Day: December 30, 2025

Sweden’s national ice hockey teams, known as Tre Kronor (Three Crowns) for the men and Damkronorna (The Lady Crowns) for the women, are among the most successful programs in Olympic history.
Sweden is a member of the “Big Six,” a group of the six most powerful ice hockey nations in the world.

Men’s National Team (Tre Kronor)

The men’s team has won a total of 9 Olympic medals, including two gold medals.

Major Achievements

Sweden at the Olympics Games

Legendary Players

• Nicklas Lidström: Scored the game-winning goal in the 2006 Olympic final.

• Peter Forsberg: A two-time gold medalist (1994, 2006) and national icon.

• Henrik Lundqvist: The star goaltender whose late-game save in 2006 secured the gold medal.

• Mats Sundin: Long-time captain and leader during the transition to the NHL-player era in the Olympics.

Women’s National Team (Damkronorna)

The Swedish women’s team made history in 2006 by becoming the first team other than Canada or the USA to reach an Olympic final.

Major Achievements

• 🥈 Silver (2006 – Turin): In perhaps the biggest upset in women’s hockey history, Sweden defeated the USA in the semi-finals via a shootout before losing to Canada in the final.

• 🥉 Bronze (2002 – Salt Lake City): Secured their first Olympic medal by defeating Finland in the bronze-medal game.

• 4th Place (2010, 2014): Remained a top-tier contender, narrowly missing the podium in consecutive Games.

Looking Ahead: 2026 Winter Olympics

As we approach the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Sweden’s rosters are taking shape. While the full, final lists are scheduled for official release in early January 2026, the preliminary “First Six” players and high-confidence projections have already been established.

Men’s Team (Tre Kronor)

The men’s tournament features the return of NHL stars.³ Sweden’s defense is widely considered the best in the world.

Confirmed “First Six” (Named by IIHF/NHL)

The following players were the first to be officially locked into the roster:

• Victor Hedman (D, Tampa Bay Lightning)

• Erik Karlsson (D, Pittsburgh Penguins)

• Rasmus Dahlin (D, Buffalo Sabres)

• William Nylander (F, Toronto Maple Leafs)

• Adrian Kempe (F, Los Angeles Kings)

• Gabriel Landeskog (F, Colorado Avalanche)

Women’s Team (Damkronorna)

Sweden’s women are in Group B and will need to finish as one of the top teams in their pool to advance to the quarterfinals.

Key Players to Watch

• Goalies: Emma Söderberg (PWHL Boston) is the expected starter.

• Defense: Maja Nylén Persson, Anna Kjellbin.

• Forwards: Hilda Svensson (rising star), Lina Ljungblom, Sara Hjalmarsson, and Josefin Bouveng.

Sweden’s Olympic Schedule (Group Stage)

Times are shown in local Central European Time (CET). Subtract 6 hours for ET.

Women’s Schedule (Group B)

Men’s Schedule (Group B)

Knockout Stages

• Women’s Quarterfinals: Feb 13–14 | Gold Medal Game: Feb 19
  Men’s Quarterfinals: Feb 18 | Gold Medal Game: Feb 22

Finland has a rich and successful history in Olympic ice hockey, characterized by a steady climb from being “underdogs” to becoming a global powerhouse. The nation is a member of the “Big Six” (the world’s elite hockey nations) and reached its ultimate milestone in 2022 by winning its first-ever Olympic gold medal.

Men’s National Team (Leijonat – The Lions)

The Finnish men’s team is known for its tactical discipline, strong goaltending, and a “sisu” (resilience) that allows them to compete with much larger nations.

Olympic Medal History

Finland’s men’s team has won a total of 7 medals at the Winter Olympics.

Finland enter has the defending champions in Milan.

Key Milestones

• The 2022 Breakthrough: After decades of “near misses,” Finland finally won gold in Beijing under coach Jukka Jalonen. They went undefeated throughout the tournament, capping it with a comeback victory over the Russian Olympic Committee.

• The NHL Era: Finland was a major beneficiary of NHL participation (1998–2014). In 2006, they were arguably the best team in the tournament but fell just short in a legendary gold-medal game against rival Sweden.

• Iconic Players: * Teemu Selänne: The all-time leading scorer in Olympic history with 43 points across six Olympic Games.

  • Valtteri Filppula: The first Finnish member of the “Triple Gold Club” (winning the Stanley Cup, World Championship gold, and Olympic gold).

  • Saku Koivu: A long-time captain and the heart of the team through multiple medal-winning campaigns.

Women’s National Team (Naisleijonat)

The Finnish women’s team has consistently been the “best of the rest” behind the dominant North American duo of Canada and the USA.

Olympic Medal History

Finland’s women have won 4 Bronze Medals since the sport was introduced in 1998.

• 🥉 Bronze: 1998 (Nagano)

• 🥉 Bronze: 2010 (Vancouver)

• 🥉 Bronze: 2018 (Pyeongchang)

• 🥉 Bronze: 2022 (Beijing)

Key Figures

• Jenni Hiirikoski: Widely considered one of the greatest defenders in women’s hockey history; she has captained the team through multiple Olympic cycles.

• Noora Räty: A legendary goaltender who was instrumental in Finland’s ability to challenge the top-tier nations.

Looking Ahead: Milano Cortina 2026

Finland will enter the 2026 Winter Olympics as the defending men’s champions. This tournament is highly anticipated because NHL players are scheduled to return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014, allowing Finland to field a roster featuring stars like Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen.

For the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, the Finnish teams are preparing for a major tournament where NHL players return for the men’s side.

While the full rosters won’t be finalized until early 2026, the “First Six” men’s players have been officially confirmed, and there are strong projections for the rest of the squads.

Finland Men’s Roster (Milano Cortina 2026)

The Finnish men enter as the defending champions. A major recent development is that superstar Aleksander Barkov is reportedly likely to miss the tournament due to a severe knee injury (ACL/MCL) sustained during the current NHL season.

Confirmed “First Six” Players:

• Sebastian Aho (F) – Carolina Hurricanes

• Mikko Rantanen (F) – Colorado Avalanche

• Miro Heiskanen (D) – Dallas Stars

• Esa Lindell (D) – Dallas Stars

• Juuse Saros (G) – Nashville Predators

• (Note: Aleksander Barkov was originally in the first six but is currently sidelined.)

Olympic Schedule (Group Stage)

The women’s tournament begins earlier than the men’s. All times are local Italian time (CET).

Women’s Schedule (Group A)

Men’s Schedule (Group B)

Finland Women’s Roster

The women’s roster typically draws from the Finnish national league (Naisten Liiga) and the PWHL.

• Key Names to Watch: Defensive legend Jenni Hiirikoski is expected to lead the team again, alongside star forwards like Petra Nieminen and Viivi Vainikka. In net, expect to see Sanni Ahola or Anni Keisala.