When Team Canada officially announced their roster for the upcoming 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics on Dec. 31, a lot of NHL fans were surprised to see that Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks did not make the cut.
Six players were previously named to Canada's initial roster over the summer including league legend Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers), and Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning). Cale Maker (Colorado Avalanche) was the only defenseman named in the original six players. Noteworthy players from the following 19 named to the coveted roster included youngster Macklin Celebrini and fellow forwards Mitch Marner and Brad Marchand. Celebrini, only 19, is one of a mere two players on Canada's roster born in the year 2000 or later — the youngest on the roster by nearly five full years.
Bedard is 20 and has 44 points throughout the 2025-26 league season so far after being drafted by Chicago at No. 1 overall back in 2023.
The British Columbia, Canada native was undoubtedly heavily considered for a spot on the roster but was and remains in the midst of returning from a shoulder injury.
Connor Bedard Reveals Status with Team Canada for Upcoming Winter Olympics
Prior to injury, Bedard was producing 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games in his third league season.
Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong said there just wasn't enough room for Bedard on the 25-man roster.
“[Bedard's] name was right there till the last second because we could have named him and then moved forward," Armstrong said according to NYTimes.com. "The reality is there are so many good players, and we just had difficult decisions to make.”
Bedard's most recent game-appearance was on Dec. 12 at the St. Louis Blues, in which he recorded two assists. The center is currently taking an approach centered around a positive mentality in regards to his rehab.
However, Bedard has revealed he is on standby as a potential injury replacement.
"There's disappointment for sure," Bedard said. "Everyone in Canada would want to be on that team or any country that's going, but there's so many great players. They've got tough decisions to make so obviously you respect that. It's a great team, you can't really be mad at the roster they picked. There's no hard feelings for me."
Connor Bedard on being left off Team Canada's Olympic initial roster: "There's disappointment for sure. Everyone in Canada would want to be on that team or any country that's going, but there's so many great players. They've got tough decisions to make so obviously you respect…
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 6, 2026
These comments from Bedard were made on Jan. 6 after partially participating in his first practice since the previously referenced shoulder injury and were his first made publicly since being excluded from the roster.
Bedard also said he is utilizing the current status of the Team Canada roster as fuel to improve his game.
“I think the positive I’ve taken out of this is I get to look at my game and, ‘Where can I improve?’ When you don’t meet an expectation or meet one of your goals, I think the only thing to do is look in the mirror and see where you can get better. That’s an exciting opportunity for me," Bedard also said.
The former first-rounder — standing at 5'10", weighing 190 pounds — also said he's looking to get back on the ice for the Blackhawks as quick as he can.
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