Following the announcement that NHL players will participate in the 2026 and 2030 Olympics, fans worldwide are curious about which players will represent their home country. This will be the first time since 2014 that NHL players will be heading to the Olympics, and the New York Rangers have plenty of talent who could earn the chance to play on the big stage. Let’s look at which players have a chance to represent the team and play for their respective home countries.
Team Sweden
First, we will look at Team Sweden, who are expected to have a strong lineup in the 2026 Winter Olympics but aren’t considered a powerhouse heading in. Rangers’ forward Mika Zibanejad is likely a lock to make the final roster and could end up being a huge part of the team. In 50 games with the Rangers this season, he has scored 15 goals and added 32 assists for 47 points which has him tied for second on the team with Vincent Trocheck who also has 47 points. Throughout his NHL career, he has scored 283 goals and added 370 assists for 653 points through 817 games which comes out to a 0.80 points-per-game average.
The Hockey Writers’ own Tony Wolak gave us an idea of what Sweden’s lineup could look like in his roster projection which had Zibanejad on the second line alongside Anaheim Ducks’ forward Leo Carlsson and New Jersey Devils’ forward Jesper Bratt. He has been a huge part of the Rangers’ lineup since he joined the team in the 2016-17 season. He has been an alternate captain for six seasons with the Blueshirts and will likely be a part of Team Sweden’s leadership group in 2026.
Team Finland
The second country that will likely have some Rangers representation is Team Finland, which has been growing as a hockey country in recent years and will be pushing to surprise everyone at the 2026 Winter Olympics. They continue to build a reputation as one of the strongest hockey countries in the world and will be trying to prove that in 2026, and their lineup will likely include forward Kaapo Kakko. While there is some uncertainty as to whether or not he will be a Ranger for much longer, he still has a great opportunity to represent his home country in a couple of years.
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On The Hockey Writers’ official roster projection for Team Finland, Kakko is penciled in on the fourth line alongside Juuso Parssinen and Matias Maccelli. He has been rather underwhelming with the Rangers this season and could benefit from a change of scenery, but he could still provide solid depth for his home country should they choose to take him. He will have to have a couple of good seasons leading up to the Winter Olympics in 2026 to earn his chance, as he is by no means a lock to make their final lineup.
Team USA
The final country that will have representation from the Rangers is the United States, who will be selecting Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Adam Fox. He is considered one of the best American defenders in the world right now and is a lock to represent his home country. The Hockey Writers’ official projection has him lined up alongside Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski. Fox has been a consistent top defender in the NHL since the 2021-22 season where he exploded offensively putting up 74 points in 78 games.
In 326 games with the Rangers throughout his career, Fox has scored 44 goals and added 228 assists for 272 points which comes out to a 0.83 points-per-game average. He has built a reputation as one of the best defensemen in the NHL and is consistently considered for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the league’s top defenseman every season.
It’s important to note that Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin will be at the 2026 Winter Olympics IF their home country of Russia is permitted to play. Should they be allowed to play, those two will be cornerstone pieces and will help lead what could be the strongest team Russia has ever sent to the Winter Olympics.
Ideally, the Rangers will have a few representatives at the 2026 Olympics. Zibanejad and Fox are locks to represent their respective home countries, while Kakko has a chance. I don’t see any other players stepping up and becoming superstars on the Rangers and cracking any other roster. Either way, there is quite a bit of talent who have the opportunity to represent their home country. Hopefully, these players can continue to play consistently well and help their teams bring back a medal.
