Nineteen-year-old Macklin Celebrini has been selected to join the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team, along with seasoned stars Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon. This marks the return of NHL players to the Winter Games after an absence of more than a decade.
The team’s roster of 25 players was unveiled on Wednesday, ahead of their Olympic campaign commencing on Feb. 12 against the Czech Republic in Milan, Italy. Among the returning players are Crosby, the team captain, and defenceman Drew Doughty, both of whom were part of the 2010 and 2014 gold-medal-winning squads.
The lineup includes a total of 22 Stanley Cups among the players, with 19 individuals who contributed to Canada’s recent victory over the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. General manager Doug Armstrong expressed confidence in the team’s skill and depth, emphasizing their readiness to compete for Olympic gold.
Key players like Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon, Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart, and Cale Makar were among the initial six selections announced earlier. Celebrini, who was not part of the 4 Nations tournament, joins the team alongside notable forwards such as Nick Suzuki, Bo Horvat, and Tom Wilson.
The defensive lineup will see the return of all eight players who competed in the 4 Nations tournament, including Makar, Doughty, and Josh Morrissey. In goal, Jordan Binnington, despite a challenging season in the NHL, secured his spot, joined by Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper.
While some notable players like Connor Bedard and Sam Bennett did not make the final cut, the team is set to represent Canada proudly at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. The management group, led by Armstrong, expressed their confidence in the selected players and their commitment to delivering a memorable performance both on and off the ice.
Canada will be competing in Group A against the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and France, with the gold-medal match scheduled for Feb. 22.
