The list of former Canucks taking part in the 2026 IIHF World Championship includes Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Sweden), Pius Suter (Switzerland), and more.
The 2026 IIHF World Championship will run from May 15 to 31, with four current members of the Vancouver Canucks organization set to represent their respective countries. As well as current players Aatu Räty (Finland), Linus Karlsson (Sweden), Max Sasson (USA) and Filip Hronek (Czechia), five former Canucks will also suit up for this particular tournament.
Sam Lafferty, USA
Lafferty, now a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, will join Sasson on Team USA during this year’s World Championship. The forward spent one season with the Canucks in 2023–24, scoring 13 goals and 11 assists in 79 games, before being traded to Chicago by Vancouver. This is not the first time Lafferty has played at the World Championships, as he also represented Team USA in 2022, putting up a goal and two assists in 10 games.
USA’s Preliminary-Round Schedule:
May 15 vs. Switzerland, 11:20 am PT
May 17 vs. Great Britain, 3:20 am PT
May 18 vs. Finland, 7:20 am PT
May 20 vs. Germany, 11:20 am PT
May 23 vs. Latvia, 3:20 am PT
May 25 vs. Hungary, 7:20 am PT
May 26 vs. Austria, 7:20 am PT
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Sweden
Taking part in his eighth World Championship this season is now-Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Ekman-Larsson, who will also serve as Sweden’s captain. Ekman-Larsson, once a Canuck for two seasons and 133 games, has won two gold (2017, 2018), one silver (2011), and one bronze medal (2010) through his previous seven World Championship tournaments. Ekman-Larsson also represented Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics and won his first Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024.
Sweden’s Preliminary-Round Schedule:
May 15 vs. Canada, 7:20 am PT
May 17 vs. Denmark, 7:20 am PT
May 18 vs. Czechia, 11:20 am PT
May 20 vs. Slovenia, 11:20 am PT
May 22 vs. Italy, 11:20 am PT
May 23 vs. Norway, 11:20 am PT
May 26 vs. Slovakia, 7:20 am PT
Feb 17, 2026; Milan, Italy; Oliver Ekman-Larsson of Sweden shakes hands with Elvis Merzlikins of Latvia after the match during a men's ice hockey qualification playoff game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn ImagesErik Brännström, Sweden
Joining current Canuck Karlsson and former Canuck Ekman-Larsson on Team Sweden is Brännström. The defenceman only spent 28 games with Vancouver before being moved as part of the J.T. Miller trade in January of 2025. Despite taking part in two U20 and two U18 World Junior Championships, this will be Brännström’s first time representing Sweden at the IIHF World Championships.
Pius Suter, Switzerland
Like Ekman-Larsson, former Canuck and current St. Louis Blues centre Pius Suter also represented his team at the Olympics earlier this year. The forward scored two goals and one assist in Switzerland’s quarter-final Olympic campaign. This year’s World Championship is the third that he’ll partake in for Switzerland, as he also competed in 2017 and 2022.
Switzerland’s Preliminary-Round Schedule:
May 15 vs. USA, 11:20 am PT
May 16 vs. Latvia, 11:20 am PT
May 18 vs. Germany, 11:20 am PT
May 20 vs. Austria, 7:20 am PT
May 21 vs. Great Britain, 11:20 am PT
May 23 vs. Hungary, 7:20 am PT
May 26 vs. Finland, 11:20 am PT
Marc Michaelis, Germany
Michaelis’ time in the NHL was spent solely with the Canucks, totaling 15 games during the 2020–21 season. The forward has, however, represented Germany in a variety of international situations, including five different World Championships (2018, 2019, 2022, 2024, and 2025) and one Olympic Winter Games (2026).
Germany’s Preliminary-Round Schedule:
May 15 vs. Finland, 7:20 am PT
May 17 vs. Latvia, 11:20 am PT
May 18 vs. Switzerland, 11:20 am PT
May 20 vs. USA, 11:20 am PT
May 22 vs. Hungary, 7:20 am PT
May 23 vs. Austria, 11:20 am PT
May 25 vs.Great Britain, 11:20 am PT
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News