The 2026 Winter Olympics are just over two months away, and all the talk recently has been about who in the NHL will represent their country. There are “easier” teams to select, like Finland and Sweden. Still, there will definitely be some hard choices to make when it comes to leaving off the rosters of Canada and the United States of America, given all the talent in the league.

The Colorado Avalanche have a plethora of names who will easily be “first ballot” candidates to represent their country, but with how others are playing, could we see some other Avalanche names represent their country at the upcoming Olympics? Let's take a look at the Avalanche roster and see who is a clear lock and who might be on the outside looking in.

Team Canada

Locks: Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews

Outside Looking In: Scott Wedgewood, MacKenzie Blackwood, Brent Burns, Samuel Girard, Parker Kelly, Josh Manson, Logan O’Connor

It's no shock to anyone that MacKinnon, Makar, and Toews are going to be on the roster. Makar and Toews will be the team's top pair and have been the top pair in every international tournament they have participated in. The chemistry that the two have created has been irreplaceable, and it shows on both the offensive and defensive sides of the puck. Makar will likely quarterback the top power play while Toews helps lead the top penalty kill unit. MacKinnon will continue his impressive play in a top-six role, likely paired with good friend Sidney Crosby and either Mark Stone, Brad Marchand, or Mitch Marner on his opposite wing. That's if they use MacKinnon as a winger and Crosby down the middle.

For Burns, Girard, Kelly, Manson, and O’Connor, it will be tough to get picked, as each position is so deep in talent. While they would definitely be suitable for roles they excel in, as shown by their time on the Avalanche, there are other Canadians in the league who can do what they do and add more to the team.

The most considerable intrigue is the goaltending duo of Blackwood and Wedgewood. While it might be harder for Blackwood, as he has played only two NHL games this season and looks a bit rusty, Wedgewood's performance and statistics have been among the best. Leading the league in wins, third in SV%, and second in GAA among goaltenders who have started in more than 13 games.

Especially if you look at the stats, the goaltenders Team Canada brought into the 4 Nations Face-Off and how they are doing so far into the season, it's going to be tough to leave Wedgewood off the team, even as a backup.

Team United States

Locks: N/A

Outside Looking In: Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Sam Malinski, Brock Nelson, Gavin Brindley

For Colton, Drury, Malinski, and Brindley, it's very similar to Team Canada’s predicament. They are great at what they do for the Avalanche, but with the amount of American talent, it's going to be hard for them to be selected. For Brock Nelson, it might be a different story.

He was part of Team USA at the 4 Nations tournament, so management knows what he brings to the team, but he hasn't put up the offensive numbers we are used to so far. Four points in his last three games have led him to five goals and four assists for nine points in 19 games. Though, as a center, there have been some notable tidbits around the league that could help his case. New York Rangers J.T. Miller is having a down start to the season.

New Jersey Devils Jack Hughes might miss an extended period with his “freak accident” hand injury, which could be a serious issue if they push him back for the Olympics and he reaggravates it even worse. So he could be a good depth option for the States.

Team Sweden

Locks: Gabriel Landeskog

Outside Looking In: Victor Olofsson

Similar to Makar and MacKinnon’s case, Landeskog is/should be a lock for Team Sweden and the impact he brings to the team on and off the ice. He might not be what he was in his last international tournament, playing in a top-six role, but now he can open up other younger, talented Swedish players like Lucas Raymond, Jesper Bratt, and maybe even Victor Olofsson for more prominent roles on the team. Two goals and four assists for six points in 19 games might not be the most attractive stats, but what Landeskog has been through and how he has started to look better and better each game make it an honour for Sweden to have him back.

Olofsson has been making a case this season to be one of Sweden's 14 forwards. With six goals and nine assists for 15 points, he already matched his point production with the Buffalo Sabres in the 2023-24 season and is just 14 points off his total from last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, with the injuries and all. His elite shooting has benefited from his health and from being put into a system that allows him to succeed, especially on the power play. It will be hard for him, as many Swedes have looked great this year, and the only notable injury they have had is Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who is on pace to return before the tournament. 

Team Finland

Locks: Artturi Lehkonen

Outside Looking In: Joel Kiviranta

Lehkonen has been a prominent member of Team Finland in past international tournaments and will continue to do so at the upcoming Olympics. Eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 19 games, he continues to do everything for the Avalanche. He will easily be another utility knife for Team Finland. He might even have a larger role if notable Captain Alexander Barkov from the Florida Panthers is ruled out, as he recovers from surgery this past offseason. 

For Kiviranta, it's hard, as there is plenty of depth Finland can use, and he'll have to fight hard if he wants to make the team. It doesn't help that he is currently hurt and working his way back with the Avalanche. He’s only played in five games this season and has not recorded a point in any of them. There's no secret about how vital Kiviranta is to the Avalanche’s bottom-six and penalty kill, but it's a stretch to think he makes the roster for Team Finland.

Team Czechia

Locks: Martin Necas

Whether he was playing at the level he is now or before he was traded to the Avalanche, Necas is an essential piece to Team Czechia, and it only helps even more now that he has been playing so well and can improve that team this year. Joining guys like Tomas Hertl and David Pastrnak, and using what he has learned with the Avalanche to help his country fight for a medal, will be awesome to watch and notable to keep an eye on Team Czechia this tournament. 

Notable Absences

Russia: Valeri Nichushkin, Zahkar Bardakov

Belarus: Ilya Solovyov

I Im not here to get into politics or share my thoughts and opinions on what is right or wrong in the world and its current state of affairs, including wars/politics. Neither team will be present at the upcoming Olympics, but you could have expected both Nichushkin and Solovyov to make an appearance for their teams if they had been allowed to play. Bardakov is too young and could grow into a spot if Russia is reinstated/permitted in the next tournament.

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