Home US SportsNHL Trio Of Panthers Players Named To Team Finland’s Olympic Roster

Trio Of Panthers Players Named To Team Finland’s Olympic Roster

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Team Finland has unveiled their 2026 men’s Olympic roster, which features Florida Panthers forwards Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, as well as defenseman Niko Mikkola.

All three represented Finland at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, and now they’ll play pivotal roles as Finland attempts to bring home an Olympic medal.

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It won’t be an easy task, and the mission is even more challenging now that Aleksander Barkov won’t participate. The Panthers’ captain was also Finland’s captain, playing a critical role in the team’s success. He’s resumed skating in a minor way, but there is no chance he’ll be ready for the Olympics, and he hasn’t been named to the roster.

With Barkov’s absence, Finland, like the current Panthers, will depend on Lundell to step up. The 24-year-old has done so for the Panthers, scoring 13 goals and 31 points in 39 games while averaging a career high 19:08 of ice time. At the 4 Nations Face-Off, Lundell scored one goal in three games.

Likely riding shotgun with Lundell will be Luostarinen. Like Lundell, Luostarinen is averaging a career high in ice time (16:50). The 27-year-old has notched four goals and 18 points this season, on pace to equal his career high in points.

The final Panthers player named to Finland’s roster is defenseman Niko Mikkola. The 29-year-old has been stellar on the Panthers’ blueline, scoring one goal and six points in 39 games while playing just over 20:00 a game. Mikkola, alongside Seth Jones, has been heavily relied on by coach Paul Maurice in both the offensive and defensive zones, starting the most shifts in each zone among Panthers defenders.

Anton Lundell (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Finland’s roster:

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Forwards:
Joel Armia, Los Angeles Kings
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

Defenseman
Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
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
Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver Canucks
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

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