“We look forward to kicking off the season in Calgary and giving our athletes and staff a chance to come together,” said Hockey Canada’s Scott Salmond earlier this month on how the team will start preparing for the 2026 Winter Olympics. However, one star of the national team, who coincidentally has been playing in Calgary for the last three NHL seasons, was shockingly absent from the roster that was invited to the Olympics camp. And now, Nazem Kadri seems to have reached his wits’ end.

The 34-year-old hockey center noted his amazement at not being invited to Hockey Canada’s National Teams Orientation Camp, the roster for which was revealed on August 1. With the 2026 Winter Olympics fast approaching, the national camp will be the place that helps to form the final team for next year’s big event. Naturally, Kadri feels like his opportunity to represent the Maple Leaf on the big stage is slipping away.

In an article by The Athletic from August 15, Kadri’s exasperation was shared, underscoring his utmost desire to carry the national flag at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. “I feel like I deserve a chance,” he said. Since transferring to Calgary in the 2022-23 season, the Ontario native has consistently posted 50+ points in the regular season. Naturally, Nazem feels he should have received the opportunity, like many of his colleagues, to show his mettle to the national team top brass.

“Honestly, man, it would be an absolute dream come true to somehow crack that team…But I understand I’m going to have to play well,” said Kadri, further on how joining his comrades at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be incredible. Referring to his 35-goal-hauling 2024-25 season, the forward also stated, “I’m playing some of my best hockey. I feel good. I take pride in looking after myself and making sure, medically and physically, that everything’s balanced and in line.”

The 2026 Winter Olympics camp will see 42 players being invited to Calgary, including all 24 of the athletes who helped Team Canada lift the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off trophy back in February. Naturally, Kadri, who is just 15 games away from 1,000 NHL career games, can’t help but feel left out. Hockey Canada has already announced some names, including that of back-to-back Stanley Cup finalist Connor McDavid, who will represent the nation at the Milano Cortina Games next year.

Nazem, on the other hand, hasn’t been all too shabby to be overlooked entirely by the authorities. In the last season, he played all 82 regular-season games and led the Calgary Flames offensively with 35 goals and 67 points before the 2026 Winter Olympics. Despite the Western Conference team not making the playoffs, Kadri’s expertise on the ice shone through in all its brilliance, and it’s easy to understand why he feels left out, looking at the roster invited to the camp, which is slated to take place between 26 and 28 August.

However, it’s not like the Flames star is only letting the thought gnaw at his sanity. Instead, he is quietly doing his part to help the sport grow, along with giving back to the community that loves it so.

Irrespective of possible 2026 Winter Olympics snub, Kadri remains steadfast on his objective

Winter Games or not, hockey will forever be a sport that has millions of followers worldwide. Stars enjoy a sort of reverence and respect from their fans, which is rarely seen elsewhere. Goes without saying that, with 16 seasons as a pro athlete, Naem Kadri has also tasted that love from the fans over and over again. And now, he’s looking to help return some of that love.

Joining hands with the Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA), Kadri has been helping many aspiring hockey stars to find their places on the ice. Now, ahead of Saturday’s HDA SummerFest for 250 marginalized youth and their families at Canoe Landing Park in downtown Toronto, Kadri is feeling extra excited. “This is a pretty exciting moment in time,” he said about the upcoming event. “The introduction is the main thing. Maybe they don’t ultimately play, but we help them where they want to go in life. That’s the serious potential,” the star said about why HDA’s initiative matters.

“We’ve been tracking a lot of players, helping to welcome so many to hockey. We provide coaching, ice time and we’re so pleased about 50 have gone on to competitive hockey, including Triple A in the GTHL,” Nazem proudly said how the initiative has been making a difference. So, do you think Hockey Canada will take notice of his social work along with his last few triumphant seasons in the Flames’ stripes? There are still a few spots left in the Winter Olympics camp waiting to be filled. Will Salmond send for Kadri to help the latter grin again? Tell us your thoughts below!