Canada adds Macklin Celebrini, throng of 4 Nations veterans to Olympic ice hockey team
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San Jose Sharks centre Macklin Celebrini (No. 71) in action during the 5-4 NHL win over the Anaheim Ducks on Dec 29, 2025, at the Honda Center.
PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES
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TORONTO – Nineteen-year-old sensation Macklin Celebrini is a notable new name on Hockey Canada’s final Winter Olympics roster announced on Dec 31.
General manager Doug Armstrong’s 25-man team features six players, including Celebrini, who were not part of the gold medal-winning line-up at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February.
The others are forwards Nick Suzuki, Bo Horvat and Tom Wilson and goalkeepers Darcy Kuemper and Logan Thompson.
National Hockey League (NHL) scoring leaders Connor McDavid (69 points) and Nathan MacKinnon (66 points) were named to the team in June, along with perennial captain Sidney Crosby, fellow forwards Sam Reinhart and Brayden Point and defender Cale Makar.
Celebrini, who has 60 points for the San Jose Sharks in his second NHL season, will make his Olympic debut at the tournament from Feb 11 to 22 in Milan.
The remaining forwards Armstrong selected on Dec 31 are Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel, Brad Marchand, Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.
Canada’s Makar-led defence includes 4 Nations returnees Drew Doughty, Thomas Harley, Josh Morrissey, Colton Parayko, Travis Sanheim, Shea Theodore and Devon Toews.
Kuemper and Thompson join 4 Nations starter Jordan Binnington as Canada’s goalkeepers.
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper will man the Canadian bench, assisted by veteran counterparts Bruce Cassidy, Peter DeBoer and Rick Tocchet.
The Canadians, who lost in the quarter-finals in Beijing in 2022, are grouped with the Czech Republic, Switzerland and France.
Forwards dropped from the 4 Nations team to make room for Celebrini, Suzuki, Horvat and Wilson were Sam Bennett, Seth Jarvis and Travis Konecny. Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault were unused goalkeepers at the event.
Canada edged out the United States 3-2 in overtime to win the 4 Nations final in Boston.
A trio of NHL players – Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller, Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson and Florida Panthers defender Seth Jones – will make their Olympic debuts with the US.
Olympic rosters had to be submitted by Dec 31. USA Hockey plans to announce its roster on Jan 1 (Jan 2, Singapore time) on NBC’s Today show.
This is the first time in 12 years that NHL players will compete at the Olympics. The US, who lost in the last eight last time, are grouped with Latvia, Denmark and Germany.
The trio join six players previously named to the US team – forwards Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators and Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers and defenders Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins.
Except for Hughes, who was injured at the time, those players were part of the 4 Nations Face-Off team who lost to Canada in the final.
Under coach Mike Sullivan of the New York Rangers, the US are chasing their first Olympic title since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team won gold in Lake Placid.
REUTERS
