Canada Olympic Hockey Team 2022: Men's, Women's Starting Rosters, Top Subs
Canada has always been considered the world's preeminent force in both men's and women's hockey, but its players will be put to the test at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which gets underway Wednesday.
On the men's side, NHL players once again won't be competing in the tournament—this time because of COVID-19's impact on the 2021-22 season. So former NHLers and college players mostly comprise Team Canada, leaving it as the fourth-favorite to win gold at 7-1.
As for the women, Canada finished with a silver medal at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, falling 3-2 to the United States in a shootout. Before 2018, the Canadian women had won four straight gold medals. Canada is the 18-19 second-favorite to claim gold in China.
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Before the tournaments begin, here is a look at Team Canada's rosters, in addition to a look at which players to keep an eye out for.
Canada Olympic Men's Hockey Roster
Devon Levi, goalie, Northeastern University (NCAA)
Edward Pasquale, goalie, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)
Matt Tomkins, goalie, Frolunda HC (SHL)
Mark Barberio, defenseman, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
Jason Demers, defenseman, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
Brandon Gormley, defenseman, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)
Alex Grant, defenseman, Jokerit (KHL)
Maxim Noreau, defenseman, ZSC Lions (NL)
Owen Power, defenseman, Michigan (NCAA)
Mat Robinson, defenseman, SKA Saint Petersburg (KHL)
Tyler Wotherspoon, defenseman, Utica Comets (AHL)
Daniel Carr, forward, HC Lugano (NL)
Adam Cracknell, forward, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)
David Desharnais, forward, HC Fribourg-Gotteron (NL)
Landon Ferraro, forward, Kolner Haie (DEL)
Josh Ho-Sang, forward, Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Corban Knight, forward, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
Jack McBain, forward, Boston College (NCAA)
Mason McTavish, forward, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
Eric O'Dell, forward, HC Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
Eric Staal, forward, Iowa Wild on PTO (AHL)
Ben Street, forward, EHC Red Bull Munchen (DEL)
Adam Tambellini, forward, Rogle BK (SHL)
Jordan Weal, forward, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
Daniel Winnik, forward, Geneve-Servette HC (NL)
Projected Men's Lineup
G: Devon Levi
D: Owen Power
D: Jason Demers
LW: Daniel Carr
C: Eric Staal
RW: Josh Ho-Sang
Top subs: Mason McTavish, Adam Cracknell, Jordan Weal
Canada Olympic Women's Hockey Roster
Kristen Campbell, goalie, PWHPA
Ann-Renée Desbiens, goalie, PWHPA
Emerance Maschmeyer, goalie, PWHPA
Erin Ambrose, defenseman, PWHPA
Ashton Bell, defenseman, University of Minnesota-Duluth
Renata Fast, defenseman, PWHPA
Jocelyne Larocque, defenseman, PWHPA
Ella Shelton, defenseman, PWHPA
Claire Thompson, defenseman, PWHPA
Micah Zandee-Hart, defenseman
Emily Clark, forward, PWHPA
Melodie Daoust, forward, PWHPA
Sarah Fillier, forward, Princeton University
Brianne Jenner, forward, PWHPA
Rebecca Johnston, forward, PWHPA
Emma Maltais, forward, Ohio State
Sarah Nurse, forward, PWHPA
Marie-Philip Poulin, forward, PWHPA
Jamie Lee Rattray, forward, PWHPA
Jillian Saulnier, forward, PWHPA
Natalie Spooner, forward, PWHPA
Laura Stacey, forward, PWHPA
Blayre Turnbull, forward, PWHPA
Projected Women's Lineup
G: Ann-Renee Desbiens
D: Jocelyne Larocque
D: Renata Fast
LW: Emily Clark
C: Marie-Philip Poulin
RW: Brianne Jenner
Top subs: Melodie Daoust, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Fillier
Breaking Down Top Canadian Players
Eric Staal
No one on the Canada men's roster has had a more impressive hockey career than Eric Staal.
The 37-year-old was drafted second overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003 and went on to have an impressive 17-year NHL career. He spent 11-and-a-half seasons with the Hurricanes, most notably helping the team to its first Stanley Cup in 2006.
Staal tallied 322 goals and 453 assists for 775 points in 909 games with the Hurricanes. He is the franchise's all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, points, power-play goals, short-handed goals and game-winning goals.
Carolina traded Staal to the New York Rangers during the 2015-16 campaign. He tallied three goals and three assists for six points in 20 games for the franchise before signing a three-year deal with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent that summer.
Staal spent four seasons with the Wild, tallying 111 goals and 129 points for 240 points in 311 games. He spent the 2020-21 season, his most recent in the NHL, split between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, tallying a combined 13 points in 53 games.
He signed a PTO with the AHL's Iowa Wild on Jan. 13, giving him an opportunity to work back into playing shape ahead of the Olympics. He has two goals and three assists in four games.
Given his NHL experience and ability to rack up points, Staal should serve as one of Canada's top offensive weapons, and his performance could be a determining factor in whether the Canadians take home gold.
Marie-Philip Poulin
Marie-Philip Poulin is undoubtedly the most talented player on the Canada women's roster. She is competing in her fourth Olympics after winning gold in 2010 and 2014 and silver in 2018.
The 30-year-old rose to fame during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, during which she scored the overtime winner in the gold-medal game against the United States. She then tallied three goals and three assists in five games en route to a silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Since 2018, Poulin has played in the now-discontinued CWHL for the Les Canadiennes de Montreal and more recently for Montreal in the PWHPA.
After winning silver in 2018, Canada's women have vengeance on their minds, and Poulin is expected to be a driving force in the team's quest to bring a gold medal back to Canada.
In a case of history repeating itself, Poulin scored the overtime game-winner when Canada faced the U.S. in last summer's IIHF Women's World Championship final. She is one of the most clutch players in the history of the game, and with the United States returning players such as Kendall Coyne Schofield, Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker and Lee Stecklein, Canada will need her to be on her game.
Owen Power and Devon Levi
While there are several college hockey players on the Canada men's roster, none stack up quite like Owen Power, who was drafted first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2021.
Power is in his second season with the Michigan Wolverines. After tallying three goals and 13 assists in 26 games during his freshman season, he has notched three goals and 23 assists through 24 games in the 2021-22 campaign.
The 19-year-old represented Canada at the most recent World Juniors, tallying three goals and two assists in two games before the tournament was shut down because of a COVID-19 outbreak.
In addition to Power, Devon Levi is one of the most exciting young goaltenders in hockey.
The 20-year-old is in his first season at Northeastern University, where he has helped backstop the Huskies to a 16-8-1 record. He has a 1.55 goals-against average and .948 save percentage through 24 games.
Levi also represented Canada at the 2021 World Juniors, where he was named the tournament's best goalie after recording a 0.75 GAA, .964 save percentage and three shutouts in seven games.
While Power will be expected to help lock down the blue line, Levi will be tasked with keeping some of the world's best shooters off the scoresheet. While these two are still young, they shouldn't be overlooked.
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