Potential 2026 Olympic hopefuls on the Blackhawks roster

On Monday, the 12 countries participating in men's hockey at the Olympic Winter Games in 2026 named their first six players to their preliminary rosters, with the Blackhawks having one forward named to the team.

Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel was named to Germany's Olympic roster, despite only reaching his floor with the Blackhawks thanks to uneven play over the years. Reichel was the only Hawk to be named to the Olympics—Canada's star-studded first six includes Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Connor McDavid, Brayden Point, and Sam Reinhart.

The Blackhawks roster has a few players looking to earn an Olympic spot in 2025-26.

Connor Bedard is the big name to mention here. After Bedard failed to make the Four Nations Face-Off roster last season, it seems likely he may enter the new year with a chip on his shoulder, trying to earn a spot for the Olympics.

Without a doubt, a goal for the Hawks this season has to be getting Bedard on the Olympic roster with Canada. Chicago's management would want their young, generational talent at the tournament, allowing Bedard to learn from some of the best names in the NHL, such as McDavid, Crosby, and MacKinnon, to name a few.

Outside of Canada, there are a few Americans to keep an eye on in Chicago. Frank Nazar is someone whose stock has gone up thanks to the IIHF World Championships. Nazar was one of the United States' top scorers. The tournament might not have included all of the league's top stars, but it did show that Nazar could play with some of the best in the game.

Outside of Nazar, defenseman Alex Vlasic is someone to keep an eye on. Vlasic did not get the nod for the Four-Nations, but if the 2025-26 season sees Chicago start strong, Vlasic could be someone added to the U.S. roster.

Vlasic is a big defenseman, capable of not only limiting opponents opportunities in the defensive zone but also setting up his teammates for scoring chances. The Blackhawks believe Vlasic is going to be a big part of the team for years to come, and it isn't out of the question he makes the Olympic roster, especially aftering helping U.S. win gold at the IIHF World Championships.

Chicago's big three names are Bedard, Nazar and Vlasic—but they are a few other players to keep an eye on.

After finishing the 2024-25 NHL Season with 31 goals and 62 points, Ryan Donato is not only going to get paid this offseason but also potentially earn a spot on the United States Olympic roster if he can keep producing next season.

Additionally, Arvid Soderblom is a potential depth goaltender for Team Sweden in 2026. Other Swedish goaltenders include Jacob Markstrom, Linus Ullmark, Filip Gustavsson and Samuel Ersson.