10 Young Hockey Stars to Watch at the 2026 Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, Italy, begin on Feb. 6. For the first time since 2014, the NHL will send players to compete in the men's hockey tournament, which begins on Feb. 11, culminating in the gold medal game on Feb. 22.
Rosters for the 12 countries participating in the tournament have been set, featuring many well-known NHL stars. Some, such as Canada's Sidney Crosby and Sweden's Erik Karlsson, have previously played for their respective countries on the Olympic stage.
Many of the players in this tournament are well-established NHL stars aged 25 or older. However, several players aged 24 or younger are competing in the Olympics for the first time.
Some of them have already become NHL stars, while several are rising stars in their own right. They will be closely watched to see how well they perform in this tournament against the world's best.
Here is our look at 10 young NHL stars to keep an eye on over the course of this tournament.
Matt Boldy, United States
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Now in his fifth NHL season, Matt Boldy has become an invaluable top-six forward with the Minnesota Wild. Chosen 12th overall in the 2019 draft, he's steadily developed into a reliable scoring right winger.
Often overshadowed by superstar teammate Kirill Kaprizov, Boldy has steadily improved with each season. After netting 39 points in 47 games in his 2021-22 rookie campaign, he netted 63 points in 2023-24, 69 points in 2024-25, and 73 points last season.
That effort earned Boldy a spot on Team USA in last year's 4 Nations Face-Off, netting three points in four games. He also played for Team USA's gold-medal team in the 2021 World Junior Championship and in the 2022 and 2024 World Championships.
Now 24, Boldy sits second among Wild scorers this season with 58 points in 53 games. Given his offensive skills, he is projected to skate on Team USA's second line alongside center Auston Matthews and winger Jake Guentzel.
Macklin Celebrini, Canada
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Selected first overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 draft, Macklin Celebrini was projected to become a franchise superstar. The 19-year-old center has played up to that billing in his sophomore campaign, sitting among this season's top-five scorers with a team-leading 81 points in 54 games.
Celebrini's performance is the main reason why the rebuilding Sharks are jockeying for a playoff berth. It's also why he's the youngest player on Team Canada and one of the youngest in the tournament. His dazzling offensive skills, solid defensive play, maturity, and hockey smarts were too good for Canada to overlook.
This is Celebrini's first Olympics, but he has some international experience playing for Canada. He was part of their bronze-medal team in the 2023 IIHF Under-18 Championship. Celebrini also had eight points in five games in the 2024 Under-20 team and six points in eight games with their 2025 World Championship squad.
Given the depth of talent among Canada's forwards, it'll be interesting to see where Celebrini lines up when the puck drops on the Olympic tournament. NHL.com projected that he'll skate at left wing on the top line with Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner.
Thomas Harley, Canada
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Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley had a breakout performance with 47 points in 2023-24. He was in the middle of a career-best 50-point campaign when he got the call to join Canada in last year's 4 Nations Face-Off.
Harley was brought in to replace a sidelined Shea Theodore while top defenseman Cale Makar battled an illness. He handled the pressure well, as his puck-moving skills earned praise from his Canadian teammates.
The 4 Nations wasn't Harley's first international tournament. He played for Canada's Under-18 World Junior squad in 2019 and for its silver-medal team at the 2021 World Junior Championship. On Jan. 8, NHL.com projected that he could be Canada's seventh defenseman for this tournament.
Harley's production is down this season with the Stars, netting 22 points in 44 games, partly because the 24-year-old blueliner missed 12 games in November with a lower-body injury. Given his 4 Nations performance, though, he could take on a larger role with this team.
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Anton Lundell, Finland
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Now in his fifth NHL season, Anton Lundell has developed into a solid two-way center for the Florida Panthers. His efforts helped them win back-to-back Stanley Cups, earning him the chance to play for Finland in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Nicknamed "Baby Barkov" because his style of play is similar to Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, Lundell sits fifth among the Panthers with 36 points in 52 games. Despite a recent injury, he is on pace to exceed last season's 45-point performance.
Barkov and Lundell were both selected for Team Finland's Olympic squad, but Barkov will miss the tournament while recovering from a knee injury. That could put additional pressure on the 24-year-old Lundell while facing off against the world's best, but he should be up to the task.
Lundell has international tournament experience, including playing for Finland in last year's 4 Nations Face-Off. On Jan. 9, NHL.com had him centering the third line between Panthers teammate Eetu Luostarinen and 23-year-old Montreal Canadiens rookie Oliver Kapanen. He will likely see duty on their top penalty-killing unit.
Lucas Raymond, Sweden
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The Detroit Red Wings are poised to end a nine-season playoff drought as they jockey for first place in the Eastern Conference. As their leading scorer, Lucas Raymond has played a significant role in their improvement this season.
Chosen fourth overall by the Red Wings in the 2020 draft, Raymond had a solid debut in 2021-22 with 57 points in 82 games. His production dipped to 45 points the following season, but he tallied 72 and 80 points over the following two seasons. Raymond currently leads the Wings with 60 points in 55 games.
Raymond played for Sweden in the 2020 and 2021 World Junior Championships, the last three World Championships, and last year's 4 Nations Face-Off. That experience should serve him well in his first Winter Olympics.
Given Raymond's offensive skills, NHL.com has him skating as their second-line right wing alongside Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson. That line could play a significant role in Sweden's quest for Olympic gold.
Jake Sanderson, United States
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The United States has an impressive defense corps in this tournament. It is so deep that their two 23-year-old blueliners (Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators and Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild) were projected as their sixth and seventh defensemen, despite both having played for Team USA's 2022 Olympic team.
That was before Jackson LaCombe of the Anaheim Ducks replaced the sidelined Seth Jones, which could lead to a reshuffling of the blue line. Faber could move into the second-pairing right-side role, leaving Sanderson and LaCombe battling for a third-pairing spot.
Sanderson and Lacombe were teammates on Team USA's gold-medal squad in the 2021 World Junior Championship. However, Sanderson could have the advantage, given that he played in last year's 4 Nations Face-Off.
Both players are the top defensemen on their respective clubs, logging big minutes in all situations. Sanderson's offensive stats (44 points in 55 games) could give him an edge over Lacombe.
Moritz Seider, Germany
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Germany will have only six active NHL players on their 2026 men's Olympic hockey team. Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings is their only defenseman with NHL experience, but he'll be a notable presence on their blue line in this tournament.
The sixth-overall pick in the 2019 draft, Seider made an impressive debut with the Red Wings two years later, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy with a 50-point season. He's had three straight 40-plus point performances since, developing steadily into one of the NHL's top all-around defensemen.
Now 24 and in his fifth NHL campaign, the 6'2", 210-pound Seider is being mentioned as a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy. He's played a big role in the Red Wings' return to playoff contention this season, and will be Germany's top defenseman in Italy.
Seider skated in the 2020 World Juniors and four of the past five World Championships for Germany. He'll be logging big minutes in this tournament on their top-pairing and will see plenty of time on their power-play and penalty-killing units.
Juraj Slafkovský, Slovakia
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Montréal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovský and New Jersey Devils defenseman Šimon Nemec are among the few notable NHL players with previous Olympic experience. Both were part of Slovakia's bronze-medal team in the 2022 Games.
Slafkovský was the standout for Slovakia in those Games. The 17-year-old led all scorers with seven goals and was named tournament MVP. That performance played a crucial role in his being chosen first overall by the Canadiens in the 2022 draft.
Some may argue that Slafkovský's goalscoring heroics in that tournament were against lesser talent because no NHL players took part in those Games. Now 21, however, Slafkovský is also a better player, blossoming into a power forward on the rebuilding Canadiens.
With only seven active NHL players, Slovakia faces a stiff challenge to medal in this year's tournament. As their top player, Slafkovský will face considerable pressure. It will be a good test of his budding offensive skills to see how well he can adjust and lead his underdog squad.
Tim Stützle, Germany
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It didn't take Tim Stützle long to become an NHL star. Chosen third overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2020 draft, he made the team the following season, put up 58 points as a sophomore in 2022-23, and netted a career-high 90 points in 2023-24.
A strong-skating forward who can play center or wing, Stützle has excellent offensive skills. After two seasons with 70 or more points, the 24-year-old is on pace to exceed 80 points this season with 59 points in 55 games. His scoring ability will be crucial to Germany's hopes for a medal in this year's Winter Olympics.
Stützle played for Germany in the 2020 and 2021 World Junior Championships and the 2025 World Championship. He's one of only four active NHL forwards on their squad, joining Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, JJ Peterka of the Utah Mammoth, and Nico Sturm of the Minnesota Wild.
It wouldn't be surprising if Stützle ends up on a line with Draisaitl and Peterka, especially in power-play situations. The Germans could also spread their offense around by playing Stützle on a separate line.
Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden
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This season has been a solid debut for Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild. The 23-year-old leads all rookie goalies this season with a 2.72 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage, and four shutouts. He and starter Filip Gustavsson have given the Wild one of this season's best goaltending tandems.
Their respective performances this season are why both Wild goaltenders were selected for Sweden's men's Olympic hockey team. It's a testament to Wallstedt's impressive play this season, as he's helped the Wild become a top-four team in the Western Conference.
Wallstedt has some international tournament experience. He played for Sweden at the 2021 and 2022 World Junior Championships, helping them win a bronze medal in 2022. He also played in the 2023 World Championship.
Given the experience of Gustavsson and Jacob Markstrom of the New Jersey Devils, Wallstedt is projected to be Sweden's third goalie by NHL.com. However, he could have the opportunity to move up if Gustavsson or Markstrom struggles or becomes sidelined by injury.
Stats and roster info via NHL.com.
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