Former Canucks Making Noise at the 2026 Winter Olympics
The Vancouver Canucks may have seven current players representing their countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but the Olympic spotlight has also caught a few familiar faces from the franchise’s past. Ten former Canucks suited up during the preliminary round of the men’s hockey tournament, and several of them made early impressions worth talking about. With elimination games looming, seven of those ten are set to lace up again in do-or-die matchups.
Let’s break down how these former Canucks have fared so far-and what lies ahead.
Bo Horvat Finding His Groove with Team Canada
Bo Horvat has turned back the clock in Milan, reminding fans of his 2020 bubble playoff form. Now wearing a Team Canada jersey and centering a line for the New York Islanders back home, Horvat has been a force through the preliminary round. He’s tied with Sidney Crosby for second on the team in goals and boasts a faceoff win percentage of 67.86%-second-best on the Canadian roster.
Horvat’s puck protection and net-front presence have been on full display, and he’s looked right at home against top-tier international competition. He and Team Canada will take on the winner of Czechia vs.
Denmark in a qualifier-round game on February 18 at 7:40 a.m. PT.
Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller Powering Team USA
Team USA has been rolling, and two former Canucks are playing key roles in that success.
Quinn Hughes is doing exactly what you’d expect from one of the league’s premier puck-moving defensemen-quarterbacking the offense and putting up points. With four assists in three games, Hughes is averaging over a point per game in his Olympic debut and leading Team USA in time on ice every night.
Then there’s J.T. Miller, who’s been quietly excellent in a different way.
He’s become a staple on Team USA’s penalty kill, which has been perfect through the preliminary round. Miller’s minutes have hovered in the 12-13 range, and while he’s not filling the scoresheet, his two-way play is giving the Americans much-needed depth and grit.
The U.S. will face the winner of Sweden vs. Latvia in the quarter-finals on February 18 at 12:10 p.m. PT.
Artūrs Šilovs Seizing the Moment for Latvia
Latvia opened the tournament with Elvis Merzļikins in net, but after a tough 5-1 loss to the U.S., the crease has belonged to Artūrs Šilovs.
Šilovs came in during the third period of that opening game and has started every one since. Across his two starts, he’s faced 55 shots and turned aside 48 of them. While the numbers might not leap off the page, Šilovs has brought stability to Latvia’s net-and with a young, scrappy team in front of him, that’s no small feat.
Latvia will face Sweden in a must-win qualifier-round game on February 17 at 12:10 p.m. PT.
Swedish Trio of Former Canucks Getting Involved
Sweden has three former Canucks in the mix, and all of them have now seen action.
Goaltender Jacob Markström got the nod in Sweden’s win over Slovakia, stopping 29 of 32 shots. Oliver Ekman-Larsson also made his tournament debut in that game, logging 13:41 of ice time. Elias Lindholm, meanwhile, didn’t play in that contest but remains a key piece of Sweden’s forward group.
Sweden will be looking to advance past Latvia in the qualifier round, with that elimination game also set for February 17 at 12:10 p.m. PT.
Marc Michaelis Logging Steady Minutes for Germany
Marc Michaelis, who had a brief stint with the Canucks back in 2020-21, is now skating for Germany and has been steadily climbing the depth chart.
He began the tournament on a line with current Canuck Lukas Reichel, though Reichel has since shifted to a new trio with Tim Stützle and JJ Peterka. Michaelis’ ice time has increased each game-from 11:46 to 13:28-as he’s earned more trust from the coaching staff.
Germany will take on France in their elimination game on February 17 at 3:10 a.m. PT.
Pius Suter Helping Lead a Surprising Switzerland Squad
Switzerland has been one of the early surprises of the tournament, and Pius Suter has played a big part in that.
The former Canuck has scored in two of Switzerland’s three preliminary games and has been a consistent offensive threat, putting up seven shots on goal. He’s been reliable in a second-line center role, logging anywhere from 14 to nearly 19 minutes per game.
Switzerland will look to keep the momentum going against Italy in a qualifier-round game on February 17 at 3:10 a.m. PT.
Nicklas Jensen Providing Depth for Denmark
Nicklas Jensen may not be lighting up the stat sheet, but his role for Denmark has been consistent and dependable. He’s logged nearly identical ice time in each of Denmark’s three games-hovering around 12 and a half minutes-and has skated on the second line alongside Lars Eller and Joachim Blichfeld.
Jensen and Denmark will face a tough Czechia squad in their qualifier-round game on February 17 at 7:40 a.m. PT.
As the 2026 Winter Olympics shift into elimination mode, these former Canucks are making their presence felt on the international stage. Whether they’re leading the charge or providing key depth minutes, they’re showing that their time in Vancouver was just one chapter in careers that continue to evolve-and impress.