The 2026 Winter Olympics will mark NHL players’ return to the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 (Sochi), and the Vancouver Canucks are expected to send multiple representatives.

That list could grow by at least two more names after Team Latvia secured their spot in the 2026 Olympics in Italy by defeating France 5-2 in their final game of the 2024 Olympic Qualifying tournament.

Heading into the match, Latvia and France were undefeated, setting up a “win-and-you’re-in” scenario. Latvia emerged as the winner of Group E, finishing with a perfect 3-0-0 record and clinching one of the last remaining spots in the upcoming Winter Games.

While official rosters are still far from finalized, it is expected that Arturs Šilovs and Teddy Blueger will be key members of the Latvian squad. Šilovs, who missed this year’s mini-tournament due to a “knee ligament inflammation,” is anticipated to be Latvia’s starting goaltender. He carries a significant pedigree after backstopping Latvia to its first-ever medal in international hockey at the 2023 World Championships, where he earned MVP honours with a stellar 7-3-0 record.

Other names projected to make pushes for their respective countries are Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, J.T Miller, Thatcher Demko and Filip Hronek.

Team Denmark and Slovakia, who topped Groups F and D, respectively, joined Latvia in securing a spot at the 2026 Olympics.

With the final three teams solidified, the new groupings will look as follows:

*If policies from the 2024 Summer Games continue, Russia will not be a participant at the 2026 Winter Games. As such, the open spot would likely go to Team France, the highest-ranked second-place team based on the final qualifying round.

Among others on Team Latvia with looser ties to the Canucks, Nicklas Jensen, a former Canucks’ first-round draft pick (29th overall, 2011) and Rodrigo Ābols (184th overall, 2017), each enjoyed strong events to finish third (tied) in points with two goals and two assists apiece.