The Swedish women's national team Sweden is historically one of the most successful European teams in Olympic women's ice hockey. Since the tournament's inception in 1998, the Damkronorna have participated in every Olympic Games, winning two medals: bronze in 2002 in Salt Lake City and silver in 2006 in Turin. They also achieved two fourth-place finishes, in 2010 and 2014. In the last two tournaments, Sweden finished seventh (2018) and eighth (2022), their worst Olympic result to date. Sweden has also been unable to replicate its earlier successes at recent World Championships, but still boasts two bronze medals (2005, 2007) and is currently ranked sixth in the IIHF world rankings.
In the Olympic Games 2022 Sweden struggled in the preliminary round in Beijing, losing to Japan among others, but still reached the quarterfinals where they were soundly defeated by Canada. Since then, the team, under head coach Ulf Lundberg, has been working on returning to the top of the hockey world. The roster for Milan and Cortina 2026 combines experienced leaders with a number of talented players from the PWHL, SDHL, and NCAA leagues, and is considered significantly more stable than it was four years ago.
Key players / Players to watch
Sweden boasts considerable offensive depth. Key players include Lina Ljungblom and Sara Hjalmarsson, both long-time national team players with PWHL experience. Particularly noteworthy is 19-year-old Hilda Svensson, who has been part of the senior national team since she was 15 and is currently enjoying an outstanding college season at Ohio State University. Also from the NCAA are Josefin Bouveng (University of Minnesota) and Thea Johansson (Minnesota Duluth), who were, or are, competitors of Katarina Jobst-Smith and Svenja Voigt in the league. From the SDHL, Hanna Thuvik, Sofie Lundin, and Ebba Hedqvist are among the scoring threats to be highlighted.
Maja Nylén-Persson is the central figure on defense. The New York Sirens PWHL defenseman recently missed a World Championship due to injury but is now fully fit again. Alongside her is another internationally experienced defenseman, Anna Kjellbin (Toronto Sceptres), who was also Laura Kluge's teammate in Toronto during the 2024-2025 playoffs. The defense is rounded out by veterans like Linnea Andersson and Jessica Adolfsson, as well as young college players such as Mira Jungåker and Jenna Raunio.
Sweden relies on Emma Söderberg in goal, who has been their number one for years. After difficult seasons in North America, she has returned to consistent form in the SDHL and can boast strong performances. FanQuotas decide games. With Ebba Svensson Träff from Linköping HC (SDHL) also offers a powerful alternative.
Analysis and outlook for the duel with Germany
Sweden Sweden is considered a physically strong, well-structured team with high individual quality, but has struggled in crucial matches in recent years. In Olympic Group B, Sweden is considered one of the favorites to win the group. For the German women's ice hockey team, Sweden is a direct benchmark at the top-eight level. Recent head-to-head matches paint a balanced picture: Germany prevailed 1-0 at the 2024 World Championship in the USA, while Sweden won 5-2 at the 2025 World Championship in the Czech Republic.
For Germany, the duel offers the opportunity to assert itself against a traditional opponent and to further consolidate its own position in the extended world elite.