Three Philadelphia Flyers players have been named to their home nation's men's hockey rosters for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, the Flyers announced this week.

Defensemen Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen, and forward Rodrigo Ābols, will head to Italy next month and compete for Olympic gold.

Sanheim, 29, was named to the Team Canada roster on Dec. 31, joining Flyers coach Rick Tocchet, who will be one of Canada's assistant coaches in Milan. 

The Flyers shared a video on social media this week showing Sanheim surprising his parents with the good news, a few hours early.

"I think to be able to share that with them before it comes out and have that special moment with them, they've kind of been with me every step of the way and been through the journey with me and been a big part of my career. It was a special moment to share that news with them," Sanheim said this week.

Sanheim will be making his first Olympic appearance after representing the eventual champion Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off last winter. 

Sanheim is the Flyers' leader in ice time per game, averaging over 24 minutes per game this season. He has three goals (including an overtime game winner) and 14 assists through 39 games, with a +3 rating.

Rasmus Ristolainen hopeful Finland will be repeat gold medal winner at 2026 Olympics

On Friday, Ristolainen became the third Flyer to make an Olympic team after Team Finland announced its hockey roster. Like Sanheim, he will also be making his first Olympic appearance after being named to last year's 4 Nations roster. Ristolainen missed that contest with an injury. 

Ristolainen said he likes Finland's chances to win the gold medal again in 2026. The Scandinavian country won its first gold medal in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

"A very good team, we have a lot of good players and I have a lot of good friends on the team, guys I played with at the junior level," Ristolainen said in a media availability on Friday. "Finland always has a chance."

Ābols, who the Flyers signed as a free agent last spring, was one of the first six players announced for Team Latvia's roster back in June. He notched a goal and an assist over four games for Latvia in the 2022 Olympic Games.

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games begin with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, 2026.