On Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced a few new players who will represent their country at the biggest stage of international hockey, the Olympic Games. The Lightning will have 11 total players playing in the Olympics, the most in the NHL. United States: The Lightning will have just one player representing them on Team USA, Jake Guentzel. Guentzel was announced as an Olympian late in December. Canada: There will be three players representing the Lightning on Team Canada. Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point, and Anthony Cirelli will all be playing under head coach Jon Cooper. Sweden: There will be two members of the Lightning wearing the Swedish Tre Kronor, assuming Victor Hedman is healthy in time to participate; which is expected to be the case. Hedman will be joined by Pontus Holmberg who, to many, was considered a surprise addition to the Swedish team. Denmark: Sticking in Scandinavia, Denmark will have a sole member of the Lightning on their roster in Oliver Bjorkstrand. Slovakia: The Slovakian national team, who took home their first medal in history at the Beijing Olympics in 2022, will also have a representative from Tampa Bay with defenseman Erik Cernak. Latvia: Zemgus Girgensons, who holds the record for most games played by a Latvian-born forward in NHL history, will take the ice for Latvia. Switzerland: Unsurprisingly, J.J. Moser who recently signed a massive extension with the Lightning will be taking the ice for Team Switzerland. Germany: Lastly, Wojciech Stachowiak of the Lightning's American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, will represent Team Germany.
