Young Stars Making a Strong Push for Spot On Canadian Olympic Team

We are exactly three months away from the start of the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy, and Team Canada still has plenty of decisions to make regarding its roster. Emerging young stars Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard have taken the league by storm to start the season, currently both among the top five in league point scoring.

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The two North Vancouver, British Columbia, natives were on the radar entering the new year, but their play through the first month has propelled them into much stronger consideration than anyone could have originally predicted.

Celebrini, in particular, appears to have almost solidified himself as a lock on the Olympic roster, according to TSN insiders Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston.

“We believe he’s playing his way onto this Olympic roster so far. It’s going to be extremely difficult to leave him at home,” LeBrun and Johnston wrote.

Meanwhile, Bedard’s third-year breakout has caught the eye of general manager Doug Armstrong.

“Connor Bedard has been playing some great hockey right now. He’s taken his game up to a level it wasn’t at last year,” Armstrong said.

As mentioned, the 19-year-old Celebrini sits in a tie for fourth in league scoring with 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) through 16 games, while the 20-year-old Bedard is one ahead in a tie for third with 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 16 games played.

What About Matthew Schaefer?

While Celebrini and Bedard have been the talk of the town of late, rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is not far behind, thanks to his sensational start on Long Island.

The 2025 first-overall pick already looks like a true number one defenseman at just 18 years old, having produced 12 points (five goals, seven assists) through his first 16 games, while shouldering a massive workload, having immediately gained the trust of head coach Patrick Roy.

LeBrun also provided some insight into Schaefer’s chance of cracking Team Canada.

“I would say Schaefer is still a long shot to make the team, but at least he’s made Team Canada plan scouting trips around him. So you never know,” LeBrun wrote.

It does feel like a long shot, but the fact that it’s even a conversation, not even 20 games into his NHL career, just shows how special a player Schaefer is and how lucky the New York Islanders are to have won the lottery back in May.

Next: Trade Market Could Impact Team Canada’s Olympic Roster