Sweden's head coach Sam Hallam announced on January 20 that defenceman Jonas Brodin and forward Leo Carlsson are likely to miss the 2026 Winter Olympics due to injuries. Both players, key figures in recent international tournaments, face uncertain recoveries ahead of the tournament in Milan. Hallam expressed disappointment but confidence in the team's depth.
Sweden Faces Setbacks with Key Players Sidelined
On January 20, 2026, Sweden's national team head coach Sam Hallam provided an update on injuries affecting the squad for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The news centered on two prominent NHL players: Minnesota Wild defenceman Jonas Brodin, 32, and Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson, 21. Hallam indicated that both are expected to be unavailable, pending final assessments.
Brodin has been sidelined since January 12 with a lower-body injury, listed as week-to-week by his club and placed on injured reserve on January 15. Carlsson underwent a procedure on January 16 to address a left thigh injury, with recovery projected at three to five weeks. "We'll give it a few more days to see if anything extraordinary happens, but currently we are operating under the assumption they won't be playing in the Olympics," Hallam told TT News Agency. He added, "Both of them are amazing players and amazing people, and it looks like they won't get a chance to play. I feel their pain."
Carlsson and Brodin bring significant international experience, having participated in the 2025 World Championship on home ice and the Four Nations tournament in February 2025. Carlsson was slated as a top center for Tre Kronor, while Brodin has featured in recent World Championships.
Hallam also addressed other injuries on the roster, including defencemen Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as forwards Gabriel Landeskog and Joel Eriksson Ek of the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild, respectively, and William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs. "With regards to those players, we remain hopeful they'll be available to play in the Olympics," he said.
The NHL's Olympic break begins February 6, with Sweden scheduled to face Italy in their opening game on February 11. Hallam plans to draw from a reserve list of 35 players to fill the gaps, maintaining optimism about the team's prospects despite the blows.
