The 2026 Winter Olympics have finally arrived, and, for the first time since 2014, NHL players are allowed to participate in the men’s hockey tournament.
This year’s participants include:
- Group A: Canada, Czechia, France, and Switzerland
- Group B: Finland, Italy, Slovakia, and Sweden
- Group C: Denmark, Germany, Latvia, and the United States
Not included are Russia and Belarus, who were banned from the 2026 Winter Games by the IIHF following the invasion of Ukraine.
A vast majority of NHL players come from the participating countries. There are plenty of others who do not, though. And that got me thinking – what would an All-World team look like? A 2026 spin on Team Europe from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
For the sake of this exercise, all players from the 2026 participating countries and Russia were excluded. Belarussian-born players were included since this is a conglomerate team, not Belarus specifically.
Let’s take a look at what the rest of the world has to offer.
All-World Olympic Hockey Team Roster
| LW | C | RW |
| Aleksei Protas | Anze Kopitar | Yegor Sharangovich |
| Mats Zuccarello | Marco Rossi | Patrick Thoresen |
| Nathan Walker | Marco Kasper | Michael Brandsegg-Nygard |
| Ilya Protas | Vincenz Rohrer | Daniel Sprong |
| Nikita Mikhailis | Liam Kirk |
| LD | RD | G |
| Emil Lilleberg | Artyom Levshunov | Aleksei Kolosov |
| Stian Solberg | Jordan Spence | Nikita Tolopilo |
| Ilya Solovyov | David Reinbacher | Andrei Shutov |
| Maksymilian Szuber | Vladislav Kolyachonok |
Player Breakdown by Country
- Austria (4): Marco Kasper, David Reinbacher, Vincenz Rohrer, and Marco Rossi
- Australia (2): Jordan Spence and Nathan Walker
- Belarus (8): Aleksei Kolosov, Vladislav Kolyachonok, Artyom Levshunov, Aleksei Protas, Ilya Protas, Yegor Sharangovich, Ilya Solovyov, and Nikita Tolopilo
- Great Britain (1): Liam Kirk
- Kazakhstan (2): Nikita Mikhailis and Andrei Shutov
- Netherlands (1): Daniel Sprong
- Norway (5): Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Emil Lilleberg, Stian Solberg, Patrick Thoresen, and Mats Zuccarello
- Poland (1): Maksymilian Szuber
- Slovenia (1): Anze Kopitar
All-World Team Can Compete
This hypothetical All-World Olympic team is a reminder of how much high-end hockey talent exists across the globe. While I wouldn’t expect this team to medal at the 2026 Winter Games, they certainly have the talent and competitiveness to give most countries a run for their money.
Of course, Anze Kopitar is the centerpiece of this roster. The 38-year-old can still play, and would have no problem serving as the 1C. Along with Aleksei Protas and Yegor Sharangovich, the All-World team would have a top line that can play a heavy possession game while still generating offense.
Former teammates Mats Zuccarello and Marco Rossi give the second line creativity and pace, making for a solid top six. In addition, Marco Kasper, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and Ilya Protas add to an already competitive roster as high-energy scorers.
On defense, David Reinbacher and Artyom Levshunov would likely take on the toughest matchups, combining length, poise, and puck-moving ability. Both have high upside and could break out on the world stage. Additionally, Emil Lilleberg and Stian Solberg add a physical edge, while Jordan Spence provides a mobile option for transition play and power-play usage. There’s enough balance here to roll three pairs without a clear weak link.
Goaltending is the biggest mystery, though. Aleksei Kolosov and Nikita Tolopilo are wild cards and neither has an especially impressive resume. Still, in a short tournament, a hot goalie behind a structured defensive group could steal a game or two.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
Make no mistake, there’s minimal star power here. But this All-World team can compete – and that could be enough to win a couple games.
Final Cuts
Alex Kannok Leipert (Thailand), Ken Andre Olimb (Norway), Hiroto Sato (Japan), Josh Waller (Great Britain), and Dominic Zwerger (Austria).
