Finland’s bid for a second consecutive Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey is underway with today’s roster announcement for the 2026 Milano Cortina Games. [[1]] The team, which won in Beijing 2022, faces a uniquely challenging field this year with the return of NHL players to Olympic competition after a twelve-year absence. While largely built around the squad that participated in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, the Finns will be without captain Aleksander Barkov due to injury, forcing adjustments to their lineup as they prepare for their opening game against Slovakia on February 11th.
Finland has announced its roster for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, aiming to defend the gold medal they captured at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The team is looking to build on that success, though the landscape of international competition has shifted with the return of NHL players to the Olympic tournament for the first time since 2014.
The Finns will largely field a team similar to the one that competed in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, but a key player will be missing from the lineup. Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, who captained Finland at the Face-Off, is currently sidelined for the NHL season with a knee injury.
Finland has added several players to bolster their forward ranks in Barkov’s absence, including Seattle Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen, Montreal Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen, and Colorado Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta.
On the blue line, the team has added defenseman Mikko Lehtonen, who previously played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets and currently skates for ZSC Lions in the Swiss National League, to the group that participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
This marks the first time Finland will send a team comprised of NHL players to the Olympics in twelve years, adding a new level of excitement and anticipation to their campaign. The tournament format will see all twelve participating teams play three preliminary round games within their respective groups.
The top three teams from each group, along with the best second-place finisher, will receive a bye into the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams will compete in single-elimination playoff games to determine the final four quarterfinalists. The gold-medal game is scheduled for February 22.
Finland will begin its Olympic journey in Group B, opening against Slovakia on February 11. They will then face Sweden on February 13 and Italy on February 14.
Here is the Team Finland roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 (in alphabetical order) and a breakdown by NHL.com of each position group:
