Sweden Loads Championship-Caliber Roster for 2026 Olympics

Sweden has assembled a roster that could make it the team to beat at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The lineup announced for Milan Cortina features elite NHL talent from top to bottom, with depth at every position that rivals any country in the tournament.

The forward group alone reads like an All-Star team. Filip Forsberg, Leo Carlsson, and William Nylander could form a devastating top line. Elias Pettersson centering Mika Zibanejad and Lucas Raymond on the second line gives Sweden scoring punch throughout the lineup.

Meanwhile, Adrian Kempe, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jesper Bratt bring two-way excellence to the third line. The fourth line might be the most impressive aspect of Sweden's depth. Even Team USA and Team Canada can't take this kind of offense lightly.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Landeskog, Elias Lindholm, and Rickard Rakell represent the kind of talent that most countries would feature on their top two lines. When your fourth line includes a Stanley Cup champion captain and two proven NHL scorers, you know the roster is stacked.

Defensive Dominance

Sweden's blue line might be even more impressive than their forward group. Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin as a top pairing gives them two of the NHL's best defensemen playing together. That combination alone could shut down any opponent's top line.

Gustav Forsling and Rasmus Andersson form a solid second pairing with Stanley Cup experience and offensive ability. Jonas Brodin and Erik Karlsson round out the defensive corps, giving Sweden a perfect blend of defensive responsibility and offensive creativity from the back end.

Representing Sweden at the #MilanoCortina2026 #WinterOlympics... 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/4zkB5heEgs
— NHL (@NHL) January 2, 2026

Karlsson's inclusion is particularly significant. The three-time Norris Trophy winner brings elite playmaking ability that few defensemen in the world can match. Pairing him with the defensively sound Brodin allows Karlsson to take chances and create offense without leaving Sweden vulnerable.

Gold Medal Favorites

Between the pipes, Sweden features three capable NHL goaltenders. Filip Gustavsson has emerged as a quality starter. Jacob Markstrom brings extensive playoff experience and has been one of the league's most consistent netminders. Jesper Wallstedt represents the future and provides another solid option.

Looking at this roster objectively, it's difficult to identify weaknesses. Sweden has scoring depth, defensive excellence, and reliable goaltending. They can play any style necessary to win games, whether that means trading chances in a high-scoring affair or grinding out low-scoring defensive battles.

The betting odds should reflect Sweden as one of the favorites to win gold in Milan Cortina. When you can roll four lines of legitimate NHL talent and have three elite defensive pairings, you're built for a short tournament where depth matters.

Sweden won gold at the 2006 Olympics in Turin. Twenty years later, they're returning to Italy with a roster that could bring another championship back to Scandinavia. With Finland, the USA, and Canada all sending loaded lineups to Italy, Sweden's reveal has put them right up there with the best in the contention for gold.