Team Canada revealed its roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina on Wednesday with plenty of reactions that followed. For the last few years, there’s been a lot of debate amongst fans and circles on who should represent Canada on the most significant international stage in hockey and that came to a head with the announcement.

It was clear that Connor McDavid was a lock to be on the team, but for Oilers fans, there was some hope that some of his teammates would represent Canada with him in Italy in February. However, that wasn’t the case, with Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins being three notable omissions from the roster, leaving fans disappointed they couldn’t crack it.

However, it wasn’t just Oilers fans who were left scratching their heads with some of the selections.

Constructing a roster out of Canada’s talent pool should not be that hard. You are making four 1st lines and 4 top d-pairings. With this talent, special teams do not need to enter into the equation. The role on this team should be what they do best, which is outscoring. – Big Bullet Brad via X
Evan Bouchard makes a defensive error from time to time but I’d take him over about three of the Team Canada defencemen rostered. Way too important offensively. – Travis Yost via X
Absolutely GARBAGE call that Team Canada Olympic team took Anthony Cirelli over Sam Bennett. Bennett was a big part of the four nations cup. Bennett was just Stanley Cup MVP. But they take Cirelli only because Cooper is coach????? JOKE – AGBRSports via X
Sam Bennett has been one of the best players in the highest stakes games for 2 straight years and he got left off the roster for Cooper’s boy Cirelli. – Sam McKee via X
Will be debated to death but overall I like the squad. Time to get after it now. The goal is Gold!!! Let’s Go Canada!!! – John Easthope via X
Honestly i’m pretty happy with this! I think if Bedard didn’t get injured he probably makes it. Biggest snub apart from him has to be Scheifele. Also Tom Wilson with IIHF rules I don’t think is a recipe for success… but hopefully I’m proven wrong – TacTix HD via X
There is genuinely so much wrong with this selection. The old boys club strikes again. In 2026 there is no reason for Doughty, Cirelli, Point, Sanheim and Parayko to be here. Connor Bedard has been a top 5 player in the NHL this year. – BlackhawksTalks via X

There are, of course, fans who aren’t completely upset with the decisions. A lot of the criticism has come from Oilers, Panthers, Blackhawks fans, and a few Winnipeg Jets fans. A common annoyance, however, seems to be the fact that Team Canada will be running back the same defensive group from the 4-Nations Face-Off.

Aaaaand presenting, The Tampa Bay Canadians – Brayden MacEwan via Facebook
Everyone needs to look at the bigger picture here..We don’t need 14 guys who can score goals. Look at Cirellis PK numbers. Short handed goals included. This team is staked in all the right areas. – Austin Holland via Facebook
You’d have to think Scheifele is next up after Stone inevitably gets injured. The disrespect for Scheifele is crazy. – Reed Hain via Facebook
So they said that Binnington is under-performing with the Blues because of the lack of support in front of him…. but then they pick Parayko who is the support in front of him?? Also, Point and Cirelli taken over Shceifele? Sanheim who has multiple -20 seasons? Not ideal Roster – General Hari Nalwa via X
No Schief and Binnington over Wedgewood??????? Okay….. Binnington starting over Thompson even???? Are we okay? Yes he won it for us in 4 nations OT. But he was also AVERAGE the whole tournament…okay – youremyluckred via X
Goalie and defense is extremely questionable, almost no puck-moving defense and Binnington doesn’t even start for St. Louis. – Liquid | Rogue via X
Team Canada taking Sanheim and Doughty, not even top 50 defensemen in the NHL, over the best playoff defenseman this decade will prove to be the dumbest decision an Olympic group has ever made – Kailermemeamoto via X
Anthony Cirelli on this team is such a Jon Cooper pick, that guy is overrated as s**t – Braedo15 via Instagram
Doughty is your veteran D man with tons of championship experience. With less minutes played, you’ll see, he’ll play a steady roll. Plus, he’s a gamer. He always shows up big in those big games when it counts. – Space.Case41 via Instagram
How did Cirelli make this team after his four-nation performance? – Brettkirkham10 via Instagram

As is the case with rosters like Team Canada, there will always be debate on who should be there and who shouldn’t. It’s the blessing of having so much talent to choose from in Canada. For Oilers fans, there’s the other side of the coin: their star players, like Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins, and Bouchard, will have some time to rest and get ready for the second half of the season and another Cup Run.

One thing to look forward to, however, is the possibility that Connor McDavid could face off against Leon Draisaitl at the Winter Olympics.

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365

Featured

Editorials

Recent articles from Woz

‘So much wrong with this selection’: Fans split over Team Canada’s Olympic roster snubs

‘He just keeps getting better’: Fans react to McDavid’s 10-game point streak

‘You didn’t deserve that’: Oilers fans react to Skinner’s Penguins debut

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365

Recent articles from Woz

Breaking News