Olympic Hockey: USA's Sanderson, Sweden's Raymond Among U-24 Players To Watch

Talented young men's hockey players are playing in the 2026 Olympics years before they hit their prime.

While superstars Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews spent about a decade of their NHL careers before getting the chance to play Olympic hockey, 23 players aged 23-and-under can make a strong impression on the global stage.

Whether it's a top draft prospect looking to improve their stock or an NHL player trying to solidify their elite status, these young players will do everything they can to help their team win a medal and draw interest from new fans as a result.

Let's look at some of the most potentially effective U-24 players we will see at the Olympics in Italy. 

Having already proven himself as the Ottawa Senators' No. 1 defenseman, Sanderson could come out of the Olympics legitimately in the conversation as a top-five D-man in the world.

His defensive game has always been a strength, and he's been a key part of the Sens' steadying defensive play this season. His fluidity on his feet allows him to impact the game in all three zones.

Sanderson performed well at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and he played one game for Team USA in the 2022 Olympics while he was still in college. If he showcases his two-way game the way we've seen when he's at his best, he could come out of this event being discussed as one of the NHL's truly elite defenders. 

Much like Sanderson, we will see Lucas Raymond play on the biggest stage and garner the attention of fans from across the hockey world who don't see him play every day in Detroit.

Raymond's all-around game, impressive playmaking ability and pace-setting game should be quite valuable for Sweden. 

Raymond must step up even more in the absence of injured Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson. Although he won't be playing center, Raymond can dictate the success of his line from the wing. His intelligence and vision will make him one of Sweden's most important forwards.

It shouldn't come as a surprise if Raymond winds up near or at the top of the Swedes' scoring leaders at the tournament's end. 

Smits is the youngest men's hockey player at the Olympics. He's the only draft-eligible player at the event, and he will be looking to do what Juraj Slafkovsky did at the last Olympics: boost his draft stock and put him in contention for one of the top picks in the class.

While Slafkovsky ended up going first overall in 2022, Smits could put himself in the conversation as the No. 1 defender in the class and potentially a top-five pick. 

Smits could earn a big role on the Latvian squad, and we could get to see him go up against some of the top players in the world in Group C, such as Auston Matthews and Tim Stutzle.

If Smits can leverage his impressive physical tools to even have a bit of success with Latvia, a team not expected to make too much noise at this tournament, then we could hear his name called early on NHL draft day.

In his second Olympic Games, Slafkovsky will look to one-up his first performance, when he scored seven goals in seven games to help lock up the first overall pick in his draft year.

The Canadiens' left winger is on pace for 30 goals and 65 points this season, both career highs. He will be looked to as the go-to offensive player for Slovakia. His combination of size and skill should make him entertaining to watch. 

Slovakia needs Slafkovsky to step up if they want to challenge the top teams in Group B, Finland and Sweden. They have a tough matchup, but Slafkovsky could be the key to an upset or two against those powerhouses.

Brock Faber has spent the last little while paired up with Quinn Hughes on the Minnesota Wild, and the duo is likely to play together at the Olympics for Team USA as well.

The most interesting part of Hughes' arrival is that, while many expected Faber to be the defensive presence on the pairing, the move seemed to unlock another level of his offensive game. Faber looks even more involved in the offense with Hughes in the fold. That could be a massive win for the Americans, who already have one of the best bluelines in the tournament.

There is already a growing contingent in the NHL that views Faber as an upper-echelon defenseman, but a dominant performance at the Winter Games, where he could potentially lead the USA to gold, would make that opinion common. Faber can assert himself as one of the premier two-way defenders in the NHL.  

Tichacek is an undersized blueliner who went undrafted, but his intelligence and mobility have made him a valuable player in the Czech pro league the last few years and in the Liiga this season.

Tichacek is on pace for 35 points in the Finnish league as a blueliner, and he's no slouch defensively either. Tichacek uses his feet to defend as many of the best undersized defenders in the NHL do in the modern game. 

The 23-year-old has a niche following online. He has a good relationship with Czech legend Jaromir Jagr, having played with him in the past and even accompanying him to Pittsburgh on a recent trip. Tichacek is only 5-foot-9, which is why an NHL team hasn't signed him, but a good tournament against elite competition could be enough to entice one. 

Team Slovakia needs its young players to score, and while Slafkovsky will be looked to first, Dvorsky will get opportunities to play in the top six and make his mark. His shot is lethal, so pairing him with Slafkovsky might be an intriguing option. 

Dvorsky's done well in his rookie season for the St. Louis Blues, but he hasn't really broken out offensively. He's a smart center who has shown some solid defensive habits at times, so the Slovak coaching staff should be able to trust him.

He's also been one of the most effective Slovak scorers at the junior levels in recent years, and this is his chance to graduate to one of the best at the men's level.

Fisker Molgaard has had a cup of coffee at the NHL level this season, but he's been a steady presence in the AHL.

He plays with speed, thinks the game at a high level and is always putting himself in the right position.

Denmark likely won't medal at this tournament, but this could be a chance for Fisker Molgaard to play important minutes against the world's best. 

His rookie year in North America has been better than some anticipated, and if the Olympics can give him a bit more confidence and spur him on to a bigger second half, he could take quite a bit away from this event. He's one of the faces of the future of Danish hockey. 

It's safe to say Celebrini is considered one of the best players in the world right now.

He's sat among the top five of the NHL's scoring race for so much of this season, and although Nathan MacKinnon, McDavid and Nikita Kucherov have pulled away a bit, Celebrini is right there behind them. 

Celebrini is the ultimate tactician who can impact the game all over the ice. He's strong defensively and excellent in transition, and his offensive game has exploded this year.

He's nearly willing the rebuilding San Jose Sharks into the playoffs. Just imagine what he could do playing alongside MacKinnon, McDavid and Sidney Crosby. We could be talking about him not only as one of the best young players in the game after the Olympics, but as one of the best players, period. 

The up-and-down relationship Nemec has with the New Jersey Devils has seemingly been on the upswing recently, and his play has been integral for the Devils as they've struggled with health at times this year. Nemec can play for Slovakia and boost his stock in a big way. 

Whether Nemec is in the Devils' long-term plans or they ultimately trade him, as has been rumored at times over the last couple of years, Nemec will try to use his time at the Olympics to showcase his puck skills, mobility and playmaking.

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