The NHL has always been the peak of hockey for most, but for many outside America, the Winter Olympics are the test for the best. Heading into 2026, many tout Team Sweden as a favorite to win first place. With multiple NHL stars part of the team, they have both the firepower and the veteran experience needed to win on the grandest stage.
According to GM Josef Boumedienne, one Colorado Avalanche star might be the key to their win.
Colorado Avalanche’s Gabe Landeskog Is Named As the Key to Team Sweden’s Success
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be different from the previous few because it will be the first time since the 2014 edition that NHL players will return to the event. Professional hockey players avoided both the 2018 and 2022 Olympics.
These were mostly a result of funding issues and the pandemic disrupting the schedules of multiple players. But with the NHL making a comeback in February at Milan-Cortina, things look to be different. For Sweden, this is a great chance.
GM Boumedienne says, “I’m fortunate to be in this position.” He continues, “We have such a great group around the national team, with head coach Sam Hallam, Patric Hornqvist, Daniel Alfredsson, and all the people around.”
Committee approach key in 2026 Olympics, Sweden GM Boumedienne says https://t.co/PhehTsZifK
— NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) July 28, 2025
When asked what he feels his team needs, he mentions, “I’d like to see a little more grit. I’d like to see a heavier game.” He mentions, “A healthy Gabe Landeskog would have made a difference, I think.” He understands how good Landeskog was for the Avalanche.
He continues, “He finished the year in Colorado, and hopefully he has a good summer and is able to start off on the right foot in the fall.” For GM Boumedienne, the grit with which Landeskog plays will be integral to the success of Team Sweden. But the selection process will also play a key part.
The Difference in the Selection Approach for Team Sweden for the Olympics
“There’s a lot of knowledge. The way we do it in Sweden isn’t me picking a team. We do it by committee,” mentions Boumedienne. “At the end of the day, if there’s a tie on a couple of players, the head coach has the final say in that. It hasn’t come down to that yet.”
He also mentions how Sweden’s participation in the Four Nations face-off earlier this year, in February, was a great learning experience. “We discuss, and we try to use as many angles as possible before we make a decision. I don’t look at it as pressure,” he mentioned.
He continued, “First of all, it was an exciting tournament, you know? It was good.” For Boumedienne, it was a great chance to gauge where Sweden stands right now. “It was the first best-on-best since 2016, so that was awesome to begin with.”
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He mentions that while he wasn’t very happy with the tournament’s result, it was still a chance to spend some time with their NHL players. So, moving into next year, he hopes that he will be able to build a winning roster.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will begin on February 6, 2026, and will be held through February 22 in Milano Cortina, Italy. Team USA and Canada are two teams expected to medal, along with Sweden. Finland, the Swedes’ bitter rival, is also in the mix.
