With the 2026 Winter Olympics now just three months out, Canadians across the country are debating who should be named to this year’s men’s hockey team. This will be the first time NHL players have participated in the Winter Olympics since Sochi in 2014 and Canada has no shortage of talent to choose from when constructing its roster.
The decision ultimately belongs to Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong, with the official roster being named in early January and the tournament getting started on February 11. Until then, we’re free to speculate on who’ll wear the maple leaf when the world’s watching.
Canada’s Core Six
The full Olympic roster will consist of 25 players, but Hockey Canada got the ball rolling in June by announcing six players who have already locked up their spot on the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey team. The announcement gives fans their first glimpse into Canada’s lineup and sets the tone for what has the potential to be one of the most talented rosters ever assembled.
The preliminary players named to Team Canada are:
- Sidney Crosby, Forward
- Nathan MacKinnon, Forward
- Connor McDavid, Forward
- Sam Reinhart, Forward
- Brayden Point, Forward
- Cale Makar, Defenceman
Most of these names should come as no surprise, and the list gives you a taste of just how good this team can be. With Crosby, MacKinnon and McDavid, the team already has three of the best centers in hockey. Makar gives Canada an elite name to lead the team’s defensive corps, while the addition of Reinhart and Point shows Hockey Canada’s focus on smart, two-way players who thrive in high-pressure moments.
Filling Out the Final 25
With a 25-man roster, we still have 19 spots left to fill on Team Canada. Traditionally, most Olympic hockey teams consist of 14 forwards, eight defencemen and three goalies. Using that breakdown, we built our own dream roster of NHL players to represent Canada this February.
Forwards
- Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins*
- Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche*
- Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers*
- Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning*
- Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers*
- Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
- Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
- Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
- Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
- Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
- Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
- Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
- *Already named to preliminary roster
The first five names on our list were automatic, as they were all included in Canada’s core six back in June. Crosby’s leadership and experience make him the obvious choice to captain this team. MacKinnon and McDavid bring their game-changing speed to the large Olympic ice, while Point and Reinhart provide strong two-way play and clutch scoring.
This team is loaded with skilled playmakers; Marner’s creativity and puck control should prove useful on the power play, Suzuki brings poise and defensive reliability, while Scheifele provides size and scoring depth, whether down the middle or on the wing.
It wouldn’t be Team Canada without a little grit and toughness. Hard-nosed players like Bennett, Cirelli and Hagel fit the mold perfectly. Bennett brings a physical edge and net-front scoring, Cirelli is a shutdown specialist and Hagel is a versatile player who can move up and down the lineup as needed.
Finally, we have the youth movement, with the next generation of great Canadian forwards. Bedard (20), Jarvis (23) and Celebrini (19) are three of the best young players in the NHL. They bring a ton of energy and offensive firepower, and they’ll also gain some valuable experience for future international competitions.
Defencemen
- Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche*
- Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
- Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
- Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
- Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars
- Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
- Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
- Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
*Already named to preliminary roster
As the sole defenceman already named to the roster, Makar is the undisputed No. 1 on Canada’s back-end. The two-time Norris Trophy winner is an elite skater with excellent vision, and will likely be paired up on the blue line with his real-life Avalanche partner, Devon Toews. Morrissey is a puck-moving defenceman who can help quarterback the power play, while Parayko adds size and physicality to the lineup.
Harley and Sanheim are both mobile defencemen with offensive upside, giving Team Canada more options for coming out of their own end. Theodore and Doughty may be getting up in years, but both bring a ton of experience to the locker room and can help guide the younger players as they get their first taste of Olympic hockey.
Goalies
- Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
- Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights
- Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
After helping Canada win last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, Binnington showed the world that he’s ready to backstop Team Canada at the Olympics. Having already led the Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019, Binnington is nearly unbeatable when he’s on his game.
Adin Hill will take on the backup role for this squad, with the Golden Knights goaltender giving Canada a reliable ‘1B’ option between the pipes. The final goaltending spot goes to Logan Thompson, who wasn’t on the initial list but a strong start to the season has vaulted him into the third-string spot for Team Canada.
The Countdown Is On
There are only two months to go until the official roster is announced and three months until the puck drops on the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics. No other country can match Canada’s talent and depth, but Olympic hockey can be unpredictable and you never know what to expect. Regardless of how this team shapes up, you can be sure it’ll be gold or bust for Team Canada come February.