The last time anyone from the Boston Bruins participated in the Olympic Winter Games was in 2014, when Patrice Bergeron won a Gold Medal with Canada, Zdeno Chara served as captain for Slovakia, and Tuukka Rask was the starter for Finland. After 12 years of sitting out the games, the NHL recently announced that the league and player’s association agreed to participate in the 2026 and 2030 Olympics.
Related: Canada’s Projected Roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics
Although these events are two years away, discussions about which NHL players will represent their home countries in the upcoming games are rampant. Of course, these topics are always fun to discuss because there is so much uncertainty between now and then, but if things go unchanged, it is getting obvious who will be at the event and who won’t make it.
Today, we want to look into the crystal ball and see which members of the 2023-24 Bruins lineup will be invited to Italy in hopes of winning the first gold medal as an NHL player since 2014.
David Pastrnak – Czechia
By the 2025-26 season, David Pastrnak could be a three-time 50-goal scorer and in line to be the Czechia’s top winger. Even though he won’t have Brad Marchand feeding him pucks, Pastrnak showed in the recent All-Star Game that he is so gifted that he can still score with anyone on his line.
Last year, Pastrnak had a career-high 61 goals and finished second in the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race, but during his historic season, he inked an extension to remain in Boston until the end of the 2030-31 season. By the time we reach the start of the Winter Games in February 2026, he will only be 29 and still in his prime. Even though Czechia would be a long shot for a medal, there’s a good chance that Pastrnak is one of the tournament’s best forwards.
Internationally, the Bruins sniper is a five-time Czech Player of the Year award winner. He has a World Championship Bronze Medal (2022), a U18 WJC Silver Medal (2016), and a U20 WJC Top 3 Player on Team award (2016).
Linus Ullmark – Sweden
Once Henrik Lundqvist retired, he left a significant hole in the Swedish goalie crease that no one is close to filling. In 2023-24, there have been only 10 goalies from the Nordic country to play in the league, with four earning, sharing, or handling the starting duties for their teams, including Linus Ullmark.
Last year’s Vezina Trophy winner is probably the best Swedish goalie in professional hockey today, while prospect Jesper Wallstedt continues to grow in the minor leagues. After guiding the Bruins to the best statistical season in history, Ullmark will most likely be the starter for his home country in 2026, barring a resurgence from Jacob Markstrom or Filip Gustavsson, who should be the backups.
Related: Top 10 Swedes in the NHL Today
While representing Sweden, Ullmark has a J20 SM Silver Medal (2013) and a World Championship Bronze Medal (2014), being named the J20 SuperElit Best Goaltender (2013) and Swedish Goalie of the Year (Honken Trophy) in 2014.
Hampus Lindholm – Sweden
When it comes to defenseman representing Sweden at the upcoming Olympics, Hampus Lindholm is going to be one of the top selections. Although he currently ranks as the 10th-highest scorer in his position from his home country, last year, he was third and had the best plus/minus rating of any skater in the entire league.
As one of the top defenders in Boston, he’s earned the opportunity to challenge Rasmus Dahlin and Victor Hedman for top minutes at the tournament. Many will think Erik Karlsson will be the country’s go-to guy, but he’ll be 35 by the event’s start and may not be playing up to the standard he set as last year’s Norris Trophy winner. Ultimately, this allows someone reliable, like Lindholm, to assume a more prominent presence on the international team.
When skating with Tre Kronor, Lindholm has won a J20 SM Bronze Medal (2012), U18 WJC Silver Medal (2012), and a World Championship Gold Medal (2018), while earning J20 SuperElit Best Defenseman (2012) and a U18 WJC Top 3 Player on Team honors.
Jeremy Swayman – United States
If the Bruins decide to give Ullmark a night off, they look down the bench and point to Jeremy Swayman to grab his gear. At 25, the Alaskan native has established himself as one of the elite netminders in the NHL, recently getting voted into the All-Star Game. Despite serving in a platoon with Ullmark, Swayman is having a better statistical year in 2023-24 and is in the conversation to win the Vezina Trophy.
Even though he’s set to become an RFA in the summer, Boston will not let him go and will most likely offer him a max extension, guaranteeing that he remains with the club for the next decade. By the 2026 Olympics, Swayman will be just 27 and in contention to be the United States’ starter, battling Jake Oettinger and Connor Hellebuyck for the role.
Surprisingly, Swayman has little to no international hockey experience, appearing in a single game at the U20 WJC (2018) and serving as the starter for the United States at the 2022 World Championships, where he was voted Top 3 Player on the Team.
Charlie McAvoy – United States
After seven years in the NHL, Charlie McAvoy has positioned himself to be in the conversation as one of the top defensemen in the league. Despite not being a finalist for the Norris Trophy yet, he’s received votes in the past four seasons, finishing in the top five on two occasions. At 26, he’s the foundation of the Bruins backend, and except for the 2018-19 season, he’s never failed to score less than 30 points, serving as one of the team’s top playmakers.
Although McAvoy tends to play on the edge, already serving a handful of suspensions in his career, he would be a top-four defenseman on a United States team that would also boast Quinn Hughes and Adam Fox. Unfortunately, there will not be enough power play time for everyone. Still, if the head coach can run out a second unit with McAvoy as the anchor, it would make the United States one of the tournament favorites.
Related: Projecting the United States’ Roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics
While representing his home country at international events, McAvoy has accumulated a U17 WHC Gold Medal (2014), U18 WJC Gold Medal (2015), U20 WJC Bronze Medal (2016), U20 WJC Gold Medal (2017), and a World Championship Bronze Medal (2018).
Honorable Mention
Every skater in this article has a good chance of playing at the 2026 Olympic Games. As mentioned, the event is still two years away, giving Bruins captain Marchand plenty of time to build his case to be included in a star-studded Canada lineup. By then, he’ll be approaching 37 and may not even be playing since his contract expires after the 2024-25 season.
Since assuming the captaincy, Marchand continues to watch his legacy grow as he climbs the team’s all-time lists for games played, goals, and points. As a long shot to make the Olympic team, he has limited international experience since his junior days. Still, he could be tapped to fill a bottom-six role and be a leader on a squad filled with players under 25 who have never been in intense hockey competitions.
Although the selection process for the upcoming Olympic Games won’t start for another year, it is never too early to start laying out a plan for what teams will need to compete. Naturally, this process won’t be smooth, and a lot can change between now and then, but after the announcement, these are the best choices for Boston fans to root for on the international stage.
