Finland Announces 2026 Winter Olympics Team Featuring Tolvanen, Kiviranta
Finland has officially announced its team for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, scheduled for 2026. The Finnish squad aims to clinch its second consecutive gold medal after triumphing at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Key Roster Additions for 2026
This year’s roster bears similarities to that of the 4 Nations Face-Off held in February 2023. However, the team will miss its captain from the 4 Nations, Aleksander Barkov, due to a knee injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the NHL season.
In his absence, notable players Eeli Tolvanen (Seattle Kraken), Oliver Kapanen (Montreal Canadiens), and Joel Kiviranta (Colorado Avalanche) have been added to bolster the forward lineup.
Defense and Previous Participation
Mikko Lehtonen, who has previously played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets before joining the ZSC Lions in Switzerland, has also been included in the defensive group. This marks the first time since the 2014 Sochi Olympics that NHL players will compete for Finland at the Games.
Competition Format
The tournament will feature 12 participating teams. Each team will play three preliminary games within their groups. The results will determine which teams advance:
- The three group winners will go directly to the quarterfinals.
- The best second-place team will also receive a bye.
- The other eight teams will face off in single-elimination matches to fill the remaining quarterfinal slots.
The gold medal match is set for February 22, 2026.
Group B Matchups
Finland has been placed in Group B and will face the following teams:
- February 11: Team Slovakia
- February 13: Team Sweden
- February 14: Team Italy
Team Finland Roster Overview
Here is the full Team Finland roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, provided in alphabetical order:
