9 Edmonton Oilers who could suit up at the 2026 Winter Olympics

There might be more than a few Edmonton Oilers making the trip to Italy to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics next year.

With the tournament now just three months away, speculation on who will make their respective national teams is reaching a fever pitch. For most Oilers fans, the big focus will be on who ends up cracking Team Canada, but there are other countries they will want to look out for.

There is a fair share of Oilers players vying to be on the Canadian team, but there is also a handful who are expected to push for spots on other teams. In total, about nine Edmonton players have either already locked up a spot or are pushing to make an Olympic squad.

Let’s take a look at who those players are…

1. Connor McDavid (Canada)

There is no speculation here, as Connor McDavid has already been named to the Canadian Olympic team.

This is a no-brainer as the Oilers captain remains one of the best players on the planet and is coming off a golden-goal performance at last year’s 4 Nations tournament. The only question will be whether or not he gets the captaincy, or if this will be Sidney Crosby’s last turn as the Canadian leader.

Either way, he’ll be a premier member of the Canadian squad as they look to capture gold for the first time since 2014.

2. Leon Draisaitl (Germany)

Similar to McDavid, we already know that Leon Draisaitl will be heading to Italy to represent Germany at the Olympics.

The 30-year-old power forward has already been named to Team Germany and is arguably the best German hockey player to ever lace up. Draisaitl is the highest-scoring NHL player from Germany with his 980 points, obliterating second-place Marco Sturm’s previous record of 487. He was also named German sportsman of the year back in 2020, becoming the first ice hockey player to take home the honour.

Draisaitl has become a sports icon in his home country and will try to help Germany secure its second medal in three Olympics after taking home silver in 2018.

3. Zach Hyman (Canada)

Zach Hyman was left on the sidelines at the 4 Nations tournament, but he remains an outside threat to crack Canada’s Olympic roster.

The odds are not looking good for Hyman after he missed the first 19 games of the season recovering from a wrist injury. He has only played in two games this year and, while he has looked good, there isn’t a big case for him to make the team over some others at the moment.

There is still time for Hyman to make an impression, but he’ll have to do it quickly. The biggest feather in his cap is his familiarity playing on a line with McDavid.

4. Mattias Ekholm (Sweden)

Mattias Ekholm feels like a safe bet to make Team Sweden this season.

The veteran defenceman was on Sweden’s 4 Nations squad last year, though a combination of injury and illness prevented him from playing at full strength. Ekholm is off to a slow start to the season, but nothing he has done has suggested that he has fallen out of Sweden’s Olympic radar.

Defence is a strong point of Sweden’s team, and Ekholm would be an excellent defensive option for the country. If he cracks the roster, he’ll look to help the Swedes capture their first Olympic gold medal in the sport since 2006.

5. Evan Bouchard (Canada)

One of the more controversial players in contention for a spot on Team Canada is Evan Bouchard.

There is no doubt that Bouchard is one of the NHL’s premier defencemen and among the best big-game players in the league. He ranks second all-time in playoff points-per-game in NHL history, behind just Bobby Orr.

Based on that, you would think Bouchard was a shoo-in to make Canada, but his history of defensive gaffes and another slow start to the season may have put him on the outside looking in.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him on Canada’s roster, but it also wouldn’t be shocking if he were among the final players to be left off.

6. David Tomášek (Czechia)

Things haven’t exactly gone according to plan for David Tomášek’s first NHL season, but he is still in contention for a spot on Czechia’s Olympic squad.

The Czechs are one of those teams that will have a good deal of NHL talent, but will also need to bring in talent from overseas leagues to round things out. While Tomášek is now an NHL player, his most notable accomplishments have come while playing in the Swedish Hockey League.

He has just three points in 14 NHL games this season, but led the entire SHL in scoring last season with 24 goals and 57 points in 47 games. If he makes the team, which is very possible, that will be a big reason why.

7. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Canada)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is another bubble player who will certainly be in contention for a spot on Team Canada.

His two-way acumen will surely be of interest to Canada, and he has shown that he can be a productive offensive threat as well. Nugent-Hopkins is two years removed from a 100-point season and is off to a good start with the Oilers, with five goals and 16 points through 16 games.

Though he has plenty of merit, there is still doubt that he has done enough to surpass some of the other players in consideration.

8. Josh Samanski (Germany)

One of the more under-the-radar members of the Oilers organization who is likely Olympic-bound is newcomer Josh Samanski.

The 23-year-old German has not played a single NHL game yet, but he looks like a solid candidate to join Draisaitl on Team Germany this February. Samanski was considered one of the best players in Germany’s DEL last season, and he has been improving game by game down in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors.

Germany will not have enough NHL talent to fill out their Olympic squad, which means Samanski will have more than enough opportunity to potentially crack this team.

9. Stuart Skinner (Canada)

At the start of the season, Stuart Skinner had every chance in the world to make Team Canada, but his chances have been reduced significantly since then.

Goaltending is Canada’s one glaring weakness heading into the Olympics, and the field was practically open for anybody to make a case. Skinner knew that heading into the season, and has since put up a dismal .889 save percentage and mediocre +1.5 GSAx.

Right now, it doesn’t feel likely he will be pulling on the red maple leaf jersey anytime soon. Though it is curious to note that he is outperforming both Jordan Binnington and Samuel Montembeault this season, both of whom were on Canada’s 4 Nations roster.

Never say never, but you shouldn’t bet on it.

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