2026 Winter Olympic Roster Projections: Team Sweden

For the first time since 2014, NHL players are back and going for Winter Olympic gold, this time for the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo games in Italy. The 25 man official rosters are due on New Years Eve for the event that begins on February 11, 2026. In this edition of Olympic Roster Projections, we’ll be covering Team Sweden. The first six players have previously been revealed, for Sweden they include Rasmus Dahlin (D), Victor Hedman (D), Adrian Kempe (F), Gabriel Landeskog (F), William Nylander (F), and Lucas Raymond (F).

Team Sweden Olympic Roster Projections and the Goaltenders

Starting in net, the Swede’s have a number of NHL players between the pipes. Each country is permitted to carry three goaltenders. The debate for Sweden’s netminders isn’t so much as who will be there, but who would start in a potential Gold Medal game. The three options that are almost a guarantee are Jacob Markstrom, Linus Ullmark, and Filip Gustavsson.

Jacob Markstrom has battled injury early in the season. However, he is back between the pipes for the New Jersey Devils. Recently, he signed a two-year contract extension. He’s also represented his country in 45 games, including winning gold at the World Championships in 2013.

Linus Ullmark has also represented Sweden in the past, though significantly less than Markstrom. He’s played 11 games for Sweden, most recently in the 4 Nations Face-off earlier this year. So far this season with the Ottawa Senators, he’s played 14 games with a 3.21 goals-against average. However, his early season save percentage of .870, is less than desirable.

Any injuries to goaltenders before the tournament begins could result in considerations for Arvid Soderblom and Samuel Ersson.

Defence Projections

Typically, teams elect to bring eight defencemen to international events, and for Sweden they have so many choices on the backend. With history on his side, it wouldn’t be a surprise to find Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Erik Karlsson on the roster. Moreover, some parings that Sweden could bring could be as follows.

Left Defence – Right Defence
Victor Hedman (TB) – Rasmus Dahlin (BUF)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (TOR) – Erik Karlsson (PIT)
Philip Broberg (STL) – Rasmus Andersson (CGY)
Gustav Forsling (FLA) – Adam Larsson (SEA)

For Sweden, they have experienced some potentially key setbacks to star blueliners. Rasmus Dahlin had to recently take a leave of absence from his Buffalo Sabres team. Also, Victor Hedman went down with an injury. Forunately, both are expected to be back before too long. Some others who could also find themselves in the conversation for the team are Rasmus Sandin, Hampus Lindholm, Mattias Ekholm, and Jonas Brodin.

Forwards

The choices for forwards, like with their defence, are numerous to say the least. Leo Carlsson leads all Swede’s in the NHL in goals and points with 11 goals and 26 points, as a part of the upstart Anaheim Ducks. His play could land him on a stacked forward roster at the Olympics. Some lines that Sweden could roll out in Italy are below.

Left Wing – Centre – Right Wing
Adrian Kempe (LAK) – Elias Pettersson (VAN) – William Nylander (TOR)
Jesper Bratt (NJD) – Joel Eriksson Ek (MIN) – Filip Forsberg (NAS)
Gabriel Landeskog (COL) – Elias Lindholm (BOS) – Lucas Raymond (DET)
Victor Olofsson (COL) – Mikael Backlund (CGY) – Mika Zibanejad (NYR)
Leo Carlsson (ANA)

The odd choice could be seen in adding Mikael Backlund to the roster. He is 36 years old now. However, his play defensively with the Calgary Flames is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal year in Southern Alberta.

Sweden has 49 total medals in international hockey, including 11 gold medal championships. The most recent being the 2018 World Championships in a 3-2 shootout victory over Switzerland. At the Olympics, they’ve won gold twice in their history, the first in 1994. Most recently in Turin, Italy in 2006. Sweden’s tournament begins February 11, against the host nation Italy.