Examining which Winnipeg Jets will likely make Olympic rosters in 2026

With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina on the horizon, international hockey fans are eagerly awaiting the return of NHL players to Olympic competition for the first time in over a decade. The last time the league’s top talent hit the Olympic ice was in Sochi back in 2014, and the anticipation has only grown following the momentum from this past February’s thrilling Four Nations Face-Off.

For many NHLers, this will be their first opportunity to wear their country’s colors on one of the sport’s grandest stages. That includes a number of Winnipeg Jets, who could find themselves playing pivotal roles for their national squads in Italy. Let’s take a look at which Jets are strong contenders to crack Olympic rosters in 2026.

Connor Hellebuyck - Team USA 

The back-to-back Vezina trophy winner and reigning MVP of the league was not named in the first six players to make the Olympic roster but we are assured that the league's best goalie over the last five seasons. During that span, Hellebuyck's 174 wins is more than 11 other NHL teams including the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers among others. His 2.49 goals against average and a .918 save percentage are among the league's best and make him an obvious choice to be America's goaltender once again.

Kyle Connor - Team USA 

After tallying just one point in three games with Team USA at the Four Nations Face-Off, Connor rebounded to close out the season with career-best numbers across the board. The Michigan native led all American-born players with 97 points and showcased his scoring touch by tying Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel with 41 goals, second-most among Americans.

He was expected to work top six minutes but poor performance took him all the way out of the lineup by the final game of the tournament. He'll be rejoining the fold with new life and will look to be an impact player this time around. 

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Mark Scheifele - Team Canada

One of the most widely agreed-upon snubs from the Four Nations roster was Mark Scheifele. Heading into the break, he ranked fourth among Canadian-born players in points, tallying 63 in just 56 games. The only centres ahead of him were arguably the two best in the game, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. 

Scheifele still finished the season with the eighth-most points among Canadians, outperforming several players who made Team Canada, including Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart, and Travis Konecny. If he can stay hot into next season, it’ll be hard for Canada’s management to overlook him again. 

Josh Morrissey - Team Canada 

The Calgary native as developed into an elite NHL defenceman since being selected 13th overall by Winnipeg in the 2013 Draft. He earned a spot on Canada’s Four Nations roster, where he played a key role on the third pairing and finished with a +1 rating. While limited ice time kept him from showcasing his offensive abilities, the Olympics could provide a bigger stage for that aspect of his game. 

Over the past three seasons, Morrissey has finished top four in defenceman scoring with 207 points in 239 games. His numbers proved to be better than star blueliners like Adam Fox, Rasmus Dahlin, Victor Hedman, and Roman Josi. With his ability to contribute at both ends of the ice, he’s a near lock for a spot on the Olympic roster.

Nino Niederreiter - Switzerland

Niederreiter was named among the first six players on the preliminary Swiss roster announced in mid-June. A veteran of nearly 1,000 NHL games across 15 seasons, Niederreiter has totaled 480 points (split evenly with 240 goals and 240 assists) in 969 contests, including 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) in 82 games this past season with the Jets. 

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