The Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame is celebrating the 2026 Winter olympics by showcasing Olympians who were born or raised in town.
The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are currently underway, and former Fort Frances resident Anders Johnson will be representing Canada in several speed skating events over the course of the games, and finished 22nd overall in his first race. The Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame issued a press release to recognize Johnson, noting he is the eighth person they are aware of who was born or lived in Fort Frances, noting that combined they have won three gold and four silver medals in Winter Games play. Each of these Olympians serve to inspire young athletes, the Sports Hall said, helping to show that success on the world stage is possible, even if you are from a small town.
Johnny Coward
Born in Ambleside, England, Coward’s family emigrated to Fort Frances where he learned to play ice hockey in the 1920’s. While he lived most of his life in Fort Frances, he returned to England in to play for the Great Britain national ice hockey team which won the gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics. He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame.
Ed “Dun” Sampson
Born in Fort Frances, Sampson was a key member of the 52 Canadians that won the Allan Cup. Sampson and his teammates with the 52 Canadians were inducted into both the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame. Sampson played for the United States national team, winning a silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Art Berglund
Berglund grew up and played hockey in Fort Frances. He became a coach and administrator in the U.S. In 1976 and 1988, he was the general manager of the U.S. Olympic ice hockey team. He is a member of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame.
Keith “Huffer” Christiansen
Christiansen developed his love for hockey in Fort Frances where he was born. Huffer was a member of the United States’ 1972 Winter Olympics team that won the silver medal. He is a member of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame.
Tim Sheehy
Born in Fort Frances, Sheehy played hockey at Falls High School before playing at Boston College. Sheehy, who has dual citizenship, was also a member of the United States’ 1972 Winter Olympics team that won the silver medal.
Chris Lindburg
Chris learned the game of hockey growing up in Fort Frances during the 70’s and 80’s. He was a member of the 1992 silver medal winning Canadian Men’s Olympics Hockey team. He scored Canada’s only goal in the final game. He is a member of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame.
Duncan Keith
Keith played minor hockey in Fort Frances in 1980’s. When Keith won the second Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, he brought the cup back to Fort Frances to celebrate with friends, family, and locals in the town where he learned to skate.
He won two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada at the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Winter Games. A standout defenseman, he was a key part of Canada’s defensive core in both tournaments, contributing eight points over 13 games while maintaining a +12 plus-minus rating. Keith was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025 and is now eligible to be nominated for induction into the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame.
Anders Johnson
Fort Frances native Anders Johnson will compete in his first Olympics at the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy, following in the footsteps of his late grandfather, Danny Johnson. Anders qualified for the 500 and 1,000 metre long track speedskating events, starting Tuesday, February 10.
– with files from the Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame
