GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins forward Eduard Tralmaks will compete for Team Latvia at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, becoming the seventh player to participate in an Olympics while playing for the Griffins. Including Tralmaks, six current or former Griffins players are playing in the tournament, and another three alumni are involved as coaches or management. 

Four Griffins alumni reached the podium in 2022 in Beijing. Valtteri Filppula and Harri Sateri led Finland to its first-ever men’s hockey gold medal, with team captain Filppula joining Niklas Kronwall as the only former Griffins to earn two Olympic medals. Meanwhile, Patrik Rybar was named to the tournament's all-star team after backstopping Slovakia to its first Olympic medal in men’s hockey, a bronze. Teammate Tomas Jurco, playing in his second Olympics, became the first player to medal after winning a Calder Cup with the Griffins (2013). With the inclusion of Pat Nagle on the U.S. squad, all three goalies from the Griffins’ 2018-19 campaign – Sateri, Rybar and Nagle – took part in the 2022 Games. For the Griffins complete Olympic history click here. 

Tralmaks has competed for Team Latvia at the two previous World Championships in 2024 and 2025, showing a combined nine points (4-5—9) in 14 games. At last year's World Championship, Tralmaks led Latvia in points (3-4—7) and assists, while ranking second in goals in seven games. Also in 2024-25, he potted one goal in three Olympic qualifying games with Latvia. Tralmaks also suited up for Team Latvia at the 2017 World Junior Championship (0-2—2 in 6 GP) and the 2015 U18 World Junior Championship (1-2—3 in 6 GP). With the Griffins, Tralmaks has 24 points (18-6—24), six penalty minutes and a plus-19 rating in 44 games and ranks among the team leaders in goals (2nd), points (5th), and plus-minus rating (T2nd).

The tournament begins this Wednesday at 10:40 a.m. EST with Tomas Tatar and Team Slovakia kicking things off against Team Finland. Tralmaks and Team Latvia will begin their slate of games on Thursday at 3:10 p.m. EST against Dylan Larkin and Team USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Click here to view the entire men’s ice hockey schedule for the Olympics. 

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins