Edmonton’s Oilers Superstar Connor McDavid was among the headliners as Hockey Canada Appointed the first six players on his preliminary male hockey list for the Milan Olympics Next year.
McDavid was joined on the list of first Sidney CrosbyTampa Bay Lightning Brayden Point striker and the Florida Sam Reinhart’s Panthers striker.
“We are delighted to announce the first six players who will represent Canada at the winter Olympic Games in 2026 next February, because six players and world class leaders are worth this recognition,” Director General Doug Armstrong said on Monday.
“Sidney, Nathan, Cale, Connor, Brayden and Sam offer a solid base for a successful team and have been proven winners at all levels of their professional and international career, and we look forward to the six key contributors to our team while we are trying to achieve our goal of winning Olympic gold.”
The rest of the list will be finalized at the start of next year. The 12 -country tournament begins on February 11, 2026.
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It will be the first time that NHL players have participated in the Olympic Games since 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Canada defeated Sweden in the gold match that year.
The first announcements on the list were also used before the 4 nations confrontation tournament earlier this year.
McDavid scored the prolonger winner to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States during the championship match in Boston. The event marked the first best competition since the Hockey World Cup in 2016.
Crosby is a double Olympic champion who helped Canada win gold in Sochi and the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Captain of Canada Sidney Crosby smiles with his gold medal after Canada beat Sweden during the third period of the hockey finals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, February 23, 2014. The Canadian Press / Nathan Degette.
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Mackinnon, Makar, McDavid, Point and Reinhart will make their Olympic debut in Milan. The six players were part of the Canadian team during the 4 nations confrontation.
Reinhart, who helped the defending champion Panthers take a 3-2 advance on the Oilers in the Stanley Cup final, said that it was “incredible” to wear color of Canada during this event in February.
“When you grow when you look at a child, it’s the Stanley Cup final and it’s Team Canada,” he said in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, shortly before the Olympic announcement on Monday.
“These are the two things you dream of playing. Having this opportunity is quite exciting.”
The main location of the 12 -day Olympic tournament will be the new Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The secondary place will be Milano Rho Ice Hockey of 5,700 seats.
Canada is in group A with Chechy, Switzerland and France.
Group B includes Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and the host of Italy. Group C has the United States, Germany, Latvia and Denmark.
– With files from the Canadian press hockey writer Joshua Clipperton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press