Three bronzes later, Finland's women's hockey team is still knocking on gold's door

"Who do I think will end up being the underdog team in the 2026 Olympic women's hockey tournament? Finland. The team's first seven appearances in the event have generally been quite successful. Of those seven appearances, Finland has won four bronze medals while making it to the bronze medal game an additional two times. Their seventh appearance was a fifth-place showing in the 2014 games in Sochi."

"Though it's not the level of success you see Canada and the United States boasting, Finland is arguably the next in line for a gold medal game appearance. The only team not named Canada or the United States to make it to a gold medal game in women's hockey was Sweden; they achieved that feat back in 2006, which was ironically in Italy."

Finland has a strong Olympic women's hockey record across its first seven appearances, earning four bronze medals and reaching two additional bronze-medal games, with a fifth-place finish in Sochi 2014. Only Sweden has reached a gold medal game outside Canada and the United States, in 2006. Finland holds the most Olympic women's hockey medals among non-Canada/US teams. The Finnish roster includes four PWHL players (two with Ottawa Charge, one each from Boston Fleet and Vancouver Goldeneyes), five NCAA players representing four universities, and fourteen Europe-based players split between the SDHL, Finland's domestic league, and the Swiss league.

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