The 2026 Winter Olympics are well underway in Milan, Italy. The Maple Leafs have a handful of players playing in this year’s tournament, making a relevant impact for their teams. Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson have been representatives from the Leafs this year. Matthews and Team USA have advanced to the quarterfinals, while Nylander and Ekman-Larsson play Latvia in the qualification game. Out of the current Toronto Maple Leafs, who could represent their country at the 2030 Winter Olympics? Let’s take a look.
Matthew Knies, Team USA
There is absolutely no doubt that by this time, Matthew Knies will be ready to play for Team USA. One could argue that Knies could have been a depth forward for Team USA this year, but he is still fairly young at age twenty-three. Knies is currently on pace to have a career season. He is fourth on the Maple Leafs in scoring with 46 points in 54 games. Knies has actually played in the Winter Olympics already. He was on Team USA in the 2022 tournament and recorded a goal and two points in four games.
That year was very different because no NHL players were able to participate. This year, the competition was a lot stronger to make the team. However, looking ahead to the 2030 tournament, a few of the current forwards on the roster will be aging out. Brock Nelson will be 38 years old, while JT Miller and Vincent Trocheck will be 36. Knies would be the perfect kind of player to slide in for one of these guys. He can bring some grit to the bottom of the lineup, which can be very important in big games.
Knies is lucky enough to have represented his country a handful of times. Yes, he played in the 2022 Olympics for Team USA, but he also played in the 2022 summer World Junior Championship. Here he appeared in five games and posted three assists. Other than that, Knies does not have a lot of experience playing for Team USA. There is no doubt that he would be honoured to do so at the 2030 Olympic Winter Games.
Dennis Hildeby, Team Sweden
Another potential Leafs player who could play in the 2030 Olympics is goaltender Dennis Hildeby. He is in the midst of his third professional hockey season and has spent the majority of this season in the NHL. To this point, Hildeby has posted a .912 save percentage alongside a 2.90 goals against average. These are really solid numbers for a young goalie on an inconsistent team. He will hopefully only get better from there.
Looking ahead to 2030, there is a chance Hildeby could play for Team Sweden. However, he will have some strong competition to compete with. The top three goalies he would have to compete with are Linus Ullmark, Filip Gustavsson, and Jesper Wallstedt. Jacob Markstrom is another name that could be mentioned, but by this time, he will be 40 years old and likely be retired. Ullmark will also be 36, so there is a chance that Hildeby could sneak in as a good third goalie option.
A tandem of Gustavsson, Wallstedt, and Hildeby would be a solid trio for the Swedes. Gustavsson and Wallstedt will already have some chemistry built in from being in Minnesota together, while Hildeby would be getting the opportunity of a lifetime. Hildeby has never represented Sweden on the International stage, so this would likely be a dream come true.
William Nylander, Team Sweden
An obvious lock for Team Sweden at the 2030 Winter Olympics is William Nylander. He is currently on the Swedish Olympic team of 2026 and is getting set to play Latvia in the qualification game today. Assuming that all goes well, the Swedes will be off to the quarterfinals. Nylander has had a decent tournament so far, posting a goal and an assist through the preliminary round.
Nylander has represented Sweden on countless occasions. He appeared in two World Junior Championships, has played in multiple World Championships, and was a member of the four Nations roster. Nylander’s best moments have come in the World Championships, where he has completely dominated at times. In the 2019 tournament, Nylander played in eight games and posted a miraculous 18 points. In the 2017 tournament, he had 14 points in 10 games, ultimately leading Sweden to a gold medal win.
Nylander will likely be named a captain of the 2030 team. Whether he could be the captain or an alternate remains unknown, but he will no doubt be a key part of that roster. Until then, Nylander will focus on this year’s tournament and try to bring some more glory back to Sweden.
Auston Matthews, Team USA
Another lock for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games is Auston Matthews for Team USA. Matthews was named captain of this year’s team and has not disappointed. Through the preliminary round, Matthews has recorded three goals and five points. He is tied for the team lead in points with Matthew Tkachuk and has already helped his team clinch a spot in the quarterfinals. They will play the winner of the Sweden vs Latvia qualification game.
These Olympic Games are one of the few times that Matthews has gotten to represent the USA. He played in the four Nations tournament and recorded three assists in three games. Other than that, Matthews appeared in a couple of World Junior tournaments and played in one World Championship. His World Championship appearance came in 2016, shortly before the NHL Draft. Matthews scored six goals and nine points in the tournament, tied for the team lead. Unfortunately, he lost to Russia in the Bronze medal game, going home with no hardware.
Since he was named captain of this year’s Olympic team, he will likely also be the captain of the next one. Matthews is one of the all-time best American hockey players and is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL. After losing in the four Nations final last year, Matthews and Team USA will be hungry to finish stronger at the 2026 Olympics.
Do you think these four players will play at the 2030 Olympics?
