Rasmus Andersson isn’t merely playing his way into consideration for Sweden’s Olympic roster; he’s building a case to be a lock.
His latest performance — a goal, two points, and several key shot blocks — is just the continuation of a trend. Game after game, his tenacity, competitiveness, and all-situations reliability have become impossible to overlook.
Now in a contract year as a pending UFA, Andersson is playing some of the most impactful hockey of his career. And that surge may do more than boost his next deal — it could cement his spot on Team Sweden for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan (ice issues aside…).
Sweden’s blue line is notoriously deep, headlined by stars like Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin, who are automatic selections. The competition around them is fierce, with names such as:
- Jonas Brodin – Minnesota Wild
- Mattias Ekholm – Edmonton Oilers
- Gustav Forsling – Florida Panthers
- Erik Karlsson – Pittsburgh Penguins
- Hampus Lindholm – Boston Bruins
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Toronto Maple Leafs
Even in that crowd, Andersson’s résumé this season stacks up as well as anyone’s. He leads all Swedish defencemen in goals (6) and sits tied for first in points (20). He’s second only to Dahlin in average ice time (24:12) and leads the group in total shots (66). Beyond the numbers, he brings leadership experience — captaining Sweden at last year’s World Championship and earning a spot on the Four Nations roster.
If his trajectory continues, the conversation shouldn’t be whether he could make Team Sweden. It should be when they officially lock him in.