The 2026 Winter Olympics are coming into view with a known group of players. By 2030, however, things will be vastly different for almost every nation.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are coming into view with a known group of players. By 2030, however, things will be vastly different for almost every nation.
The final entries for the 2026 Winter Olympics will be solidified this week, but despite some of the up and coming talent out there, nations seem relatively fixated on their current rosters. It's unlikely nations will diverge significantly from the rosters they fielded at the 2022 Olympic Games in Milano Cortina.
2030 however, will see a massive overhaul to Olympic rosters. 2026 could be the final Olympic games we see players like Marie-Philip Poulin, Hilary Knight, Natalie Spooner, Jenni Hiirikoski, Jocelyne Larocque, Brianne Jenner, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Jamie Lee Rattray, and Michelle Karvinen in Olympic competition.
Many other members of the world's top teams will likely have lost their roster spots by that point as well, and we are likely to see a change in who receives automatic entry to the Olympics, as by 2030, Sweden will likely be among the World's top four nations.
Here's a look at how each of the world's top nations rosters could differ by 2030.
Team Canada
Canada might lose gold multiple times to a young and talented American core over the next few seasons, but by 2030, Canada's next wave should be arriving. The veterans by that point will be Sarah Fillier and Danielle Serdchny, and players like Chloe Primerano, Emma Venusio, Jocelyn Amos, Claire Murdoch, and Emmalee Pais will certainly be in the mix. By 3030, Ann-Renee Desbiens, Emerance Maschmeyer, Laura Stacey, Blayre Turnbull, Renata Fast, and Sarah Nurse will all be 35 or older, and the aforementioned Marie-Philip Poulin, Brianne Jenner, Jamie Lee Rattray, Natalie Spooner, and Jocelyne Larocque will all be pushing or passing 40. A few of those players may hold on for one more go, including Poulin, who will undoubtedly still be capable, but the odds are, Canada will undergo sweeping changes between now and then. Corinne Schroeder, or NCAA netminder Eve Gascon may be in the crease by that point, but in five years, it could be anyone. Although Fillier is gone, keep an eye on Princeton's Canadian stars including Mackenzie Alexander, Issy Wunder, and Sarah Paul.
Team USA
USA's roster won't look immensely different in five years. Caroline Harvey, Laila Edwards, Tessa Janecke, Taylor Heise, Hannah Bilka, Cayla Barnes, Aerin Frankel, Abbey Murphy, Kirsten Simms, Haley Winn, Joy Dunne, Lacey Eden, Rory Guilday, Britta Curl-Salemme, Megan Keller, and Casey O'Brien will all be in their prime, and you can likely add Savannah Harmon to that list. The group of up and coming players is diverse and deep. It would not be surprising to see Maggie Scannell, Cassie Hall, Laney Potter or another young player currently on the outside looking in factoring into USA's success by that point. The biggest spot USA will likely still be fluctuating in is their crease. Gwyneth Philips and Aerin Frankel are USA's current goalies of the future, but by 2030, it would be shocking if a goalie like Ava McNaughton or Annelies Bergmann isn't USA's starter.
Team Czechia
Czechia's roster should be marginally stronger by 2030 with their young core on the blueline of Daniela Pejsova, Sara Cajanova, Tereza Radova, Andrea Trnkova. Up front, Katerina Mrazova is the only player who may be gone by that point as she'll be 37, but she could also still be in the mix. The real change for Czechia will be the development of their younger players, and the incoming players who could be stars by that point. Kristyna Kaltounkova will be a game changer for Czechia,as well Natalie Mlynkova who will also be a PWHL regular by that point. Czechia's next wave of Adela Sapvalivova and Tereza Plosova who are headed to Wisconsin and Minnesota respectively, will be better yet, as well Tereza Pistekova who hasn't made an NCAA decision, but should (and hopefully will) head to North America soon. The nation also has NCAA bound players like Linda Vocetkova, Anezka Cabelova, Adela Pankova, Julie Jebousková are also headed to the NCAA. As is netminder Aneta Senkova who will play for Clarkson. There's perhaps no player more important for Czechia than Senkova as Klara Peslarova could be aged out by 2030. Czechia is 100% relying on external development of their young players as they have no women's or girls' hockey program capable of helping their hopes.
Team Finland
Finland is a nation on the decline internationally in women's hockey given their weak domestic league. The route for elite development in Finland is not what it once was, and similar to other nations, players need to leave sooner to reach the next level. Finland's veteran core of Michelle Karvinen, Susanna Tapani, and Jenni Hiirikoski who have helped the team to Olympic medals will likely be gone, although Tapani could potentially hold on, but much of their core will still be intact and getting better including Elisa Holopainen and Viivi Vainikka, along with Petra Nieminen, Nelli Laitinen, and Sanni Rantala. Others like Sanni Vanhanen will be nearing the completion of her NCAA career and could be stepping to another level. Young players to watch include Tuuli Tallinen and Emma Ekoluoma and Lisette Täks, although the development path for each is unknown. Finland needs to make a similar investment into women's hockey to what Sweden has done if they hope to stay competitive beyond their current core.
Team Sweden
No nation in the world will have improved as much as Sweden by 2030. Anna Kjellbin will be the only player who could be out by that point as she'll be 35, but Sweden's blueline is their weakest point, and the fact she's still getting better at 30 as a member of the PWHL bodes well for her future. While Sweden's top players like Lina Ljungblom, Maja Nylen Persson, Hanna Olsson, Josefin Bouveng, and Hanna Thuvik will all be well within their prime, the strongest players for Sweden will likely be their next wave. The development of Mira Jungaker, Hilda Svensson, Tuva Kandell, Nicole Hall, Mira Hallin, Ebba Hedqvist, Ida Karlsson, Edit Danielsson, Lisa Jonsson, Ida Boman, Jenna Raunio, Linnea Natt och Dag, and others will be game changers for the nation.
Team France
There's only one reason to include France here, which is because they are the hosts for the 2030 tournament and guaranteed a spot. But, France does look like they'll eventually be an improved nation on the women's hockey state. They have been using a unique path sending many young players to Quebec in Canada to play. Manon Le Scodan and Jade Barbirati look like the real deals having utilized this pathway and they're heading to Clarkson and Quinnipiac respectively next season. They'll be a significant boost in a few years for Team France to provide another scoring line alongside Chloe Aurard, Estelle Duvin, and Clara Rozier. Long time leader Lore Braudit could try to hold on to play on home soil, but she'll be 38 by that time. France has four other players already in the NCAA, although none are immediate game changers. Defender Elina Zilliox is likely the best of the bunch, and by 2030 should be a solid addition. Goaltending will be France's biggest hurdle, and they'll need to send someone to another country to prepare.
Team Switzerland
Alina Muller and Lara Stalder will remain Switzerland's best players, despite the fact Stalder will be 35 in time for the 2030 Olympics. Andrea Brandli will be heavily relied upon, and there's a chance by 2030 she'll have been a contributor in the PWHL for multiple seasons. Switzerland needs to find a way to get more players to North America or the SDHL as soon as possible. They are building their own pro circuit, but unless they open their doors to a vastly increased number of import players, the calibre of play will not increase in time to benefit Switzerland's national program for 2030. Rahel Enzler is Switzerland's next best player at the moment, having developed in the NCAA. Ivana Wey, Naemi Herzig, and Lucie Tenenbaum are headed to the NCAA in the coming seasons, and with any luck, they'll provide a boost to the program in time to ensure that Switzerland qualifies to for the Games. Sinja Leemann and Alina Marti have potential, but need stiffer competition regularly. Alessia Baechler, Nicole Vallario, and Lucie Tenenbaum will likely be Switzerland's top blueliners, a position they'll need to focus on developmentally. 16-year-old Laure Mériguet will probably be there too.
The Rest Of The World
Beyond Canada, USA, Czechia, Finland, and Sweden, it's hard to say what nations will be in the 2030 Olympics. Switzerland has the best shot, but their program is falling at a meteoric rate, and although Lara Stalder has returned home to help her nation, like a massive ocean liner, turning around may take too long to avoid the inevitable. Japan is in a similar boat, but they lack the talent or competitive league that the Swiss have. It's hard to see Japan as a top level team much longer. Other nations are progressing, but waiting for their stars to appear like Germany. Slovakia will be a nation many will watch with Nela Lopusanova and another half dozen players heading to the NCAA. Hungary and Norway are the other nations moving in the right direction, and Austria has promising players who could help them emerge to that level in time for 2030 as well.