Olympics: Team Canada 2026

[Hodge]

Canada should lean into their biggest advantage over everyone else which is speed. Leave Stone, Reinhart and Marchand at home. Find spots for Celebrini, Wilson, Guenther and Fantilli. Not every single player on the team needs to be a vet with a ring.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Reinhart has been a stud the last few years and has definitely showed up in this tournament.

 

[ORRFForever]

Reinhart has been a stud the last few years and has definitely showed up in this tournament.

You think so? I thought he was a "no show".

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

Its okay to include Marner if he can create chemistry with folks, he is fairly one dimensional to be honest, he does not seem to play to his strength which is playmaking, perhaps it is not building chemistry quick enough...it is very possible that he makes the club over someone else.

How is he one-dimensional? What dimension is that? He’s an elite scorer and an elite PKer.

 

[TheSuperElite]

How is he one-dimensional? What dimension is that? He’s an elite scorer and an elite PKer.

holy shit, an elite PKer???

 

[Fraser28]

Canada should lean into their biggest advantage over everyone else which is speed. Leave Stone, Reinhart and Marchand at home. Find spots for Celebrini, Wilson, Guenther and Fantilli. Not every single player on the team needs to be a vet with a ring.

Why would they leave Reinhart at home? He has been solid at this tournament. Especially today’s game.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

How is he one-dimensional? What dimension is that? He’s an elite scorer and an elite PKer.

...because his only dimension is the Regular Season...

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

...because his only dimension is the Regular Season...

50 points in 57 postseason games while providing elite PKing seems pretty good. Most every players’ PPG drop a skosh from the regular to the playoffs with a decent sample size.

 

[snag]

This calls for some Billy Stemhovilichski

​

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

50 points in 57 postseason games while providing elite PKing seems pretty good. Most every players’ PPG drop a skosh from the regular to the playoffs with a decent sample size.

...yup, those second assists when the game is already over and the Leafs have started packing come in real handy...

 

[Nucks2001]

Really interested to see what the backend looks like.

I think Parayko has made enough of a case to return in 2026. I doubt Doughty gets the call for the Olympics, he's been OKAY. Terrible at times. You can clearly tell that he's lost a step.

Makar, Toews, and Morrissey are the obvious locks.

Harley was a bright spot in the US game. With Power, Bouchard, Byram and Clarke also knocking on the door, I think Pietro finds himself on the outside looking in. They may still take him for a veteran presence, but there's too much puck-moving ability that Canada left off for 4-Nations, and they're only going to improve defensively a year from now.

Then there's MacKenzie Weegar, who I wholeheartedly believe should be in Boston on Thursday. He may get a sympathy pick for 2026, which doesn't feel right as he's a tremendous player in his own right.

Shea Theodore looked great in however many minutes he played. I would love to see him again.

MY PICKS for 2026:

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Parayko
Theodore-Weegar
Power-Bouchard

Power or Harley could easily switch. I believe Power has the higher ceiling and hence why he's there. I don't think Canada skips over Evan Bouchard again.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Really interested to see what the backend looks like.

I think Parayko has made enough of a case to return in 2026. I doubt Doughty gets the call for the Olympics, he's been OKAY. Terrible at times. You can clearly tell that he's lost a step.

Makar, Toews, and Morrissey are the obvious locks.

Harley was a bright spot in the US game. With Power, Bouchard, Byram and Clarke also knocking on the door, I think Pietro finds himself on the outside looking in. They may still take him for a veteran presence, but there's too much puck-moving ability that Canada left off for 4-Nations, and they're only going to improve defensively a year from now.

Then there's MacKenzie Weegar, who I wholeheartedly believe should be in Boston on Thursday. He may get a sympathy pick for 2026, which doesn't feel right as he's a tremendous player in his own right.

Shea Theodore looked great in however many minutes he played. I would love to see him again.

MY PICKS for 2026:

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Parayko
Theodore-Weegar
Power-Bouchard

Power or Harley could easily switch. I believe Power has the higher ceiling and hence why he's there. I don't think Canada skips over Evan Bouchard again.

...I think Parako has been worse than Doughty, who's just old & slow and coming back from a masssive injury...he's BIG...that's it...

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

...I think Parako has been worse than Doughty, who's just old & slow and coming back from a masssive injury...he's BIG...that's it...

Parayko has been very solid.

 

[Nucks2001]

My Forwards:

Point-McDavid-Stone
Crosby-MacKinnon-Reinhart
Konecny-Thomas-Jarvis
Hagel-Johnston-Marner
Bedard-Scheifele

The obvious locks in the top 6: McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Point, Reinhart.

I could see Stone getting replaced, but defensively, he's looked great at 4-Nations and you need someone like him in your line-up. He hasn't slowed down offensively and I don't see a reason as to why you would leave him off unless there's a crystal, clear replacement.

Bottom 6:

I'd be surprised if Konecny doesn't make it. Great hustle at 4-nations and has been a key part of countless scoring oppurtunities. He's shown that he's the Marchand replacement for the foreseeable future.

Robert Thomas is a player that not a lot of people are talking about and I think they should be. Armstrong admitted that Thomas was a "probable" to make 4-Nations if it were not for injury. He was on most of their mock rosters in the summer and to start the season. Army highlighted his ability to win FO, play the wing and PK. He even told Thomas that next year's team is the "one that you want to make." One lesson that I think Hockey Canada will learn from 4-Nations is to take versatile 1st-line stars such as Thomas over someone like a Cirelli.

Jarvis has not given a reason as to why he would be left off for the Olympics. He and Konecny create a "spark plug line". There's a reason management picked him for 4-Nations and they likely do it again.

Wyatt Johnston. He was a player that was on management's radar according to Sweeney, but due to a poor start was ultimately left off. Going back to my earlier point, I think they take Johnston over someone like a Cirelli, Lowry or Bennett. This team would already have Stone, Hagel, Reinhart, Jarvis and Thomas that you don't really need a Cirelli.

Management loves Marner too much. He's going to be on this team. I do think the coaching will have him play a bottom-6 role.

Bedard will likely be there because he's Bedard.

Scheifele is a sympathy pick, but well-deserved.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Parayko has been very solid.

...and I disagree...

 

[TheBeastCoast]

holy shit, an elite PKer???

.....he is?

 

[Mathieukferland]

Not a mock lineup, but this is a long list of players I would be watching in view to next year (lists aren’t in order)

2026

Locks

Crosby
McDavid
MacKinnon
Point
Reinhart

Makar
Toews
Morrissey
Theodore

Thompson

High probability

Marner
Celebrini
Scheifele
Bennett
Johnston
Konecny
Jarvis
Hagel
Cirelli
Thomas

Harley
Pietrangelo
Chychrn
Dobson
Bouchard
Weegar

Hill
Blackwood

Outside chance

Nugent Hopkins
Kadri
Barzal
Hyman
Wilson
Vilardi
Duchene
Horvat
Stone
McCann
Suzuki
Marchand
McMichael
Strome
Kyrou

Chabot
Hamilton
Doughty
Dunn
Montour
Parayko
Reilly
Matheson
Sanheim

Binnington
Talbot
Kuemper
D’accord
Montembault

Can put themselves in the conversation

Byfield
Zary
Wright
Guenther
Stankoven
Cullye
Misa
Bédard
Johnson
Fantilli
McTavish

Clarke
Guhle
Byram
Zellweger
Power
Korczak
Schaefer
Lamoureux

Hofer
Cossa
Levi

Highly unlikely

Séguin
Tavares
Verhaeghe
McMann
Perfetti
Benn
Lowry
Batherson
DeBrusk
Lafrenière
Marchessault
Toffoli
Evans
O’Reilly
Mercer
Eberle
Stamkos
Danault

Walman
Spurgeon
Ekblad
Ferraro
Oleksiak
Letang

Ingram
Wedgewood
Jarry

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Dump the puck in the corner against US. Sweden & Finland showed the blueprint, the US team collapses in front of the net Torts style and loses battles in the corner.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

I think there are 8 locks at the forward position at the 4 Nations right now that should make it back at the Olympics in 2026:

McDavid
MacKinnon
Crosby
Marner
Reinhart
Stone
Point
Hagel

Unless one of these guys get injured or start a massive downfall, I believe they will all be apart of the Olympic team. So there will be 4 spots left with a few others for subs between the likes of:

Bedard
Celebrini
Schiefele
Suzuki
Thomas
Wilson
Jarvis
Johnston
Marchand
Cirelli
Konecny
Bennett
Vilardi
Strome

It’s obviously hard to predict how all of those players will fare at the end of this season-start of next season, but this is how I would go:

Point - McDavid - Stone
MacKinnon - Crosby - Reinhart
Hagel - Schiefele - Marner
Bedard - Suzuki - Thomas
(Celebrini, Johnston)

Loads of offensive talent on this squad and you have players like Reinhart, Marner, Stone, Hagel, Point, Suzuki that can all play major roles on the PK.

 

[RooBicks]

Dump the puck in the corner against US. Sweden & Finland showed the blueprint, the US team collapses in front of the net Torts style and loses battles in the corner.

Yes, it was immediately obvious that they are EXTREMELY passive in their own end. As much as everyone wants to make it about the skill levels, the story of the tournament will be how well Canada adapts to the US systems. Canada has a layer of talent with a gear that the US can't match outside of Quinn Hughes (joining them now it sounds like), the magnitude of which surprised me a bit but has been evident throughout. In best on best, Matthews/Tkachuks/L. Hughes/etc. are not on the level of a McDavid, Mackinnon, Makar, or arguably even Crosby (STILL!). Whether they can adapt to the systems the US is deploying to counter it is where the action will be at in the final.

 

[NyQuil]

I believe Power has the higher ceiling and hence why he's there. I don't think Canada skips over Evan Bouchard again.

Power still has a long way to go to make a best-on-best Team Canada.

I'm leaning towards moving away from the veterans who don't have that blazing speed anymore, and that includes Marchand and Stone.

 

[Nucks2001]

I think there are 8 locks at the forward position at the 4 Nations right now that should make it back at the Olympics in 2026:

McDavid
MacKinnon
Crosby
Marner
Reinhart
Stone
Point
Hagel

Unless one of these guys get injured or start a massive downfall, I believe they will all be apart of the Olympic team. So there will be 4 spots left with a few others for subs between the likes of:

Bedard
Celebrini
Schiefele
Suzuki
Thomas
Wilson
Jarvis
Johnston
Marchand
Cirelli
Konecny
Bennett
Vilardi
Strome

It’s obviously hard to predict how all of those players will fare at the end of this season-start of next season, but this is how I would go:

Point - McDavid - Stone
MacKinnon - Crosby - Reinhart
Hagel - Schiefele - Marner
Bedard - Suzuki - Thomas
(Celebrini, Johnston)

Loads of offensive talent on this squad and you have players like Reinhart, Marner, Stone, Hagel, Point, Suzuki that can all play major roles on the PK.

All your picks are very good. I doubt management takes Suzuki. I just don’t see a lot in him and it seems like management has soured on him.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

All your picks are very good. I doubt management takes Suzuki. I just don’t see a lot in him and it seems like management has soured on him.

Him having any shot probably starts with him showing up and performing at Worlds in the spring this year.

 

[Nucks2001]

Him having any shot probably starts with him showing up and performing at Worlds in the spring this year.

Even then, are you taking him over Scheifele, Thomas, Johnston? Bedard and Celebrini are in the mix, Cirelli may make it again, Jarvis has impressed many at 4-Nations.

I don’t think Suzuki has a chance at all unless he hits well over the 90-point mark this season or is on track for it next season even if he has an impressive worlds

 

[wetcoast]

Canada should lean into their biggest advantage over everyone else which is speed. Leave Stone, Reinhart and Marchand at home. Find spots for Celebrini, Wilson, Guenther and Fantilli. Not every single player on the team needs to be a vet with a ring.

I have no problem leaving Marchand and even Stone off the 2026 team but Reinhart deserves to be there even if he isn't the most fleet of foot out there.