Veteran NHLers Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid to lead Canada into 2026 Olympic hockey tournament

Gregory Strong · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 16, 2025 12:16 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Naming six players to the preliminary roster of the Canadian men's Olympic hockey squad was the casual portion for federation brass.

The tougher calls volition travel astatine the extremity of the twelvemonth erstwhile the last roster is determined for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games.

With a fewer locks retired of the way, fto the statement statesman connected who joins them.

The archetypal fewer months of the 2025-26 NHL regular play volition origin importantly into the decision-making process for wide manager Doug Armstrong and the Hockey Canada absorption group. But players connected the alleged "First Six" database don't person to interest astir whether their sanction volition beryllium called.

They see two-time Olympic champion Sidney Crosby — who scored the aureate extremity successful 2010 astatine Vancouver and helped Canada repetition 4 years aboriginal successful Sochi — on with chap forwards Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Brayden Point and Sam Reinhart. Cale Makar was the lone defenceman connected the aboriginal list.

"Now it gets absorbing arsenic we capable retired that roster," Armstrong said Monday connected a league call.

The 12-country tourney begins Feb. 11. It's the archetypal clip NHL players volition enactment successful the Olympics since the 2014 Games successful Russia.

WATCH | Canada GM announces archetypal 6 players for Olympic men's hockey squad: 

Early roster announcements were besides utilized up of the 4 Nations Face-Off tourney past winter. McDavid scored the overtime victor to springiness Canada a 3-2 triumph implicit the United States successful the title crippled successful Boston.

The lawsuit marked the archetypal best-on-best contention since the World Cup of Hockey successful 2016.

'Incredibly honoured to correspond my country'

McDavid, a three-time league MVP, is coming disconnected a 100-point regular season. He has besides guided the Edmonton Oilers backmost to the Stanley Cup final, wherever they request a triumph implicit Reinhart's Florida Panthers connected Tuesday to unit a bid decider.

"Incredibly honoured to correspond my state astatine the biggest sporting lawsuit successful the world," McDavid said astatine a media availability successful Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "You deliberation of the Canadian players that tin beryllium named to that team, and to beryllium selected again, it means a lot."

The 37-year-old Crosby, who precocious completed his 20th play with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was the lone Canadian connected the aboriginal database with Olympic experience.

All six players suited up astatine the 4 Nations tournament. Reinhart said it was "incredible" to deterioration Canada colours astatine that lawsuit successful February.

"When you're increasing up, erstwhile you're watching arsenic a kid, it's Stanley Cup finals and it's Team Canada," helium said. "Those are the 2 things that you imagination astir playing for. To person that accidental is beauteous exciting."

Player selections were made by Armstrong, assistants Julien BriseBois, Jim Nill and Don Sweeney, manager of subordinate unit Kyle Dubas and caput manager Jon Cooper.

Player relations advisor Ryan Getzlaf and Scott Salmond, elder vice-president of precocious show and hockey operations, besides provided input, Hockey Canada said.

"I americium honoured to beryllium named 1 of the archetypal six players for Canada's men's hockey squad astatine the 2026 Olympics alongside Nathan, Cale, Connor, Brayden and Sam, arsenic each 5 are unthinkable players and leaders," Crosby said successful a statement.

"I americium grateful for the accidental to correspond Canada astatine the Olympics, arsenic I cognize however overmuch pridefulness comes with wearing the Maple Leaf connected the planetary stage."

Rest of roster to beryllium unveiled aboriginal successful 2026

Makar, who had 92 points this past play for Colorado, won the Norris Trophy arsenic the NHL's apical defenceman. MacKinnon had a 116-point run for the Avalanche portion Point is simply a two-time Stanley Cup victor with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The remainder of the roster volition beryllium finalized aboriginal successful the caller year. All nominations are inactive taxable to ceremonial support by the Canadian Olympic Committee's squad enactment committee.

"I'm excited astir our group," Armstrong said. "I cognize our radical wants to spell determination and wants to enactment their champion ft forward. There's nary guarantees successful sport, but I cognize we're going to spell successful with the close attitude."

The main venue for the 12-day Olympic tourney volition beryllium the caller 14,000-seat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The secondary venue volition beryllium the 5,700-seat Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.

Canada is successful Group A with the Czech Republic, Switzerland and France.

Group B includes Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and big Italy. Group C has the United States, Germany, Latvia, and Denmark.

"We're excited astir our opportunity," Armstrong said. "And we deliberation that we tin person a squad that tin correspond Canada precise 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