The Boston Bruins might've liked to see some of their top stars get some rest over the Olympic break, but most will be making the trip to Milan to chase a gold medal. While there were some notable omissions from their respective rosters like Hampus Lindholm, Morgan Geekie and Joonas Korpisalo, there were still seven Bruins players who received the prestigious call.
Charlie McAvoy - Team USA
Charlie McAvoy's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament ended sadly when he suffered a brutal shoulder injury that caused him to be hospitalized. In one of the tournament's more touching moments, McAvoy's reading of the starting lineup before the Championship Game showed just how much the Team USA group means to the defender. He will be at his best when the puck drops in Milan.
Jeremy Swayman - Team USA
While Jeremy Swayman likely earned a spot on Team USA's roster after backstopping the country to its first World Championship gold medal in decades at last year's tournament, the goaltender's play for the Bruins this season fully confirmed his place. With Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger not having their best seasons and Swayman already winning a gold medal for his country in the past year, the starting position might not be as certain as it was at last year's 4 Nations Face-Off.
Elias Lindholm - Team Sweden
Elias Lindholm will play the same role for Team Sweden as he does for the Bruins: a reliable middle-six center who can play at both ends of the rink. Sweden will need that to match the skill of Canada and the USA if they want to sneak past them on the podium. Lindholm was a star for Sweden at last year's World Championships, recording 14 points in 10 games after being held scoreless in three games at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Henri Jokiharju - Team Finland
Henri Jokiharju returns to Finland after playing on last year's 4 Nations Face-Off team. It was a rough go for Finland last season with a depleted defense corps, as they only have eight NHL defensemen to choose from and a bunch were hurt for last year's tournament. Jokiharju has a soft spot with Team Finland's management group, as he is a former star and assistant captain of some good World Junior teams.
David Pastrnak - Team Czechia
David Pastrnak and Team Czechia have the potential to steal the show at this year's Olympics. Czech hockey is on the rise, as seen in recent World tournaments, and this group of players with Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha, and Martin Necas is leading the charge. The group that won the World Championship in 2024 will largely be returning, but it'll be interesting to see how they stack up when the rest of the countries are at their best.
Pavel Zacha - Team Czechia
Zacha hasn't had his best offensive performances internationally throughout his career. Still, his two-way game will be essential for the Czechs as they aim to shut down some other high-powered offenses. If Zacha starts the tournament on a line with Pastrnak, it'll be interesting to see if he becomes an undervalued offensive threat.
Dans Locmelis - Team Latvia
Dans Locmelis has been a special part of Latvian hockey over the past few seasons. He competed in the last three World Championships and was second in scoring for the team in last year's tournament. He was also part of the roster that helped the country qualify for the 2026 Olympics.