Hockey Canada will host an orientation camp from Aug. 26 to 28 in Calgary in preparation for its men’s, women’s, and para hockey teams as they begin to formulate their rosters for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, the governing body announced Friday.
That number includes 42 NHL players, locking in a list of potential names for the final rosters, which can be a maximum of 25 players (22 skaters, three goalies). The IIHF had previously announced Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Connor McDavid, Brayden Point, and Sam Reinhart as the country’s first six players back in June.
One position that appears set for the Canadians is goaltending. Only three netminders are on their orientation camp roster: Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, and Sam Montembeault. That’s the same trio that backstopped Canada to a win in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Here’s the full initial talent pool that Canada’s braintrust will be choosing from, with an asterisk by each of the six players already locked into the roster:
Forwards
Connor Bedard (Blackhawks)
Sam Bennett (Panthers)
Quinton Byfield (Kings)
Macklin Celebrini (Sharks)
Anthony Cirelli (Lightning)
Sidney Crosby (Penguins)*
Brandon Hagel (Lightning)
Bo Horvat (Islanders)
Zach Hyman (Oilers)
Seth Jarvis (Hurricanes)
Wyatt Johnston (Stars)
Travis Konecny (Flyers)
Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche)*
Brad Marchand (Panthers)
Mitch Marner (Golden Knights)
Connor McDavid (Oilers)*
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Oilers)
Brayden Point (Lightning)*
Sam Reinhart (Panthers)*
Mark Scheifele (Jets)
Mark Stone (Golden Knights)
Nick Suzuki (Canadiens)
John Tavares (Maple Leafs)
Robert Thomas (Blues)
Carter Verhaeghe (Panthers)
Tom Wilson (Capitals)
Defensemen
Evan Bouchard (Oilers)
Noah Dobson (Canadiens)
Drew Doughty (Kings)
Aaron Ekblad (Panthers)
Thomas Harley (Stars)
Cale Makar (Avalanche)*
Brandon Montour (Kraken)
Josh Morrissey (Jets)
Colton Parayko (Blues)
Travis Sanheim (Flyers)
Shea Theodore (Golden Knights)
Devon Toews (Avalanche)
MacKenzie Weegar (Flames)
Goaltenders
Jordan Binnington (Blues)
Adin Hill (Golden Knights)
Sam Montembeault (Canadiens)
Hockey Canada has already announced its front office, led by Blues GM Doug Armstrong with Lightning GM Julien BriseBois, Stars GM Jim Nill, and Bruins GM Don Sweeney as his assistants. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is Canada’s director of player personnel and also had input in orientation camp selection, per the release, along with head coach Jon Cooper and former Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, who’s with the team as a player relations advisor.
Interesting that only 3 goalies were named when there is always a risk for injuries and a dip in play. Goalies have down years. No harm in having one or two of Logan Thompson, Darcy Kuemper or Mackenzie Blackwood on the preliminary roster.
Or all 3 of those guys, replace the other 3!!!
Big Game Binner.
Big Game Binner
How does Montembeault make this team? Provincial politics? He’s not even the best netminder on the Canadiens.
Why has Canadian goaltending degraded so much the past few decades?
Roy and Belfour and Brodeur and Joseph and so many others. Even through Price and MAF.
Now, it’s a wasteland of just above average.
Except that (Stanley Cup Winning) Binnington played very well and won at the 4 Nations. So there’s that…
Yeah he’s good when it counts but he’s right Canadian goaltending has taken a steep nosedive. We used to put out Legends…now we’re lucky we have starters. I honestly can’t say what the culprit is that we no longer put out HOF goalies. But the fact is we don’t.
Yeah for sure eh, its like every other country stepped up in goaltending the last 10 years or so while Canada took 2 steps backwards in the crease. Seems like it anyway.. on paper. We have some good tenders but not those big name guys anymore. Binnington deserves some credit though for stepping up for us last year. He also shows up when the pressure is on in the big game moments so have to give him credit for that. Carey Price was Canadas last top of the mountain tender for sure…Also does anyone else miss when every goalie had a knickname haha
You mean like “Eddie The Eagle” or “Cujo” or “the dominator” classic 90s NHL
Maybe we just haven’t given Binnington a chance to become a legend.. yet
Yessir
I miss the days when they all had that extra ummph because of the knicknames
Ollie the Goalie
The Bulin Wall
The Cat
The Monster! (Undesreved)
Optimus Reim!
St Patrick
KIPPER!!!
Beezer!
Ozzy!
Flower is gone, friggin sad face all day
All we have left is BOB! He’s a beauty, but im a Leafs fan so **** Ol Bobby lol
Also, every goalie had a mask that was recognizable, memorable and they had character. The designs Usually coincided with their knickname.
McDonald’s had a set of goalie masks to collect and they don’t do s*** unless someone is buying it.
The NHL should start advertising the goalies more and make them stars again!
So they can make higher profits and team owners can afford to double up on the salary cap.
Maybe then my leafs will win a cup
-C.McDavid
Random theory…
Has basketball increased enough in popularity in Canada that it’s now taking a lot of the taller but still athletic guys who might have been goalies?
Well Belfour & Joseph weren’t exactly considered elite. Neither of them were even drafted (although Belfour is in the Hall of Fame). They were kind of similar to the likes of Binnington…so far in his career. You are thinking more like Roy or Brodeur. Hasek is Czech…
The old goalies weren’t all that tall. Hasek only 6’1”, Brodeur & Roy only 6’2”, even Belfour & Cujo were only 5’11”. It looks like teams are looking too much into size and not so much skill. Even the Americans don’t even seem to care how good Wolf is, because he is smaller.
Different era.
Unless they are as agile and athletic as MAF, I don’t even touch 6’2″.
Chase the rule, not the exceptions.
Ugh, basketball and hockey doesn’t have much crossover… pun intended.
Tom Wilson – yes.
I would love to see Wilson make the Olympic roster, I’m just kind of worried his brand of hockey won’t last long in the Olympics. I can see him getting suspended in game one for the rest of the event lol…Who knows though its been so long since the NHL guys have played in the Olympics. If its officiated like Four Nations he’ll do great! I assume haha
Solid roster lol.. As usual our goaltending is in question but Binner is a rockstar. Maybe they inly picked these guys and just want to wait and see if anyone steps up and steals the show this season.. im a leafs fan so im hoping Woll has zero losses in January and makes the team bwahaha
Woll is American.
Hahaha and im an idiot lol
I can’t believe I missed that lol as soon as I read your reply I face palmed myself back to Manitoba
Historically….. this has to be the worst goalie platoon ever iced by an all pro Canadian team
I don’t get the lack of interest in Logan Thomson he is a really good goalie.
This would be My Roster for Team Canada:
Hagel – MacKinnon – Marner
Thomas – McDavid – Suzuki
Duchene – Scheifele – Point
Dubois – Stone – Kyrou
EX: Cirelli, Reinhart
Makar – Harley
Bouchard – Morrissey
Theodore – Toews
EX: Weegar, Chychrun
Kuemper, Blackwood, Thompson
Mix and match as you will… even throw Crosby in there lol