Iowa’s imprint on the 2026 Winter Olympics is already taking shape, with hometown natives and familiar faces from the Iowa Wild skating onto the world’s biggest stage. West Des Moines native Zach Stoppelmoor and Davenport’s Kevin McKee headline a growing list of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, joined by current and former Iowa Wild players such as David Špaček, Samuel Hlavaj, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Darcy Kuemper, Jesper Wallstedt and others — proof that the road to the Games can run straight through the heart of the Midwest. The 2026 Winter Olympic Games run Feb. 6-22 in Milan Cortina, Italy.Zach Stoppelmoor, Team USA SpeedskatingZach Stoppelmoor is a 26-year-old speedskater from Iowa who earned his first Olympic berth by winning the men’s 500 meters at the U.S. Olympic speedskating trials. The West Des Moines native posted the fastest combined time across two days of racing, punctuating his performance with a 34.661-second skate in the final pairing to secure a spot on the U.S. team bound for the Milan Cortina Winter Games. According to Team USA, Stoppelmoor is the first Iowa-born speedskater to make the U.S. Olympic team.Stoppelmoor began his skating career on concrete, taking up inline skating at age 7 and representing the United States at the 2018 and 2019 World Inline Championships. He later moved to Salt Lake City to transition to ice speedskating, where his rapid rise culminated in an Olympic qualification. After clinching his spot, Stoppelmoor shared the moment with his parents, calling their support essential to his journey, and made clear his ambitions extend beyond qualifying — with his sights set firmly on Olympic gold.Kevin McKee, Team USA Sled HockeyDavenport native Kevin McKee, 35, has built one of the most decorated careers in U.S. sled hockey history, helping Team USA capture Paralympic gold medals in 2014, 2018 and 2022.Born with caudal regression syndrome, a rare congenital condition that affects the development of the lower half of the body, McKee was introduced to sled hockey at age eight after his mother spotted a flyer for a local program while attending his sister’s figure skating practice. He started out as a goaltender but soon shifted to forward, a move that better matched his speed and playing style.McKee made his debut with the U.S. sled national team during the 2010–11 season and has since become a five-time world champion. Known among teammates as one of the team’s smartest players, McKee is praised for his positioning and hockey sense, routinely putting himself in the right place at the right time. David Špaček, Team Czechia HockeyIowa Wild defenseman David Špaček will play for Czechia’s men’s hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics, giving the Iowa Wild a strong presence on the international stage. The 22-year-old leads Iowa in assists this season and has continued his steady development into a reliable two-way and power-play contributor across three AHL seasons. Špaček brings significant international experience, having won gold with Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, silver at the 2023 World Junior Championship, and contributed at multiple recent world tournaments. Drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2022, his Olympic selection adds another milestone to his rapidly expanding career résumé.Samuel Hlavaj, Team Slovakia HockeyIowa Wild goaltender Samuel Hlavaj will play for Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The 24-year-old netminder is in his second season with Iowa, splitting time between the Wild and the Iowa Heartlanders, and brings a solid professional résumé that includes strong AHL performances and experience in Europe’s top leagues. A native of Martin, Slovakia, Hlavaj also adds extensive international experience, having represented his country in multiple IIHF World Junior and World Championship tournaments, highlighted by a silver medal at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.Christoph Bertschy, Team Switzerland HockeyFormer Iowa Wild center Christoph Bertschy will represent Switzerland in the Olympic hockey tournament. The 31-year-old played in three seasons with the Iowa Wild (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18).Bertschy saw ice time in 184 games for the Iowa Wild, clocking 30 goals and 46 assists. He also spent 116 minutes in the penalty box over those three seasons.Since 2018, he has played in the Swiss National League.Matt Boldy, Team USA HockeyMinnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy played with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate Iowa Wild, in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. He will play for Team USA in Milan. In 24 games with Iowa, Boldy scored 10 goals and had 18 assists while drawing just 8 penalty minutes.Louis Boudon, Team France HockeyCenter Louis Boudon played for the Iowa Wild and its ECHL affiliate Iowa Heartlanders in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. He saw ice time in 57 games for the Heartlanders and 13 games for the Wild. Most recently, he plays in the Finnish professional hockey league.Joel Eriksson Ek, Team Sweden HockeyMinnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek will play for Team Sweden in the Winter Games. The 28-year-old was drafted 20th overall by the Wild in the 2015 NHL entry draft. He played on the Iowa Wild roster during the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. He tallied 19 games in the Iowa jersey, with eight goals and 10 assists. Erik Haula, Finland HockeyNashville Predators left wing Erik Haula will represent his home country of Finland at the Olympics. He played one season for the Houston Aeros before the team relocated to Des Moines and rebranded as the Iowa Wild. In the Iowa sweater, Haula played in 31 games during the 2013-2014 season, scoring 14 goals and 13 assists.Darcy Kuemper, Team Canada HockeyLos Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper will play for Team Canada at the Winter Games. Kuemper played in two seasons with the Iowa Wild (2013-14 and 2014-15), during which he played in 22 games. He had a .929 save percentage in his first year with Iowa and a .891 in his second year.Nico Sturm, Germany HockeyMinnesota Wild center Nico Sturm will represent his home country of Germany. Sturm played 55 games for the Iowa Wild in the 2019-2020 season, tallying 12 goals and 20 assists.Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden HockeyMinnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt has spent key developmental time with the Iowa Wild as part of his rise through the organization. The 23-year-old native of Västerås, Sweden, was selected by Minnesota in the first round (20th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft and played for the Iowa Wild in three seasons from 2022-2025.In his 112 games in the Iowa sweater, he had a regular season save percentage of .908 (2022-23), .910 (2023-24) and .879 (2024-25).After honing his game with the Iowa Wild, he transitioned to the NHL, where he has emerged as one of the league’s top young goaltenders this season while continuing to represent Sweden in international competition.
MILANO, Lombardia —
Iowa’s imprint on the 2026 Winter Olympics is already taking shape, with hometown natives and familiar faces from the Iowa Wild skating onto the world’s biggest stage.
West Des Moines native Zach Stoppelmoor and Davenport’s Kevin McKee headline a growing list of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, joined by current and former Iowa Wild players such as David Špaček, Samuel Hlavaj, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Darcy Kuemper, Jesper Wallstedt and others — proof that the road to the Games can run straight through the heart of the Midwest.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games run Feb. 6-22 in Milan Cortina, Italy.
Zach Stoppelmoor, Team USA Speedskating
Zach Stoppelmoor is a 26-year-old speedskater from Iowa who earned his first Olympic berth by winning the men’s 500 meters at the U.S. Olympic speedskating trials. The West Des Moines native posted the fastest combined time across two days of racing, punctuating his performance with a 34.661-second skate in the final pairing to secure a spot on the U.S. team bound for the Milan Cortina Winter Games. According to Team USA, Stoppelmoor is the first Iowa-born speedskater to make the U.S. Olympic team.
Stoppelmoor began his skating career on concrete, taking up inline skating at age 7 and representing the United States at the 2018 and 2019 World Inline Championships. He later moved to Salt Lake City to transition to ice speedskating, where his rapid rise culminated in an Olympic qualification. After clinching his spot, Stoppelmoor shared the moment with his parents, calling their support essential to his journey, and made clear his ambitions extend beyond qualifying — with his sights set firmly on Olympic gold.
Christian Kaspar-Bartke – International Skating Union
Zach Stoppelmoor of United States competes in Men’s 1000m race during day 2 of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating – Hamar at Hamar Olympic Hall Vikingskipet on Dec. 13, 2025 in Hamar, Norway.
Kevin McKee, Team USA Sled Hockey
Davenport native Kevin McKee, 35, has built one of the most decorated careers in U.S. sled hockey history, helping Team USA capture Paralympic gold medals in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Born with caudal regression syndrome, a rare congenital condition that affects the development of the lower half of the body, McKee was introduced to sled hockey at age eight after his mother spotted a flyer for a local program while attending his sister’s figure skating practice. He started out as a goaltender but soon shifted to forward, a move that better matched his speed and playing style.
McKee made his debut with the U.S. sled national team during the 2010–11 season and has since become a five-time world champion. Known among teammates as one of the team’s smartest players, McKee is praised for his positioning and hockey sense, routinely putting himself in the right place at the right time.
Steve Babineau
Kevin McKee #88 of Team USA controls the puck during the first period of the Reeve Hockey Classic sled hockey game between Team USA and Team Canada at Kasabuski Rink on February 19, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.
David Špaček, Team Czechia Hockey
Iowa Wild defenseman David Špaček will play for Czechia’s men’s hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics, giving the Iowa Wild a strong presence on the international stage. The 22-year-old leads Iowa in assists this season and has continued his steady development into a reliable two-way and power-play contributor across three AHL seasons. Špaček brings significant international experience, having won gold with Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, silver at the 2023 World Junior Championship, and contributed at multiple recent world tournaments. Drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2022, his Olympic selection adds another milestone to his rapidly expanding career résumé.
Samuel Hlavaj, Team Slovakia Hockey
Iowa Wild goaltender Samuel Hlavaj will play for Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The 24-year-old netminder is in his second season with Iowa, splitting time between the Wild and the Iowa Heartlanders, and brings a solid professional résumé that includes strong AHL performances and experience in Europe’s top leagues. A native of Martin, Slovakia, Hlavaj also adds extensive international experience, having represented his country in multiple IIHF World Junior and World Championship tournaments, highlighted by a silver medal at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
Christoph Bertschy, Team Switzerland Hockey
Former Iowa Wild center Christoph Bertschy will represent Switzerland in the Olympic hockey tournament. The 31-year-old played in three seasons with the Iowa Wild (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18).
Bertschy saw ice time in 184 games for the Iowa Wild, clocking 30 goals and 46 assists. He also spent 116 minutes in the penalty box over those three seasons.
Since 2018, he has played in the Swiss National League.
Michael Campanella
Christoph Bertschy of Switzerland during the 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship match between Switzerland and USA at Avicii Arena on May 25, 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Matt Boldy, Team USA Hockey
Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy played with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate Iowa Wild, in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. He will play for Team USA in Milan. In 24 games with Iowa, Boldy scored 10 goals and had 18 assists while drawing just 8 penalty minutes.
Icon Sportswire
Matt Boldy.
Louis Boudon, Team France Hockey
Center Louis Boudon played for the Iowa Wild and its ECHL affiliate Iowa Heartlanders in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. He saw ice time in 57 games for the Heartlanders and 13 games for the Wild. Most recently, he plays in the Finnish professional hockey league.
Xavier Laine
Louis Boudon
Joel Eriksson Ek, Team Sweden Hockey
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek will play for Team Sweden in the Winter Games. The 28-year-old was drafted 20th overall by the Wild in the 2015 NHL entry draft. He played on the Iowa Wild roster during the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. He tallied 19 games in the Iowa jersey, with eight goals and 10 assists.
Harry How
Joel Eriksson Ek
Erik Haula, Finland Hockey
Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula will represent his home country of Finland at the Olympics. He played one season for the Houston Aeros before the team relocated to Des Moines and rebranded as the Iowa Wild. In the Iowa sweater, Haula played in 31 games during the 2013-2014 season, scoring 14 goals and 13 assists.
Icon Sportswire
Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) skates on the ice during the first period of the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild on Dec. 23, 2025, at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, MN.
Darcy Kuemper, Team Canada Hockey
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper will play for Team Canada at the Winter Games. Kuemper played in two seasons with the Iowa Wild (2013-14 and 2014-15), during which he played in 22 games. He had a .929 save percentage in his first year with Iowa and a .891 in his second year.
Harry How
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Los Angeles Kings in goal in front of Joel Eriksson Ek #14 of the Minnesota Wild and Mikey Anderson #44 during a 5-4 shootout win over the Wild at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Sturm, Germany Hockey
Minnesota Wild center Nico Sturm will represent his home country of Germany. Sturm played 55 games for the Iowa Wild in the 2019-2020 season, tallying 12 goals and 20 assists.
Icon Sportswire
Minnesota Wild center Nico Sturm (78) skates with the puck during the second period of the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild on Dec. 23, 2025, at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, MN.
Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden Hockey
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt has spent key developmental time with the Iowa Wild as part of his rise through the organization. The 23-year-old native of Västerås, Sweden, was selected by Minnesota in the first round (20th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft and played for the Iowa Wild in three seasons from 2022-2025.
In his 112 games in the Iowa sweater, he had a regular season save percentage of .908 (2022-23), .910 (2023-24) and .879 (2024-25).
After honing his game with the Iowa Wild, he transitioned to the NHL, where he has emerged as one of the league’s top young goaltenders this season while continuing to represent Sweden in international competition.
Matt Krohn
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) defends his net against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn.