For the first time in more than a decade, National Hockey League stars will return to the Olympic ice, as the 12 nations bound for Milano Cortina 2026 announced the opening six names on their preliminary rosters earlier this summer.
Hockey Canada wasted no time showcasing its firepower, unveiling a star-studded list headlined by Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers).
This group already gave fans a taste of what is to come at February’s Four Nations Face-Off earlier this year, where Canada skated to victory in a best-on-best showdown against the world’s elite. Their performances there only heightened anticipation, with many calling the six a “dream team” foundation for the Olympic squad.
Follow along with this tracker on Olympics.com for the latest on Canada’s first six, as well as updates on the other NHL standouts aiming to wear the maple leaf when the Games arrive in 2026.