When Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar fired the puck past Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky on an opening night breakaway, it was more than the first goal of the 2025-26 NHL season.
It was also an audition tape.
NHL players are doing their best to help their teams in the standings, but they’re also trying to impress their national federations enough to earn a roster spot at the 2026 Olympics.
Nazar is already on Team USA’s radar after helping win a gold medal at the world championships and being invited to the country’s orientation session. The Blackhawks realize his value, too, by giving him a lucrative seven-year extension after only 56 NHL games.
The USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden have an Olympic blueprint based on the teams they took to the 4 Nations Face-Off, but there are opportunities to be had.
Here are some questions before the 12 Olympic teams get named, expected to be in early January:
Who could be the U.S. goalies?
Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, Dallas’ Jake Oettinger and Boston’s Jeremy Swayman were the 4 Nations goalies. Swayman and Seattle’s Joey Daccord won the world championships. MVP/Vezina Trophy winner Hellebuyck and Oettinger are shoo-ins, if healhy, and will face each other on Thursday in Winnipeg.
Swayman slipped last season after missing training camp before signing a contract, but that’s not an issue this year. Thatcher Demko is healthy, so he could be in the mix with Swayman and Daccord for the last goalie spot.
Which non-4 Nations forwards could make Team USA?
The USA had some older players at the 4 Nations so there could be opportunities. Buffalo’s Tage Thompson was identified as a potential injury replacement in February and has size and skill (two 40-goal seasons). Utah’s Clayton Keller had 90 points last season. Those two and Nazar were at the worlds. Other forwards at orientation who weren’t at either tournament: Cole Caufield, Alex Tuch, Jason Robertson and two-time Olympian Patrick Kane.
Will all three Hughes brothers make Team USA?
Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes already has been named. He missed the 4 Nations with an injury. New Jersey’s Jack Hughes played and is recovered from his late-season shoulder surgery. Luke didn’t play at either tournament, but he’s a rising defenseman who received a seven-year, $63 million contract from the Devils. Team USA already has brothers Brady and currently-injured Matthew Tkachuk on the team.
Can Connor Bedard make Team Canada?
The Blackhawks’ 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick didn’t make Canada’s 4 Nations team after getting off to a slow start. Bedard, 20, who was in Canada’s orientation camp, will need a strong start if he’s going to crack a veteran lineup. Don’t forget that Sidney Crosby didn’t make the Olympics in his first opportunity in 2006.
Who replaces Finland’s Aleksander Barkov?
Finland doesn’t have a large representation in the NHL so there were no true 4 Nations snubs who would be an obvious addition. Unlike 4 Nations, the Olympics aren’t an NHL-only tournament, so Finland can bring in players from European leagues.
The Finns have plenty of dangerous NHLers such as Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz and Sebastian Aho.