Which New Jersey Devils Players Could Play In 2026 Olympics?

It sounds like there will be no New Jersey Devils players in the 2022 Winter Olympics because it appears there will be no NHL players at the Olympics at all. So which players are still young enough to make a bid for the 2026 Olympics?

It sounds like the dream of getting the NHL players to the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China is over. Reports across the league say that the NHL and NHL Players’ Association agreed going to the Olympics is not the smart choice. On Tuesday night, eight of the ten games on the schedule had to be postponed, and the rest of the league, including the New Jersey Devils, is going on an early Christmas break to deal with a massive COVID situation that’s out of control.

It’s a sad end to the dream of having players like Jesper Bratt represent Sweden, Jack Hughes represent the U.S.A. and Dougie Hamilton represent Canada for the first time. Now, we can only see these types of performances at the World Championships since it’s very unlikely the Devils will have any shot of making the playoffs this year.

The Devils are the youngest team in the NHL, and they still have a stellar prospect group outside of the NHL that is going to grow over the next four years. There is no telling who will be on the Devils in 2026, but there are a lot of players who are good bets to still be here. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Dougie Hamilton are all signed through the 2025-26 season. The rest of the team is likely still going to be under Devils control.

This is going to be an interesting few years for the Devils who hope the team can see growth from a multitude of players. Which players might grow into becoming Olympians when the NHL sends players to Italy in 2026?

Team USA

Jack Hughes

If Jack Hughes isn’t one of the best American centers playing in the game by the year 2026, it will be a colossal failure from multiple angles. He has struggled since coming back from his shoulder injury, but he’s showing flashes of his superstar self every night. He needs to get a little better at scoring, but there’s a chance that Hughes is one of the top six centers on the team in 2026. Jack Eichel and Auston Mattews will still be there, so there’s a good chance that Hughes slots himself as the third-line guy. That will still be a great experience for him, and he should have himself some amazing wingers to play with.

Luke Hughes

It could be a brotherly affair in Italy, as Luke Hughes has shown immense growth this season with the University of Michigan hockey squad. It’s more than likely he is going to spend another year in Ann Arbor before he joins the New Jersey Devils squad who took him fourth overall in this past year’s NHL Draft. A lot has to go right for Luke Hughes to make the Olympic team as a 22 year old, but it’s far from impossible. If he continues on his current trajectory, he might be one of the best young defensemen in the league at that point.

There are a few omissions here. Tyce Thompson is a player the Devils had high hopes for, but his injury history is starting to get long. He hasn’t been able to prove anything so far. Miles Wood is an interesting candidate, but his speed might drop as he gets older, and it would take away his greatest weapon. Reilly Walsh is having a good season in the AHL, but he has a long way to go to be one of the six best young American defensemen in the world.

Team Sweden

Jesper Bratt

Jesper Bratt has taken another step in his production this season and at times has looked like the best player on the team. He has been able to take over games when necessary, and he’s become one of the go-to scorers in a pinch. Obviously, the Devils have been pretty bad as of late, but Bratt is one of the few players who’s been somewhat consistent. Bratt should get a pretty desirable spot on the Swedish national team. He will be fighting with the likes of Lukas Raymond and William Nylander for the top spot on the right side.

Alexander Holtz

Another Devils winger looking to make the 2026 Olympic team for Sweden is Alexander Holtz. He is currently preparing to represent Sweden at the World Junior Championships. He has represented Sweden his entire life in international tournaments. He only needs to represent the Swedes on the world’s biggest stage to hit all of the possible representations. He is one of the best pure scorers for Sweden. They will want a player like that on the team when he’s getting closer to his prime. Holtz will be 23 years old when the Olympics his in 2026.

Two years ago, we would have easily put Jesper Boqvist on this team. He hasn’t progressed like we hoped, and right now it doesn’t seem like he has much of a chance to make the team. Nikola Pasic is another player who could make the team, but it’s not very likely. He has a lot of growing to do.

Team Russia

Shakir Mukhamadullin

Shakir Mukhamadullin has been showing some serious growth while playing for Ufa. Like Holtz, he is preparing for a trip to the World Junior Championships. He will be the top-line defenseman for Russia, and he should be even better than he was last season. Mukhamadullin was signed by the Devils this season to an entry-level contract. He has a chance to come over from the KHL as soon as the end of this season. If he has a good stint in the NHL by the time the 2026 Olympics come around, then he will be picked by Team Russia to represent them in 2026. With no NHLers coming to the Olympics next year, Russia might win the gold medal again.

Arseni Gritsyuk

This one might be a long shot but it is worth mentioning. Arseni Gritsyuk is having a great season with the Avangard Omsk. He has 21 points in 34 games despite being just 20 years old. He’s also scoring in very clutch ways. Gritsyuk just scored the overtime winner for the Omsk. Will he make a move towards the New Jersey Devils this season?

Team Canada

Mackenzie Blackwood

This was the year Mackenzie Blackwood could have proven himself to be right for Team Canada, but it wasn’t meant to be. He wasn’t exactly the model of consistency, so it was likely he wasn’t going to be chosen. However, in four years time, Blackwood hopes to be one of the better goalies in the league. That could make him a frontrunner to be the starter for Team Canada. Right now, the goalies who are the tops for Canada that are still young enough to be in their prime in 2026 are Blackwood and Carter Hart.

Ty Smith

Ty Smith has not been great this season, but he was great last season. He has to find some consistency. The hope is some time on the ice will get him that consistency. In the next four years, he will have time to figure out exactly what kind of player he plans to be. His mistakes hopefully will become few and far between. Will he be one of the best Canadian defensemen by 2026? There are a lot of really good defensemen in this league, and Ty Smith has to take three steps forward in order to make it on this team.

Dawson Mercer

Dawson Mercer seems like the most likely candidate to make Team Canada in 2026. He’s been so good in his rookie year, and the Devils seem better every time he’s on the ice. He’s tenacious and he can impact the game from any line. He was one of the bottom-six centers for Team Canada at World Juniors last year. He could play a similar role for an Olympic team. He would never make it in the top six. There are some of the best players in the league playing there, but he would make a great bottom-six forward.

There are plenty of other Canadian players, but most will likely miss the 2026 Olympics. Dougie Hamilton has an outside chance to make it like he had an outside chance to make it this year. He will be four years older and there are other defensemen who will become a major part of the team at that point. Nico Daws is an interesting player to consider. He might grow into a starting goalie at that point. Kevin Bahl, Nolan Foote, and Graeme Clarke would need some major growth to even be a consideration.