10 Canucks players who could compete at the 2026 Olympics
The Vancouver Canucks could be well-represented at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.
The countries for the hockey competition have now been set, and the tournament will bring together many of the best players from around the world to face off against each other. Speaking of which, there are tons of Canucks players who could realistically participate.
Below is a list of 10 players currently on the team who could potentially play at the Milano Cortina Olympics. While some are locks, others have an outside shot at making their respective national teams.
Elias Pettersson (Sweden)
Elias Pettersson is one of the top Swedish players in the world. Despite a slow finish to the year, he finished third among all Swedish players in goals and points last season.
The 25-year-old is in the midst of his prime and will likely be even better by the time 2026 rolls around. He’ll be one of the team’s top forwards and likely centre the first line.
While he wasn’t among the first six players named, Pettersson is expected to represent Sweden at next spring’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Quinn Hughes (USA)
Canucks captain Quinn Hughes will definitely be representing the United States at the 2026 Olympics.
He won the Norris Trophy last year as the NHL’s best defenceman and will lead a fearsome American blueline which should be loaded with young talent. Hughes has already been named to Team USA for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The only question is whether his brothers, Luke and Jack, will also make the team alongside him.
Thatcher Demko (USA)
Thatcher Demko is another Canucks player who could suit up for Team USA at the 2026 Olympics.
When healthy, Demko is one of the best goalies in the league. He finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last season despite missing a significant number of games.
Demko will face tough competition among American goalies to make the team, but if he stays healthy and on his current career trajectory, he should be on the final roster.
J.T. Miller (USA)
J.T. Miller had an excellent season last year for the Canucks. He finished with over 100 points while also taking on some incredibly tough defensive matchups.
At 31 years old, the centre is on the wrong side of 30. If he can keep up this level of play, he has a good shot at making the American team, but if he falters over the next few years, cracking the 2026 roster will be a challenge.
Brock Boeser (USA)
Brock Boeser finally realized his potential last year as he stayed healthy and broke the 40-goal mark.
Boeser is another player like Miller where if he plays like he did last year for another two seasons, then he can make a strong case to play for Team USA. Anything less and it becomes more daunting.
Filip Hronek (Czechia)
Czechia has qualified for the 2026 Olympics, and Filip Hronek will definitely play a huge role on the team. The blueliner finished fourth among all Czech players in points last season, including both forwards and defencemen.
Hronek just got rewarded with a big contract from the Canucks, and there is some pressure to prove he can be productive when not playing with Hughes. However, no matter how the next two years turn out, he should be an easy pick for the 2026 Olympics.
Arturs Silovs (Latvia)
Latvia qualified for the Milano Cortina Olympics despite missing Silovs due to injury. He was expected to play but pulled out at the last minute due to knee inflammation. However, the breakout star from last year’s playoffs is an easy pick for the nation’s starting goalie when the Olympics come around.
Silovs is already a national hero after winning MVP and helping Latvia capture a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships. If Latvia wants to make some noise at the Olympics, they better hope Silovs is on his game.
Teddy Blueger (Latvia)
Teddy Blueger was born in Riga, Latvia, and has represented the country on the international stage in the past. He had twice as many points as any other Latvian skater last season and will be one of the squad’s best players.
Blueger is an easy pick for the team which will be an underdog nation at the 2026 Olympics.
Nils Höglander (Sweden)
While he likely has an outside shot at making the Swedish team for the 2026 Games, there is a path for Nils Höglander. He scored 24 goals last year, tied for 10th best among all Swedish NHL players, and they were all at even-strength.
In addition, Höglander is just 23 years old and could still take another step forward in his development. With another strong year, he could be an intriguing addition to the team’s bottom-six.
Pius Suter (Switzerland)
Switzerland has some very good NHL players, including Pius Suter. The jack-of-all-trades forward can play multiple positions and has a strong two-way game. While he likely won’t be on the top line, Suter is an easy choice to make the team.