The Montreal Canadiens enter the 2025-26 season with several players vying for Olympic participation. All eight of these players will have to prove their merit to their respective countries during the first half of the season. Let’s take a look at which Montreal Canadiens we could see at the 2026 Olympics in Italy.
Montreal Canadiens Potential Olympic Participants
Team Canada: Nick Suzuki, Noah Dobson, Sam Montembeault
After being one of the more notable snubs for the Canadian four-nation team, Nick Suzuki set out to prove the Canadian brass wrong. He was one of the league’s most productive players following the break. Suzuki set a new career high in points en route to leading his Canadiens to their first playoff berth in four years. Suzuki can bring scoring and a solid 200-foot game to Canada’s bottom-six. With a solid first half of the season, Montreal’s captain stands a good chance of cracking the Olympic squad.
Sam Montembeault served as Canada’s third-string goalie in the Four Nations tournament. Despite not suiting up for his country, he was present throughout the team’s run to victory. He was one of only three goalies named to Canada’s orientation camp roster, along with Jordan Binnington and Adin Hill. As of now, the starter’s job is Binnington’s to lose, as he performed admirably as the team’s starter throughout the four nations. However, Canada could opt to ride the hot hand heading into the Olympic break. Montembeault should be on the final roster; his battle now is getting himself in the crease for game action.
Newly acquired Montreal Canadien Noah Dobson is hoping to secure a spot on the Canadian roster after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. The 25-year-old had seventy points from the backend the year prior. With his big frame and offensive ability, a rejuvenation in Montreal could show the Canadian brass the value of bringing him to Italy in February.
Team USA: Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson
Cole Caufield was one of many notable omissions for Team USA last February, along with Jason Robertson and Tage Thompson. The team instead opted for more grit in their bottom-six with names like Brock Nelson and Chris Kreider earning roles. However, Caufield is very familiar with many of the USA’s top stars, and his goal-scoring prowess will be difficult to pass on once more.
Lane Hutson was reportedly not invited to his country’s orientation camp in August. This marks a notable omission for a rookie who just notched 66 points in his first pro campaign. However, with smaller offensive players like Adam Fox and Quinn Hughes already likely on the roster, it’s understandable to see why the States would opt for more size. However, Hutson still has time to make his case on why he should represent his country.
Team Finland: Patrik Laine
Team Finland isn’t as deep as the likes of Canada and the USA. However, they still have some top-end firepower up front. Patrik Laine is hoping to be a part of that group once more. Barring an injury, he should be a lock for the Finnish roster. With a strong start to his season, we could see him play top-six minutes as well as top power-play time for Finland.
Team Slovakia: Juraj Slafkovsky
Juraj Slafkovsky is the face of a young up-and-coming hockey nation in Slovakia. Slovakia currently lacks bona fide NHL talent. As a result, Slafkovsky will assuredly be on the team in a prominent role for his country. In 2022, he scored seven goals in seven games for Slovakia. His success in that tournament ultimately was a huge part of why the Canadiens selected him first overall later that year.
Team Czechia: Jakub Dobes
The final Canadiens player looking to fulfill their Olympic dreams is young netminder Jakub Dobes. The 24-year-old has a solid case for why he should be one of Czechia’s three netminders. He’ll be battling Dan Vladar for the final spot, with Lukas Dostal already being named to the roster and Karel Vejmelka likely being a shoo-in. Dobes should be the backup in Montreal to start the season after signing a new contract. As a result, he’ll have an opportunity to show why he deserves a spot on the Czech roster.
Main Photo: Eric Bolte- Imagn Images
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