Saros set to retain role as go-to goalie for Finland in 2026 Olympics

NHL players will participate in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 this February, the first time since 2014 the best players in the world will be on the Olympic stage. NHL.com will post a story each Monday to count down to the 2026 Olympics. Today, a look at Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros, who is looking to bounce back from a tough NHL season and prove he should remain Finland's No. 1 goalie.

A statistically subpar season hasn't wavered the support Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros has from his friends in Finland.

Saros is still the go-to guy when it comes to representing his nation on the international stage, and likely will find himself front and center when the NHL returns to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February.

"He's one of the best goalies in the NHL right now," Seattle Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen said. "He's one of those guys you want on your team. You don't want to play against him. I got a chance to play with him for a couple years, and now a couple years I've played against him. I'd rather have him on my side.

"He gives you a chance to win every night."

The 30-year-old is coming off the toughest season in his nine-year NHL career. He went 20-31-6 with a 2.98 goals-against average, .896 save percentage and four shutouts in 58 games in 2024-25, on the way to Nashville (30-44-8) finishing seventh in the eight-team Central Division, 28 points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

Saros said he hopes the lessons learned can help him rebound, however.

"Obviously you try to learn from every experience," said Saros, who had a 3.96 GAA and .870 save percentage in two starts for Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. "These hard times, obviously, you try to look into your game and what you can do differently no matter what the challenge is. You kind of try to take it as a positive challenge and a way you can find a way to improve your game.

"A lot of it is mental. It's a huge thing to have in your game."

Saros, a veteran of 408 NHL games, has plenty of reason to believe.

He has 202 wins in the League, sixth all-time among Finland-born goalies and first among those active. Additionally, his .914 save percentage is tied for fourth all-time among Finland-born goalies with at least 100 games played, and his career 2.68 GAA ranks seventh.

Each statistic leads active Finland-born NHL goalies.

"When we have success, you have a player like Saros," said Jere Lehtinen, general manager for Finland at the Olympics, who also had 514 points (243 goals, 271 assists) in 875 NHL games and is a three-time Selke Trophy winner, voted as the best defensive forward in the NHL, with the Dallas Stars from 1995-2010.

"That's a big part. We all know winning teams, their goaltending has been great, in any league or tournament that goes on. It's great to see what level he can play at. It was a tough season in Nashville, but still, he played a good season."

Saros' most recent body of international work only serves to reinforce that.

He rebounded at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in May, going 4-2-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .943 save percentage in six starts. Despite Saros allowing 10 goals in those six games, Finland finished seventh.

"He's pretty chill," said Tolvanen, who played with the Predators from 2018-22. "I don't know ... there's just a switch that he flips when he goes to the rink. He's on his game every time. It's kind of cool to see how relaxed he is before the game. Even when we have meetings and all that, it seems like it's not a game day and then he shows up the rink and he has the switch where it's game-time and he delivers every night.

"It's unfortunate how the season went for him, but it's cool to see how motivated he was to play at 4 Nations for Finland and then he comes to the World Championship as well."

That motivation will surely extend to Milano Cortina.

Saros, who in 2022 was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, voted as the best goalie in the NHL, is the best bet to be back in net for Finland again in February.

"I learned what he brought on and off the ice is the biggest thing, I would say," said Justus Annunen, who formed a tandem with Saros in Nashville last season. "Every day working his (butt) off no matter if it's on the ice or off the ice. Just a true pro.

"I'm not too worried about him. I see him every day. He's definitely one of the best goalies in the NHL, best goalies in the world. He's the best Finnish goalie for sure. That's why he's the No. 1. I think he's proven himself for the last ... I don't even know the last number of years.

"He's definitely the best goalie in Finland."