HIGHLIGHTS
- Hockey Canada invited 42 NHL players to Olympic orientation camp in Calgary
- Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby among six pre-named players already locked in
- Read below for complete Canada Olympic roster breakdown
Hockey Canada unveiled its 42-player men’s roster Thursday for the Olympic Orientation Camp in Calgary.
The August 26-28 camp marks Canada’s first real step toward the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. After missing out on NHL participation in 2018 and 2022, the pressure’s on to deliver gold.
Six Stars Already Named
Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brayden Point, and Sam Reinhart already punched their tickets as pre-named players back in June. No surprises there.
Jon Cooper takes over behind the bench with St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong calling the shots. They’ve got Lightning GM Julien BriseBois, Stars GM Jim Nill, and Bruins GM Don Sweeney as assistant GMs. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas serves as director of player personnel.
Camp Invitees Include Eight No. 1 Draft Picks
Eight guys on this camp roster went first overall: Macklin Celebrini (2024), Connor Bedard (2023), Connor McDavid (2015), Aaron Ekblad (2014), Nathan MacKinnon (2013), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), John Tavares (2009), and Sidney Crosby (2005).
The Florida Panthers are well represented. Five members of their back-to-back Stanley Cup teams are here: Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Carter Verhaeghe.
Complete Canada Olympic Camp Roster
Forwards (26)
| Player | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Connor Bedard | Chicago Blackhawks | |
| Sam Bennett | Florida Panthers | |
| Quinton Byfield | Los Angeles Kings | |
| Macklin Celebrini | San Jose Sharks | |
| Anthony Cirelli | Tampa Bay Lightning | |
| Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | Pre-named |
| Brandon Hagel | Tampa Bay Lightning | |
| Bo Horvat | New York Islanders | |
| Zach Hyman | Edmonton Oilers | |
| Seth Jarvis | Carolina Hurricanes | |
| Wyatt Johnston | Dallas Stars | |
| Travis Konecny | Philadelphia Flyers | |
| Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche | Pre-named |
| Brad Marchand | Florida Panthers | |
| Mitch Marner | Toronto Maple Leafs | |
| Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | Pre-named |
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | Edmonton Oilers | |
| Brayden Point | Tampa Bay Lightning | Pre-named |
| Sam Reinhart | Florida Panthers | Pre-named |
| Mark Scheifele | Winnipeg Jets | |
| Mark Stone | Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Nick Suzuki | Montreal Canadiens | |
| John Tavares | Toronto Maple Leafs | |
| Robert Thomas | St. Louis Blues | |
| Carter Verhaeghe | Florida Panthers | |
| Tom Wilson | Washington Capitals |
Defensemen (13)
| Player | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Evan Bouchard | Edmonton Oilers | |
| Noah Dobson | New York Islanders | |
| Drew Doughty | Los Angeles Kings | |
| Aaron Ekblad | Florida Panthers | |
| Thomas Harley | Dallas Stars | |
| Cale Makar | Colorado Avalanche | Pre-named |
| Brandon Montour | Seattle Kraken | |
| Josh Morrissey | Winnipeg Jets | |
| Colton Parayko | St. Louis Blues | |
| Travis Sanheim | Philadelphia Flyers | |
| Shea Theodore | Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Devon Toews | Colorado Avalanche | |
| MacKenzie Weegar | Calgary Flames |
Goaltenders (3)
| Player | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Binnington | St. Louis Blues | |
| Adin Hill | Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Sam Montembeault | Montreal Canadiens |
Fresh Faces Make the Cut
Bedard and Celebrini headline the youngsters getting their first taste of Olympic preparation. Both missed the 4 Nations Face-Off but earned their stripes here.
Celebrini likely has the upper hand on his fellow Vancouverite after recently impressing alongside Crosby at the World Championships.
We see this extended roster by Hockey Canada as planning ahead.These young stars could be fixtures for the next decade of Canadian hockey. This Orientation Camp experience could prove to be very valuable, even if most of them don’t make the roster.
John Tavares and Nick Suzuki, meanwhile, get redemption after their 4 Nations snubs. Sometimes the second chance is all you need.
Chemistry Counts
22 players from Canada’s 4 Nations championship team made the invite list. That existing chemistry could pay major dividends come February.
McDavid potted the overtime winner against the United States in the 4 Nations final. Sam Bennett also found the net in that game, while Binnington stopped 31 shots for the win.
The goalie trio stays intact from that tournament win. Binnington, Hill, and Montembeault proved they can get the job done. Having the entire goaltending group locked in shows Canada trusts what they’ve got.
Notable Omissions
Some established NHL players didn’t get invites, including Nazem Kadri of the Flames. He left a reply to the roster on social media with”???”. Competition for spots is brutal, with only 25 final roster spots (22 skaters, 3 goalies).
37-year-old Brad Marchand made the camp, but he might be fighting for his spot when cuts come. Canada’s focus appears to be more on speed and skill rather than veteran leadership.
Former Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf joined the staff as a player relations advisor, bringing another championship perspective to the management team.
The Path Forward
This camp is just the start. Canada’s final 25-man Olympic roster is due by December 31, 2025.
Doug Armstrong says they’ll watch players through the early goings of the regular season before making final calls. A typical Olympic roster consists of 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies.
Sidney Crosby is the lone ranger with Olympic gold experience likely to make this team. That 2014 win in Sochi feels like ages ago now.
Canada’s been waiting 12 years to get NHL players back at the Olympics. The men’s tournament starts with preliminary games February 11, with the gold-medal game scheduled for February 22.
Now it’s time to see if this group can bring the gold back home.
