Olympics: Team Canada 2026

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I don’t foresee a lot of dramatic changes for Canada in the Olympics, really. If more than 2 or 3 people change, I would be shocked.

Of the guys that played in every game, I think Marchand might be one on the bubble. Veteran savvy and experience are important, but he looked behind the play a lot. Maybe a bubble guy like Konecny might come off too - potential guys to sub in for them probably start with Scheifle and Suzuki.

I see the defense staying largely the same. Where I see potential change is in net. Binnington is a lock to come back based on this tournament, but the rest of the goaltending for Canada is very subjective and depends on who gets hot at the right time. Thompson and Blackwood should be in the conversation, but will Thompson get a fair shake?

It’ll be interesting to watch. I do think, barring quantum leaps forward, that it just won’t be time for Bedard or Celebrini yet.

 

[MarkWheeler]

Call me crazy, but a guy I thought could have done well for Canada is Gabe Vilardi. 24 goals, 51 points so far this season and has some terrific hands in tight around the net.

 

[jaric1862]

Canada's forward depth is overloaded with right-handed shooters who tend to stick to their natural side, and a noticeable shortage of elite left wingers. If players like Guenther or Hyman emerge with strong performances over the next year, I'd like to think their flexibility would give them the competitive edge with all else being equal.

 

[jaric1862]

With Point moving up to McDavid's wing, there is a big void at 3c heading into the olympics. I have my eye on Thomas and Suzuki over the coming year, and I expect Johnston will have a role on the team in some capacity.

 

[centipede2233]

After a decade of disappointing drafts, the pipeline is still looking *chef’s kiss* and it’s time to phase in the next wave! That begins with Bedard and Celebrini getting the chance to see what they can do with the big boys next year, over Marchand and Stone, while Cirelli drops out in favour of whichever of our established elite centres (Scheifele, Suzuki, Thomas, or perhaps a Fantilli who is seriously turning the corner) deserves it most next season. Meanwhile, an excellent bonus to this tournament was Harley finally beginning to get recognition as a truly elite two-way defenseman who is here to stay on our top squad.

I’ll drop this full projection in here:

2026 Olympics

Point - McDavid - Marner
Crosby - MacKinnon - Bedard
Celebrini - Scheifele - Reinhart
Hagel - Bennett - Jarvis
Thomas/Suzuki/Konecny/Fantilli

Morrissey - Makar
Theodore - Pietrangelo
Harley - Doughty
Weegar/Parayko/Sanheim/Byram

Thompson
Binnington
Blackwood

2028 World Cup

Celebrini - McDavid - Marner
Point - MacKinnon - Bedard
Crosby - Fantilli - Johnson
Hagel - Johnston - Jarvis
Guenther/Laf/MacTavish/Wright

Morrissey - Makar
Harley - Dobson
Power - Schaefer
Guhle/Dickinson/Parekh/Clarke

Thompson
Binnington
Blackwood

2030 Olympics

McKenna - MacKinnon - Bedard
Celebrini - McDavid - Sennecke
Misa - Fantilli - Johnson
Point - Johnston - Guenther
Byfield/Lindstrom/Catton/Martone

Schaefer - Makar
Dickinson - Dupont
Harley - Yakemchuk
Parekh/Mateychuk/Verhoeff/Power

Cossa
Ravensberger or some other goalie prospect already on the map
some other goalie who unexpectedly becomes elite due to goalie voodoo

2 things on your 2026 team, d.toews barring injury will be on the team. Also, as much as thompson should be selected if he’s doing well, politics won’t have him on the team

 

[Mathieukferland]

I forget whether this has been figured out or not....is Makar eligible for the Olympics as of today or is Hockey Canada still blanket banning players from that team as of this moment?

Makar passed some sort of verification that allowed him to play, and it was pretty clear he wasn’t involved because the initial lawsuit was against 8 CHL players. As for Thomas and Kyrou, I’m not sure

 

[ORRFForever]

Call me crazy, but a guy I thought could have done well for Canada is Gabe Vilardi. 24 goals, 51 points so far this season and has some terrific hands in tight around the net.

Yup.

IIRC @Mathieukferland mentioned Vilardi recently. He's a big boy entering his prime. He's almost PPG playing only 18 minutes a night.

Definitely a name to watch.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Makar was better than expected. He's the ultimate complementary defender with his skating to join the rush. The stats don't lie he's putrid when MacGinnon isn't out on the ice with him for the Aves. But in a best on best tournament Canada will always have top level forwards for Makar to play off of.

As much as Bouchard is better in an NHL and historical context, Makar makes more sense as the #1D for Canada in these type of tournaments where there is so much talent on each line that a defense who pushes the play up ice like Makar.

 

[jabubenice]

Makar was better than expected. He's the ultimate complementary defender with his skating to join the rush. The stats don't lie he's putrid when MacGinnon isn't out on the ice with him for the Aves. But in a best on best tournament Canada will always have top level forwards for Makar to play off of.

As much as Bouchard is better in an NHL and historical context, Makar makes more sense as the #1D for Canada in these type of tournaments where there is so much talent on each line that a defense who pushes the play up ice like Makar.

So Makar is a product of Mackinnion, is what you are saying?? I mean, seriously wtf!!

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Makar was better than expected. He's the ultimate complementary defender with his skating to join the rush. The stats don't lie he's putrid when MacGinnon isn't out on the ice with him for the Aves. But in a best on best tournament Canada will always have top level forwards for Makar to play off of.

As much as Bouchard is better in an NHL and historical context, Makar makes more sense as the #1D for Canada in these type of tournaments where there is so much talent on each line that a defense who pushes the play up ice like Makar.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I dont think it will be much changes from the 4 nations roster. Maybe Bedard and Celebrini in and thats it.

 

[Half Clapper]

I will think a bit longer after the four nations but I have some initial thoughts heading into the countdown to the 2026 season.

I think that most of the players on the four nations team helped their chances, especially guys who showed a clear role. Bennett was very good in his role and I like his Olympic chances much, much more than I did a month ago. Marner as a strong defensive player who can function as a playmaker on the lower lines is very good, just keep him in that role and throw him out once in a while with the top lines to shake things up if necessary. They found his role. Doughty showed better than pretty much anyone expected and while he shouldn't be a lock for this team, you can now at least picture how he may play.

The two skaters who I think clearly indicated they should not be there are Cirelli and Marchand. Marchand physically can't get where he needs to be anymore and Cirelli just isn't good enough to be one of Canada's centres at this level.

Canada taking two defensive lines was a mistake. Yes the team won, but it was in spite of that tactical choice. To me it is clear that Bennet should centre the fourth line. Someone like Thomas should centre the other line to provide another scoring threat with competent defence. Cirelli's line was not a threat and was not strong enough defensively to make up for that.

Canada needs better offence from the point. The defencemen generally defended well, but when Makar wasn't out there the team was much less threatening once settled in the zone. Morrissey is excellent and clearly Canada's number two defenceman but Theodore would be huge because of how he plays. I am not a Bouchard fan but they will need to pay attention to how he is playing early next year.

Stylistically Canada could use more physicality and size. The problem is that Canada rarely produces these players anymore. I don't know what the solution is. There will inevitably be a line with IIHF discipline, even with NHL referees there, so I'm wary of Wilson.

Things were so tight at the four nations event that elite talent ended up being massive in terms of generating offence and capitalizing on chances. So much of Canada's offence came directly from MacKinnon and McDavid. I really think that Canada needs to give every chance to guys like Bedard and Celebrini to make the team next year. You can't force them if they aren't ready, but if they take a leap next year Canada needs to be in position to take advantage in February.

Credit to Binnington for his championship game performance but Canada still has lots of questions in net. How the rest of this season plays out and how goaltenders are playing at the beginning of next year should be the main focus.

That's it for now. I am very hopeful that Canada has a big summer camp with plenty of players invited.

Bedard and Celibrini aren't good enough yet

 

[daver]

The 2014 strategy was puck possession from the get go; not wasting a game or two to try to find chemistry amongst the star forwards. The result was the most dominant Olympic gold winner since the NHL joined in '98.

Now playing on NHL ice may change that line of thinking.

 

[FriarChill]

I am a big fan of Bedard but he isnt there yet. I think he'll be on the team in 2028 but not next year. I think Johnston or Guenther are much more likely to be a part of Team Canada in Milano.

 

[JackSlater]

Bedard and Celibrini aren't good enough yet

This is about February 2026. Let's see where they are in winter next year.

 

[JackSlater]

I’ve said it before, but the only reason we’re riding a razor thin margin over the US right now is we have next to no help from the 2016-2021 drafts so far (unlike other nations) despite truly dominating the first round, due in large part to a horrific mix of injuries, poor development paths, and simple busts. Not even taking into consideration the near-statistical impossibility that nobody taken later in the drafts have broken into the league’s elite, and looking to top~15 selections alone:

Dubois - disappointing
Jost - bust
McLeod - disappointing + criminal
Bean - near-bust
Chychrun - injuries + disappointing
Patrick - devastating injuries
Glass - injuries and mis-development
Rasmussen - near-bust
Tippett - meh
Vilardi - severe injuries held him back
Foote - disappointing + criminal
Hayton - severely disappointing
Bouchard - game hasn’t evolved enough
Dellandrea - bust
Smith - bust
Dach - severe injuries held him back
Cozens -disappointing
Newhook - disappointing
Krebs - near-bust
Lafreniere - shocking mis-development
Byfield - injuries + mis-development
Drysdale - constant severe injuries
Quinn - constant severe injuries
Perfetti - meh, hopefully turning a corner
Guhle - constant severe injuries
Power - frustrating, refuses to play angry

It is truly baffling stuff. No goalie help either. Guys like Wright and McTavish being denied proper opportunities despite turning it on.

The good thing is that these guys are still young, and there’s always a few who suddenly figure it out and join the league’s elite later in their careers. I would love if luck could finally turn our way here, and one or two really break out next year.

Yes it has been a mostly fallow period. There will be some development though. You'd love for a few key players to have hit. Dubois playing to his potential for example would give Canada a big, skilled, physical wing option, but that is not happening.

He didn't move to Calgary until he was 12
He then joined joined USNTDP at 16

The Canadian ties are there for sure, but certainly seems he feels like more of an American!

My understanding is that Geoff Sanderson moved back to Calgary in summer 2012 and was coaching in Calgary shortly after, so just after Sanderson turned 10. Remains a moot point though.

 

[syz]

The D will be interesting. I thought Parayko, Sanheim, and Toews struggled at 4 Nations. Morrissey too, at times. Doughty's getting up there.

Harley showed he should have been picked to begin with. Theodore will be there again. We'll see what TC thinks of Pietrangelo staying home for this one but him being called again wouldn't surprise me.