The NHL announced during All-Star Weekend that they would be returning to the Winter Olympics in 2026 and 2030. The last time NHL players participated was back in 2014 when Canada won gold over Sweden. Fifteen players from those teams are still active in the NHL, but no Vancouver Canucks as Roberto Luongo, Dan Hamhuis, and Daniel Sedin have since retired, and Alex Edler is currently a free agent.
When 2026 comes around, the Canucks might have a plethora of players heading to Milan to compete for their respective countries. Let’s take a look at them now.
USA – Quinn Hughes, JT Miller, Brock Boeser & Thatcher Demko
Canucks fans will likely be cheering on the Americans at the 2026 Olympics as Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko are near-locks for the roster and Brock Boeser and JT Miller are strong contenders. None of them have competed at the Olympics before, but they have played for their country at various World Championships and World Juniors in the past.
With how many points Hughes has racked up in his NHL career already (305 at the time of this writing), there isn’t a world where he is not Team USA’s top defender. His game-breaking abilities and burgeoning two-way game are head and shoulders above any American defenceman right now and he could win his first Norris Trophy this season. Could he have close to 500 points by the time the Olympics come around in 2026? I wouldn’t put it past him.
As for Miller, Boeser and Demko, they could all be on this roster when all is said and done. Demko could usurp Hellebuyck as the starter or form a lethal one-two punch depending on how age treats the Winnipeg Jets workhorse over the next season and a half, while Boeser and Miller’s performance this season has firmly placed them in the crosshairs of management. Boeser just hit 30 goals and Miller is on pace for over 100 points. Meanwhile, Demko has elevated himself into the discussion for the Vezina Trophy this season, and he’s only going to get better in the next season and a half. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the best American goaltender in the NHL by the time the Olympics start in February 2026. Heck, he might be already. If the trio continues on their upward trajectory, it will be difficult for newly appointed general manager Bill Guerin to leave them off the team.
In the past, Sweden has been the team to watch when it comes to Canucks. That won’t be the case in 2026 as Elias…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…