The announcement of Sweden's men's hockey roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan brought crushing disappointment and pointed criticism from Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. After years of wearing the Three Crowns with pride, the veteran blueliner learned he would not get one final chance to compete for Olympic gold and he's making sure everyone knows exactly how he feels about it.
Mattias Ekholm didn't sugarcoat his feelings when discussing Sweden's decision to leave him off the Olympic roster. The 34-year-old defenseman called out the selection process making his frustration crystal clear.
"Just disappointed. This was probably my last shot at it. It's right up there with the Stanley Cup, the Olympics. Huge disappointment, not much I can do about it now," Ekholm stated bluntly. "They said I had just missed (out). So I guess I'm on that (wait) list."
The Swedish Ice Hockey Federation's decision to select Philip Broberg of the St. Louis Blues instead of Ekholm saw a gamble on potential over proven reliability. For many observers familiar with Ekholm's international resume, the choice feels shortsighted at best and disrespectful at worst.
Mattias Ekholm has a decorated international resume
Considering what Ekholm brings to the table with silver at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, gold at the 2018 World Championships and multiple other podium finishes representing Sweden, it only makes the decision seem questionable.
He recently served as alternate captain during the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off which speaks volumes of his leadership qualities and continued relevance at the international level.
With the Olympics returning to best-on-best competition for the first time since 2014, the stakes couldn't be higher and the team needed Ekholm in a major leadership role.
The selection also sees additional complexity for Oilers fans and possibly for Ekholm himself. Broberg departed Edmonton two years ago via offer sheet after expressing frustration with how the organization handled his contract situation. Now he finds himself chosen over his former teammate for Sweden's Olympic roster.
Ekholm challenges health narrative
When speculation emerged that Ekholm's health during last year's 4 Nations Face-Off influenced the decision the defenseman pushed back directly, essentially calling out Swedish GM Johan Hallam to explain himself.
"I said the same thing to the Swedish papers that I hope that wasn't a part of it. I don't think it was anywhere near as big a deal as the media brought it out to be," Ekholm fired back. "It's more a question for him (Hallam), he's the one picking the team."
Ekholm's international credentials also speak for themselves. He represented Sweden in dozens of senior international games across multiple World Championships earning bronze in 2014, silver in 2017 and gold in 2018. He competed in both the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics capturing silver in Sochi.
The 2016 World Cup of Hockey saw him log significant minutes and just last year he wore an alternate captain's badge at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The debate between selecting Ekholm or Broberg has clear pros and cons for both players. Broberg offers speed and offensive upside. But in the first true best-on-best Olympic tournament in over a decade, you'd think Sweden would lean on someone who knows the systems and has proven he can perform when representing his country on hockey's biggest stage.
Instead, management chose to prioritize the next generation over a player who has given everything for the program and still has plenty left in the tank.
The bitter reality
At 34 years old and still performing as a shutdown defenseman for the Oilers, Ekholm remains capable of eating tough minutes against elite competition. His penalty-killing prowess and hockey IQ make him valuable in any situation. But Olympic rosters wait for no one.
The consolation prize is that Ekholm sits first in line should an injury occur before the tournament. But as he made painfully clear, that's not how he wanted this story to end. He wanted to earn his spot representing his country one final time and chase Olympic gold with the same teammates who have relied on him for years.