Canada Olympic hockey roster projections: Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini headline best team for 2026 Winter Games

No one has won more Olympic gold medals than Canada — and the country is looking to continue that trend in 2026. 

For the first time in over 10 years, the NHL is heading back to the Olympics. The best players on ice will finally get to compete for their country again after missing out on the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics. 

Canada enters the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games on the heels of winning gold at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. That tournament in February gave hockey fans the first international best-on-best competition since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, with the Canadians besting rival USA in the championship game. 

A number of the top stars in the NHL, such as Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby, are sure to be in Italy for Canada. But who else will join them?

With the rosters set to be finalized by Dec. 31, here are the latest projections for Canada's Olympic hockey team. 

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Canada Olympic hockey roster projections for 2026

Forwards

Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Brayden Point and Sam Reinhart are all locks, as the five previously were announced as members of the team. Mitch Marner, who was one of Canada's best players at the 4 Nations, undoubtedly will be in Milano-Cortina in Canada's top-six again.

Brandon Hagel and Brad Marchand should be back for the maple leaf as well. Both were excellent bottom-six options for Canada head coach Jon Cooper at the last tournament, both bringing a mix of snarl, penalty killing ability and offensive skill to contribute at both ends of the ice.

Macklin Celebrini, to me, is the only other lock. The budding Sharks superstar has already shown signs of being the next two-way sensation, and what better way to showcase his ability than by playing on a team with his idol, Crosby. 

The remaining five spots are all up for question marks for me. Mark Stone was solid for Canada at 4 Nations Faceoff, but he suffered another injury this year, and his game is slowing down. Despite that, I think his defensive ability and chemistry he displayed with McDavid will get him back on the roster. 

Another name I expect to be back is Seth Jarvis, who had an up-and-down 4 Nations Face-Off. Still, he's another talented two-way winger who likely will fill a role in the bottom-six for Cooper. 

The rest are new faces to the team. For the final three spots, I have Nick Suzuki, Tom Wilson and Connor Bedard — and all three bring different styles/roles to the team. 

Wilson is essentially Canada's replacement for Sam Bennett. He's a heavybody who has a knack for scoring and pissing off opponents. He'd undoubtedly get under the skin of Canada's opponents. Nick Suzuki is the Anthony Cirelli replacement. While he may not be as strong defensively and in the faceoff dot as Cirelli, his play at both ends of the ice should make him a strong option to play as the fourth-line center. 

Finally, yes, I do have Connor Bedard making the roster. Before his shoulder injury, he was lighting it up this year, making an incredibly strong case to make the Olympic roster. I don't think the injury should take him out of the running. Yes, the defensive issues are a concern, but he has thrived on the international stage before. I give Bedard the edge over others like Wyatt Johnston, Mark Scheifele and Bo Horvat. 

Just missed:  Bo Horvat (NYI), Wyatt Johnston (DAL), Zach Hyman (EDM), Mark Scheifele (WPG), John Tavares (TOR)

MORE: Projecting USA's Olympic hockey roster in 2026

Defense

On the blue line, the first pairing is set. The Cale Makar-Devon Toews duo has been the most consistently lethal pairing over the last four years in the NHL. That's chemistry you don't break up, and it makes for an easy decision for Cooper. 

A wrist injury suffered in the first game caused Shea Theodore to miss the rest of the 4 Nations Face-off, but he'll undoubtedly be back as a top-four option. The slick Josh Morrissey should also be rejoining the team, likely as a third pair and second power play option. 

Neither Colton Parayko nor Travis Sanheim wowed at the 4 Nations face-off, but Hockey Canada loves its big, sturdy defensemen. The 6-foot-6 Blues member and the 6-4 Flyers blue liner play the kind of defensive game needed at the tournament. They're not sexy picks, but they're ones that help a team win gold. 

For the eighth spot, here's is my hot take — Jakob Chychrun. While others like Evan Bouchard, Drew Doughty and even rookie star Matthew Schaefer have been mentioned, you can't ignore the argument the Capitals defenseman has to make the team.

Since joining the Capitals in the summer of 2024, he's flourished into the two-way, impact defenseman he was touted to be. His 15 goals lead all NHL defensemen this season, and he's one of only two Canadians in that category with double-digits (Makar is the other with 11). He's much more sound defensively than Bouchard, and Chychrun brings more offense than Doughty or Schaefer. 

Bouchard's high-end offensive ability makes him seem like a no-brainer pick, but his history of gaudy defensive gaffes is likely enough to keep him off the roster. With Makar and Morrissey running the power play, the Oilers defender isn't needed on special teams. Doughty was pretty reliable as a late add to Canada on the third pairing in February, but I think he finds himself an odd man out this go-around.

While Schaefer is taking the NHL world by storm as a rookie, I think Hockey Canada caps off the number of youngsters on the team and leaves him at home. While it would be an amazing story for the Islanders sensation, I think Canada is better off going with someone with more experience than the 18-year-old. 

Just missed: Evan Bouchard (EDM), Drew Doughty (LAK), Matthew Schaefer (NYI)

Goalies

When it comes to the Canadian crease, the breakdown is like this — there is one easy selection, there is one obvious name, and then there is a massive question mark. 

The easy one is Logan Thompson. The Capitals netminder was a massive story last year when he was snubbed at the 4 Nations Face-Off, as many believed he deserved a spot. After a strong first season in Washington, he's having an even better campaign this year, rising as an early Vezina candidate. Canada overthought it once — they shouldn't make the same mistake again. 

The obvious one is Jordan Binnington. Is the Blues goaltender having an Olympic-worthy season? Not in the slightest. But he won Canada a 4 Nations title with a sensational championship performance for the country. With so few options, he'll be back again. 

And now the third and final spot. It's been a hot topic over the last year in Canada, as there are multiple candidates for the opening. Darcy Kuemper, who finished second last year in Vezina voting, is having another strong campaign with the Kings. Both MacKenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood are thriving in Colorado, displaying top-three save percentages and goals against averages in the league. 

I'm going with Kuemper because of his Stanley Cup playoff pedigree, having won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche. Wedgewood is a career backup goaltender, and Blackwood has seven games of playoff experience under his belt. However, there is no "right" answer among the group. 

Just missed: MacKenzie Blackwood (COL), Scott Wedgewood (COL), Jet Greaves (CBJ)