Sports
Olympic hockey roster grades for U.S., Canada, Finland, Sweden, plus snubs and surprises
The 2026 Winter Olympic men’s hockey tournament begins Feb. 12 in Milan, Italy — provided that the ice and the arena are ready, which is something the nations competing in the tournament have been assured about.
“We’ve taken some steps to make sure that we have backup plans should we need them, but we’ve heard from the IIHF and the IOC that the arena will be built and it will be ready and that’s our expectation,” Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond said when his team revealed its roster Wednesday.
Assuming it happens, this tournament promises to have some great games, battles for medals and of course the potential for another round in the USA vs. Canada rivalry, which might be the most antagonistic feud between professional teams today.
But before the teams hit the ice, they needed to officially lock in their rosters at the end of 2025. Which means we now have a clear picture of the strengths, weaknesses, surprises and snubs of the Olympic hockey rosters.
Here’s how the rosters grade out — at each position group and overall — and which NHL players might be feeling snubbed by their home nations after these roster reveals.
Note: Players are listed alphabetically within each position group. Players listed with an asterisk were on the original selection lists in June.
Jump ahead: USA
Sweden
Finland
Canada
United States of America
Forwards
Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights*
Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth
Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs*
J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
Brock Nelson, Colorado Avalanche
Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers*
Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
Even with a couple of significant snubs, this might be the greatest assemblage of forward talent the U.S. has ever had in the Olympic tournament.
The one-two punch of Eichel and Matthews gives the U.S. team two all-world centers in their primes, which is something it has never experienced. No doubt Team USA was relieved to see a vintage Matthews performance for the Leafs this week — it desperately needs him in dominant form to win this tournament.
Matthews will be the captain, but as they showed at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Tkachuks are the heart and soul of this team. Matthew Tkachuk is still working his way back from preseason surgery but is skating again. Brother Brady also missed time this season but has been great for Ottawa with 18 points in 19 games.
At 4 Nations, the U.S. had players with a finisher’s scoring touch in Boldy, Connor and Guentzel. Adding Thompson to that group adds another threat, with 64 goals in his past 115 games. Larkin was a revelation at 4 Nations, playing some of his best hockey. And although many aren’t happy to see them selected over other younger scoring options, Miller and Trocheck bring a 200-foot game and tenacity to the roster.
One name to watch: Jack Hughes. He’s still being impacted by a hand injury he suffered in November, wearing a brace on his right hand during the roster reveal on Friday. Hughes was used primarily on the wing at 4 Nations. He looked out of sorts and overmatched, generating just one assist in four games. Where does he fit here?
“Jack is a unique player with his ability to drive offense. One of the things we liked about the way we constructed our lines at the 4 Nations was the size we had down the middle, we thought was the strength of the group,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “But having said that, we have had conversations around using Jack in the middle at this Olympic experience, and we’ll continue to have those conversations leading up to the first game.”
Overall forwards grade: A-
0:48
Welcome to Minnesota! Quinn Hughes scores his first goal for the Wild
Quinn Hughes scores his first goal for the Wild to give them a 4-0 lead vs. the Bruins.
Defensemen
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild*
Seth Jones, Florida Panthers
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins*
Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Most of these defensemen played at 4 Nations, but there are a few notable changes to the group. Rangers star defenseman Adam Fox didn’t make the cut. Enter Jones, who revived his career with Florida last season.
But the biggest addition was a player who was supposed to be a difference-maker at 4 Nations but couldn’t due to injury: Quinn Hughes, the dynamic all-around star for Team USA GM Bill Guerin’s Minnesota Wild, who has 30 points in 35 games this season.
He’s playing with Faber in Minnesota, and that could shake up the pairing from 4 Nations. Faber had played a bunch with Slavin in that tournament.
Guerin said “there’s a lot to like” with this group.
“I mean, it’s a pretty incredible group of defensemen, combining skill, skating ability, the ability to defend, the willingness to defend, puck moving,” he said. “We have a number of guys that can play in the power play. They can all kill penalties. Versatility, mobility, all those things … when you look at them, it’s a pretty damn good group.”
Overall defensemen grade: A-
0:43
Seth Jones scores power-play goal vs. Hurricanes
Seth Jones nets power-play goal
Goaltenders
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
The trio that backstopped the Americans at the 4 Nations Face-Off will do the same at the 2026 Olympics.
Hellebuyck, who won the Hart Trophy as league MVP and the Vezina as the top goaltender last season, had a .932 save percentage and a 1.59 goals-against average in three 4 Nations Face-Off games. He was outplayed by Jordan Binnington in the gold medal game, but that was more about Binnington having the game of his life than Hellebuyck being at fault.
Hellebuyck had minor arthroscopic knee surgery on Nov. 22 to address a nagging issue. That’s one reason his numbers aren’t as dominant (.907, 2.51 goals-against in 22 games). Another reason is that the Jets aren’t very good, which is why he has 4.8 goals saved above expected this season.
Oettinger has 8.2 goals saved above expected this season, to go along with a 16-7-3 record and a .907 save percentage. A little friendly competition never hurts: Oettinger said last May that “other than winning the Stanley Cup, my No. 1 goal” is being Team USA’s starting goaltender.
The American goaltending pool being extraordinarily deep, there was some talk that Swayman might get pushed out by the likes of Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko, Calgary’s Dustin Wolf or Spencer Knight, who has finally broken through in Chicago. After all, Swayman didn’t see any game action at 4 Nations. But Team USA put a premium on players who showed up and thrived at the 2025 IIHF world championships in Sweden and Denmark.
Thrive, Swayman did: He played seven games, won them all, and posted a 1.69 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in leading the U.S. to gold. He punctuated that with a strong start to the season for the Bruins, with a .904 save percentage and 15 wins in 28 games.
Overall goaltending grade: A
Surprises
Has there been another NHL trade that rehabilitated a player’s reputation more than the one that sent Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers last season?
Jones was a defenseman who would get Norris Trophy votes. Then he was traded to Chicago in 2021, signed a long-term deal, and saw his esteem buried under the weight of the Blackhawks’ multiyear rebuild. When Florida acquired him last season, the biggest headlines were about how much salary the Blackhawks were retaining on his deal through 2029-30. And then he formed the Panthers’ most effective defensive pairing (with Niko Mikkola), helping Florida to its second straight Stanley Cup championship and Jones’ first ring.
It was a performance that reminded everyone how good Jones can be when motivated and surrounded by elite talent. He produces offensively, brings size to the blue line, plays fundamentally sound defensively and devours minutes — leading Florida in postseason average ice time (25:30).
Jones has some history with Team USA management. Panthers GM Bill Zito not only acquired him from Chicago last season but was an assistant GM in Columbus when the Blue Jackets traded for Jones in 2016. Oilers GM Stan Bowman was running the Blackhawks when they traded for Jones and signed him to an eight-year deal. It never hurts to have support in the room.
0:53
Jason Robertson nets goal for Stars
Jason Robertson nets goal for Stars
It was expected the Americans would run it back with essentially the same roster they had at 4 Nations with a couple of augmentations. Tage Thompson was obviously going to be one of them, having been in the building for the 4 Nations championship game as a potential injury replacement. With 20 goals in 39 games, Thompson closed that deal this season, if there was ever any doubt.
But with Chris Kreider not returning, there would be another forward spot opened up, and that spot went to Keller, despite significant competition for it.
Keller made his case over the past two seasons in Utah, scoring a career-high 90 points (30 goals, 60 assists) last season and then following that up with 36 points in 41 games this season. But what separated Keller from the pack wasn’t just the fact that he played for Team USA at the IIHF world championship in May, but that he captained the team that won gold for the U.S. in that tournament for the first time in 92 years.
Team USA management heavily weighed participation in worlds as a factor in making the Olympic cut, as proof of concept that those players can thrive on “the biggest stage,” as Guerin put it. Keller had 10 points in 10 tournament games for the U.S., which might have clinched this for him.
Snubs
Connor McDavid ended the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game 8:18 into overtime, but people forget that the Americans had a 2-1 lead at 7:32 of the second period. In both scenarios, one more goal from the U.S. changes everything. Which is why Team USA was criticized for not having Kyle Connor in the lineup for the gold medal game — and why it took grief for not having Cole Caufield on the roster at all.
Caufield has 57 goals in his past 122 NHL games. He’s an electrifying performer, hard to defend and plays like he has a GPS system to find the back of the net. But he’s listed at 5-8 and the analytics say he’s not a dependable defensive player — despite protestations from Montreal fans who claim otherwise.
Also keep this in mind: Caufield played in IIHF worlds two years ago but opted not to play after last season, despite Montreal bowing out of the playoffs in five games.
As Guerin told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan at orientation camp: “We’re doing things differently now, and the world championships are absolutely connected to this. If you’re saying no and you don’t have a legit excuse, it will hurt you.”
Only five American players have scored more goals than DeBrincat (87 in 206 games) over the past three seasons. But his size (listed at 5-8) and average defensive acumen meant there were better options on the wing.
After Canada won the 4 Nations Face-Off, several sources around Team USA indicated that management wasn’t happy with Adam Fox. They didn’t feel he had a strong tournament, having failed to register a point in four games and struggling at times with the pace of play. But it was his blown defensive assignment on McDavid’s “golden goal” — deftly broken down here by analyst Frank Corrado — that drew the most ire. In fact, there were those who felt that sin was so egregious that Fox basically played himself off the Olympic team in that overtime.
I asked Guerin about that theory, and Fox’s snub, on Friday:
“Well, I think it’s exactly that. It’s perception. And that’s for you guys to wrestle with and talk about. That’s not for us. If you think we made a decision on one play, then you must not think we’re very smart. So other than that, I’m going to keep those conversations private. Our decision was made and we’re moving forward.”
Fox was one of the first players selected for the 4 Nations roster. Now he can’t even crack the top eight for the Olympics. We’re going to pretend that his tournament performance didn’t play a role here?
Understandably, a lot of Team USA and New York Rangers fans aren’t ready to let this one go quite yet. Fox is a Norris Trophy-winning, elite defenseman who has been nothing short of exceptional when he has been healthy for the Rangers this season. The idea that Rangers GM Chris Drury and coaches Mike Sullivan and David Quinn were part of the Team USA brain trust and Fox didn’t make the team boggles the mind.
Guerin deserves credit for putting his neck on the line when he makes audacious calls like this one. Obviously, if the construction of the D corps leads to gold, no one’s breathing a word about Adam Fox during the parade. But if the Americans fall short? Then he becomes the poster boy for a shoddily constructed roster.
Based on the Fox snub, it’s pretty clear Team USA feels it has all the power-play quarterbacks it needs and that the overall defense can generate enough offensively.
But leaving Hutson off is leaving off the most dynamic offensive defenseman the national team program has produced since Quinn Hughes. Hutson has 106 points in his first 122 NHL games, winning rookie of the year honors last season. True, he doesn’t have the size of Jones or Hanifin, but they don’t have his dynamism. Please note that like Caufield, Hutson didn’t play at worlds, either.
0:51
Simon Edvinsson scores goal for Red Wings
Simon Edvinsson scores goal for Red Wings
Kane, 37, would have been the ultimate “old guy still got it” pick for Team USA. He played in Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014, as well as for the U.S. in the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. He trails Brett Hull by 24 points for the all-time mark for American-born players (1,391). The Detroit Red Wings winger was a surprise invitee to U.S. Olympic orientation camp in the summer, putting him on the radar as an option. The team decided to go young, albeit less accomplished.
Knies, 23, has something a lot of players on this roster don’t have: Olympic experience, having played four games in the 2022 Beijing Games, in which the NHL did not take part. He’s the kind of power forward that Guerin values: big, productive, fearless around the net-front and a forechecking terror. Plus, seeing as how Auston Matthews is fairly important to Team USA’s success, wouldn’t it make sense to draft his linemate to the roster?
Kreider is the only 4 Nations forward who won’t return to play in the Olympic tournament. He was a healthy scratch for the Americans in the first two games of the tournament and then drew in after Matthew Tkachuk‘s injury. They both dressed for the gold medal game, with Kreider limited to 6:25 of ice time in the overtime loss. After a hot start for the Anaheim Ducks this season — 13 goals in his first 26 games — his production cratered, as Kreider hasn’t scored a goal since Dec. 1.
The Ducks defenseman was invited to the U.S. Olympic orientation camp and played 10 games on Team USA’s gold medal winning team at IIHF worlds. He’s a great young (24) blueliner who can log big minutes, averaging over 25 per game for the Ducks. LaCombe hasn’t been all that exceptional for the Ducks, but his underlying numbers are better than those of Hanifin, the left-side defenseman whose spot he’d probably have taken.
Just a baffling snub. Robertson is eighth in the NHL in points, with 48 in 41 games. That includes 24 goals, which ties him with McDavid for fourth in the league. He is exactly the kind of offensive player down the lineup that Team USA has lacked in previous Olympics and, frankly, at a 4 Nations tournament that saw it lose gold by a single goal. He’s a pure finisher. He’s not a liability defensively.
In the end, the Americans are leaving one of their best and brightest back home because of Team USA’s philosophical choice to cede roster spots to veteran “role players” such as J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck rather than pure offensive talents, and the fact that this philosophy, and a slightly down season for Robo in 2023-24, left him off the 4 Nations roster, which means he never had a chance to share in the “chemistry” that led to the majority of that roster continuing on to the Olympics.
0:45
Mikko Rantanen scores goal for Stars
Mikko Rantanen tallies goal vs. Blackhawks
The Buffalo Sabres winger has size (6-4, 220 pounds) and physicality, to go along with being one of the NHL’s most productive goal-scoring power forwards (36 goals in 82 games last season). He’s also willing to literally put his body on the line for his team, setting an NHL record for blocked shots by a forward (113) last season.
But again, if performing in international tournaments was a point of emphasis for Team USA — and in particular showing up to last season’s IIHF worlds — then it should be noted that Tuch has appeared in worlds only once, in 2023, despite missing the playoffs for four straight seasons in Buffalo.
Overall team grade: B+
This roster was constructed to beat Canada but not be Canada. And it’s high time Team USA starts acting like it’s just as talented as its rivals.
It’s the frustrating part about being an American hockey fan: The Miracle on Ice has red, white and blue-pilled the brains of hockey executives for decades that heart, grit and work rate are the fundamental difference between USA Hockey and the Canadians and the Russians, to use two elite talent examples.
For years, it was the blue-collar aesthetic of the Americans, trying to grit their way to another Miracle. Some of this was due to a talent disparity with other hockey nations. But that’s since been corrected thanks to USA Hockey’s growth and the roots put down by NHL expansion. There was also a team-construction mindset that Team USA needs rosters with veterans who humbly accept roles rather than young stars who might — emphasis on might — not be able to do so.
And that’s how you go nearly five decades without Olympic men’s hockey gold.
This is the first time in nearly 30 years that it felt like the talent gap between the U.S. and Canada had significantly closed. The 2026 Olympics were going to be the moment when Team USA wouldn’t do what it always seems to do: Leave dynamic offensive talents home due to perceptions about defensive lapses or compete levels or because they didn’t attend the right offseason tournament, in favor of less effective veteran players whose greatest virtues are nebulous “intangibles.” The Americans’ pool is finally deep enough to go skill vs. skill with anyone in the world; it’s a moment to let our freak flag fly with an all-star team of superior hockey talents.
And yet five of the top 10 American-born scorers in the NHL aren’t on this team.
This feels like a roster built to mitigate risk at a moment when Team USA should be taking more of them with its team construction.
Look, I’m not going to be a total Debbie Downer here. As we saw at 4 Nations, this team has what it takes to beat Canada and win Olympic gold. Heck, the defense and goaltending alone might be enough to land the plane in Italy. I would like nothing more to be totally, completely and utterly wrong in my criticism of some of these roster choices. I would like nothing more than to apologize to Bill Guerin for my lack of confidence in his vision. I would like nothing more than to see the Americans send Canada home in a crisis of faith while our anthem plays and Matthew Tkachuk chews on his medal to make sure it’s real gold.
To paraphrase the late Herb Brooks in the movie “Miracle”:
“I’m sick and tired of hearing about the Miracle on Ice. This is your time. Now go out there and take it.”
Sweden
Forwards
Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils
Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks
Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild
Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
Pontus Holmberg, Tampa Bay Lightning
Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
Elias Lindholm, Boston Bruins
William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh Penguins
Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings
Alexander Wennberg, San Jose Sharks
Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers
This is essentially the Swedish 4 Nations roster, save for a couple of changes. Out went Viktor Arvidsson (Bruins) and Gustav Nyquist (Winnipeg Jets); arriving are Pontus Holmberg (Lightning), Alexander Wennberg (Sharks) and, most notably, Gabriel Landeskog.
Landeskog was actually one of the first members of this roster to be announced after his miraculous comeback with Colorado last season. The start of his first regular season since 2021-22 was a bit messy, as he went his first 16 games without a goal. He now has 21 points in 39 games, but it’s his leadership and intangibles that made him a no-debate pick for head coach Sam Hallam. This is Landeskog’s second Olympics after winning silver in Sochi.
This version of Sweden has some good offensive pop from players such as Raymond (44 points in 40 games), Nylander (14 goals), Kempe (13 goals) and Forsberg (16 goals). Zibanejad has been better offensively than he was last season, with 30 points in 41 games. Rakell can bring the offense. Bratt hasn’t been finishing chances but has created them, with 31 points in 40 games as one of the NHL’s best puck handlers.
If there’s a concern about this group, it’s obviously in the middle. Leo Carlsson (42 points in 39 games) is going to have to be an offensive monster unless Elias Pettersson (23 points in 31 games) can recapture the offensive magic in a best-on-best tournament. Joel Eriksson Ek can help but offers more on defense than offense. Elias Lindholm can play center or wing. They’ll miss the two-way game of Vegas center William Karlsson, who is out with an injury and didn’t make the cut.
Overall forwards grade: B
0:11
Jesper Wallstedt makes beautiful save
Jesper Wallstedt makes beautiful save
Defensemen
Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames
Philip Broberg, St. Louis Blues
Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Toronto Maple Leafs
Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins
Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm didn’t make the cut after playing in 4 Nations. Sweden adds Broberg and Ekman-Larsson for the Olympics. In Broberg’s case, having future Blues GM Alexander Steen as a player personnel consultant for Team Sweden no doubt helped his case. Ekman-Larsson is just a great story, going from a Stanley Cup win with the Panthers two years ago to a solid pair of seasons in Toronto.
This is a deeply experienced and, if we’re being honest, just a fun group to watch. Dahlin has been great for Buffalo; watching him get creative with someone like Hedman anchoring the back end is awesome. Same with the cagey old offensive dynamo Karlsson and Forsling, an absolute rock for the Panthers.
The Swedes have considerable depth, but they do have one glaring question mark in Hedman. He had elbow surgery last month. The recovery timeline has him back for the Olympics. If he can’t go, that’s a significant blow to their medal chances.
Overall defensemen grade: A-
0:44
Rasmus Dahlin notches goal on the power play
Rasmus Dahlin notches goal on the power play
Goaltenders
Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild
Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils
Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild
Linus Ullmark was a lock for this roster, having made Sweden’s 4 Nations team last year. But he took a leave of absence from the Ottawa Senators in late December, and Sweden made the call not to include him on the Olympic roster.
That opened the door for the Wild to have both of their primary goalies wearing the Tre Kronor: Gustavsson, who was on the 4 Nations team and has strong numbers this season (.912 save percentage, 2.47 goals-against average), and Wallstedt, the rookie sensation who went 11-2-3 in his first 16 games with a startling .928 save percentage.
The wild card here is Markstrom, the 35-year-old Devils goalie who has World Cup and world championship experience. He has not been good for the Devils (minus-4.25 goals saved above expected) this season, but it’s hard not to think back to those games, including in the Stanley Cup playoffs, when he has been impenetrable.
Overall goaltending grade: B
Surprises
Holmberg’s selection was one of those roster picks that immediately inspired fans to list several Swedish players who have more points than the 26-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning winger, who has 12 in 33 games this season while averaging 12:53 per game in ice time. His career high in points in the NHL is 19, set last season in 68 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs. But his virtue is as a checking forward and creator of chaos.
“He is a little bit of a pot-bellied pig when it comes to his physical game,” Hallam told NHL.com.
But one look at his career path and it’s not hard to comprehend why he’s on this team: Holmberg was a dependable forward for Vaxjo HC of the Swedish Hockey League from 2018 to ’22, where his head coach was — you guessed it — Sam Hallam. Holmberg had 14 points in 14 playoff games to help Vaxjo win a league championship in 2020-21.
Sure, he’s a rookie. But the “Wall of St. Paul” is extremely deserving of an Olympic roster spot based on his play this season. Plus he has a ton of international tournament experience and it’s not like other options like Anton Forsberg and Samuel Ersson are all that compelling by comparison.
0:47
Nylander becomes Leafs’ all-time leader with 15th OT goal
William Nylander scores his 15th career overtime goal to win it for the Leafs against the Blue Jackets.
Wennberg has 26 points in 40 games, skating to a minus-12 for the San Jose Sharks this season. But the veteran center played 10 games at worlds last season and made a solid impression on Hallam there. He’s sound defensively and offers some versatility at forward for Sweden.
Snubs
The 36-year-old Calgary Flames center has 15 points in 40 games, including 10 goals. He has several seasons of world championship tournament experience and was an injury replacement for the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Flames coach Ryan Huska said that Sweden “made a mistake,” and Backlund believes he has played his best hockey since becoming Flames captain.
“It would have been a dream to go to the Olympics, but I never expected it because Sweden has so many good players,” Backlund said on Friday, adding that he will remain in the Olympic protocol as a potential injury replacement.
It’s difficult to understand how a Swede who inspires Edmonton Oilers fans to show up in horned helmets and face paint doesn’t have a place on this roster. Ekholm, 35, has 17 points in 41 games this season, skating 20:44 per game on average. There was some friction between Ekholm and Hallam at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The 23-year-old Sharks forward has 26 points in 36 games, after posting 58 points in 77 games last season. He was poised to play at the IIHF world championships last year, but was ruled out after he suffered a laceration on his wrist from a skate blade in a pre-tournament game.
A surprising omission given how well and how much he has played for the Detroit Red Wings this season, with 15 points in 39 games and 22:14 in average ice time. The 22-year-old even put in the time at world championships last spring. This was a curious one.
The 23-year-old winger has been awesome for the New York Islanders, with 12 goals and six assists in 41 games. He played 10 games at the IIHF worlds last season, too. But as Swedish hockey writer Uffe Bodin noted, this is not a roster that leaned heavily into youth. “It is an experienced Swedish squad that heads to Italy next month. The average age is just over 29 years old and there are only five players who are 25 years old or younger. This can be seen as a sign that the younger generation of Swedish NHL players has not yet fully come to fruition,” he wrote. “MoJo” is like that high-school senior who does all the prep work and has all the extracurricular activities on his transcript but still can’t get into his first-choice college. He has been awesome for the surging Minnesota Wild this season, with 32 points in 39 games. He played in the past two IIHF world championship tournaments, scoring 20 points in 18 games. As he told Michael Russo of The Athletic on Friday: “It’s obviously sad and disappointing, but I’ve done what I can, I think. I think I’ve proven how I can play, and I guess it’s not enough.” The Boston Bruins blueliner has 13 points in 33 games this season, skating 22:10 per game. But he was injured for 4 Nations and didn’t play at IIHF worlds, which might have impacted Sweden’s ability to see how he worked with other D-men. Concerns about his health have dogged him, too, and that might have scared Sweden away. The Swedes don’t have the Sedins or a Mats Sundin or a Henrik Lundqvist. They lack that core superstar talent (or talents) around whom everything rotates, something that other teams in the Olympic tournament can boast. Maybe Carlsson gets there soon, but he’s not there yet. So, in the meantime, the parts are going to have to add up something greater than their sum for the Swedes to do better than bronze at these games — and I believe they can. This is a dangerous team if the defense is healthy and correctly deployed; if someone like Nylander puts together a multipoint barrage on the right night; and if Sweden can get that one special game in the crease from Gustavsson, Markstrom or most intriguingly Wallstedt. Everyone is blowing up balloons for the next USA vs. Canada party. Sweden can easily be the party poopers. Joel Armia, Los Angeles Kings Does the absence of Aleksander Barkov, whom the Panthers lost to a preseason knee injury, drop this group a full letter grade? It might. Barkov is arguably the best 200-foot center in the world, with two Stanley Cup wins and previous Olympic experience in Sochi. Finland could confidently put him out against a top scoring line for Canada or the U.S. and know there was a decent chance he could neutralize them — while scoring for the Finns in the process. All the more pressure on Rantanen to be the team’s superstar leader, and he is more than ready for it. The Dallas forward showed last postseason what can happen when he goes Beast Mode, and he has been a terror at previous IIHF tournaments. The opportunity exists to reunite the Stars’ Finnish Mafia line, which ceased to exist after Granlund left for free agent riches with the Ducks. Roope Hintz was the other member of that trio at forward. Barkov’s absence puts the focus on Sebastian Aho to be an offensive engine. He has had extensive world championships experience to go along with lengthy playoff runs with the Hurricanes. Artturi Lehkonen will also be heavily leaned on for offense. Just like Jon Cooper imported two Lightning linemates to Team Canada, Finland gets the benefit of having two longtime linemates from the Panthers: center Anton Lundell, and forward Eetu Luostarinen, two thirds of Florida’s dynamic checking line from last season’s Stanley Cup run. Any chance their other linemate can change his name to Bräd Maarchrända and join them on the Finnish team? Overall forwards grade: C+ 0:35 Miro Heiskanen scores short-handed goal vs. Wild Miro Heiskanen scores short-handed goal for Dallas Stars Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars* The biggest change here from the Finns’ 4 Nations roster: Miro Heiskanen is back, baby. The Stars’ top defenseman suffered a knee injury on Jan. 29, 2025, in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights and was ruled out of the 4 Nations tournament. At the time, the loss was treated with the same magnitude as the Finns losing Barkov. Heiskanen and Lindell are one of the NHL’s top defensive pairings, as Dallas scores 62% of the goals at 5-on-5 when they’re out there. Heiskanen has found his offensive groove again, with 35 points in 41 games, including 20 points at even strength. Ristolainen is another big addition to the blue line after missing 4 Nations with an upper-body injury. He actually just returned to the Flyers after missing several months of game action due to surgery on a ruptured right triceps tendon, his second such procedure in two years. He’s a solid defender and lends a much-needed physical presence in a tournament where that’ll be required against the likes of Canada and the U.S. Maatta, 31, is an old pro at this point. Matinpalo was a minus-5 in three 4 Nations games, pressed into action due to injury. One player we’re excited to watch: Niko Mikkola, who had a breakout season with the Panthers in their second Cup run and showed some unexpected offensive spark. Easily the Finns’ most improved area. Overall defensemen grade: B+ 1:57 Who are notable omissions from the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey roster? Greg Wyshynski identifies Adam Fox, Jason Robertson and Lane Hutson as the biggest snubs from the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey roster. Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver Canucks The same trio that backstopped Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off, where Saros and Lankinen both made two appearances. Saros relieved Lankinen after he gave up four goals on 13 shots against Canada, but Lankinen was great in Finland’s OT win over Sweden. Saros gave up six goals on 32 shots in a loss to Team USA. Again, take this with the caveat that they were playing behind a blue line decimated by injuries. All three goalies are underwater analytically this season, with Lankinen’s minus-5.23 goals saved above expected the worst mark of the three. Saros has had an uptick in quality in the past month, helping the Predators climb out of their early-season abyss and into playoff contention. Although Alex Lyon has gotten a lot of love for the Sabres’ recent winning streak, Luukkonen had three straight wins giving up just one goal in each. Of the three, Saros has the greatest potential to steal a game against one of the tournament’s titans. But all three are capable. It’s not the glory days of Tuukka Rask and Pekka Rinne, but it’ll do. Overall goaltending grade: B Kapanen wasn’t on the 4 Nations roster last season. In fact, he was playing in the SHL at the time of that tournament, having been loaned to Timrå IK by the Canadiens. In his rookie season with the Canadiens in 2025-26, the 22-year-old forward has 12 goals and 21 points in 40 games, playing his way onto the national team radar and, in the end, the roster. Too little, too late? The 25-year-old Maple Leafs winger was brought in to help fill the offensive void created by Mitch Marner‘s departure but had just nine points in his first 22 games. He has been better and more impactful lately (six points in seven games), but Finland opted for other options up front. He’s the highest-scoring Finn not on the Olympic roster. Even with Barkov’s absence creating an open spot at center, the 23-year-old Canuck didn’t make the cut. He has 11 points in 31 games this season. The Rangers defenseman played three games in the 4 Nations Face-Off, skating to a minus-5. He has been a frequent scratch this season for the Blueshirts, which probably didn’t help his Olympic standing. The one true thing about Finland is that no one wants to play Finland. This roster upholds the tradition of being a pesky team with a handful of elite skilled players and an underlying nasty streak that makes every game against the Finns as brutal as a winter evening in Lapland. This Olympic roster didn’t offer many surprises or shocks — outside of a few tweaks and big injury returns, it’s who they danced with at 4 Nations. But there’s no overcoming the loss of Barkov. When you think about the centers on Canada and the U.S., not to mention players like Germany’s Leon Draisaitl and Sweden’s Leo Carlsson, to not have the dominating defensive force in the NHL seriously limits Finland’s chances to punch up in Italy. Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks It’s palpably unfair that Canada has the two best hockey players on the planet centering its top two lines: MacKinnon, with 32 goals and 66 points in 38 NHL games this season; and McDavid, who has 69 points in 40 games, including 24 goals. Seriously, there should be international sanctions or something for having that kind of arsenal. MacKinnon’s fellow Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, native Crosby is expected to be on one of his wings. Reinhart projects as the other wing, although Cooper had Stone up with Sid and Nate during the 4 Nations Face-Off. Horvat also has experience playing with MacKinnon and could offer a presence near the net. It’ll be interesting to see what Cooper wants to do with McDavid. Early projections have him playing with Celebrini, the 19-year-old San Jose phenom. Marner and Reinhart played with him at 4 Nations as well. Can Marchand keep up with Connor? That would be fun, given their battles in the Stanley Cup Final last season. Suzuki, a new addition, likely centers the third line. Cooper will have Cirelli and Hagel as a duo down the lineup and on the penalty kill. The three changes here from 4 Nations are swapping in Horvat, Wilson and Suzuki for Sam Bennett, Seth Jarvis and Travis Konecny. Though there can be quibbles about those decisions, there’s no debating that the forward group is the backbone of this team. Overall forwards grade: A+ 0:49 Connor McDavid lights the lamp for Oilers Connor McDavid lights the lamp for Oilers Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings There was an opportunity for Team Canada to change its mix on the blue line, but Armstrong said the team decided to run it back with the same group of eight used at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Some of that makes sense: There’s no reason Canada would want to split Makar and Toews, while NHL stars such as Doughty, Morrissey and Theodore were considered locks. If there were changes to be made, it might have been with Parayko and Sanheim. But Armstrong noted those two are tough to play against defensively. “We call it like going through a car wash. They’re all arms and legs. It’s hard to get to the net. It’s like swimming in seaweed. I love those big players,” Armstrong said. Makar’s the star here, one of the most dynamic offensive defensemen the NHL has ever seen. He has 44 points in 38 games and can run the power play. It is a little surprising that Team Canada didn’t opt for another numbers-generating offensive defenseman here, someone such as Evan Bouchard of the Oilers or Jakob Chychrun of the Capitals as an insurance policy, but it’s hard to argue with a group that was good enough to win 4 Nations gold. Overall defensemen grade: B+ 0:37 Makar’s goal ties it for Avs with 8 seconds left Cale Makar nets the tying goal for the Avalanche with eight seconds left in regulation. Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues The most dramatic change from the 4 Nations roster is in the crease. Gone are Adin Hill of the Golden Knights, who has been out since October with a lower-body injury; and Sam Montembeault of the Canadiens, whose numbers this season (.863 save percentage, 3.52 goals-against average) certainly challenge Armstrong’s statement that no one played themselves off Team Canada. Enter Kuemper, a Vezina Trophy finalist last season who has had two great seasons with the Kings and earned a Stanley Cup ring with the Avalanche in 2021-22; and Thompson, who has shown that last season’s startling numbers with Washington weren’t those of a one-hit-wonder. He has a .915 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average while winning 15 of 28 games. One of the biggest points of debate heading into the Team Canada decision: Would the gold medal game mastery of Binnington at 4 Nations make a strong enough case that his putrid numbers this season could be ignored? Binnington is 7-9-6 for the Blues with an .870 save percentage and a 3.44 goals-against average. No goalie with at least 20 games played this season has worse numbers. His underlying numbers are even more brutal: minus-17.31 goals saved above expected. Armstrong, the general manager of the Blues, said his team hasn’t played well enough in front of Binnington. But he also said that Binnington “never came up as a question mark” within the Team Canada management group. It’s a slightly improved group from 4 Nations but still easily Team Canada’s most vulnerable position. Overall goaltending grade: B- Let’s say there’s a Canadian player with 60 points in 39 games, including 21 goals. Now let’s say that player is just 19. Would you still want him in the biggest pressure-cooker hockey tournament in the world? Of course you would if he’s Celebrini, mature beyond his years and playing some of the best hockey you’ll see this season. What really gave the San Jose Sharks star a boost was playing at the 2025 IIHF world championships for Team Canada, a squad that included Crosby and MacKinnon. After Crosby basically knighted him as the real deal after that tournament, you could have started stitching his Olympic sweater immediately. Wilson’s suspension history and occasional on-ice antics have always obscured how much skill he brings to the Washington Capitals. No doubt the start he had this season — 19 goals, 18 assists in 38 games to lead his team in points — opened some eyes to the fact that this guy can play. Wilson’s an underrated skater, too. The fact that the Olympic ice surface is slightly smaller than an NHL rink didn’t hurt his chances, given his size. Then there’s one other obvious benefit to having Wilson on the roster: To deploy him as an anti-Tkachuks countermeasure if Canada plays the U.S. again. Team Canada had several options at forward but went with Horvat, who wasn’t a member of the 4 Nations roster. The Islanders center had three things going for him: He can get inside and score in the tough areas, as he has 21 goals this season; he’s awesome on faceoffs, winning 57.7% of the time; and as Armstrong noted, Horvat has a history playing on MacKinnon’s wing. 0:17 Bo Horvat’s lone goal wins the shootout for Islanders Bo Horvat’s lone goal wins the shootout for Islanders Easily the buzziest snub of the roster announcement. Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in helping the Florida Panthers to their second straight Stanley Cup championship. He has earned his reputation as a player who elevates his game in pressure situations with a win-at-all-costs style of play, which is what earned him a spot on the 4 Nations roster. With a priority on scoring in the high-danger areas, one assumed Bennett would have been an obvious choice … and yet, he’s not on the initial roster. The fact that Cooper selected two of his Tampa Bay Lightning role players and Team Canada left Bennett home probably isn’t bringing down the temperature in the Battle of Florida anytime soon. Celebrini, at 19, made Team Canada but Bedard, 20, did not. That’s despite an incredible start of the season for the Chicago Blackhawks with 44 points in 31 games, including 19 goals. There’s some plausible deniability for Team Canada as Bedard is out with a shoulder injury, and his timeline to return to Chicago doesn’t have a ton of clarity. Did the fact that Bedard didn’t play for Canada at the world championships like Celebrini did play into this? Perhaps. Bedard is still in the mix, however, if the Canadians have some injuries. Speaking of dynamic young players, the New York Islanders‘ 18-year-old rookie phenom was left off the Team Canada roster despite playing his way onto the radar this season with nine goals and 16 assists in 40 games. Armstrong didn’t talk much about the snubs, though he made time to discuss Schaefer. “He’s a fantastic talent. He brings you out of your seat every night. He’s got maturity beyond his years on and off the ice,” he said. “And so I was shocked at how quickly he worked his way into our conversations, and that’s a credit to him.” 0:56 Matthew Schaefer makes NHL history with OT winner for Islanders Matthew Schaefer becomes the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal in the regular season. Like Bedard, Scheifele is going to be one of the next forwards in line as an injury replacement before the tournament — which was the same position he was in at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Winnipeg Jets center has 18 goals and 27 assists in 37 games this season. Two of McDavid’s teammates were left off the Team Canada roster. In Bouchard’s case, some believed that Canada might take the defenseman with the booming shot, who has seen goals and 30 assists in 40 games this season. But his reputation for defensive lapses didn’t do him any favors. In Hyman’s case, the 33-year-old winger has 11 goals and 10 assists in 21 games since returning from injury. For a team constantly stressing over who can play effectively with McDavid, it’s a little surprising they didn’t take someone whose proven he can. (See also: Chris Kunitz, Crosby’s wing man, at the 2014 Olympics). A justified snub and a real bummer for Jarvis, who played for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The tenacious Carolina Hurricanes winger is week-to-week after crashing into the goal post at a high velocity against Florida on Dec. 20. Said coach Rod Brind’Amour: “It’s not good. He’s going to be out for a while.” Jarvis had 19 goals on the season. Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood The Avalanche have the league’s best goals-against average this season but neither of their goalies got the call. Wedgewood (17-1-4, .919 save percentage) was probably a long shot to make the team, but many believed that Blackwood (12-1-1, .924 save percentage) had a shot. The lack of big-game experience for both of them was likely a factor, given the history that Binnington and Kuemper both have. 0:31 Jack Hughes lights the lamp Jack Hughes lights the lamp Even with specious goaltending and some questionable roster decisions, Team Canada is the tournament favorite in the 2026 Winter Olympics for two reasons. The first is the unmatched offensive talent that the Canadians have up front, particularly at the center spot. The second is that this is a roster loaded with champions at every level. International tournaments. Stanley Cup Finals. And in the case of some of the veterans such as Crosby and Doughty, at the Olympics themselves. You can’t truly act like you’ve been there until you’ve been there. Team Canada has been there and is primed to win a third straight gold medal in Olympic best-on-best tournaments.
Overall team grade: B
Finland
Forwards
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes*
Mikael Granlund, Anaheim Ducks
Erik Haula, Nashville Predators
Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
Kaapo Kakko, Seattle Kraken
Oliver Kapanen, Montreal Canadiens
Joel Kiviranta, Colorado Avalanche
Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche
Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars*
Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago Blackhawks
Eeli Tolvanen, Seattle Kraken
Defensemen
Henri Jokiharju, Boston Bruins
Mikko Lehtonen, ZSC Lions (NLA)
Esa Lindell, Dallas Stars*
Olli Maatta, Utah Mammoth
Nikolas Matinpalo, Ottawa Senators
Niko Mikkola, Florida Panthers
Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators*
Surprises
Snubs
Overall team grade: C+
Canada
Forwards
Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins*
Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Bo Horvat, New York Islanders
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche*
Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers
Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers*
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning*
Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers*
Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights
Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals
Defensemen
Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche*
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
Goaltenders
Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings
Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
Surprises
Snubs
Overall team grade: A-
PROVO, Utah — Themus Fulks had 24 points and 11 assists, Jordan Burks also scored a career-high 24 and UCF shot 14-of-24 from 3-point range to run away from No. 19 BYU for a 97-84 upset Tuesday night.
Jamichael Stillwell added 12 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as the Knights (20-7, 9-6 Big 12) earned their first victory over the Cougars by outscoring them 44-34 in the paint and shooting 56% from the field — including 58% on 3s.
UCF’s 13-point margin of victory was its largest on the road over an AP-ranked team in program history, and third-largest in any game vs. an AP-ranked team.
AJ Dybantsa led BYU with 29 points and eight rebounds, his 21st game scoring at least 20 points, most among Division I freshmen this season. Robert Wright III had 20 points on 7-of-21 shooting, and Aleksej Kostic scored 14 off the bench. The Cougars (20-8, 8-7) shot 41% from the floor and trailed the entire way.
UCF got off to a blistering start on offense and didn’t let up. The Knights went 11-of-16 from 3-point territory and shot 57% from the field overall before halftime.
Burks drained three corner 3s over four possessions to cap an 18-4 run that put UCF ahead 23-8. Four of the Knights’ first nine field goals were transition baskets, including two of Burks’ long-distance buckets, and they started 9-of-11 from the floor overall.
It didn’t get much better for BYU as the first half progressed. UCF outscored the Cougars 25-10 over the final 9:21 of the period to go up 52-28 at halftime. Fulks made four baskets over a three-minute stretch to cap the surge, helping the Knights set a season high for points in a half.
Fulks became the fifth different player in Big 12 history to have 20 points and 10 assists in a win over an AP-ranked opponent.
UCF opened the second with a 12-0 spurt powered by three straight baskets from John Bol to take its largest lead at 64-28.
The Knights’ 97 points were their most in a game against an AP-ranked team in program history. They improved to 3-3 against ranked teams this season.
ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The SEC has fined Kentucky coach Mark Pope $25,000 for his “post-game conduct and comments” following his team’s 75-74 loss at Auburn on Saturday, the league announced.
Auburn won the game on Elyjah Freeman‘s tip-in with 1.1 seconds to go. That play followed a controversial offensive foul call against Collin Chandler that set up Auburn’s game winner.
“Mitch, if those mother F’ers try to fine me, screw ’em because I did not say a word about how they cheated us,” Pope said to Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart as he left the postgame podium.
The league said Pope violated SEC rules after the game.
“University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope has been issued a public reprimand and fined $25,000 by the Southeastern Conference for post-game conduct and comments related to officiating following the Wildcats’ game at Auburn University on February 21,” the SEC said in its statement on Tuesday. “The comments violated SEC Bylaw 10.5.3 (Sportsmanship) and the SEC Commissioner’s Regulation regarding Public Criticism of Officials, which prohibit coaches, student-athletes and institutional staff from publicly criticizing officials or disclosing officiating-related communications.”
Saturday’s game was the third consecutive loss for Kentucky, which reportedly spent more than $20 million on its current roster, and the team’s fourth loss in seven games just weeks before Selection Sunday. Late in Saturday’s game, Chandler was whistled for pushing off an Auburn player on the inbounds with nearly 14 seconds to go in the game. On the next possession, Auburn sealed the win on Freeman’s putback.
After the game, Pope said his team had to stay focused even if things were “personal.”
“We refuse to give control to people that are outside of our program. Refuse,” Pope said after the loss. “Regardless of how personal it might get or how bad it might get, we refuse to give control to fans, to give control to anybody else associated with this game. Regardless of how blatantly people are trying to make this not happen, we refuse to give them our power. … We don’t make excuses. We don’t do that. Regardless of what is happening. Regardless of how disgraceful things are, we don’t give away our power. Regardless of how embarrassing, personal, awful, unacceptable things are, we refuse to give away our power.”
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Mark Ogden
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Mark Ogden
Senior Writer, ESPN FC
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Gab Marcotti
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Gab Marcotti
Senior Writer, ESPN FC
Multiple Authors
The knockout playoff round of UEFA Champions League concluded this week and, ahead of Friday’s draw for the last 16, we have A LOT to talk about.
Seventeen goals and three red cards in four games capped an absolutely chaotic night on Wednesday, with Galatasaray edging Juventus in extra time, Borussia Dortmund conspiring to give up a two-goal lead to Atalanta, and Benfica giving the Bernabéu a scare before eventually succumbing to Real Madrid.
The evening prior, Bodø/Glimt‘s fairytale continued with a comprehensive 5-2 aggregate win over Internazionale, while Atlético Madrid and Newcastle United made light work of Club Brugge and FK Qarabag, respectively.
ESPN FC writers Mark Ogden, Sam Tighe, Julien Laurens and Gab Marcotti break down the action as it happened as we look ahead to the Round of 16.
– UCL as it happened: Gala’s extra-time win over Juve caps chaotic day
– Kirkland: Viní Jr. brings star power, but worries abound for Real Madrid
– O’Halloran: The secret behind Bodø/Glimt’s European success
Q1. Real Madrid defeated Jose Mourinho’s Benfica 3-1 on aggregate, but were hardly convincing. Is winning while playing badly a sign of a champion team? Or are Los Blancos going to come undone in the Champions League sooner rather than later?
Marcotti: I feel like I’m repeating myself here. Real Madrid CAN win the Champions League (and LaLiga too for that matter) because they have a shutdown keeper in Thibaut Courtois and a consummate goal-scorer in Kylian Mbappé. And if you set up your team to basically defend (with Courtois as insurance) while you wait for one of the front two to do something special, it just might work, because they’re that good. But, no, you won’t look convincing doing it. It’s hard to see how any coach can make this poorly assorted group look convincing (Xabi Alonso might have had a shot, but we know how that ended), let alone Alvaro Arbeloa. It’s the nature of football right now. The top teams have so much talent they don’t actually need to “look convincing” to win games.
Laurens: I disagree with Gab and I hope I am wrong as I want Mbappé to win the Champions League, but I really don’t believe this version of Real Madrid can win the competition this season with this manager and this squad. I have rarely seen them actually dominating in every aspect of a game. There is always something missing, and to win the Champions League, even in an average season like this one, you need to be able to play with nothing missing. You have the best keeper in the world in Courtois, the best striker in the world in Mbappé, and one of the best wingers in the world in Vinícius Júnior but, collectively, the whole structure is flawed.
1:52
Burley: Real Madrid don’t look like they can win the Champions League
Craig Burley assesses Real Madrid’s Champions League hopes after their second leg playoff win over Benfica.
Tighe: I’ve seen Real Madrid play extremely poorly a number of times this season, but that often hasn’t stopped them winning. As Gab notes, that’s the way of things when you have elite players in key positions. But at no point have I felt like Madrid’s individual quality and natural affinity with this tournament can override the fact that several other teams look streets ahead of them, and so therefore Los Blancos must be considered a long shot to win it all.
This latest performance — a 2-1 home victory over Benfica — changed nothing. Despite the win, Madrid were terrible. Lackadaisical passing, endless turnovers … they ran it fine. Benfica threatened consistently, scored and hit the bar. Put Arbeloa’s team against a genuinely excellent side — one that finished in the top four of the league phase — and let’s see what happens.
Ogden: I’m torn on this one because I think Madrid’s midfield will let them down against a really top team, but then I don’t think there is a really top team in the competition this season. Every other big team has flaws that Real could punish because they have lethal forwards in Mbappé, Vinícius and Jude Bellingham who can — fitness permitting — always pop up and score a big goal. And Gab is right about Courtois. He’s the best goalkeeper in the world, so when you have the best keeper and the best forward — Mbappé — then of course you can win it. It will all come down to Real Madrid blowing hot or cold, but worse teams than this one have won the Champions League.
Q2. AS Monaco pushed Paris Saint-Germain all the way in their tie, with Les Parisiens eventually winning 5-4 on aggregate. Do the defending champions have enough in the tank to go back-to-back?
Laurens: I am afraid not and I am at peace with it. I would have loved my Parisians to go back-to-back but there is a reason why only two clubs have done it since the late 80s, AC Milan and Real Madrid. It is bloody hard to do. This PSG squad reached their heavenly peak last season with four extraordinary months that saw them beating half of the Premier League and demolishing Inter Milan in the final. All the planets aligned at the right time and they won’t go through this again, not just this season but probably never again period. For now, they are still in this and will face Chelsea or Barcelona in the last 16. It could all stop there, especially if they play the Catalans. But it could also last a bit longer with a fit Ousmane Dembélé, a fit Fabián Ruiz, and Vitinha in better form (can we also have Gianluigi Donnarumma back please?). But all the way again? Not this year.
Marcotti: PSG have lost six games this season in all competitions. Last year, despite their slow start, they had lost three. That said, four of those six losses were against French clubs, and there aren’t any left in the competition. (The other two were against Bayern Munich and Sporting CP, when they were very unlucky). So I’m not writing them off. I suspect Juls is being unduly hard on his team. They’re a young side, full of energy and, compared to last season, they have another year’s experience. On the flipside, they downgraded their keeper (sometimes I think Donnarumma on his own is better than Matvey Safonov AND Lucas Chevalier standing in the goalmouth at the same time). Yeah, repeating is tough, but no reason to write them off.
1:26
Moreno: PSG could get exposed in Champions League knockouts
Alejandro Moreno reacts to PSG’s progression to the Champions League knockouts after a 5-4 aggregate win over Monaco.
Ogden: I was in Paris for the second-leg against Monaco and I was struck by how flat PSG were. The atmosphere in the Parc des Princes was also unusually quiet. Maybe everybody is just worn out by the last 12 months? The mental toll of having to defend a title is hard enough, but PSG also played on until mid-July in the Club World Cup, so it’s no surprise they look shot to pieces. I don’t see them beating Barcelona in the next round and I reckon it’s 50-50 against Chelsea. A year ago, PSG were like a tornado ripping through the competition, but all of that energy has gone and there’s no way that they will win it again this season.
Tighe: PSG have fallen so far, it’s so disappointing. There are obvious reasons for it — injury pile-ups and the loss of a star goalkeeper, as the guys have mentioned — but it perhaps also proves how hard it is to maintain a remarkable level for any longer than half a year. With that in mind, I tip my hat to Pep Guardiola, who kept his Barcelona and Manchester City sides ticking at an absurd rate for much, much longer. It’s hard to see Les Parisiens vaulting back into the conversation from here.
Q3. Bodø/Glimt are the story of the 2025-26 Champions League; making it further than any Norwegian team ever, racking up impressive wins over Atlético, Man City and Inter (twice) along the way. How far can this fairytale go? And does their performance give hope to those clubs outside Europe’s top five leagues when it comes to this competition?
Ogden: I think this all depends on Friday’s draw and whether Bodø avoid Manchester City and face Sporting CP instead. I know Bodø hammered City — yes, it was a hammering — when they beat them 3-1 in Norway last month, but I just can’t see lightning striking twice against Guardiola’s team. Bodø could win again at home, but City will have learned their lessons from their trip to the Arctic Circle and, with the second leg at the Etihad, you would expect the Premier League side to win comfortably.
Sporting, though, would be a different matter. Bodø have beaten City and won away against Atlético Madrid and Inter, so the team from Portugal will not hold any fears for Kjetil Knutsen and his players. And yes, every team outside the big leagues can take inspiration from Bodø. If you’re organised, recruit well, and have a smart coach you can beat the top teams.
Laurens: I agree with Oggy. Give Bodø/Glimt a date with Sporting, and they’ll be in the quarterfinals. However, if they face Guardiola’s side, they will have their midweeks free again; Bodø can’t beat Manchester City over two legs.
The most fascinating thing in this whole Arctic Circle fairytale is that they didn’t win any of their first six games in the league phase. Then they beat City and Atlético and miraculously made it into the top 24. There is so much to take away from the Norwegians’ success in terms of organisation, culture, investment and intensity.
1:32
Klinsmann: Inter exit to Bodø/Glimt ‘hugely embarrassing’
Jurgen Klinsmann brands Inter’s Champions League exit at the hands of Bodø/Glimt as a “catastrophe” for the Serie A leaders.
Marcotti: The thing about Bodø is that they’re high risk/high reward. They have to be, because they’re up against far better resourced opponents. They play with a ton of energy, they move like clockwork, and they’re unafraid. That shocks bigger teams, which is part of the reason they do so well. And mentally, they’re super-strong too: witness how they hadn’t actually won until the last few rounds of the group stage, but still showed their resilience. Then there’s the plastic pitch, the Arctic Circle and all that jazz, which helps too.
I think they can shock anybody, but equally, they need a lot of things to go their way (like they did in the first leg against Inter). Let’s just call them the most unpredictable team left in the competition.
Tighe: The best thing about this Bodø/Glimt squad is that many of their key protagonists are basically misfits — they moved to Europe’s top leagues, couldn’t cut it and ended up in the Arctic Circle, rehabbing their career. Forward Jens Petter Hauge failed at AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt; Patrick Berg made a big move to Lens, but was sent back within the year; Kasper Høgh — the guy who can’t stop scoring and assisting — is on his sixth Scandinavian club by age 25.
These players not only find themselves in the perfect environment, but they all feel like they have something to prove to the world. That’s a dangerous combination that knows no limit.
Q4. Juve were sent packing by Galatasaray, Inter were dismantled by Bodø, and Atalanta squeaked past a Dortmund side that clearly has an appetite for self-destruction. Oh and Napoli didn’t even make the knockout rounds! With the national team staring down the barrel of a playoff to even qualify for the (expanded) World Cup, should we be worried about the state of Italian soccer?
Laurens: Even Gab can be wrong sometimes! Before the start of Tuesday’s games, he told us: “Don’t worry, Inter and Atalanta will be fine…” Sadly if you are a Nerazzurri fan, you are not fine. Atalanta, seventh in Serie A, on their second manager of the season and who lost their best player, Ademola Lookman, in the January transfer window, are saving Italian football from total embarrassment. And it is not a surprise.
We watch Serie A every weekend: it’s the league with the most 0-0 draws (by far) this season amongst the big five leagues, the league with the least intensity (apart from Como and, to a lesser degree, Atalanta) amongst the big five leagues, the league where 40-year-old Luka Modric is one of the best players this season. And I could go on, too…
In 2023, Serie A had a finalist in each of the three European competitions. The Italians lost them all and, three years later, even those “successes” feel like a distant memory.
Tighe: There’s no doubt that certain members of Italy’s traditional top order feel weak right now. You only have to scroll back a handful of years to remember AC Milan and Inter duelling in a Champions League semifinal! Less than 10 years ago, Juventus signed Cristiano Ronaldo for €100 million as they sought to take the final step and win this competition. But now? Several traditional Serie A big guns appear to lack that presence at Europe’s top table.
That said, there must be some room for nuance here. Knockout tournaments are by nature quite random, something Inter can clearly attest to. They put up 2.29 xG in their 2-1 second-leg loss to Bodø/Glimt after smacking the woodwork several times in the first leg. It’s football, sometimes things go wrong. Add that to Napoli’s injury issues (and the fact they’re managed by Antonio Conte, who habitually struggles in Europe) and it’s worth considering whether some of this is just … circumstantial.
2:22
Leboeuf & Marcotti clash over late penalty decision for Atalanta
Frank Leboeuf and Gab Marcotti discuss the penalty decision that sent Atalanta to the Champions League knockouts.
Ogden: Italian football seems to be frozen in time. The national team is facing the prospect of missing a third successive World Cup and, even if they qualify, the lack of quality in Gennaro Gattuso’s squad means they will do well to reach the knockout stages from there. Former Italy legend Alessandro Del Piero spoke earlier this week about a lack of investment in stadia by the top Italian clubs and a talent drain that has seen the best Italian youngsters playing for clubs outside of Italy. He also mentioned the comfort zone that sees the major clubs trade players between themselves rather than look to global markets.
It’s amazing to think that, since Inter won the Champions League in 2010, only two European trophies have been won by Italian clubs: AS Roma (UEFA Conference League, 2022) and Atalanta (UEFA Europa League, 2024). The top players don’t play in Italy anymore and that’s ultimately why their clubs are failing in the Champions League.
Marcotti: OK, I’ll bite. Juls, a distant memory? Serie A has sent as many teams to the Champions League final in the last four years as the Premier League. Serie A has many problems — one of the biggest is folks (like Oggy) comparing them to the past when, between 1985 and 2000ish, they routinely acquired the world’s best players and dominated the game. The world has changed. European football is dominated by the same 10-12 super-clubs and for a variety of reasons, and Italy’s big clubs aren’t on a par with the super-clubs in Spain, or Bayern, or PSG. That’s essentially what we’re talking about here.
Beyond that, Oggy is right when he talks about complacency and horrendous leadership — less so about stadiums (they could use an upgrade, sure, but it’s not going to move the needle) and the national team (lack of talent isn’t the reason they’re in the playoffs). But let’s also be a little nuanced here.
Inter could have scored five in the first leg against Bodø, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Nor would we be having it if Florian Wirtz hadn’t taken a dive in injury time, because they’d be in Round of 16. Atalanta — sorry guys, I know you planned this question when you thought they were going out — are seventh in Serie A and knocked out Dortmund, second in the Bundesliga. And they did it without their best midfielder and two starting strikers. So maybe take a chill pill here.
Q5. Now that the playoff round is complete, which match are you hoping gets drawn in Friday’s last 16?
Marcotti: I really don’t care, but since you’re asking nicely, Newcastle United vs. Barcelona would be fun and colorful. And also a distinct contrast in styles (Anthony Gordon against that high line … how about that?) Bayern’s Jonathan Tah against his old club, Bayer Leverkusen, would be fun too.
Laurens: You know me, I am a blockbuster guy. I don’t care that much about lovely fairytale stories and about getting as many smaller clubs in the later stages of the competition, so I want big games in the last 16. I want Atletico vs. Liverpool, Manchester City vs. Real Madrid, PSG vs. Chelsea, and Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern Munich.
The rest, especially Newcastle vs. Barcelona will be great to watch, like Atalanta vs. Arsenal, but all I ask of UEFA is that we get a ton of big club vs. big club matches in the next round!
2:17
Why is Woltemade playing out of position for Newcastle?
Craig Burley and Steve Nicol try to make sense of Newcastle using striker Nick Woltemade in a deeper role.
Ogden: I’m with Juls on this one. It feels like it’s taken forever to get to the games that matter in this season’s Champions League, but we’re finally here now, so let’s get as many heavyweights slugging it out against each other as possible.
But one tie that intrigues me is PSG vs. Chelsea/Barcelona because PSG are so difficult to gauge this season. Will they take revenge on Chelsea for beating them in the Club World Cup final, or will it be a resumption of their epic Champions League rivalry with Barça? Either way, PSG have two blockbuster games coming up.
Tighe: My one request to the draw gods is that they go easy on the all-domestic ties. The really fun part of the Champions League is watching teams who don’t play each other a minimum of twice a year lock horns, representing their nations’ reputations in the process.
So, with that in mind, Chelsea please avoid Newcastle, and Bayern please avoid Leverkusen. And if I’m on my best behaviour, can I please have PSG vs. Barcelona? It’ll be a sorry version of what last season’s final should have been — but I’ll take it all the same.
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