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Team Canada Announces 2026 Olympic Roster

Canada will send big names to the Olympic games next winter.

Max Mezo

May 1, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) controls the puck in the second period against the Dallas Stars in game six of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
May 1, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) controls the puck in the second period against the Dallas Stars in game six of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

For the first time since 2014, the world's best hockey players will reunite on the Olympic stage and Team Canada is once again at the forefront of the gold medal conversation. Heading into the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Canada holds the No.1 spot in the IIHF men's world rankings as a global hockey powerhouse. 

Although Canada has a rich Olympic history, including a record 16 total Olympic medals, nine of them gold, they haven't stood on a podium since the 2018 games in PyeongChang, per IIHF.com. The country likely discounts those medals due to the absence of NHL talent in 2018 and 2022, which left tournaments feeling incomplete for many. The last time there was a true best-on-best was in 2014, where Canada defended their gold medal after winning the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver, capped off by Sidney Crosby's golden goal against the United States.

Coming off their win at the 4 Nations tournament, Canada will look to continue their world dominance. The IIHF released the Groups where Canada will be in Group A with Czechia (rank#4), Switzerland (rank#5), and France (#14). Canada released their roster of six players today. Among the names are Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, his east-coast neighbor Nathan MacKinnon, Mackinnon's Colorado Avalanche teammate Cale Makar, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point, Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid and Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart.

All these players played on the 4 Nations squad that won the tournament, and they will look to continue that success in Italy next winter. 

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Max Mezo
MAX MEZO

Max is a contributor for Break Away On SI. He has previously written for The Charlatan, The Hockey News, Editor in Leaf, and Capital Current, where he has covered topics mostly surrounding the NHL and has been writing about the NHL since 2022. Max is double majoring at Carleton University in Journalism & Media Communications. He is a die-hard North American sports fan, following the NHL, NFL, MLB, and NBA.

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