Only one Chicago Blackhawk will represent their country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Teuvo Teravainen will play for Finland, while Connor Bedard was a notable snub from Team Canada. Although we won’t see many Blackhawks in Italy, when the games move to France in 2030, these players could make their national team rosters.
Connor Bedard
Bedard should have made Team Canada this year. With 49 points through 40 games, he has made the jump fans were hoping for this season. He’s just three goals away from matching his career high of 23 set last season through a full 82-game schedule. Unfortunately, Canada’s general manager (GM) Doug Armstrong made it clear that even before Bedard’s shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for 13 games, he wasn’t one of their main options.
By the time the 2030 Olympic Games roll around, Bedard will be 23 and entering his prime, while other Canadian players like Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, Mark Stone, and Sidney Crosby will likely have aged out of the tournament. Most of the top talent will return, but I expect Bedard to be a lock for the next games. Still, keep an eye out for injuries; we might still see him next month.
Artyom Levshunov
Artyom Levshunov is a complex case. The Belarusian-born defenceman likely would have been named to Team Belarus if they were allowed to compete. The IIHF recently stated, “Following its latest meeting this morning, the IIHF Council believes it is not yet safe to reintegrate the Russian and Belarusian National and Club Teams to its championships for the 2025-2026 season.”
While we won’t see them this year, Belarus could return for the next Winter Olympics. The IIHF went on to say, “The IIHF Council will continue to monitor the situation, with the latest date to determine if it is safe to reincorporate Russia and Belarus for the 2026-2027 Championship season in May 2026 at the IIHF Council meeting ahead of the IIHF Annual Congress.”
It’s been an up-and-down season for Levshunov, 20, who continues to develop with just 69 games of NHL experience. However, Belarus isn’t a powerhouse, so even if he doesn’t pan out like the Blackhawks hope, he’ll likely be on the roster when the IIHF allows Belarus to compete again.
Spencer Knight
The problem with Spencer Knight is that he’s American. Through 35 games this season, he ranks third in goals saved above average (GSAA), third in goals saved above expected (GSAx), and has posted a stellar .910 save percentage. Despite those numbers, Team USA already has the best goaltending in the Olympics.
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No team could ask for better than Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman. But by the 2030 games, Hellebuyck will be 35, and Oettinger and Swayman will both be 30. We may see Oettinger and Swayman return, but Hellebuyck might have passed his prime, and a spot will be open. It’s also possible that Oettinger or Swayman will have down seasons, and more than one spot will open up.
By the 2030 Winter Olympics, Knight will be 27, in the middle of his prime and in the mix for a spot. This season hasn’t been a fluke. He was a highly-touted prospect, drafted 13th overall, and he’s coming into his own. The Blackhawks’ most valuable player of this season will be in the mix for a spot in 2030.
Teuvo Teravainen
Tervainen made Team Finland, but he’ll be 34 years old in 2030, so expect him to return for the next games. This season, he’s close to a half-a-point-per-game player with 22 points in 46 games. He’s been a solid veteran on a team with a young core, but maintaining this level of play until 2030 might be a challenge.
Finland has historically built a team of NHLers and European professionals, so if he’s still producing at a respectable rate in the NHL, I think we’ll see him on Team Finland again. The question is whether he will still be a Blackhawk in 2030.
Frank Nazar
Frank Nazar has already locked up his first big contract, signing a seven-year deal with the Blackhakws with an average annual value (AAV) of $6.599 million in August. That contract kicks in next year after his entry-level deal expires.
While his career is trending in the right direction, he isn’t a lock for 2030. When the Winter Olympics in the French Alps roll around, he’ll be 26 and in his prime (like Knight). If he continues to develop his game, he will make Team USA.
Team USA’s forward core has a few players who will age out of the next games, like Team Canada. Brock Nelson, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck will likely be too old to make the USA roster in 2030, and that will open up an opportunity for Nazar. That said, Team USA GM Bill Guerin wanted a big, physical team for these games. If that stays the same, Nazar might have a difficult time earning an invite.
The 2026 Winter Olympics hockey tournament begins on Feb. 11, with Tervainen and Team Finland, the defending gold medalists, taking on Team Slovakia, the defending bronze medalists, in the first game of the men’s round-robin. The tournament runs through Feb. 22.
