The wait is finally over. We now know some of the Dallas Stars who will be headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina. Miro Heiskanen, Mikko Rantanen, Esa Lindell and Roope Hintz will all represent Finland.

Miro Heiskanen, who was born in Finland, got his number called for the 25-man roster on Friday. It’s a call that he has received before. Just before the announcement was made, we sat down with both Heiskanen and his Stars teammate Mikko Rantanen about the chance to represent the place they call home.

“I was 18 years old. I was a young guy. I had a chance to play there [for my country]. It was an unbelievable moment,” Heiskanen said.

That unbelievable moment came at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang where he represented Finland. It was a childhood dream he had finally realized. And now, he gets to do it again.

“Olympic Games are you when you’re younger. You’re always watching them and you know, wishing you could be there one day and you know,” Heiskanen said. “It was an unbelievable experience, and it’s really exciting that we have the chance to play there again.”

He will be in good company with the Finns as his Dallas Stars teammate Mikko Rantanen, who joined the Stars in March of 2025, has been called up as well. It will be Rantanen’s first.

“Its going to be really cool. We are here together every day and have a chance to go there with him. It’s really special. It’s great to have him, of course, and play with him every day,” Rantanen said.

But he is no stranger to being a champion. He played a big part in the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup win in 2022.

Two of their Stars teammates were chosen to represent their countries as well. That includes Jake Oettinger (USA, goalie) and Thomas Harley (Canada, defenseman).

The Finns said that while they are excited about representing their countries, they are also very excited about playing against their NHL teammates.

Here’s Heiskenen on going against Oettinger:

“I don’t have a problem with that. You know, it’s hard to score on Jakey. That’s a tough one. But, you know, it’s when you’re in the game, you don’t really think about who you’re playing against and stuff.”

No matter what, Rantanen said he will be prepared with his same routines and rituals. Which includes eating the same meal before the game, every day, for the last five years:

Chickpea pasta, sweet potato and chicken. And yes, he invited us to try it sometime.

The one thing that could derail the NHL players from performing in the 2026 Winter Games is facility conditions. For months, there have been concerns that the ice facility will not be completed in enough time to be tested and ensure the safety of the players. The NHL said they are watching the situation closely and are “cautiously optimistic” that it will be done.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina begin with the opening ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6 on NBC 5 and streaming on Peacock.