Key Takeaways
- The wait for Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey roster is nearly over, with the reveal set to take place on Wednesday
- TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button and TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson have released their third and final consensus roster, with changes including Connor Bedard being left off due to injury and Jordan Binnington being replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood in net
- The roster includes notable players such as Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Cale Makar, who were named to the Olympic roster over the summer
- The Olympics begin on February 6, with the men’s hockey gold-medal game taking place on February 22
Introduction to the Olympic Roster
The wait for Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey roster is nearly over, with the reveal set to take place on Wednesday. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button and TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson have teamed up to release their third and final consensus roster, which includes some notable changes from their previous roster. The roster is not a prediction of what Canada will do, but rather who Button and Johnson would select for the 2026 Olympic team.
Changes to the Roster
One of the biggest changes to the roster is the absence of Connor Bedard, who was previously listed as the top-line right winger. Bedard incurred an upper-body injury while taking a face-off against the St. Louis Blues on December 12 and will not return to game action until the new year. As a result, Button and Johnson have decided to leave him off the roster, citing concerns about his ability to get up to speed after returning from injury. Sam Bennett has been added to the roster as a replacement, and will slide into a depth forward role as a fifth-line centre.
Goaltending Changes
Another significant change to the roster is the replacement of Jordan Binnington with Mackenzie Blackwood in net. Binnington has struggled this season, with an.870 save percentage and a 3.44 goals against average in 23 games for the Blues. Button and Johnson have cited his poor performance as the reason for his removal from the roster, stating that they want a goalie who can play at a high level. Blackwood, on the other hand, has been playing well for the Colorado Avalanche, and will join Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper as the third goaltender on the roster.
Notable Players
The roster includes some notable players, including Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Cale Makar, who were named to the Olympic roster over the summer. Mark Scheifele, who was previously listed as a centre, has been moved to the top-line right wing spot, replacing Bedard. Scheifele has shown no signs of slowing down, and is currently tied with Kyle Connor for the Winnipeg Jets’ team-lead in goals and points.
Olympic Schedule
The Olympics begin on February 6, with the men’s hockey gold-medal game taking place on February 22. Canada has won the last two Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014 that featured NHL talent, but were held to bronze in 2018 and finished off the podium in the most recent Winter Games in 2022. The roster reveal will take place over video conference in Minneapolis, the site of the 2026 World Junior Championship, and will be broadcast live on TSN1, TSN4, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.
Conclusion
The wait for Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey roster is nearly over, and fans will be eagerly awaiting the reveal on Wednesday. With some notable changes to the roster, including the absence of Connor Bedard and the replacement of Jordan Binnington with Mackenzie Blackwood, it will be interesting to see how the team performs in the Olympics. With a strong roster and a talented group of players, Canada will be looking to bring home the gold medal in men’s hockey.