Switzerland's golden generation primed for Olympic contention

Gone are the days of Canada, USA, Russia, and Sweden dominating every international tournament. Now, Team Switzerland is emerging as a hockey powerhouse that could very well be one of the top competitors at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

The preliminary roster for next year has been announced with six skaters making the cut so far, and several mainstays of Swiss hockey will be vying for the country's first Olympic medal since winning bronze in 1948, and possibly even the first-ever gold finish.

In the first six players named to the team, Switzerland has a balanced blend of reliable play on both sides of the puck while also featuring strong offensive production.

So far, the New Jersey Devils are well-represented on Team Switzerland, as per usual: Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jonas Siegenthaler unsurprisingly make up three of the first six players on the Olympic team. For good reason, after the contributions that trio has made on an international stage.

Hischier is consistently ranked among the best two-way centers in the NHL. He only got to play four games at Worlds due to an injury, but the Swiss captain is the anchor of that forward group. Not only can Hischier see the ice incredibly well to generate chances for his teammates, but he is incredibly reliable on the back end as well, providing highly competitive pressure on the opposing players and forcing turnovers to send the puck back up the ice.

Meier, on the other hand, provides a high-danger offensive mindset. He has had a couple of cold streaks, but when he's on his game, Meier is a constant threat with the puck. His shooting skills are impeccable, and he gets to put that on full display when skating with a playmaker like Hischier. The 28-year-old averaged a point per game during Worlds, while recording his fourth straight 20-goal season for the Devils.

Siegenthaler plays top pairing minutes for both the Devils and the Swiss national team. He fits the role of a defense-first defenseman exceptionally well, averaging 20 minutes per night over four seasons in New Jersey. He's very strong playing the body, racking up both hits and blocked shots while executing clean zone exits. Siegenthaler is also a huge stalwart on the penalty kill.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi will be a staple on the top pairing along with Siegenthaler, if they choose to shift him to the right side. Josi offers a solid two-way style of play that can both produce offense and be relied upon in the defensive zone too. He is the highest-scoring Swiss player in NHL history with 724 points in 962 games, plus a Norris Trophy and two runner-up finishes under his belt.

Kevin Fiala is another forward on the roster, and he has been a regular on the scoresheet for the Los Angeles Kings. He's recorded 20 or more goals in each of the last six seasons, plus 23 points in 16 games over the last two World Championships. When Switzerland needs reliable output, Fiala is going to be one of their go-to guys.

Veteran winger Nino Niederreiter is set to make his 16th appearance on the Swiss national team dating back to his U18 days in 2008. It's no wonder he's a regular for them: he is a middle-lineup guy who can chip in on the scoresheet. As a power forward, Niederreiter offers strong netfront presence and a strong work ethic to challenge any opponent carrying the puck. He recorded 12 points in 14 games over the last two Worlds.

Who's next on the roster?

Among those not yet named to the team is Vancouver Canucks center Pius Suter, who will likely serve as a formidable second line center in Milan. He's coming off of a career-high 25-goal season, where he's establishing himself as a shoot-first skater that finds the open areas of the ice and is able to hit the net on a regular basis.

Switzerland is also expected to dip into its deep pool of homegrown talent playing in the National League, the country's highest level of hockey. That includes guys like Tyler Moy, who led the team in scoring at the World Championships with 12 points, and Denis Malgin who tallied 11 points in nine games at that tournament.

As far as goaltending, 37-year-old Leonardo Genoni is coming off of a show-stopping World Championship where he was named tournament MVP. He had an unbelievable 0.99 GAA and .953 SV% with four shutouts in just seven games played.

All things considered, Switzlerand is shaping up to be among the best teams at next year's Games and continues to impress in tournaments around the world both up front and on the back end.