Goaltender Henrik Haukeland (#40) was magnificent in Norway's historic bronze-medal performance at the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDRE RINGUETTE
Big moments in Norwegian hockey history aren’t easy to come by. But at the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, goalie Henrik Haukeland just provided one.
The 31-year-old veteran backstopped Norway to its first bronze medal ever in IIHF competition with a 3-2 overtime upset over Canada. He finished with a sparkling 1.74 GAA and 93.8 save percentage.
As the first Norwegian netminder to record three shutouts at a Men’s Worlds, Haukeland was named Best Goalie. That was a fitting honour for the 2018 Olympian and eight-time World Championship participant, who brings a team-first attitude.
“We deserve to be here because we have achieved it,” Haukeland said of May’s historic run in Zurich and Fribourg. “We have shown that we can beat good teams in this tournament.”
Since Norway doesn’t have the championship-winning pedigree of a Canada, Finland, or Sweden, its historic highlights oftentimes centre on hosting tournaments.
The Nordic country proudly hosted the Winter Olympics in 1952 in Oslo and 1994 in Lillehammer. Those municipalities also hosted the 1999 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, the last time Norway had the Worlds.
The 31-year-old veteran backstopped Norway to its first bronze medal ever in IIHF competition with a 3-2 overtime upset over Canada. He finished with a sparkling 1.74 GAA and 93.8 save percentage.
As the first Norwegian netminder to record three shutouts at a Men’s Worlds, Haukeland was named Best Goalie. That was a fitting honour for the 2018 Olympian and eight-time World Championship participant, who brings a team-first attitude.
“We deserve to be here because we have achieved it,” Haukeland said of May’s historic run in Zurich and Fribourg. “We have shown that we can beat good teams in this tournament.”
Since Norway doesn’t have the championship-winning pedigree of a Canada, Finland, or Sweden, its historic highlights oftentimes centre on hosting tournaments.
The Nordic country proudly hosted the Winter Olympics in 1952 in Oslo and 1994 in Lillehammer. Those municipalities also hosted the 1999 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, the last time Norway had the Worlds.
However, individual Norwegian exploits like Haukeland’s rarely spice up the highlight reel. You could look at Patrick Thoresen’s all-star performance at the 2012 Worlds with 18 points. Or, for NHL fans, there’s Mats Zuccarello’s 79 points with the Minnesota Wild in 2021-22, a single-season high for Norwegian NHLers.
But neither of those stars won their last game of the year.
Haukeland did, as Norway stunned a stacked Canadian squad with captain Macklin Celebrini, Sidney Crosby, and John Tavares on 31 May. Coming up big for an underdog nation with a medal on the line, the Frederikstad native prompted comparisons to Arturs Silovs. The current Pittsburgh Penguins goalie excelled in Latvia’s historic 4-3 overtime win over the U.S. in the 2023 bronze game in Tampere.
“The distance between the countries is getting smaller every year,” said Haukeland, who plays professionally for the DEL’s Straubing Tigers. “There are so many good leagues and players everywhere in Europe now. So it’s good to see that the smaller countries can compete.”
In many different situations last month in Switzerland, Haukeland showcased his athleticism, his butterfly-style mastery, and his competitive fire.
For instance, he kept his World Championship penalty-shot record perfect by stopping sniper Lucas Raymond in Norway’s 3-2 shocker over Sweden. (Haukeland previously foiled Canada’s Ryan O’Reilly on 15 May, 2017 and Great Britain’s Brett Perlini on 15 May, 2022.)
Haukeland justified coach Petter Thoresen’s faith in him in the 2-0 quarter-final win over Latvia. He battled to keep his shutout alive as third-period shots favoured Latvia 20-4. Notably, that was a duel between the first Norwegian ever named DEL Goalie of the Year (2023, Dusseldorfer EG) and the first Latvian to earn that title in Kristers Gudlevskis (2024, Fischtown Penguins).
But neither of those stars won their last game of the year.
Haukeland did, as Norway stunned a stacked Canadian squad with captain Macklin Celebrini, Sidney Crosby, and John Tavares on 31 May. Coming up big for an underdog nation with a medal on the line, the Frederikstad native prompted comparisons to Arturs Silovs. The current Pittsburgh Penguins goalie excelled in Latvia’s historic 4-3 overtime win over the U.S. in the 2023 bronze game in Tampere.
“The distance between the countries is getting smaller every year,” said Haukeland, who plays professionally for the DEL’s Straubing Tigers. “There are so many good leagues and players everywhere in Europe now. So it’s good to see that the smaller countries can compete.”
In many different situations last month in Switzerland, Haukeland showcased his athleticism, his butterfly-style mastery, and his competitive fire.
For instance, he kept his World Championship penalty-shot record perfect by stopping sniper Lucas Raymond in Norway’s 3-2 shocker over Sweden. (Haukeland previously foiled Canada’s Ryan O’Reilly on 15 May, 2017 and Great Britain’s Brett Perlini on 15 May, 2022.)
Haukeland justified coach Petter Thoresen’s faith in him in the 2-0 quarter-final win over Latvia. He battled to keep his shutout alive as third-period shots favoured Latvia 20-4. Notably, that was a duel between the first Norwegian ever named DEL Goalie of the Year (2023, Dusseldorfer EG) and the first Latvian to earn that title in Kristers Gudlevskis (2024, Fischtown Penguins).
Unquestionably, Haukeland has come a long way since making his IIHF debut at the World Juniors on 26 December, 2013 in Malmo. He was torched for 10 goals as the Russians hammered Norway 11-0. Tough outings like that underline that you can’t do it all by yourself in hockey.
Norwegian captain Andreas Martinsen put the 2026 bronze medal in perspective: “Our goalie has been great, but our defence has also worked hard to help him.”
From the shot-blocking of D-men like Johannes Johannesen and Stian Solberg to the goal-scoring heroics of tournament leader Noah Steen and 18-year-old phenom Tinus Luc Koblar, it was indeed a team effort. And Haukeland would be the first to acknowledge that.
Norway’s previous best finish was fourth in 1951. So this is a moment for the entire country to savor.
It’s hard to say whether Norway will be able to reach the podium again at upcoming Worlds. The competition grows more intense every year. But thanks in large part to Haukeland, young Norwegian hockey players have a reason to believe that they can fight for medals alongside the world’s best.
Norwegian captain Andreas Martinsen put the 2026 bronze medal in perspective: “Our goalie has been great, but our defence has also worked hard to help him.”
From the shot-blocking of D-men like Johannes Johannesen and Stian Solberg to the goal-scoring heroics of tournament leader Noah Steen and 18-year-old phenom Tinus Luc Koblar, it was indeed a team effort. And Haukeland would be the first to acknowledge that.
Norway’s previous best finish was fourth in 1951. So this is a moment for the entire country to savor.
It’s hard to say whether Norway will be able to reach the podium again at upcoming Worlds. The competition grows more intense every year. But thanks in large part to Haukeland, young Norwegian hockey players have a reason to believe that they can fight for medals alongside the world’s best.