The Nashville Predators will send off four of their players to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Erik Haula, and Juuse Saros will join some of the best hockey players in their respective nations to compete for the gold medal.

In their case, this is more than just a simple homecoming. Josi, Haula, and Saros will each compete with some of their former Nashville teammates. Not only will they all be able to connect under their common language, but they’ll also be able to reconnect under past chemistry. Here’s who each of these three will be joining once again in the hopes of handing their nation the gold.

Switzerland has a lot of history in Smashville; Josi will greatly benefit

Josi, 35, has been with the franchise for 15 years and has racked up a franchise-leading 763 points. He’s seen a fair share of players come and go throughout the years. It isn’t too crazy to say that some of Josi’s best teammates were ones under the same nationality. The Winter Olympics will grant Josi the opportunity to succeed with these guys.

For starters, he’ll reunite with star winger Kevin Fiala. Fiala, 29, began his career with the Predators. Josi, who was becoming a core piece for Nashville, found a connection with him quickly as the two set each other up for some good plays.

Fiala was traded to the Minnesota Wild for Mikael Granlund at the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline. The two have reunited on a few occasions like Four Nations Faceoff, but none compare to playing at the Olympic stage.

Nino Niederediter is a more recent name for Josi. The skilled winger played 56 games with the Nashville captain before he was shipped off to the Winnipeg Jets. Niederediter shared the ice frequently with Josi as a top six forward. He recorded 28 points with the Predators in his short tenure. If that old chemistry sparks again, Swiss and Preds fans tuning in could be in for something special.

Finally, while not really a teammate of Josi, there’s still a connection. Simon Knak was drafted 179th overall by the Predators in the 2021 NHL Draft. He’s only suited up for two AHL games where he recorded zero points. Since the draft, Knak has found success in his home country where he plays for HC Davos. There’s going to be a bit of Nashville energy in that locker room alongside Josi.

Haula and Saros will find Smashville roots in their respective departments

The roster for Finland at the #MilanoCortina2026 #WinterOlympics is here! 🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/H6blKyxjGV

— NHL (@NHL) January 2, 2026

Starting off with Haula, he’ll reunite with winger Eeli Tolvanen. According to NHL.com, they project that the two will share a line with on Team Finland alongside Joel Kiviranta. Haula only played one season with Tolvanen in the 2020-21 campaign with Tolvanen scoring one more point than him with 22. Haula’s skilled faceoff abilities (51.1% this season) and Tolvanen’s accurate shooting (12.5% average) will be lethal for Finland’s bottom six.

In terms of Saros, he’ll reunite with his former goaltending buddy Kevin Lankinen. When Lankinen joined in 2022, it was the first time since Rinne that Nashville had two Finnish goalies. In his first year with the Predators, Lankinen posted a .916 SV% and 2.75 GAA and a 0.908 SV% and 2.82 GAA in his second year. Though the two only played two seasons with each other, the connection was real.

Additionally, Saros will also play with Granlund once again. Granlund, 33, has played for a handful of teams since his departure from Nashville. He spent five seasons with the Predators, scoring 162 points. While they weren’t in the same department, with Granlund being a centerman, it’s nice to have some form of reconnection regardless of what position they play.

Forsberg is the odd man out but shouldn’t be forgotten

Forsberg will not play with a Nashville alumnus, but he’ll still have a lot of fun with some of the best Swedish players in the world. He’ll join sides with Central Division rivals Gabriel Landeskog, Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, Philip Broberg, Filip Gustavsson, and Jesper Wallstedt. It’ll be fun to see how rivals will turn into teammates as the Olympics get going this week.

For Predators fans, the Winter Olympics won’t be just about national pride; it’ll be a reminder of the bonds built in Smashville that continue well beyond Music City.