Seattle Kraken forwards Eeli Tolvanen, Kaapo Kakko to play for Team Finland at 2026 Winter Olympics

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 01: Eeli Tolvanen #20 and Kaapo Kakko #84 of the Seattle Kraken skate during warm ups ahead of a game against the New York Rangers at Climate Pledge Arena on November 01, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.  (Christopher Mast / NHLI / Getty Images)

Seattle Kraken forwards Eeli Tolvanen and Kaapo Kakko were named to Team Finland for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy.

Tolvanen heads back to the Olympics after being a part of the 2018 team for Finland, and Kakko was a part of the Team Finland roster for the Four Nations Face-Off last year.

"It's been a dream of mine, you know, playing the best-on-best hockey tournament and representing Finland for sure," Tolvanen told reporters in Vancouver on Friday.

Active NHL players have not participated in the Winter Olympics since 2014 in Sochi, Russia. The league chose not to release players for the 2018 games in a dispute with the IOC. Players were set to take part in the 2022 games in Beijing, China, but the COVID-19 pandemic's lingering effects on schedules led the NHL to pull its participation.

Tolvanen appeared in five games for Finland in the 2018 games, delivering nine points on three goals and six assists for Finland. It will be his first time representing Finland since the 2019 World Junior Championships.

"It's going to be super cool," Tolvanen said. "Last time, I kind of took it for granted a little bit. I was still young, 18, for sure going to enjoy it a little more this time. Of course, it's super nice to see all the athletes, just the atmosphere around it. It's really special. For sure, got all the best players there so it's going to be even more special this time."

Tolvanen is second on the Kraken in points this season, just one point behind Jordan Eberle's lead of 26 points. Tolvanen has 25 points in 38 games with seven goals and 18 assists.

"He's having a good year so I think that's not a surprise that he's out there," Kakko said. "There's a lot of good guys on the team. Obviously, we kind of all know each other. Obviously, me and Tolvy kind of every day we're doing something together, so it's good to have him also."

Kakko played in two games at the Four Nations Face-Off with Finland last season, recording a lone assist. It will be his first appearance in the Olympics.

"They called me like a week ago," Kakko said. "Obviously happy. I've never been playing for those games and I think it's always fun to play for Team Finland. I think it's going to be a good tournament and good games."

Kakko has nine points for Seattle this season in 22 games with two goals and seven assists. He missed time with a hand injury in training camp and a lower body injury during the season.

Tolvanen and Kakko join goaltender Philipp Grubauer as players currently named to Olympics rosters. Grubauer will be the starting goaltender for Germany in the games.

Seattle doesn't have any representatives playing for either the United States, Canada or Sweden in the games. Coachella Valley forward Oscar Fisker Mølgaard could still be named to Team Denmark, joining former Kraken Oliver Bjorkstrand.

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