeating as champions is a long shot. To see Finland win its fifth Olympic bronze medal, though, would surprise virtually nobody.
Italy
When Milan hosted the 1994 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Italy finished a respectable sixth out of 12 teams, beating Great Britain, Austria, and Germany. If head coach Jukka Jalonen can even approximate that success this year, he deserves a marble statue in the Roman Forum.
Jalonen, 63, famously coached his native Finland to gold in Beijing, as well as at the 2011, 2019, and 2022 Worlds – often with unheralded rosters. This Italian team – sitting 18th in the current IIHF World Ranking – is outmatched in every department from speed to skill to strength. Devoid of NHLers, they are long in the tooth with 14 skaters aged 30 or over.
If goalie Damien Clara (Brynas) – drafted in the second round by Anaheim in 2023 – stands on his head while getting 100 percent committed defensive support, the Italians might be able to hang tough with an opposing team temporarily. However, for them to win a game or even get a point would have “Miracle on Ice” overtones.
Slovakia
He’s back and he’s bigger and better than ever. We’re talking about 2022 Olympic MVP Juraj Slafkovsky, who led that tournament with seven goals. The fourth-year NHLer has blossomed into a bona fide power forward at age 21 and is on track for a career season with Montreal.
On defence, coach Antti Pennanen can deploy a world-class talent in Miro Heiskanen, and his Dallas teammate Esa Lindell will likewise log big minutes. The playoff experience of hard-hitting Niko Mikkola (Florida) could prove valuable in medal-round action against the U.S. or Canada. Unusually, Finland’s goaltending is a question mark. Presumptive starter Juuso Saros (Nashville) remains a workhorse but has posted some of his weakest NHL numbers this season.
Finland’s strength is always its team play, and it thrives on being underestimated. That said, repeating as champions is a long shot. To see Finland win its fifth Olympic bronze medal, though, would surprise virtually nobody.
Italy
When Milan hosted the 1994 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Italy finished a respectable sixth out of 12 teams, beating Great Britain, Austria, and Germany. If head coach Jukka Jalonen can even approximate that success this year, he deserves a marble statue in the Roman Forum.
Jalonen, 63, famously coached his native Finland to gold in Beijing, as well as at the 2011, 2019, and 2022 Worlds – often with unheralded rosters. This Italian team – sitting 18th in the current IIHF World Ranking – is outmatched in every department from speed to skill to strength. Devoid of NHLers, they are long in the tooth with 14 skaters aged 30 or over.
If goalie Damien Clara (Brynas) – drafted in the second round by Anaheim in 2023 – stands on his head while getting 100 percent committed defensive support, the Italians might be able to hang tough with an opposing team temporarily. However, for them to win a game or even get a point would have “Miracle on Ice” overtones.
Slovakia
He’s back and he’s bigger and better than ever. We’re talking about 2022 Olympic MVP Juraj Slafkovsky, who led that tournament with seven goals. The fourth-year NHLer has blossomed into a bona fide power forward at age 21 and is on track for a career season with Montreal.
The Slovaks made history with their bronze medal in Beijing and would be ecstatic if they beat the odds to return to the podium in Milan.
Slafkovsky must bring his A-game for Slovakia to generate offence. Veteran Tomas Tatar (EV Zug) offers leadership, while Pavol Regenda (San Jose) came alive with six goals in January. But the depth up front is a far cry from the early 2000s heyday of Slovak hockey with now-GM Miroslav Satan, Peter Bondra, and Marian Hossa.
Blue line-wise, coach Vladimir Orszagh will look to Simon Nemec (New Jersey) to bring an offensive spark and two-time Cup champ Erik Cernak (Tampa Bay) to deliver snarly physicality. The lack of NHL-calibre netminding is likely an Achilles heel.
The most plausible scenario sees Slovakia trouncing Italy on 13 February in between losses to Sweden and Finland. This squad has sufficient quality to survive the qualification playoffs, but making the final four seems dubious.
Sweden
When Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada in the 2014 Olympic final, it was missing its top three centres due to injury or suspension: Henrik Sedin, Henrik Zetterberg, and Nicklas Backstrom. Entering these Games, the injury bug has also caused headaches for Tre Kronor – albeit not on quite the same level. The Swedes remain gold-medal contenders.
Third-year NHLer Leo Carlsson (Anaheim) was having an outstanding season on a point-per-game pace, but a thigh injury will force the 21-year-old centre to miss Milan. Carlsson’s loss is versatile journeyman Marcus Johansson’s gain. Added by coach Sam Hallam as a late replacement, the Minnesota veteran won silver in Sochi in 2014 and bronze at the last two Worlds.
Sweden’s potential firepower is impressive. Yet apart from Lucas Raymond (Detroit), William Nylander (Toronto) and arguably Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers), few Swedish aces are on top of their game right now. It’s been mixed results at best for everyone from Jesper Bratt (New Jersey) to Elias Pettersson (Vancouver). Will they get rolling at the right time?
Blue line-wise, coach Vladimir Orszagh will look to Simon Nemec (New Jersey) to bring an offensive spark and two-time Cup champ Erik Cernak (Tampa Bay) to deliver snarly physicality. The lack of NHL-calibre netminding is likely an Achilles heel.
The most plausible scenario sees Slovakia trouncing Italy on 13 February in between losses to Sweden and Finland. This squad has sufficient quality to survive the qualification playoffs, but making the final four seems dubious.
Sweden
When Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada in the 2014 Olympic final, it was missing its top three centres due to injury or suspension: Henrik Sedin, Henrik Zetterberg, and Nicklas Backstrom. Entering these Games, the injury bug has also caused headaches for Tre Kronor – albeit not on quite the same level. The Swedes remain gold-medal contenders.
Third-year NHLer Leo Carlsson (Anaheim) was having an outstanding season on a point-per-game pace, but a thigh injury will force the 21-year-old centre to miss Milan. Carlsson’s loss is versatile journeyman Marcus Johansson’s gain. Added by coach Sam Hallam as a late replacement, the Minnesota veteran won silver in Sochi in 2014 and bronze at the last two Worlds.
Sweden’s potential firepower is impressive. Yet apart from Lucas Raymond (Detroit), William Nylander (Toronto) and arguably Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers), few Swedish aces are on top of their game right now. It’s been mixed results at best for everyone from Jesper Bratt (New Jersey) to Elias Pettersson (Vancouver). Will they get rolling at the right time?
Legendary Swedish defencemen Victor Hedman (left) and Erik Karlsson (right) last teamed up at the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Czechia.
Hallam’s defence corps could be Sweden’s biggest strength. There are two former Norris Trophy winners in Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay) and Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh) and a possible future winner in Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo). Much will depend on how Hedman performs after returning recently from injury and whether Karlsson’s offensive brilliance outweighs his defensive lapses. In net, Hallam has three legitimate potential starters in Jacob Markstrom (New Jersey) and the Minnesota tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, but no one has the job sewn up.
On paper, Sweden isn’t quite as strong as either North American team. Still, anything less than a medal would be a let-down.
On paper, Sweden isn’t quite as strong as either North American team. Still, anything less than a medal would be a let-down.