Team Sweden’s Health Improving Ahead of Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin this week, with men’s hockey commencing Feb. 11. As the most anticipated international hockey event approaches, fans of Team Sweden have been waiting with bated breath to see how healthy their squad will be.

It’s a well-founded anxiety. Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson and Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin have already been ruled out with injuries, dealing a major blow to the nation’s chances of winning Olympic gold.

Those absences would have been enough, but uncertainty surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs star forward William Nylander, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog and Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm made doubts about Sweden’s ability to compete in Milan very real. How, without all that star power, could the Swedes take down the behemoths that are Canada, the United States and Finland?

Luckily for Tre Kronor — the ever-amazing nickname for Team Sweden — it looks like things are turning around. Nylander made his return against the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31, while Hedman also came back into the fold against the Bruins in the NHL’s Stadium Series on Feb. 1. Nylander and Hedman are irreplaceable players, and Sweden would have been in a tough spot had they been unable to go. Of course, the Swedes won’t have to worry about those dim prospects anymore, though the timeline for some of the other injured players on the roster remains uncertain.

Landeskog Cutting it Close for Olympics

Jan 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) skates against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images

In many ways, Landeskog is the heart and soul of Team Sweden. The 33-year-old from Stockholm has long been a key face for the Avalanche, and the same can be said for his nation. That makes playing for Sweden at the Olympics of the utmost importance for Landeskog, but at this point, it remains in doubt. He has missed the last 13 games with an upper-body injury he sustained in a 2-1 defeat to the Florida Panthers on Jan. 4.

“He’s pushing the timeline pretty tight, right?” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “So, after Wednesday, I think it’s still like another week before those games in the Olympics, and there’s some practices in there. With the amount of time before they actually start playing competitive games over there, I think it’s probably one of those where you’re like, if you’re not ready on Wednesday, you can still be ready to start the Olympics.”

Meanwhile, Lindholm is also dealing with an upper-body ailment and has missed the past couple of games for the Bruins. In fact, he didn’t even make the trip to Tampa for the Stadium Series. The good news is Boston coach Marco Sturm said Lindholm is day to day and that he does not believe the injury will affect his status for the Olympics.

What’s Next for Team Sweden?

Team Sweden will start its quest for Olympic gold Feb. 11 against Italy. It will then face rival Finland on Feb. 13 before rounding out group-stage competition with a matchup against Slovakia on Feb. 14.

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