The 12 competing countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics announced their first six players on Monday morning. Most of the countries had no surprises, and three Boston Bruins received the honor of being the first players named. Czechia featured two Bruins in David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha, while the USA will have Charlie McAvoy on the squad.
Let's take a look at four more Bruins who could be making the trip to the Olympics for the first NHL representation since 2014.
Hampus Lindholm - Sweden
Hampus Lindholm would've likely had a place on Sweden's 4 Nations Face-Off squad if he hadn't suffered the knee injury that ended his season after 17 games. It would've been an honor for Lindholm to get the chance, as he hasn't been chosen to represent his country very often.
There aren't many people who will argue that Lindholm is one of the top Swedish defensemen in the league, but that hasn't always been the case. He played in one World Championship in 2018 and was also on the World Cup roster in 2016, but didn't see any action.
Elias Lindholm - Sweden
Hampus isn't the only Lindholm who will be representing Sweden at next year's Olympics. While Elias Lindholm had some inconsistent moments with the Bruins this past season, he has always stepped up for his country in international play. He will likely have the opportunity to participate in several best-on-best tournaments before his career comes to an end.
Lindholm had a particularly impressive World Championship this past year, which cemented a spot on the roster that he didn't really need to cement. Lindholm found himself at the top of the tournament's stats leaders with Pastrnak, recording eight goals and six assists in 10 games.
Jeremy Swayman - USA
Speaking of players who cemented their spot on the Olympics roster with a World Championship performance, Jeremy Swayman might be the best example. Swayman was the third-string goalie for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, but he claimed the starting role at the Worlds with an impressive 7-0-0 record.
He led the United States to their first World Championship in decades, recording a 1.69 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. While Bruins fans hope the tournament performance will mean big things for next season in the short-term, the long-term goal for Swayman of making the Olympic team seems like a foregone conclusion.
Henri Jokiharju - Finland
Henri Jokiharju stepped up for Team Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off as their blue line was taken down by injuries. It wasn't a pretty tournament for the Finns, but Jokiharju was arguably their best defenseman. In a tournament where the Finns scored eight goals and allowed 14, Jokiharju was a -1 and scored a goal. He also logged 19 minutes for Finland in their final game against the United States.