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Team Canada will not be playing in the Spengler Cup for the first time in over 40 years

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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May 1 2026, 5:00 pm
Team Canada will not be playing in the Spengler Cup for the first time in over 40 years
Hockey Canada

The 2026 Spengler Cup will look much different for Canadian viewers this year.

Hockey Canada announced on Friday that a long-term agreement between themselves and the Spengler Cup ended in 2025. The two sides were not able to come to a new agreement in time for this year’s tournament.

ā€œThe Spengler Cup is a special event, and we are grateful for our many years of partnership with the organizing committee and the fan support in Davos,ā€ the statement from Hockey Canada reads. ā€œHockey Canada and the organizing committee continue to engage in discussions around future participation in the Spengler Cup, and we look forward to the future of this prestigious tournament.ā€

“This is embarrassing and such a sad day for Hockey Canada,” one user wrote on X.

There were several other Canadians who were frustrated to hear the news as well.

“What an absolute joke,” another chimed in. “Largest hockey organization on the planet couldnā€™t get it done. An absolute shame, we should be participating at every tournament.”


The Spengler Cup, which is held annually around the same time as the World Juniors, has given many Canadian players the opportunity to star on a big stage. The tournament features European teams competing against Canada, a roster that is composed mostly of Canadian-born players playing in leagues overseas.

Not seeing Canada in this year’s Spengler Cup will be very unusual, as they have competed in the event since 1984. They’ve won the event 16 times over that span, with their latest win coming back in 2019.

That 2019 winning roster featured several former NHLers, including Kris Versteeg, Eric Fehr, Scottie Upshall, Daniel Winnik, Andrew MacDonald, and David Desharnais.

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