The Swedish Ice Hockey Federation has unveiled the preliminary squad that will represent the nation at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. The tournament is set to take place from May 15 to 31 in Switzerland.
The roster includes a mix of experienced NHL players and promising young talent. Notably, Lucas Raymond (Detroit), Anton Frondell (Chicago), Emil Heineman (New York Islanders), Mattias Ekholm (Edmonton), and Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto) are among the key names listed.
The complete preliminary roster is as follows:
**Goaltenders:**
Arvid Soderblom (Chicago), Magnus Hellberg (Djurgården), Love Härenstam (Södertälje)
**Defensemen:**
Jacob Larsson (Rapperswil), Robert Hägg (Brynas), Mattias Ekholm (Edmonton), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto), Eric Brännström (Lausanne), Albert Johansson (Detroit), Tim Heed (Ambri-Piotta), Joel Persson (Växjö)
**Forwards:**
Isak Hedqvist (Luleå), Linus Karlsson (Vancouver), Simon Holmström (New York Islanders), Lucas Raymond (Detroit), Jack Berglund (Philadelphia), Anton Frondell (Chicago), André Petersson (Langnau), Oskar Sundqvist (St. Louis), Jacob Silfverberg (Brynas), Ivar Stenberg (Frölunda), Emil Heineman (New York Islanders), Viggo Björck (Djurgården), Rasmus Asplund (Davos), Jacob de la Rose (Fribourg)
The selection reflects Sweden’s effort to blend experience with fresh faces, as the team aims for a strong performance on the international stage. Several NHL players, including William Nylander and Mika Zibanejad, were notably absent from the preliminary list, sparking discussion among fans about the overall strength of the squad. However, the inclusion of recent junior champions and a solid core of international veterans suggests a competitive lineup for the tournament in Switzerland.
