Kendall Coyne Schofield on PWHL affecting Winter Olympics preparation
Team USA is gearing up for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, and ice hockey medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield shares differences now with the PWHL.
Sports Seriously
The 12 countries participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics are rolling out names of the first six players for their preliminary men’s hockey rosters for the tournament in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Two players named on Monday, June 16 – Leon Draisaitl and Aleksander Barkov – are facing off in the Stanley Cup Final.
The announcements will be made at various times of the day on Monday. The rest of the rosters will be announced during the 2025-26 NHL season.
The NHL is sending its players back to the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games. The 2026 tournament will be held in February.
Here are the first six players for each country as they are announced, plus analysis:
FinlandF Sebastian Aho, CarolinaF Aleksander Barkov, FloridaF Mikko Rantanen, DallasD Miro Heiskanen, DallasD Esa Lindell, DallasG Juuse Saros, Nashville
Analysis: A strong start with scoring threats Rantanen and Aho and three-time Selke Trophy winner Barkov. This is similar to Finland’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, except Heiskanen was hurt and couldn’t play. He returned for the playoffs. Saros had a down season in 2024-25 but is a two-time All-Star.
SwedenF Gabriel Landeskog, ColoradoF Adrian Kempe, Los AngelesF Lucas Raymond, DetroitF William Nylander, TorontoD Rasmus Dahlin, BuffaloD Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay
Analysis: All of these players took part in the 4 Nations Face-Off except for Landeskog. But he had returned from a three-year injury absence for the Avalanche and will add to an impressive forward group. Nylander, Kempe and Raymond combined for 107 goals this season. Hedman and Dahlin also provide offense from the blue line.
CzechiaF Martin Necas, ColoradoF Ondrej Palat, New JerseyF David Pastrnak, BostonF Pavel Zacha, BostonD Radko Gudas, AnaheimG Lukas Dostal, Anaheim
Analysis: Pastrnak is an elite scorer and has chemistry with Boston teammate Zacha. Necas averaged a point a game last season, and Palat is a two-time Stanley Cup winner. Gudas is a heavy hitter and Dostal is emerging as the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie.
SwitzerlandF Kevin Fiala, Los AngelesF Nico Hischier, New JerseyF Timo Meier, New JerseyF Nino Niederreiter, WinnipegD Roman Josi, NashvilleD Jonas Siegenthaler, New Jersey
Analysis: Hischier is a strong two-way center and he and Fiala each had 35 goals last season. There’s built-in chemistry with three Devils players. Josi is a former Norris Trophy winner.
GermanyF Leon Draisaitl, EdmontonF Lukas Reichel, ChicagoF Nico Sturm, FloridaF Tim Stutzle, OttawaD Moritz Seider, DetroitG Philipp Grubauer, Seattle
Analysis: The key to the offense is Draisaitl, a former Hart Trophy winner and 2024-25 runner-up. He had 52 goals in the regular season and has four playoff overtime goals. Stutzle also provides a lot of offense and Seider was the NHL’s 2021-22 rookie of the year.
LatviaF Rodrigo Abols, PhiladelphiaF Teddy Blueger, VancouverF Zemgus Girgensons, Tampa BayD Uvis Balinskis, FloridaG Elvis Merzlikins, ColumbusG Arturs Silovs, Vancouver
Analysis: Girgensons was an NHL All-Star in 2014-15. Merzlikins is a No. 1 NHL goalie and Silovs had a good playoff run in 2024.