2026 Milan Olympics Odds: Who will make Canada’s men’s hockey team?

By the time the puck drops for the 2026 Milan Olympics hockey tournament, it will have been 12 years since NHL players last participated.

With the NHL back in the Olympics, Canada is projected to have one of the strongest rosters with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar leading the way.

So, who will be on Team Canada’s roster? Let’s take a look.

Make sure to check out Sports Interaction’s 2026 Olympic hockey odds.

Olympic favourites

A little over five months away from the Olympics, Canada’s men’s hockey team is a +175 favourite to win gold. The United States (+200) hold the second-shortest gold medal odds, followed by Sweden (+500) then Finland (+700).

Canada announced the first six players named to the final roster in June and it holds no surprises. Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar, Sam Reinhart and Brayden Point will all be back after helping Canada win the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

Crosby is the only member of Canada’s initial group with Olympic experience after winning gold at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.

The other five players named to the roster haven’t had a chance to play best-on-best international hockey, but all but McDavid have been key pieces of Stanley Cup-winning rosters. And it’s safe to say, McDavid has enough personal hardware to prove he’s a winner.

Roster locks

So, who else will be part of Team Canada’s roster?

Sam Bennett, Mitch Marner and Brad Marchand are essentially locks. They all contributed to Canada’s win at the 4 Nations Face-Off and they have all represented Canada at past tournaments.

With Makar on the team, Devon Toews is a natural fit as Makar’s D-partner for the last five seasons in Colorado.

Other defencemen who have an edge to make the team include Colton Parayko, Josh Morrissey, Shea Theodore and Drew Doughty. All four were on Canada’s 4 Nations roster and Doughty will be one of the few players from any nation with past Olympic experience after being a part of the gold medal-winning teams in 2010 and 2014.

Question mark in net

Of the three goalies invited to Canada’s Olympic orientation camp, Jordan Binnington seems like the only guarantee. Binnington backstopped Canada to a win at the 4 Nations and St. Louis Blue GM Doug Armstrong is Canada’s GM, so I don’t see how Binnington doesn’t earn one of the three goaltending spots.

Once a source of strength, Canada is now notoriously weak in the crease, so I don’t think the full trio of Binnington, Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault is locked in for Olympic spots.

Montembeault’s spot seems most at-risk and there are a few goalies who could overtake him with strong starts to the season.

Mackenzie Blackwood in Colorado is a prime dark horse candidate. It’s his first full year in Denver and the Avalanche will put him in line for success with a strong team in front of him. Remember, this is the same team that helped Alexandar Georgiev somehow lead the league in wins in back-to-back seasons.

Logan Thompson in Washington could be an option after finishing last year with the best statistical season of his career. I also look at Darcy Kuemper in L.A. Kuemper is a proven Stanley Cup winner, who is coming off a great first year with the Kings.

Regardless of who makes the final roster, Canada will surely be a scary team to face.