Vancouver Canucks prospect named to 2026 Winter Olympic roster as an emergency replacement


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Jan 12, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a Vancouver Canucks logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the second period at Bell Centre.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

A Vancouver Canucks prospect is heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy after being named as an injury replacement earlier this week.

We’re less than a month away from the start of the men’s tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy, which is set to feature a number of Vancouver Canucks including Lukas Reichel (Germany), Filip Hronek (Czechia), David Kampf (Czechia), Elias Pettersson (Sweden), Teddy Blueger (Latvia) and Kevin Lankinen (Finland).

The 2026 Winter Olympics mark the first time NHLers are back at the Games since 2014 after an agreement between the league, NHLPA, International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee and after already having six members of the organization named to their respective nation’s rosters, it appears that a seventh Canuck will be heading to Italy next month.

Vancouver Canucks prospect heading to the 2026 Winter Olympic as injury replacement

Last weekend during a game between the Hershey Bears and Cleveland Monsters, Washington Capitals prospect Eriks Mateiko suffered a cut to his Achilles tendon, forcing him to undergo surgery and ending his 2025-26 season.

As a result, the Latvian national team needed to name a replacement for Mateiko on their Olympic roster and turned their attention to the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks.

In a post on social media earlier this week, the Abbotsford Canucks announced that forward Anri Ravinskis is heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics after being named as Mateiko’s replacement.

“RAVI IS OLYMPIC BOUND‼️

Anri Ravinskis has been named to Latvia’s roster as an injury replacement for the Olympic Winter Games!” the Abbotsford Canucks said on X.

“Anri is a player our group has been watching closely this year in Finland and more recently at the World Hockey Championships in Sweden. Finding European free agents like Anri is a good way for our organization to improve its depth. We like his size and body type and look forward to helping him refine his skills and get used to the North American pro game.” Allvin said after the signing.

So far this season, Ravinskis has appeared in 23 games for Abbotsford where he has three points (two goals, one assist), eight penalty minutes and is a minus-nine.

Ravinskis, Teddy Blueger and the rest of Team Latvia will open up their 2026 Winter Olympics schedule on Thursday, February 12th against the United States at 12:10 p.m. PT.

Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily

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Vancouver Canucks prospect named to 2026 Winter Olympic roster as an emergency replacement

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