Alina Muller put in an MVP-worthy performance for Switzerland at these Olympics, while youngsters drove the rise of the Swiss and Swedes. Here are key takeaways from both teams in the bronze medal game and the tournament.
Switzerland beat Sweden 2-1 in overtime to capture the bronze medal in Thursday's matchup between the two youngest teams in the tournament.
The winning goal came off the stick of Boston Fleet forward Alina Muller, who put together an MVP-worthy performance at the 2026 Olympics.
Muller scored the game-winner for Switzerland 12 years ago in Sochi as a 15-year-old, to date the nation's only Olympic women's hockey medal. In Milan, Muller did it again, scoring the overtime-winner for the Swiss.
Muller's MVP-Worthy Performance
Alina Muller was the heartbeat of Team Switzerland at the 2026 Olympics.
She scored Switzerland's lone goal in their 1-0 shutout quarterfinal upset over Finland. Netminder Andrea Braendli supported her by posting a 40-save shutout.
Muller also assisted on Switzerland's goal against Canada in a 2-1 semifinal loss.
Then on Thursday, Muller lifted her nation to bronze.
Muller also scored in Switzerland's 4-3 come-from-behind win over Czechia to open the tournament, scoring a third-period goal and then adding a shootout tally in the Swiss win.
Braendli Is A PWHL Star In The Making
Braendli will likely be the first goaltender selected in the 2026 PWHL draft for good reason.
She leads the SDHL in Sweden in save percentage and ranks secondin goals-against average, She's also the reigning SDHL goaltender of the year.
But Breandli was a difference-maker for Switzerland at the Olympics, stifling top scorers from across the globe.
After missing the opening games of the tournament with illness, Braendli put in outstanding performance after outstanding performance.
She stopped 40 shots for a shutout against Finland in the quarterfinals. She made 44 saves against Canada. And she was spectacular again in a 32-save performance against Sweden on Thursday.
The Youth Are Coming
While teams like Canada are at the end of their reign, youth are driving Switzerland and Sweden's rise. Both are well-positioned to be medal contenders again in France in 2030.
The Swedes and Swiss averaged 24.13 and 23.22 years of age, respectively, across their rosters, according to eliteprospects.com. No other teams in the women's or men's hockey tournaments had a younger average age. Team Canada was the oldest squad in the women's tournament, averaging exactly six years older than Switzerland.
While veterans Muller, Braendli and Lara Stalder were key contributors for Switzerland, and Sara Hjalmarsson, Anna Kjellbin and Hanna Olsson played key roles for the Swedes, the youth movement on display for both teams highlighted the tournament.
With the bronze medal match tied at 0-0 in the second period, Ivana Wey, who turned 20 on the day before the 2026 Olympics opened, was hooked on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot.
Wey scored twice in a shootout earlier in the tournament to help Switzerland upset Czechia. This time, 21-year-old Swedish starter Ebba Svensson Traff, who was in her first Olympics, closed her pads as Wey attempted to go five-hole to keep the game tied 0-0.
Not long afterward, Hilda Svensson found Mira Jungaker at the offensive blueline. Jungaker took a quick step to the middle of the ice before picking the top corner of the Swiss net through a heavy screen to open the scoring. Jungaker, 20, and Svensson, 19, are both considered top PWHL prospects for the 2028 and 2029 drafts, respectively, if they play four years of college before declaring their eligibility.
In overtime, it was Wey again who set up the bronze medal-winning goal by Muller. Wey committed to playing NCAA hockey for Northeastern next season.
With bronze now decided, both nations will look for medals of a different color in 2030. Considering their youth movements are well underway, both are positioned for years of success.
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