The 2026 Winter Olympics are about to begin, meaning for the first time in over a decade, the men's hockey tournament will feature best-on-best. The last time NHLers attended the event was back in 2014, when Canada picked up a Gold Medal. In total, seven players from the Vancouver Canucks will be competing at the Olympics, which should create plenty of excitement over the next few weeks. On top of the 2026 Winter Olympics [http://thn.com/international], NHLers are also scheduled to participate in the 2030 games, which will take place in the French Alps. Just like in 2026, there should be some Canucks content in 2030, as younger players in the organization continue to develop into everyday NHLers. While it may be early, here is a look at which young players could feature for their national team in four years. Note: To qualify, a player must be younger than 25 and be either signed or drafted by the organization. They must also play for a country that is featured in the 2026 Winter Olympics men's tournament. SWEDEN: There are a handful of young players who could feature for Team Sweden in the future. On the blue line, the most likely player is Tom Willander, who is developing into a top-four defender at the NHL level. This season, Willander has 16 points in 45 games and is averaging 15:12 per night. As for up front, Liam Öhgren and Jonathan Lekkerimäki are two Swedish players who look to have bright futures. Both have played for Sweden multiple times on the international stage and have skated away with medals. The two have also built up some chemistry during their playing days and could be part of the next Swedish wave in the NHL. USA: Patrolling the blue line for Team USA in 2030 could be Zeev Buium. The 20-year-old has already represented the Americans at the World Championship, where he helped them win a Gold Medal. Buium has a bright future ahead as he has the potential to be a top-pair defender in the NHL for years to come. Jan 23, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) handles the puck against the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/5c04257b-2896-4bd6-919f-1cd12de5d588.jpeg] Jan 23, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) handles the puck against the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images FINLAND: One player who could get some consideration for Team Finland is center Aatu Räty. The 23-year-old is still developing, but has the potential to be a solid third-line center at the NHL level. If Räty can secure a spot in the lineup and keep winning faceoffs at a high rate, there could be a spot for him on the Finnish roster in 2030. Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] 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 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/]: From The Archive: Gold Diggers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/from-the-archive-gold-diggers] Vancouver Canucks At The 2026 Winter Olympics: Full Schedule [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/vancouver-canucks-at-the-2026-winter-olympics-full-schedule] Abbotsford Canucks Forward Ben Berard Headed To The 2026 AHL All-Star Classic [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/abbotsford-canucks-forward-ben-berard-headed-to-the-2026-ahl-all-star-classic] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*c02rq*_ga*MTAxMDU4Njg2NC4xNzQ0MTI5OTI0*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3Njg0NjA5MTYkbzExNjIkZzEkdDE3Njg0NjEwMzkkajE2JGwwJGgw]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/81f10bc6-4d54-4f68-9f2c-2de9e6847353.jpeg] The Hockey News
