A closer look at the Maple Leafs playing in Winter Olympics

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Auston Matthews of the United States and William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson of Sweden will compete for gold in Italy.

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Published Feb 06, 2026 • 5 minute read

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William Nylander of Team Sweden checks Sidney Crosby of Team Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off last year. Getty ImagesArticle content

It’s a small contingent of Leafs who will don their respective nation’s colours in Milan at the Winter Olympics.

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For the third time in as many Olympics that National Hockey League players have participated (including 2014 and 2010), three Leafs will be on the ice starting on Wednesday, when the men’s hockey tournament gets underway.

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You know who we’re talking about — captain Auston Matthews will play for the United States, while winger William Nylander and defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson will play for Sweden.

In 2014 in Sochi, Russia, the previous time NHLers took part, the Leafs had forwards Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk with the U.S., and forward Nikolai Kulemin with Russia.

In 2010 in Vancouver, Kessel was joined by Leafs teammates Tomas Kaberle (Czech Republic) and goalie Jonas Gustavsson (Sweden).

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The Leafs’ high for one Olympics since 1998, when active NHL players were allowed to play for the first time, was nine players in 2002 in Salt Lake City.

Coached by Pat Quinn to a gold medal, Canada counted Curtis Joseph among its goaltenders. Tomas Kaberle, who played in three Olympics while with the Leafs, and forward Robert Reichel suited up for the Czechs. Defencemen Aki Berg and Jyrki Lumme skated for Finland, while forwards Mats Sundin and Mikael Renberg helped represent Sweden.

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Also in the tournament were goalie Mikael Tellqvist with Sweden and forward Alexei Ponikarovsky with Ukraine. They were teammates with the St. John’s Maple Leafs before becoming full-time Leafs.

Four years later in Turin, six Leafs took part and Sundin was captain of Sweden when it won gold in 2006.

Just twice — Joseph in ’02 and defenceman Bryan McCabe in 2006 — has a current Leafs player taken part for Canada in the Olympics. NHLers did not participate in the Winter Games in 2018 and 2022.

A closer look at the three Leafs who will play in Milan:

Auston Matthews (United States)

There shouldn’t be extra motivation for participants on the Olympic stage and we would not suggest Matthews needs any.

Yet, in the midst of a disappointing and underachieving Leafs season from a team perspective — coupled with the Americans’ loss in overtime to Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off last February, when Matthews was on the ice for Connor McDavid’s winner — anything less than a fully inspired effort from Matthews would be surprising.

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Matthews has played for the U.S. numerous times, but has not won gold since 2015, when he was named MVP at the under-18 tournament in Switzerland.

Obviously, Matthews will have to be a catalyst on both sides of the puck for the Americans in Milan. The amount of production he provides on offence will be key in whether the U.S. wins gold or falters along the way.

Auston Matthews of the United States pursues the puck in front of Finland’s Joel Armia in Montreal on Thursday night. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis /Getty Images

“I think we feel like we’re up there and we should be competing for gold,” Matthews said of the Americans’ outlook. “You want to be the best country in the world.”

Matthews’ best hockey with the Leafs in 2025-26 has come since Christmas, yet he was not tearing it up as Toronto headed into the break.

The 28-year-old centre scored 10 goals and had five assists in 10 games from Jan. 1-19, but had just one goal, as well as five assists, in the Leafs’ past eight games. That included a four-game drought with no goals going into the break.

William Nylander (Sweden)

Any fears that Sweden might have had regarding the chance that Nylander would be hampered during the tournament were put to rest by the 29-year-old last week.

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Nylander had spurts of dominance in his return to the Leafs lineup after recovering from a recurring groin injury that caused him to miss seven games. Nylander had a goal and three assists in Leafs victories in Calgary and Edmonton prior to the start of the break.

Despite missing 17 games because of injury, Nylander leads Toronto in scoring with 52 points (18 goals and 34 assists) in 40 games.

Like Matthews with the U.S., to what extent Nylander produces offence in Milan will go a long way to determining Sweden’s success.

If history tells us anything, Nylander is bound to shine in Milan. Some of the best hockey in his career has come while wearing the blue and yellow of the Tre Kronor. He has amassed more than a point a game in four world championships and in 2017 was named MVP at the worlds in leading Sweden to gold.

In competing at the Olympics for the first time, Nylander will follow the path set by his dad, Mikael. The elder Nylander, in the midst of a 900-game career in the National Hockey League, played for Sweden in the Winter Games in 1998 and 2002.

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Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Sweden)

Not that Ekman-Larsson wouldn’t have been on Sweden’s radar when the season started — with his experience, of course he was in the sights — but there was not the expectation that the 34-year-old would get another shot at the Olympics.

After he was not on Sweden’s team for the 4 Nations event a year ago, however, Ekman-Larsson made it impossible for his home country to not include him on its 2026 roster.

The 34 points Ekman-Larsson has collected through the Leafs’ first 57 games already represent his best output since 2018-19, when he had 44 points in 81 games with the Arizona Coyotes.

One of two Leafs to play in every game to date — centre John Tavares is the other — Ekman-Larsson is on pace for 49 points, which would be the second-most he has had in one NHL season (his best was 55 points in 2015-16 with Arizona).

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Not only does Ekman-Larsson have the most points among Leafs defencemen, his snarl should be a benefit in a tournament where the intensity will be high.

Ekman-Larsson’s extensive international experience includes the 2014 Winter Olympics, when he had three assists in six games.

Ekman-Larsson is one of four Swedes on the roster, along with defenceman Erik Karlsson and forwards Marcus Johansson and Gabriel Landeskog, who took silver at the 2014 Games in Sochi.

“Going into the year, you knew it was a big year for the Olympics,” Ekman-Larsson said. “You’ve been thinking about it. I’m really thankful (for the chance to play in the Olympics again).

“It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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A closer look at the Maple Leafs playing in Winter Olympics

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