At a Glance
- Canada unveils a 25-player Olympic hockey roster featuring NHL stars
- Stars include Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar
- NHL players will compete for the first time since 2014
- Why it matters: It marks a historic return of NHL talent to the Games and sets the stage for a gold-medal push
Canada announced its 25-man men’s ice hockey roster for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, packing the lineup with some of the NHL’s biggest names. The squad, led by Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar, also includes veterans Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand. The selection signals a strong push for gold as NHL players return to the Olympics after a 12-year absence.
Team Canada Roster
The roster features three goaltenders, ten defensemen, and twelve forwards, drawing talent from every NHL franchise.
- Goaltenders: Jordan Binnington, Darcy Kuemper, Logan Thompson
- Defensemen: Drew Doughty, Thomas Harley, Cale Makar, Josh Morrissey, Colton Parayko, Travis Sanheim, Shea Theodore, Devon Toews
- Forwards: Macklin Celebrini, Anthony Cirelli, Sidney Crosby, Brandon Hagel, Bo Horvat, Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, Mitch Marner, Connor McDavid, Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart, Mark Stone, Nick Suzuki, Tom Wilson
Doug Armstrong stated:
> “We are excited to unveil the 25 athletes who have earned the opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf at the 2026 Olympics, as we believe we have assembled a highly skilled and deep roster that can compete for a gold medal as part of Team Canada in Italy,”
Doug Armstrong added:
> “It was a long and difficult process to finalize our roster, and I am proud of the tireless effort our management group has put in to select our team.”
Olympic Context
The Games will run from Feb. 12-22 and will see NHL players compete for the first time since 2014, when Canada won gold over Sweden. Canada’s roster also includes 19 players who competed in the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year, a best-on-best tournament that ended with a 3-2 overtime win over the United States.
| Position | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Goaltenders | 3 | Binnington, Kuemper, Thompson |
| Defensemen | 10 | Doughty, Harley, Makar, Morrissey, Parayko, Sanheim, Theodore, Toews |
| Forwards | 12 | Celebrini, Cirelli, Crosby, Hagel, Horvat, MacKinnon, Marchand, Marner, McDavid, Point, Reinhart, Stone, Suzuki, Wilson |
Key Takeaways
- Canada’s 25-player roster features NHL stars McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, and Makar.
- NHL players return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
- The roster includes 19 players from the 4 Nations Face-Off, underscoring depth and experience.
The announcement positions Canada as a formidable contender for Olympic gold.
