With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina rapidly approaching and NHL players returning to Olympic ice hockey for the first time since 2014, several nations have now unveiled their squads. The deadline to submit rosters to the IIHF was December 31st. However, teams have been delayed in releasing their rosters to the public. Team USA , Team Canada , Team Sweden , and others have revealed their rosters over the past few days, setting the stage for one of the most competitive tournaments in recent memory. Now, Finland, the reigning Olympic gold medalist from Beijing 2022, has officially announced its men’s hockey roster for the Milano-Cortina Games.
The roster for Finland at the #MilanoCortina2026 #WinterOlympics is here! 🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/H6blKyxjGV
— NHL (@NHL) January 2, 2026
Finland Olympic Hockey 2026 Roster
Forwards
- Sebastian Aho – Carolina Hurricanes
- Joel Armia – Los Angeles Kings
- Mikael Granlund – Anaheim Ducks
- Erik Haula – Nashville Predators
- Roope Hintz – Dallas Stars
- Kaapo Kakko – Seattle Kraken
- Oliver Kapanen – Montreal Canadiens
- Joel Kiviranta – Colorado Avalanche
- Artturi Lehkonen – Colorado Avalanche
- Anton Lundell – Florida Panthers
- Eetu Luostarinen – Florida Panthers
- Mikko Rantanen – Dallas Stars
- Teuvo Teravainen – Chicago Blackhawks
- Eeli Tolvanen – Seattle Kraken
Forward Group Notes
Finland’s forward corps is versatile and deep. They do well at blending top-end scoring stars like Aho, Rantanen, and Hintz with smart playmakers and role players.
Finland’s captain and star centre Aleksander Barkov is not on the roster. That was after suffering a knee injury during the NHL preseason. Needless to say, it is a significant absence, given his leadership and two-way impact.
Without captain Aleksander Barkov, other centres, such as Lundell and Granlund, are expected to shoulder more responsibility. There is going to be plenty of debate over how head coach Antti Pennanen lines up his top six to balance scoring, speed, and defensive responsibility
Defencemen
- Miro Heiskanen – Dallas Stars
- Henri Jokiharju – Boston Bruins
- Mikko Lehtonen – ZSC Lions (Europe)
- Esa Lindell – Dallas Stars
- Olli Maatta – Utah Mammoth
- Nikolas Matinpalo – Ottawa Senators
- Niko Mikkola – Florida Panthers
- Rasmus Ristolainen – Philadelphia Flyers
Defence Group Notes
Finland’s blueline is headlined by Miro Heiskanen, one of the nation’s premier defencemen and likely the engine of the top pair. Lindell provides reliable two-way play alongside him. Furthermore, veterans like Jokiharju and Mikkola bring physicality and experience.
Lehtonen adds an international flair from the Swiss league, helping to round out a group that projects to be sound defensively, though some question marks remain once you get past the top four.
Goaltenders
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – Buffalo Sabres
- Kevin Lankinen – Vancouver Canucks
- Juuse Saros – Nashville Predators
Goaltender Group Notes
Finland’s crease boasts a trio of goalies with NHL experience. Juuse Saros, typically the starter, has shown the ability to steal games. Though numbers as of recently haven’t always matched his reputation.
Lankinen and Luukkonen both offer solid options behind him, giving Finland flexibility in net as they navigate a tournament loaded with elite scoring talent.
NHL-Heavy Roster
Finland’s squad features 24 NHL players and one European league player, making it one of the strongest lineups in the tournament.
Star Power Headliners
The roster is anchored by elite talents like Sebastian Aho, Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz, and Miro Heiskanen, all of whom are expected to play pivotal roles for Finland. Multiple players have extensive international experience, including time with the national team in world championships and other major tournaments.
What This Means for Finland
With NHL players back in the Olympics for the first time in over a decade, expectations are high for Finland to be a major contender. Even without Barkov, the roster’s experience and star players make them a serious medal threat.
Finland enters Milano-Cortina featuring a mix of scoring punch, defensive stability, and reliable goaltending. Their group will face stiff competition in preliminary play, but with depth across all units the Finns are poised to make another deep run on the world stage.
Main Photo: David Kirouac-Imagn Images