Olympic Glory Starts Here
Team Canada’s national men’s team camp isn’t a formality.
It’s the true beginning of the 2026 Winter Olympic story.
This month, 45 of the country’s top players are in Calgary to learn systems, build chemistry, and earn trust. No scrimmages. No crowds. Just quiet decisions that will shape the roster fans see in Milan.
And one thing stands out immediately: this team still runs on junior hockey DNA.
20 CHL Grads, One Shared Target
Among the players in camp, 20 came through the Canadian Hockey League—and many are featured in Junior Hockey Giants: Road to the NHL. These aren’t just players who “made it.” They’re players who earned it—through bus rides, billet homes, and championship pressure before ever hearing their name on draft day.
Here’s the full list of CHL alumni fighting for Olympic spots:
-
Connor McDavid – Erie Otters
-
Nathan MacKinnon – Halifax Mooseheads
-
John Tavares – London Knights
-
Mitch Marner – London Knights
-
Mark Scheifele – Barrie Colts
-
Mark Stone – Brandon Wheat Kings
-
Brayden Point – Moose Jaw Warriors
-
Sam Reinhart – Kootenay Ice
-
Sam Bennett – Kingston Frontenacs
-
Carter Verhaeghe – Niagara IceDogs
-
Robert Thomas – London Knights
-
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Red Deer Rebels
-
Nick Suzuki – Owen Sound Attack
-
Travis Konecny – Ottawa 67’s/Sarnia Sting
-
Quinton Byfield – Sudbury Wolves
-
Evan Bouchard – London Knights
-
Aaron Ekblad – Barrie Colts
-
Thomas Harley – Mississauga Steelheads
-
Josh Morrissey – Prince Albert Raiders
-
Jordan Binnington – Owen Sound Attack
Some are household names. Some are still building their legacy. But every one of them honed their identity in the CHL.
From London to Milan: Why
Junior Habits Still Matter
When you look closer, you start to see the throughlines:
-
Bouchard, Ekblad, Harley, Morrissey—defenders who learned poise and precision as teenagers.
-
Stone, Reinhart, Point, Konecny—players who learned how to lead under pressure.
-
McDavid, Marner, MacKinnon, Tavares—who dominated junior not just with talent, but with presence.
These aren’t just good players. They’re championship players—built in rinks across Canada, long before they wore the Maple Leaf.
The Four Nations Blueprint
If you want to understand how Canada’s 2026 roster is being shaped, look back to February 2025, when Canada took gold at the Four Nations Face-Off.
Some key learnings from that championship run:
-
Connor McDavid scored the OT winner in the final vs. USA.
-
Nathan MacKinnon led the team with four goals in four games.
-
Sidney Crosby returned as captain and tone-setter—proof that experience and hunger still matter.
-
Cale Makar, Mark Stone, Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart, and Mitch Marner delivered elite two-way performances.
-
Josh Morrissey, Devon Toews, and Shea Theodore helped control tempo on the blue line.
It wasn’t just a win—it was a statement: this generation knows how to win best-on-best hockey.
Thomas Harley
A Blue Line in Transition
One of the most fascinating angles coming out of this camp is what’s not happening:
No Darnell Nurse.
No Thomas Chabot.
Two players once expected to be Olympic anchors are absent. And that’s not just surprising—it’s telling.
Instead, Canada seems to be prioritizing:
-
Puck movement over physicality
-
Efficiency over reputation
-
Big-ice agility over NHL résumé
This opens the door for younger CHL grads like Thomas Harley and Evan Bouchard—who now look like real contenders for roster spots. That’s a shift worth watching.
Who’s Locked In—And Who’s Climbing
The stars? They’re locked in.
-
McDavid, MacKinnon, Tavares, Marner, Point, Crosby and Makar—they’re the core.
-
Reinhart, Stone, Scheifele—trusted veterans who know their roles.
-
Binnington and Nugent-Hopkins—experienced, reliable, and respected.
But the real drama lies in the battles beneath:
-
Can Nick Suzuki earn a utility role?
-
Will Josh Morrissey continue his rise as a go-to defender?
-
Can Verhaeghe, Bennett, or Byfield carve out roles in a deep forward group?
These are the names to track over the coming months.
The Takeaway: Identity Wins Championships
This orientation camp isn’t about assembling an all-star team. It’s about building a team with identity—one that reflects Canada’s hockey DNA:
-
Skill, but with grit
-
Speed, but with structure
-
Stars, but with glue guys
And for 20 CHL alumni now wearing the red and white again, this is more than a camp. It’s a full-circle moment. From junior hockey rinks to the Olympic conversation—they’ve carried Canada’s hopes before, and they’re ready to do it again.
Who’s on your version of Team Canada?
📩 Want more insight like this? Join here on Substack for weekly stories from the intersection of junior hockey, legacy, and the journey to greatness.
📷 All stories powered by first-hand archives, field notes, and 15+ years behind the lens.