Will Team Canada snub young stars like Bedard, Celebrini from Olympic roster?
Three recent first overall picks are all doing what they can to keep themselves on the Olympic radar for Team Canada.
Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, and Matthew Schaefer represent the NHL’s last three top picks from their respective drafts, with all three young Canadians having remarkable seasons.
Celebrini and Bedard are third and sixth in NHL scoring with 27 and 26 points respectively, while Schaefer is looking like the front-runner for the NHL’s Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year with seven goals and eight assists in just 19 games as a defenceman.
But with Bedard being the oldest of the trio at just 20 years of age, it’s a discussion that’s popped up the last few months: are the youngsters ready for the bright lights of the Olympic hockey tournament this coming February?
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman broached the topic on Monday’s episode of 32 Thoughts, offering possible insight into the selection committee’s mindset.
“I believe that Canada’s nerves with these three guys is having all three of them in a big game because they haven’t played at the senior level games like that,” Friedman shared.
NHL players are returning to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, with nearly all of Canada’s roster getting their first crack at the world’s biggest sporting event.
For Bedard, his biggest international experience comes with winning two gold medals at the World Juniors, picking up tournament MVP at the 2023 edition of the tournament. Celebrini put up eight points in five games for the 2024 World Junior team, but saw Canada bounced in the quarterfinals.
Bedard also played for Canada at the 2024 World Championships, while Celebrini made his senior national team debut at the same tournament the next year. Canada finished fourth and fifth in both tournaments, albeit with a largely different roster than their best due to the tournament taking place during the NHL playoffs.
Schaefer, meanwhile, broke his collarbone at the World Juniors this past year and missed several months, suiting up in just two games for Canada.
Bedard and Celebrini were cut from last season’s mid-year 4 Nations Faceoff roster, while Schaefer had yet to turn pro and was thus not eligible.
“Here’s the thing I’ve heard. What did Team Canada prioritize [at the 4 Nations Faceoff]… guys who’ve won [Stanley Cups and other big trophies], right? I think they’re gonna prioritize that again,” Friedman mused. “These are gonna be high-pressure games. Can you command your emotions and control yourself in big games?”
Canada has interesting history with young players
Since 1998, when NHL players were first allowed to compete for Olympic medals, Canada has won gold on three occasions, while being left off the podium twice in 1998 and 2006 (in years that included NHL players).
The most famous example of Canada leaving off a young player and it later likely backfiring was in 2006, when a then-19-year-old rookie Sidney Crosby was left at home.
He finished sixth in the NHL in scoring that year with 102 points, ahead of all but two players on that roster. Meanwhile, Canada infamously imploded with three shutout losses to Switzerland, Finland, and Russia, bouncing out in the quarterfinals while scoring just 2.5 goals per game.
While perhaps Celebrini, Bedard, and Schaefer might not be on the exact skill level as Crosby, there’s a precedent for regret if Canada doesn’t find itself winning gold this time around if any or all of the three are left home.
When will Canada’s final roster be announced?
Canada has reportedly trimmed down its long list to around 30 to 40 names, as shared by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun last week.
The final rosters for the Olympics are due Dec. 31, though changes can be made due to injuries or other absences after the fact.
While that’s still about a month-and-a-half away, you can bet that the discourse around the possible roster selections won’t die down anytime soon.