Finland’s Olympic Hopes Fueled by Quartet of Stars

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games are right around the corner, and for the first time since 2014, NHL players will once again represent their countries in the chase for gold. Every nation stands to benefit from the return of the world’s top talent, but no team may gain more from it than Finland.

The Finns, who have won six medals (two silver and four bronze) through 17 appearances at the Olympic Games, are certainly not the favorites heading into the tournament. Still, with a roster that features some of the best talent the NHL has to offer, there’s always a chance the country can pull off a miracle.

Should that breakthrough transpire, it will be fueled by a quartet from the Dallas Stars. Forwards Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz, along with defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, are accustomed to wearing Dallas’ green and white. Come February, though, that gives way to blue and white — with a touch of gold — as the Stars core suits up for Finland.

The Finntastic Four

Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Finland forward Mikko Rantanen (96) skates with the puck during the second period in a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game against Team Canada at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

All four members of “The Finntastic Four” have contributed to the Stars and their home country in different ways. For Rantanen, it’s been all about scoring. From his start with the Colorado Avalanche, where he won the Stanley Cup during the 2021-22 season, to his short yet fantastic stint so far with the Stars, he has consistently been one of the best players Finland has ever put on the ice.

That’s been especially evident so far in 2025. Through 40 games, “The Moose” has scored 16 goals and notched 40 assists. His 56 points rank fifth in the NHL, behind fellow stalwarts Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini and Leon Draisaitl.

While Rantanen is busy putting the puck into the back of the net, Heiskanen has been attempting to stop others from scoring — something he has done at a high level during his eight seasons in the NHL. His reputation as one of the league’s best defensemen is well known, with Team Finland head coach Antti Pennanen calling him “one of the best defensemen in the world.”

Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Finland forward Roope Hintz (24) skates with the puck during the first period in a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game against Team Canada at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Hintz and Lindell aren’t slouches either. The former’s play over the past eight years might not be noticed by many, but he’s one of the most underrated forwards Finland has ever produced. His 31 points through 36 games in 2025 rank fifth on the Stars, with his production on the power play — he has netted five goals with the man advantage — being an integral part of the team’s success so far.

Then there’s Lindell, who some might overlook given his fellow defenseman in Heiskanen. Even with Dallas, he can be ignored in favor of Thomas Harley. Looking at him through that lens doesn’t give him his due, as he has long been a player the Stars can rely on for steady play in the defensive end.

Can Finland Actually Win the Gold?

They say nothing is impossible, which means there’s always a chance Team Finland goes on a run and shocks the world en route to the country’s first gold medal in hockey. With players like Rantanen, Heiskanen, Hintz and Lindell, that goal is certainly achievable, even if it is unlikely.

Finland will open the Olympic Games against Slovakia on Feb. 11. It will then play rival Sweden on Feb. 13 before rounding out the group stage with Italy on Feb. 14.

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