11 Canadians who missed out on 4 Nations however may crack Olympic roster

With every passing week, the choices being mulled by the Team Canada brass forward of the 2026 Olympic Games get just a little extra attention-grabbing.

About a month from now, Doug Armstrong and Co. will probably be nailing down the roster that can head to Italy to symbolize Canada in February’s best-on-best males’s match.

The tough sketch of what that group will seem like was placed on paper again in February, on the 4 Nations Face-Off. But the beginning of the NHL’s 2025-26 marketing campaign has provided Armstrong and his administration staff loads of meals for thought, with various marquee names beginning robust by means of the primary quarter of the season.

We know the vast majority of the group that will probably be there. Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sam Reinhart, Brayden Point and Cale Makar have already been named to the staff. A good variety of spots all through the remainder of the roster appear nearly as good as full of veterans who made their presence identified at 4 Nations, too. But just a few modifications across the fringes of the roster appear extremely possible.

Last week, we checked out the largest questions dealing with Team Canada’s decision-makers as they put collectively their Olympic roster. This week, listed by place, we hone in on the brand new faces that might be within the combine with a take a look at the Canadian standouts who didn’t get the decision for 4 Nations, however is likely to be taking part in their manner onto the Olympic roster.

The Montreal Canadiens captain appears among the many almost definitely non-4 Nations skills to wind up among the many group heading to Italy in February. His pedigree as an elite playmaker is well-established, nevertheless it’s the 26-year-old’s 200-foot recreation that makes him a possible game-changer for Canada. He can contribute in all conditions, tackle the hardest matchups on the night time and, with 23 factors by means of 21 video games this season, there’s little doubt he has the talent to tug out a second when it is wanted most.

The Washington Capitals’ wrecking ball was missed throughout a 4 Nations match that appeared to ramp up in depth recreation by recreation. There are few within the sport who can convey what Wilson brings — intimidating dimension, momentum-swinging physicality and sufficient offensive talent to make a significant affect on the scoreboard, too. The 2018 Stanley Cup winner has began 2025-26 with a point-per-game tempo, placing himself alongside Suzuki as must-haves for the nationwide staff.

Scheifele was arguably probably the most notable omission from 4 Nations. Over the previous half-decade, the Winnipeg Jets veteran has been some of the prolific Canadian scorers within the NHL, amassing the fifth-most even-strength factors and objectives amongst his countrymen. He was the second-highest Canadian goal-scorer within the league final season, with 39. And by means of the early getting into 2025-26, Scheifele as soon as once more ranks as a top-five even-strength scorer amongst Canadians. The solely query right here will probably be what number of purely offensive threats Canada needs to incorporate in its ahead group.

San Jose’s younger talisman has change into probably the most intriguing query mark for Team Canada’s administration group. Through 23 video games, Celebrini is third in objectives (14) and second in factors (34) within the league — Canadian or in any other case. He’s blossoming into an all-world scorer, and appears among the many most in-form offensive skills Canada has for the time being. There’s a bigger-picture query to contemplate, of how a lot Armstrong and Co. wish to lean on confirmed veteran expertise vs. youthful potential, however Celebrini is doing all he can to make himself plain.

Bedard is in considerably of the identical boat. The third-year Chicago chief ranks fourth in league scoring, with 31 factors, and has appeared simply as electrical to begin the yr. The 2023 first-overall choose is rising because the dynamic game-changer he was anticipated to be, and he does have expertise dominating with the maple leaf on his chest, having earned an MVP nod for his World Juniors efficiency a pair years again. The key query regarding Celebrini and Bedard is whether or not the Team Canada brass really feel they’ve had sufficient expertise in true big-game moments, or whether or not they want extra time within the hearth.

The Toronto Maple Leafs veteran was open about his disappointment at not getting the decision for 4 Nations, and the 35-year-old hasn’t been on the nationwide staff’s radar for a while. But the extent Tavares has proven of late ought to put him again within the dialog. After ending with 38 objectives final season, the previous captain has emerged as an important chief for a Leafs squad decimated by accidents. Through 22 video games, Tavares is third in even-strength factors within the league (23) and fifth in even-strength objectives (10). He additionally stays a beast within the dot, his 60.9 face-off win proportion rating second league-wide amongst all centres who frequently take attracts.

Count Horvat as one other well-rounded veteran who’s put himself again within the dialog. Although the previous Vancouver Canucks and present New York Islander doesn’t have the lengthiest worldwide report, his begin to the 2025-26 marketing campaign is reminding the broader hockey world of what he was at his greatest. Through 23 video games, the Isles vet is third in objectives within the league (14), and is tied with Tavares for the fifth at even-strength. Also just like the Maple Leafs veteran, Horvat equally stays among the many league’s greatest within the dot, his 59.1 per cent rating him fifth amongst pivots frequently taking face-offs.

Matthew Schaefer, defence

Like Celebrini and Bedard, 18-year-old Schaefer has arrived on the big-league stage a lot prior to most anticipated. The 2025 No. 1 choose has been in dominant type for the Islanders this season, skating 23 minutes an evening and sitting only a handful again of the rookie scoring lead, with 15 factors by means of 23 video games. That stated, the smooth-skating rearguard appears extra of a longshot for the Olympics than the 2 younger, high-flying forwards talked about above for various causes — he has far much less expertise on the NHL stage, he’s in an understandably sheltered function for the Isles, and the Canadian blue line appears much more set in stone in comparison with the ahead corps.

That stated, there’s one other younger blue-liner with a historical past of dominating in Islanders colors who may simply crack that Canadian blue-line — 25-year-old Dobson. The 2018 Twelfth-overall choose made his title on Long Island with just a few all-world campaigns, most notably a 2023-24 season that noticed him acquire 70 factors, skate 24 minutes an evening and earn Norris votes by the yr’s finish. He’s proving to be a helpful, versatile expertise as soon as once more in Montreal, thriving within the pure defensive points of the sport whereas additionally accumulating the sixth-most factors amongst Canadian defenders.

Logan Thompson, goaltender

Fans had been clamouring for Thompson to get the decision for the nationwide staff forward of 4 Nations, because the Washington Capitals netminder appeared the perfect Canadian goalie within the NHL heading into the match. He missed out, and Jordan Binnington carried out nicely because the red-and-white’s No. 1. Still, Thompson completed with fourth in Vezina voting, and ranks as one of many best-performing Canadians within the cage once more by means of the primary quarter of 2025-26, so the 28-year-old ought to get a shot as one of many two goalies becoming a member of Binnington in Italy.

Darcy Kuemper, goaltender

Also on the fringes of that goaltending dialog forward of 4 Nations was Kuemper, who completed as a Vezina finalist after among the best seasons of his profession. The 2022 Cup winner has championship pedigree himself, and is in high quality type for the time being, with a .927 save proportion because the begin of November. With Binnington a lock to return, Thompson a probable addition to the goaltending corps, and 4 Nations participant Adin Hill navigating harm points which have saved him out since late October, Kuemper might be the subsequent man up for the nationwide staff.