Canada Unveils 2026 Olympic Hockey Roster Packed with NHL Stars
Connor McDavid captains a youthful, high-octane Team Canada that is favored to reclaim Olympic gold on European ice in 2026.
A star-studded lineup
Montreal—Hockey Canada ended months of speculation Tuesday, releasing the 25-man roster that will chase Olympic gold on home soil at Milano-Cortina 2026. The list reads like an All-Star ballot: Connor McDavid will wear the "C," flanked by assistants Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
The Return of the Golden Goal Heroes
For the first time since Vancouver 2010, the Olympics return to North American time zones, and Canada is leaning on experience. Eleven players own Olympic medals; five were part of the 2014 Sochi championship.
“Pulling that jersey over your head still gives you chills,” said defenseman Shea Theodore, one of seven Olympic newcomers. “You grow up dreaming of this moment.”
Fast, Young and Deep
General manager Doug Armstrong prioritized speed on the big-ice surface, leaving 38-year-old Sidney Crosby off the final roster for the first time since 2006. Instead, the forward group averages 26 years old, led by McDavid (29), MacKinnon (30) and emerging sniper Connor Bedard (24).
- Goaltenders: Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, Devon Levi
- Defense: Cale Makar, Thomas Chabot, Shea Theodore, Bowen Byram, Colton Parayko, Jamie Oleksiak, Brandon Carlo, Calvin de Haan
- Forwards: Connor McDavid (C), Nathan MacKinnon (A), Brad Marchand, Mitch Marner, Brayden Point, Mathew Barzal, Mark Stone, Jonathan Huberdeau, Sean Couturier, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Connor Bedard, Sam Reinhart, Anthony Cirelli, Andrew Mangiapane, Dylan Cozens
Coaching Staff
Jon Cooper, two-time Stanley Cup winner with Tampa Bay, will patrol the bench, joined by assistants Gerard Gallant, Peter DeBoer and hometown favorite Cassie Campbell-Pascall, the first woman behind Canada’s Olympic bench.
What the Rivals Say
Swedish coach Sam Hallin called Canada "the standard" after the roster reveal, while USA Hockey’s Bill Guerin admitted, "We know we’ll have to go through them."
Next Milestone
Canada opens the tournament Feb. 12 against Switzerland in Cortina. Tickets sold out in 18 minutes, underscoring the nation’s hunger for a sixth Olympic title.