In an unexpected turn of events, potential selections for the Canadian and American Olympic hockey teams have surfaced online, generating considerable buzz and speculation among fans. With the official announcements looming, these leaks have ignited passionate debates and analyses of the possible rosters.
For Team Canada, the initial wave of confirmed players included Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart, and Cale Makar. However, a recent apparent slip-up by Fanatics Canada, an online retailer, has seemingly revealed additional players. Listings for 2026 Olympic memorabilia featuring names like Nick Suzuki, Mitch Marner, and Brad Marchand appeared on the site, causing a stir on social media platforms like Reddit and X. While the listings were quickly removed, the screenshots and discussions continue to fuel speculation about their inclusion.
The potential inclusion of Suzuki, in particular, has raised eyebrows. Despite a strong season with the Montreal Canadiens, where he has tallied 11 goals and 31 assists in 38 games, Suzuki was not part of Canada's roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off. His two-way reliability, face-off prowess, and leadership qualities make him a valuable asset, but the depth of talent in the Canadian pool means competition for roster spots is fierce.
TSN hockey analysts Craig Button and Mike Johnson recently released their final consensus roster for Team Canada, with some notable changes. Connor Bedard, initially a top-line right-winger, was removed due to injury and replaced by Sam Bennett. In goal, Jordan Binnington's struggles led to his exclusion, with Mackenzie Blackwood taking his place. Button emphasized Blackwood's strong performance for the Colorado Avalanche as a key factor in his selection.
On the American side, NHL.com's senior writer Tom Gulitti projected the Olympic roster back in June. Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, and Jack Eichel were among the first six players named to the team. Gulitti's projections also included forwards Matt Boldy, Cole Caufield, Kyle Connor, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller, Dylan Larkin, J.T. Miller, Jason Robertson, Matthew Tkachuk, and Tage Thompson. The projected defensive lineup featured Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, Brock Faber, Zach Werenski, Jake Sanderson, Adam Fox, and Ryan McDonagh. John Gibson, Thatcher Demko, and Connor Hellebuyck were the projected goaltenders.
Gulitti noted that the team would likely draw similarities from the 4 Nations Face-Off roster but would also see some changes. Keller, Thompson, Caufield, and Robertson were highlighted as potential newcomers at forward, while Chris Kreider, Brock Nelson, and Vincent Trocheck could be omitted. The writer emphasized the need for increased scoring depth for the US team to contend for their first Olympic gold since 1980.
While these leaks and projections offer a glimpse into potential team compositions, the official announcements from Hockey Canada and USA Hockey will ultimately determine the final rosters. The Winter Olympics, set to take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6 to 22, 2026, mark the return of NHL players to the Olympic stage since 2014, adding to the anticipation and excitement surrounding the event.
