As part of THN.com’s Olympic Week, we’re breaking down the best projected teams that will be part of the 2026 Games, ranking the three best teams at forward, defense and in goal.
Yesterday we looked at the top-3 forward groups, but today, we are moving along to defense. For the record, we’re anticipating that the Russian team will be allowed to participate, so they’re in the mix in every category. For roster composition, we’re going with the lineups we projected for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. Those projected lineups were for the USA, Finland, Canada, Sweden and Russia. Let’s get to it:
On to the defense corps we go:
Top Three Teams On Defense
1. United States
The Americans are one of the odds-on favorites to win the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, and one of the reasons why is their superior depth and skill on ‘D’. With key cogs including reigning Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes, New York Rangers star Adam Fox, Bruins veteran Charlie McAvoy, Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin, Washington’s John Carlson and Minnesota’s Brock Faber, the U.S. has more pure talent than any other team on the defensive end.
If any injuries prevent the aforementioned veterans from participating, Team USA. isn’t lacking for capable replacements, including Blues veteran Justin Faulk, Columbus’ Zach Werenski, Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson, Chicago’s Seth Jones, and the Rangers’ Jacob Trouba and K’Andre Miller.
If America does win gold in 2026, it will be because of their defense and goaltending (more on the American netminding tomorrow). There’s no reason for the Americans to take a back seat to their rivals, especially on the back end. They’re good enough and focused enough to win both the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Olympics, and their collection of blueliners are going to be a key factor in their success.
It's a party in the USA. 🎶 #4Nations
Here are the first six players representing the USA at 4 Nations Face-Off! pic.twitter.com/93yQmNFtP8
— NHL (@NHL) June 28, 2024
2. Canada
The Canadians had a slight advantage over other countries in terms of their forwards, but while they’ll have lots of star power on defense – with superstar Avalanche cornerstone Cale Makar, Devils top D-man Dougie Hamilton, Seattle’s Brandon Montour, Vegas’ Shea Theodore, Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey, Buffalo’s Owen Power and Colorado’s Devon Toews as locks to make the team – they don’t have quite the same potent group as America’s defense corps.
Canada has admirable depth on ‘D’, with Toronto’s Morgan Rielly, Florida’s Aaron Ekblad, Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo and Washington’s Jakob Chychrun ready and willing to step in and replace any star who may have health issues. But we just think Team USA has just a little bit more skill and depth, and that’s why Canada is ranked second in this category.
3. Sweden
The Russian and Finnish teams both have some impressive blueliners who’ll represent their homeland at the 2026 Games, but Team Sweden gets the nod for third place in these rankings because of their overall higher-end D-men. With three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, Lightning star D-man Victor Hedman, Florida’s Gustav Forsling, the Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin, veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm and Boston’s Hampus Lindholm, the Swedes have a balanced, experienced and championship-pedigreed group. And they’ve also got impressive depth with Jonas Brodin, Rasmus Sandin and Oliver Ekman-Larsson waiting in the wings to step in and step up.
In our estimation, the Swedes have the third-most-impressive collection of forwards, so getting the same spot in the defense rankings is an indication they’ll likely be in the mix for a gold medal right through the tournament. They don’t have a mega-star on the level of Hughes or Makar, but they have more than enough skill and experience to thrive at the 2026 Games.
Related: Olympic Week: Top-3 Forward Groups Going into the 2026 Winter Games
Related: Olympic Week: Early Frontrunners for 2026 Olympic Captains
Related: Olympic Week: Sarah Fillier and Taylor Heise Potential Faces of Renewed Canada-USA Rivalry at 2026 Games
News Summary:
- Olympic Week: Top-3 Defensive Groups Ahead of the 2026 Winter Games
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.