Ranking Every Player on Canada's Men's Hockey Roster Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics
The NHL players are back in the Winter Olympics for the first time since the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia, and Canada is once again entering the tournament as one of the top favorites to win Gold.
The Canadians have won Gold in three of the five Olympic Games in which NHL players have participated, including both the 2010 and 2014 editions. Canada is also coming off a championship at the 4 Nations Face-Off, having defeated the United States in overtime on a Connor McDavid goal.
The Canadian roster is loaded at forward, especially at the top of the lineup, but there are some questions in the lower half of the defense and especially in goal.
The offense, however, might be good enough to outscore any of those concerns.
Now that the Olympics are here, it is time to take a deeper look at Canada's roster and who its best players are. We have already ranked the United States roster; now it is time to look at Canada's ranking.
25. Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
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The wildest thing about Binnington being, arguably, the worst player on Team Canada, and despite being one of the least productive goalies in the NHL over the past few years, he still seemed to be a lock to make the roster. He is also almost certainly going to be their starting goalie, even though both Darcy Kuemper and Logan Thompson have outplayed him this season.
But he has experience with Team Canada and a reputation for being a big-game goalie due to his Stanley Cup win with the St. Louis Blues and the fact that he was the starting goalie for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
24. Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
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Parayko is still a solid defensive player, but his offensive game has declined significantly in recent years. And that might be fine for what Canada needs from him. They have younger, more impactful defenders ahead of him on the depth chart, and somebody is going to have to potentially kill some penalties and play a more defensive-minded role.
He has one goal and 13 total points through 57 games this season.
23. Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings
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Goaltending is almost certainly the Achilles Heel of this Canadian roster, as they badly lack a top-tier starter and quality depth. Kuemper is a fine NHL goalie who has won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche, but he's unlikely to be a player who single-handedly steals games or tournaments. He is more of a "don't lose the game" type of goalie than a "go steal the game" type.
Then again ... that might be all this Canada team needs.
22. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
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Sometimes these teams are loyal to legacy players when the rosters are put together, and this seems like one of those cases.
Doughty is a Hall of Fame player and has won big with Canada in the past, but he is no longer the elite player who dominated the league for more than a decade. At his peak, Doughty was not only one of the best defensive players in hockey, but also a smooth-skating offensive force who consistently played at a Norris Trophy level.
He still thinks the game well and has great defensive instincts, but he is simply no longer a game-changer in his late 30s. Even so, there was virtually no chance Canada would put together an Olympic roster without him. He is going for his third Olympic gold medal, having also won with Canada at the 2010 and 2014 Games.
21. Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars
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From a big-picture perspective, Harley has a great future in the NHL and a strong start to his career.
He looked like a rising star entering the 2025-26 season and a great candidate for a truly breakout season. Perhaps even the type of season that elevated him into the upper echelon of NHL defenders. It just hasn't happened as expected, and he's even taken a small step back offensively and in his all-around game.
Still, this will be a good experience for him to get a taste of best-on-best hockey for future tournaments when he might be counted on for a bigger role for Canada.
20. Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
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It was a bit of a surprise that Bennett did not initially make the roster and is here now only as an injury replacement for Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli. He gives Canada another wildly physical pest of a forward, and should be a great counter to the United States and its duo of Matthew and Brady Tkachuk. There is the potential for chaos when all of them are on the ice together.
Bennett is not going to light up the scoreboard, but he scores enough to be a good middle-six contributor offensively and has a reputation for playing well on the biggest stage. He has a Conn Smythe Trophy on his resume for his performance in the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Playoffs, helping the Panthers win their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
19. Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
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Jarvis is Canada's other late addition to the roster, earning a spot to replace Brayden Point.
Jarvis is an outstanding finisher offensively and is coming off back-to-back 30-plus goal seasons for the Hurricanes. He is in the middle of what has been his most productive season to date, with 25 goals in 49 games, scoring at a 40-goal pace per 82 games. It is a testament to the depth of Canada's roster that a potential 40-goal scorer did not make the initial roster and is not a lock to play a meaningful role now that he is here.
18. Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
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There is nothing overly flashy about Sanheim's game, but he is one of the steadier and more underrated defenders in the NHL. He has enough offense to his game to keep teams honest with the puck, and will hold his own away from the puck even when tasked with going up against the other team's best players. Given the defenders Canada still has ahead of him on the depth chart, he will not have to play the biggest minutes, but should still be an outstanding second-or third-pairing defender
17. Bo Horvat, New York Islanders
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Horvat isn't a star, but you can pencil him in for 30 goals and strong two-way play every season. He is on track to do that yet again for the New York Islanders this season, having already scored 24 goals in 44 games coming into the tournament.
He is an ideal depth forward for a tournament like this because he has the two-way ability to play further down the lineup while still having enough offense to make a big impact on the scoreboard.
16. Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
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Colorado's trade for Devon Toews is one of the bigger steals in the NHL over the past decade, and his presence on Team Canada's roster is significant for two reasons.
The first is that he is an outstanding, puck-moving defender on his own merits, excels in transition, and has a proven ability to play well with elite offensive talent.
The second is that he already has a great chemistry with Canada's top defenseman (Cale Makar) and has been his regular defense partner for several years now.
The one thing that can be tricky with best-on-best teams like this is that you do not always know how the chemistry will work out between players on the same line or in the same defensive pairing. Canada already knows that Toews and Makar work well together, as we have seen for years in Colorado.
15. Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers
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One of Canada's other pest forwards, Marchand is still going strong even into his late 30s. He is averaging more than a point per game offensively, is still a great defensive player and possession driver, and will do everything in his power to throw his opponents off their game.
Bennett, Marchand, and Tom Wilson are going to be an absolute menace to play against. They have the elite offensive superstars at the top of the lineup, and they also have talented agitators who are going to spend 60 minutes rattling as many cages as possible. Marchand might be the best cage-rattler of them all. A truly elite hockey troll.
14. Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals
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Speaking of those agitators, here is the other one.
While Wilson might be one of the NHL's most feared (and hated) big hitters, he has also blossomed into a legitimate top-line power forward and goal-scorer.
He scored a career-high 33 goals for the Capitals a year ago, and is currently on a 37-goal pace per 82 games this season. He is no longer just a big, strong, physical player that throws a few questionable hits every now and then. He is a legitimate addition to the roster and absolutely belongs on this stage.
13. Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
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Theodore is one of the original Vegas misfits and one of the few still remaining on the roster. He is also still an outstanding top-pairing defenseman who can play a shutdown role, drive possession, and contribute offensively. He does it all, and he does it at a high level.
The biggest thing holding him back in recent years has been missing a lot of games. But when he is healthy, he is still an outstanding two-way defender.
12. Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
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Thompson might be the best Canadian-born goalie in the league right now. The question is whether or not Canada will give him a chance to prove that. They seem determined to roll with Binnington for better or worse in these tournaments, and it's hard to imagine anything different this time around.
It might work, simply because the rest of the roster is so good.
But if we are simply talking about the best Canadian goalie, it is hard to make an argument for anybody other than Thompson. He is working on his second consecutive season with a save percentage over .910, while he finished in fourth-place in the Vezina Trophy voting a year ago.
Based on the current level of play over the past few years, he should be the starter here. It also should not be a difficult decision.
11. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
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Suzuki has improved his offensive production every year he has been in the NHL, and is also an extremely capable two-way center.
He has become a 30-goal, 90-point center offensively and is rapidly making his way up the Selke Trophy list with every season he plays. He is a massive part of the Canadiens' rebuild and a big reason why they have one of the best young cores and brightest futures in the Eastern Conference.
He is not just a guy at the bottom of this roster. He has a chance to be one of their more effective players.
10. Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights
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Stone is one of the best defensive wingers of his era and an elite possession driver with top-line scoring talent.
When healthy, he has been a sensational two-way player, a Selke Trophy finalist, and a player who can burn teams offensively. That is an extraordinarily valuable asset to have on your team.
The only knock against him is that he has been a half-season player over the past five years. But when he is healthy, he is still a dominant presence. He has 21 goals, 39 assists, and 60 total points in his first 41 games this season. That is a 120-point pace over 82 games. When you combine that with his defense, you've got a truly elite player.
9. Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
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Winnipeg is having a miserable season, but there are a few players you can not really blame that on. Morrissey is one of them. He has developed into one of the best defensemen in the NHL, especially at generating offense. He has finished in the top seven in Norris trophy voting three years in a row, including two finishes in the top five. Since the start of the 2022-23 season, his 249 total points are fourth-most among NHL defenseman.
8. Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
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Hagel has turned into one of the better all-around wingers in the NHL since arriving in Tampa Bay and is now a key part of their core. He is also a key part of them, as they are one of the best teams in the NHL this season and keep their championship window wide open.
He's a great defensive player and penalty killer and has developed into a top-line offensive player.
Since the start of the 2022-23 season, his 283 points in 295 regular-season games are the 26th most among NHL forwards, while he has really taken off over the past two years. Since then, his 144 points in 132 games are the 16th most in the NHL.
7. Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
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Marner became one of the scapegoats for the Toronto Maple Leafs lack of playoff success in recent years, and it may have been time for a change. Not just for the Maple Leafs, but also definitely for Marner. He needed a fresh start and an environment where he wouldn't be the focal point or expected to carry the most weight. Going to a Vegas team with a track record of playoff success and an easily identified core already in place seemed like a good spot for him.
So far, it has been.
Even though his playoff numbers have been disappointing at times, he is still an elite offensive performer in the regular season and a really underappreciated defensive player. He's one of the best players in the league.
6. Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
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Going to the Florida Panthers a few years ago was a career-changing development and move for Reinhart. It helped him reach his full potential and become the player Buffalo and everybody else around the league always hoped he could be.
He may not ever score 57 goals again as he did a few years ago, but he's going to get you 35-40, a point-per-game offensively, and play some of the best defense in the NHL. He has been in the top-four of the Selke Trophy voting two years in a row, including the runner-up during the 2024-25 season. Just a truly outstanding all-around player.
5. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
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Is Sidney Crosby the same player he was when he was at his peak? Absolutely not. That is just part of the normal aging curve that comes with being a 38-year-old NHL player. Is he still a really outstanding NHL player and better than almost every player in the history of the sport at this stage of his career? Absolutely, he is.
Crosby can still drive offense and produce at a point-per-game rate, and he can still see the game and anticipate the game better than almost anybody. He also still has the vision, the hands, the playmaking, and the shot to change a game with the puck on his stick.
If there is a flaw to his game right now, and the thing that drops him down a spot or two, it is that his defensive game and play away from the puck have declined a little bit more than his offensive game has. Still a great player. Still a game-changer.
4. Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
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Players this young have not always been given spots on Team Canada for the Winter Olympics. Sidney Crosby did not make it in his second season at age 19, and neither did Steven Stamkos. Celebrini is so good, so fast, that not including him on this team would have made it a farce. He is not just the best young player in hockey. He is one of the best players in hockey. Period. At any age. At any experience level. He should probably be the NHL MVP this season, or at least a finalist, just given how much heavy lifting he has done for the Sharks.
He has single-handedly dragged the franchise into playoff contention despite there being a lack of talent around him on the roster. Aside from Will Smith and a couple of other random players, this team still mostly stinks and probably shouldn't be anywhere near the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
He enters the Olympic break fourth in the NHL in scoring with 81 total points.
When he is on the ice, the Sharks are outscoring teams by a 52-38 margin during 5-on-5 play.
When he is off the ice, the Sharks are being out-scored by a 56-87 margin during 5-on-5 play. He has 42 more points than the next-highest scoring Sharks player. That gap between him, and the second-leading Sharks player (42), is greater than the total number of points by any player on the team so far (the next-leading scorer, Smith, has 39 points in 42 games).
That is just his impact offensively.
What makes him a truly standout player is that he is incredibly advanced defensively for a 19-year-old. He also has a Crosby-like work ethic along the boards and in the dirty areas, which is truly rare for such a skilled offensive player. He does it all. He has a chance to be a franchise-changing player for the Sharks if they can adequately build around him. In a few years, he might be at the top of this list and at the top of every list in the NHL.
3. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
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There are only a small handful of defenseman in the history of the sport who have ever scored and generated offense as Makar has. He is better than a point-per-game player for his career (458 total points in 450 regular-season games) and averages 28 goals and 88 points per 82 games played. If you had a forward produce those numbers, you would consider them a first-liner and an All-Star.
Makar is doing it as a defenseman, while also playing outstanding defense.
He has two Norris Trophies before his 28th birthday and has been a finalist for the award every year of his career since his rookie season (when he finished in ninth place in the voting).
He has also been a big-time playoff performer with a Stanley Cup ring as a huge part of his resume.
The list of top NHL defenseman begins with him.
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
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You could flip-flop No. 1 and 2 on a list like this, and nobody should really fight you too harshly on it. They are more like a 1A and 1B at this point.
MacKinnon is simply the total package as a player and one of the most dynamic offensive players of this era. His speed is nearly unmatched, he can stickhandle in a phone booth, and he has an absolutely blistering shot that is one of the best in the NHL. He is an MVP-level scorer and is the best player on the best team in hockey this season.
He already has one MVP Award in his career, and there is a real chance he is going to add another one to his collection this season.
His first true breakout season was back in 2017-18 when he reached the 99-point mark. Since the start of the season, his 902 points are second-most in the NHL, trailing only No. 1 on this list.
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
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Connor McDavid is a mix of Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini in this sense: He is the best offensive player in hockey with a unique blend of speed, skill, and production, while also carrying an otherwise flawed roster probably further than it should be going.
He is leading the NHL in scoring with 96 points. He has a real chance to win the NHL's scoring title for the sixth time in 11 years. He is leading the league in assists for the fourth-time in six years. He is on pace to score 48 goals and perhaps make a run at 50 goals.
He is also, quite simply, carrying the Oilers.
When he is on the ice during 5-on-5 play, the Oilers have a 52-48 goals advantage and a 56.1 percent expected goals share.
When he is not on the ice during 5-on-5 play, the Oilers are outscored 67-86 and have only a 47.2 percent expected-goals share.
When he is on the ice, they are a playoff team. Maybe a fringe contender. When he is not on the ic,e they are a lottery team. Probably a bad lottery team.
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