So… is this really Team Canada’s Olympic roster? That’s the question swirling after Hockey Canada dropped a 92-player invite list for its orientation camp, set for August 26–28 in Calgary. With 42 NHLers, top-tier names from the women’s and para programs, and future stars like Connor Bedard and Sidney Crosby, it looks like the blueprint for Winter Olympics- Milan 2026. But don’t be fooled-Canada’s playing it smart. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman hinted in a YouTube segment, this isn’t the whole story. The real roster? That’s still in the vault. Because yeah, Canada might already be training for Olympic gold… but they’re not about to show their trump card just yet.

The three-day event is strictly off-ice: no scrimmages, no selections, no final cuts. Think of it more as Olympic orientation. There’ll be team meetings, logistics sessions, and media prep, basically, a way to get everyone aligned before the long road to the Milan Olympics. But as Friedman made clear, this list isn’t final. “There is a long list of players that includes some who are not coming to Calgary this summer,” he said. So just because you weren’t invited, doesn’t mean you’re out. The real roster math is still in motion.

Here’s the real chess move: if NHL players want to wear the Maple Leaf in the Milan Olympics, they have to follow the IOC’s drug-testing protocol now. That means entering the testing pool early, well before February. “You can’t just show up like a week before the Olympics and say, ‘Oh, I’m here for the testing,’” Friedman explained. So yes, players like Nazem Kadri, who didn’t get the invite and wasn’t exactly subtle about his confusion, are still in play as long as they’re already following that protocol. That’s the brilliance of Canada’s approach. By keeping certain names off this invite list, they’re keeping rivals guessing. Their trump card? Uncertainty. Other nations can’t fully prepare when Canada hasn’t shown all its pieces.

Still, a few names shouted future. Bedard and Celebrini weren’t just “nice additions,” they were statements. “I was pleasantly surprised that Connor Bedard was there,” Friedman said. Inviting him now isn’t just about Milan, it’s about what comes after. You get young talent rubbing shoulders with Olympic legends early, you’re already investing in 2030. And that’s what makes this whole thing even more fascinating. While Canada trains and plans, Team USA is also sharpening its blade. The players you don’t see might just be the ones who matter most when gold is on the line. So, who are the players attending this training?

Inside hockey Canada’s 92-player camp ahead of Winter Olympics

The women’s NHL team is just as loaded. Thirty players were selected, including 17 gold medalists from Beijing 2022 and 24 players from the silver-winning 2025 World Championship squad. GM Gina Kingsbury and coach Troy Ryan made sure to balance experience with rising stars like Sarah Fillier and Claire Thompson. They’ll participate in training blocks and events throughout the 2025–26 season, gearing up for Winter Olympics selection. Meanwhile, the para hockey roster includes 20 players, featuring 9 silver medalists from the 2022 Paralympics and 16 who just won gold at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary.

On the men’s side, the invite list includes 42 NHL players: 3 goalies, 13 defensemen, and 26 forwards selected by GM Doug Armstrong and a management group featuring Julien BriseBois, Jim Nill, Don Sweeney, and Kyle Dubas, with head coach Jon Cooper and others. It’s an impressive crew. There are legends of the Olympics like Sidney Crosby, Drew Doughty, and John Tavares, plus Stanley Cup champions like Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, and Jordan Binnington. The list also includes all 24 players from Canada’s recent 4 Nations Face-Off win and a crop of young talent like Connor Bedard, who Friedman called “a big part of the future.” But one name missing caused an uproar: Nazem Kadri. The veteran helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup but didn’t hide his shock when Hockey Canada left him out.

As for Kadri? The 34-year-old Flames star isn’t just dealing with this snub; he’s also in the middle of trade rumors. After posting 710 points in 985 NHL games, his exclusion feels baffling. It stings more knowing how vocal players like Crosby have been about what the national team means. “I know how much pride comes with wearing the Maple Leaf on the international stage,” Crosby said. For Kadri, it’s a brutal moment, but we might still see him in the Winter Olympics.