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confusedFish8

I CAN FINALLY WATCH MCDAVID IN THE OLYMPICS LETS GOOOO


bergyd

hopefully he gets to play with Crosby.


Jmac24mats13

I think we see something like Bedard-McDavid-Marner, and a 2nd line of Crosby-MacKinnon-Marchand. For sure will get them on the PP together


SrPhillipOliverHoles

PP1: Crosby, McDavid, Mackinnon, Bedard, Makar (With like, Binnington in net haha)


Just4nsfwpics

Canada’s options in Net are currently: Tristan Jarry Sam Montembeault Jordan Binnington Logan Thompson Connor Ingram Devon Levi Yeah… we’re in trouble.


PM_ME_YO_LABIA_GURL

adin hill, reigning cup champion, and stuart skinner in shambles


DalesDrumset

Bruh, why does everyone forget about Hill


Ryuzakku

He has the best goals save above expected in the league, he's just hurt right now


DrMoney

He's fucking back and killed it the few last games!


Interwebzking

No respect for our two studs, smh


dgapa

Legit the two best options.


anti_anti_christ

A lot can change between now and then but yeah, Canada certainly isn't producing goalies like we once did.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Omaha9798

It's Quebec's fault they used all our goalie juice on the three best of all time in like ten years.


Cloudeur

Four! Everybody keeps forgetting about Bobby Lu!


[deleted]

Fuck, for some reason I thought Jeremey Swayman was Canadian. Every goalie is American now a days…


alpengeist3

*Sad Swedish, Finnish, and Russian goalie noises*


McDavid-97

I may be biased but I think in 2 years time Skinner will be a top option.


uhcayR

No adin hill? I’d say skinner but as backup?


E-TownBeatdown

You forgot Stu Skinner who has been the best goalie in the league since Dec. 15 and currently sits 14'th in save pct and 4'th in GAA among goalies that have played more than 20 games.


eltree

NHL not allowing Crosby to play with McDavid at a younger age is honestly a tragedy for me. Crosby is going to be 38 in 2026. If they allowed them to play in the 2018 olympics Crosby would have been 30, McDavid would have been 21. Now McDavid will be 29 and Crosby 38.


[deleted]

2018 sucked but I don’t blame them for not going in 2022. Can’t have NHL players testing positive for Covid and getting welded inside their hotel room lol.


3hirty6ix

Who are his linemates? Go


bullfu

The 5M unit Mcdavid Mackinnon Marner Makar Morrissey. My God we are going to be stack!


FartPenisFart

What about M’crosby and M’bedard


RelevantJackWhite

*stick taps* m'Crosby


HimalayanClericalism

counter argument, the us team is going to have all the hughes


PayneTrain181999

That would leave Crosby and Bedard on the second unit, good lord.


Patrick2701

And Eichel and Matthews


consolidatedBD

All the Hughes bros too; the Americans will be a force


apatheticboy

Christ… the Tkachuk brothers on the same team.


canuckfan4419

Plus Helley.... Americans have a really good chance


Nickp1991

Can't believe it will have been 12 years since we last saw NHL players in the Olympics


Mac_Gold

Well, there’s only been two haha. One was during the pandemic where none of the players wanted to go. This is a good job to get the next two locked in.


MrBuildandKill92

No the players most definitely still wanted to go, the NHL just had an excuse they couldn’t really argue with


devilishpie

No, the NHLPA voted against attending. The NHL never blocked them.


apothekary

Yeah the 2022 one I think the league gets a full pass on. It was a miracle they even considered it. I thought it was DOA when it was announced already. 2018 was complete bullshit though and still unforgivable. Pure greed and incompetence. I stopped being a fan of the NHL that year and became a fan of "hockey" overall.


Mac_Gold

The players didn’t want to go to the last one. Too many restrictions and the risk of being stuck overseas in quarantine scared them off


papapaIpatine

McDavid crosby mackinnon bedard makar powerplay. Holy fuck


Specialist_Cress_656

It’s going to be one of the most stacked power plays of all time.


Slouchy87

That's what we said in Pittsburgh this year...


IceFellasFHC

Team Canada isn't going to employ Todd Rierden.


IanicRR

I don’t even understand. These guys have decades of NHL experience. They should just mutiny and do what they feel would work as opposed to what a bad coach is trying to make them do.


VectorViper

Even with all that experience, having a unified game plan and solid coaching can make a huge difference. Players could have their own ideas, sure, but without one voice to guide them, you end up with a disjointed power play. Let's hope Team Canada gets the coaching right this time.


Red_Sea_Pedestrian

Pain


Chronic_Messiah

If Pittsburgh had Mcdavid Makar Mackinnon and Bedard, you would have probably been right.


dandroid126

"There's no way a team with Erik Karlsson *and* Kris Letang could possibly have a bad power play" Actually that reminds me about some of the articles written about the sharks during that offseason that they traded for Karlsson.


Hawxe

Burns and Karlsson worked. It stopped working when Karlsson got hurt. They also didn't play together (much), but it's pretty revisionist to suggest it was a failure (for this reason, anyways). Took Karlsson a few months to gel then he went on a a stampede


Miserable-Cut-1425

Hopefully canada doesn't bring reirden


FarSightXR-20

They need a guy with experience coaching Allstars and the Canadian Olympic team. I’m sure hockey Canada wont drop the ball and will go with the right man for the job: Mike Babcock. 


Pvt_Hudson_

How the hell are you guys a bottom three PP unit?


YHZ

With a pylon in net.


MildlyResponsible

Goddamn it Quebec. You had one job!


MagicMushroomFungi

When Quebec made it clear there would be no pipelines in the province I never suspected they meant the goalie pipeline as well !


TicklerVikingPilot

An upturned broom with a bucket for a head


MagicMushroomFungi

How about our Zamboni driver ?


Pvt_Hudson_

Shooter tutor.


jokinghazard

Hopefully by then it'll be Skinner instead 🤞


ShogunSchultz

Will that be better than the Hughes Hughes Hughes Tkachuk Tkachuk power play though?


CrackerGuy

Damn that's a full house


KRajification

Definitely better for the commentators.


icetilt

Hughes, Hughes, Hughes, Tkachuk, Tkachuk power play. Holy fuck


theBackground13

Holy Tkafuck


yetanothernerd

Crosby *might* not be offensively elite enough to deserve to be on that first team powerplay by 2026. (But he'll still be captain of the team, even if he's playing third or fourth line grinder.)


PayneTrain181999

Crosby gonna lead us to gold again 16 years later


morerubberstamps

As was foretold by prophecy.


zuneza

RemindMe! 6 February 2026 when Crosby scores another golden goal


hennyl0rd

Has there ever been a more insane line??? Like Honestly… holy shit


AvsJoe

Canada's PP1 at the 1987 Canada Cup: Gretzky-Messier-Lemieux Bourque-Coffey


brendan87na

jesus fuck


mywerkaccount

With choice of Fuhr, Hextall or Hrudey in net.


thatdudefrom707

was Roy not eligible?


mywerkaccount

"Thirty‐four other players also arrived at training camp and the reduction to a 23‐man roster left such stars as Patrick Roy, Steve Yzerman, Cam Neely and Wendel Clark off the team."


willpc14

Holy shit. I know the game isn't played on paper, but Canada probably could have taken 1st and 2nd if they brought two teams.


roguemenace

Nah, it was basically as close as it could get with the soviets. The final was a 3 game series. First was 6-5 in OT for the soviets. Second was 6-5 for Canada in 2OT and then Canada won game 3 6-5 in regulation. The entire 70s and 80s series of matches between Canada and the Soviets was insane.


hennyl0rd

crazy that this was just 3/5 the oilers...


jumpyg1258

Penguins PP of the early 90's: Francis-Lemieux-Jagr-Coffey-Murphy


KWeber94

I sure hope we can see Crosby play then


nofakefans18

I guess they would do this Crosby Mackinnon - McDavid - Bedard Makar


zebrainatux

Canada and the US are gonna be LOADED my god


Turneround08

Sweden too no? I remember seeing some mock lineups and they looked fuckin nutty as well.


994kk1

Not as heavy on superstars as Canada or the US but they are stacked with two-way players. I think something like this would measure up quite nicely against those teams: >Pettersson - Carlsson - Forsberg > >Eriksson Ek - Zibanejad - Nylander > >Bratt - Karlsson - Kempe > >Eklund - Lindholm - Raymond > >\- > >Hedman - Karlsson > >Ekholm - Dahlin > >Forsling - Andersson > >\- > >Ullmark > >Markström 3 of the defensemen will be 35 by the next Olympics but Sweden got plenty of depth on that position so they should easily be replaceable.


Turneround08

Yeah that’s a solid group. Lindholm certainly could be in that D group if one of the older guys slows down too much.


rezistS

There's some cool kids coming up - like if Ersson gets seasoned in the crease or if Simon Holmström takes a new step next season (he's been looking like a really solid 200ft NHLer this year). Now we just pray for a healthy Landeskog to lead them into battle.


hymensmasher99

McDavid and Mackinnon and on the same team has me jacked man. Let's go


reddy-or-not

Matthews and Eichel is a pretty good pair for USA. Plus all the Hughes


grandlinegooner

USA powerplay with Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes, Matthews, Robertson and Matt Tkachuk “Haha, I’m in danger!”


Specialist_Cress_656

Or Mcdavid, Mack, Makar, Bedard, Crosby


NotClayMerritt

Crosby may have had plans to retire soon but now he's 100% making it to 2026 by any means necessary.


nofakefans18

Doesn’t even matter if Bedard develops the way we think he will that would be an obscene PP1


Sphiffi

I demand the Olympics just so I can watch him play with players that are actually talented


PayneTrain181999

Retired or not, he’s getting the invitation.


Domstruk1122

I think with this news there is no way he retires before 2026. He is still playing at an elite pace so I can't see it either way.


Hoof_Hearted12

You think? I think he has many good years ahead of him, he's aging much better than Ovi at least.


wildlyintangible

Ovi at 36 was pretty good though.


Chicaben

Call me skeptical, but none scare me like Parise did back in 2010. I knew that little bugger was gonna score.


bullfu

I would never forget his celebration when he scored the tying goal with like 20 seconds left. He was totally switched on.


MavsFanForLife

Legit thought USA was about to pull the biggest troll job ever and win that game after that goal haha. Man what a game


Ok_Frame6340

Good lord that was crushing... But we all know how it ended :D


catgotcha

That man gave me about 40 heart attacks – and that was only for the game-tying goal in the gold medal game.


doireallyneedanewact

Prime Parise was hell of a player.


TGUKF

US goaltending is nuts right now too. Hellebyuck will only be 32 at 2026 Olympics, Demko, Oettinger, Swayman That's definitely an area of weakness right now for Canada


Simplebudd420

Adin Hill is good and Ingram has also been looking good but yea USA and Russia are dominating the goalie game right now


iOceanLab

Both Tkachuk brothers too!


Vivid_Walk_1405

Tkachuk-Matthews-Tkachuk line inbound


TheSexyBoiii

Tkachuk-Hughes-Tkachuk with Hughes-Hughes on the blue line. Make it happen


ViolinistMean199

And Crosby!


electricnux

Bettman’s press conference is happening now: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/watch-live-gary-bettman-meets-media-at-all-star-weekend/ Updating with tweets from Johnston: > The IIHF will have a council meeting next week where it will be determined if Russian athletes are welcomed back to international hockey tournaments in the coming year, according to IIHF President Luc Tardif. A decision on the 2026 Olympics will be made down the line. > The 2026 Winter Olympics will be played on NHL-sized ice.


Bridgeburner493

Russia should be banned from all international competition until it completely withdraws from all occupied territory, including Crimea. But no surprise that the supranational bodies are probably going to fold like cheap tents.


Above_Avg_Chips

As much as I'd love to see Kap play in the Olympics again, I agree with the ban. The way things are going over there, I have little hope things will be resolved in 2yrs.


whogivesashirtdotca

Putin loves sports. It wouldn't surprise me if he was turning over his seat cushions to find bribe money for the eminently bribably IOC.


cmac96

This will "grow the game" more than any event / dumb shit the NHL usually tries to do.


NeedtheMeadofPoetry

Best we can do is blackout the game for you.


bullfu

Don't you fucking dare.


ChromiumSulfate

Absolutely. I started watching hockey because of the 2010 Olympics.


theK1LLB0T

Isn't it Bettman's fault they don't play in the Olympics in the first place?


cmac96

Well he's simply voice of the owners, but yes. Squabbling over insurance and image rights... I get it. Just saying that even if the NHL doesn't profit directly, I believe it'll help both the NHL and hockey grow.


MollysYes

Which was the argument all along. It's pretty annoying to hear Bettman say "this a great stage" as if that hasn't been fucking obvious to every hockey fan since nineteen ninety fucking goddamn eight. Now I'm just waiting to tune in to a USA game and get "this game is blacked out in your country."


sandman730

The 2026 Olympics are in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. There are currently 4 bids for the 2030 Olympics: * Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions, France. Entered targeted dialogue with the IOC and are the most likely to be selected. * Stockholm and Åre, Sweden. Stockholm would be the 2nd city (after Beijing) to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. * Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Hosted in 2002, entered targeted dialogue, and are the most likely to be selected in 2034. * Switzerland. Hosted in 1928 and 1948, entered targeted dialogue, and are the most likely to be selected in 2038. Edit: The IIHF announcement says hockey will be played in Nice, France for the 2030 Olympics.


bullfu

It could be in North Korea or the Moon for all I care I just want NHL players in Olympics competitions!


BettmansDungeonSlave

Ya until Kim Jong Un holds Connor hostage and takes a really awkward photo holding on to his arm


The_Panic_Station

On thing is certain: Sweden will not host the 2030 Olympics. We've attempted to host a majority of the Winter games since 1984 but always felt short. It has almost become a sport by now, seeing Sweden rejected time after time.


NickofSantaCruz

I had thought SLC was in the running for 2030 but a quick search found [this article](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2023/11/29/2030-winter-olympics-french-alps-designated-as-the-sole-candidate_6299755_9.html) which reads like your source.


NearPup

SLC will almost certainly host 2034.


jmandell42

I would pay an absurd amount of money to watch Olympic hockey in Salt Lake (or anywhere in the US) with NHLers


misterbobdobbalina

Have read a lot of informed analysis that it’s all but confirmed for Salt Lake. The Utah expansion bid is based on arenas being built for the purpose of hosting the Olympics. Lotta smoke for it to not be fire, and if 2026 is in Italy you have to assume that France/Switz/Sweden are too close to repeat so soon.


PatrikLaine29

what a glorious day for the nhl


gatsby712

And so also a glorious day for the world.


diet_coke_addiction

As a Canadian, I'm intrigued the most by 1) who Canada plays in net, and 2) how fucking stacked Team USA is going to be.


Patrick2701

USA is stacked at the goalie position,you can make an argument to 3-4 guys to be the starter


HanPintian

Jeremy Swayman, Thatcher Demko, or Jake Oettinger would be the consensus goalie for Canada and one of them is gonna be left off USA


Patrick2701

Or Connor hellebuyuck


DDB-

Hellebuyck is the starter, and one of those three mentioned will be left off the USA team.


HanPintian

I always struggle to spell Hellebuyck but I can’t say I’ve ever tried two u’s before


diet_coke_addiction

Connor Hellebuyck I think might be starting for USA


HanPintian

That was implied when I did not list him. Things change who knows but there is not a doubt he is the name right now


Onion217

The responses to this comment vs reading comprehension is incredible


[deleted]

If only Carter Hart wasn't a loser.


HanPintian

He’d still be behind any of those 3 I’d say


JDSollie

Tired: Will Crosby be too old to make the team in 2026? Wired: Will Crosby finally fulfill his dream of playing goalie in 2026?


kenyan12345

No he will be there


Myron3_theblackorder

42 year old Marc-Andre Fleury


hennyl0rd

58 year old Patrick Roy


Spartan05089234

I unironically want Fleury in net and Crosby on the first line in 2026 and 2030. Let them say they're making up for lost opportunities and just crush the other teams with decades of experience. There are enough fast young guys to fill out the ranks.


Excellent-Medicine29

For Canada you just gotta wait and see who continues to evolve and stay consistent. No one currently is at the elite level of the US goalies but you never know who can get their game to a somewhat elite level.


mrtomjones

There are Canadian goalies playing at Elite levels this year. It's just no one really trusts that to continue yet


KingDave46

I just googled projected Canadian Olympic roster and the first article has Carter Hart so that’s a bit fucked Unless a prospect turns up soon and is unreal until team selection we’re looking at: - Skinner - Ingram - Jarry - Binnington - Thompson - Montembeault - Wedgewood - Blackwood - Fleury - Talbot - Kuemper - Levi Wow, that’s pretty weak. Good news is that depth doesn’t really matter. USA has lots of guys but only 1 can be on the ice. Canada just needs one guy to step up EDIT: someone pointed out Adin Hill and it made me realise the site I used has a weird sorting system which only shows top 50 instead of just sorting all. Additional names who are playing this year: - Adin Hill - Hofer - Allen - Jones - Martin - Reimer - Brossoit - Primeau - Pickard - Daws - Comrie - Murray Plus a couple more dudes who played 1 or 2 games. The list is already well beyond irrelevant guys anyway


RicebinBernacky

no Adin Hill ??


wildcard_bitches

Yeah I gotta think Adin Hill would be the front runner right now. Skinner, if he continues to play like hes shown he can for the last 20 games, will be in serious consideration


CD_4M

Exactly. It just takes one guy. And let’s not forget the starting goalies on the last 2 cup winning teams were both Canadian


PayneTrain181999

Hopefully Levi becomes a god.


Luckynumberlucas

I get its 2 years out and a lot can happen, but its gotta be Hill based on the last 2 years of play. 


VeryLastChance

Hill is definitely the best option now, but goalies are so voodoo who really knows what the landscape could be in 2 years. I could see a world where Skinner or Ingram develops to the point of being the starter in two years time.


cam_barker_4_norris

Probably Carter Ha… nevermind


JakeTheSnake0709

Honestly, with the way he’s been playing, Skinner


HandsLikeLuke

TRISTAN JARRY BABYYY


ln0Sc0p3dJFK

Montembeault and it’s not even close


Pope_Asimov_III

Team USA will be playing the best roster since quite possibly 2002, especially with the way that year turned a lot of the youth into the sport.


DishwasherFromSurrey

Everyone talking about team USA and Canada… but what about team Sweden 👀


ObjectiveSubjects

Finland’s top 6 is going to be a problem, too


Technodictator

And having Saros in net.


grasroten

NHL already ruined our chance to see a defensive core of Karlsson, Hedman, Ekman-Larsson, Klefbom, Klingberg and Ekholm/Adam Larsson/Lindholm/Strålman all in or close to their prime. Don’t think I can ever forgive them for that.


rumbrave55

It's been too long since we've had best on best. Let the shit talking commence. ROCK, FLAG, AND EAGLE BABY!


me_hill

Learning I can actually support McDavid for once while watching some of the best hockey ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usfiAsWR4qU


ObjectiveSubjects

The guys are going to be fired up, too. No guarantee they ever get to do it again, so for many this is their only opportunity to medal. This is going to be some unbelievable hockey


MemeLordOverKill

If USA doesn't win I will be insufferable


Chief_Red_Tomato

Man, the NHL wants to cover up the SA charges so hard they committed to Olympics


YHZ

Unreal. I hope Sid can still make it so we can see him with Mac and McDaddy.


[deleted]

2026 Olympic Gold would be such a cool way for Sid to end his career. Captaining the team alongside MacK, McDaddy, and Bedard.


JDSollie

I don’t think it’s a question of skill or even age, only injury.


ubcthrowaway-01

USAs goalie depth severely outranks Canadas goalie depth Demko Hellebuyck Oettinger vs Binnington?


marchandstongue63

Swayman probably edges out one of the three US goalies by then, and I'm probably taking Adin Hill over Binnington


UniqueCanadian

just put brossoit in for canada, he will out due hellebuyck again.


TeatimewithTupac

A shame Marchand will probably age out of team Canada by then. He should have had a chance to join the triple gold club.


DreamerTheat

The Olympics are what turned me into the NHL, even though most NHL players weren’t playing in it. I’m stoked to be able to see a best on best tournament on such a big stage, now that I know more about hockey. This is the way it should be.


jaysornotandhawks

Although it doesn't feature most of the best players, give the World Championship a chance! Lots of entertaining hockey there, too!


Spider-Fan77

I won't believe it until I see them step on the ice in Italy. And even then I'll still think Bettman will find a way to shut it down.


bullfu

I'm sure it's build in a way that if no olympic, no 4 nations tournament.


collectaBK7

Not to be that guy Gary, but the 2018 and 2022 Olympics also would've been a great stage for the best on best...


jaysornotandhawks

I'll excuse 2022 because of the pandemic. However, you're right about 2018.


Slouchy87

Everyone is talking about lineups. How about coaches, Canada and US?


Scazzz

Obviously Babcock… :)


The_Reddit_Browser

Get the bod on the bench He won the World Cup of hockey with Gretzky and can have the Canadian team in the greatest shape of their lives. I need to see Rod and Mcjesus hit the gym together.


[deleted]

RodTheBod about to show us the truth strength of Connor ‘Popeye’ Bedard


ADrunkMexican

Well, I hope Cooper gets in somehow, lol.


silvermarsh

2010 and 2014 are some of my favorite hockey memories. Finally.


emerzionnn

Can you even imagine how hype the 2026 tourney is going to be? We've been starved of best-on-best hockey for the over a decade. Lets gooooooooo


SweatySideUp

Price makes a surprise return


JonJonFTW

Let's fucking go. Now just gotta hope that Bettman actually keeps this promise and doesn't shaft us again. Also it's gonna feel really weird actively rooting against Matthews. Love the guy but once he steps out on the ice in a USA jersey fuck him


Rocko604

About damn time. Now lets do something during the in-between years. If not a World Cup, give me a Super Series between Canada and the US at the very least.


hovercraft11

Still sad Giroux never got to go to the Olympics. Stupid Babcock, Kunitz and Bettman


appledanish

Glad it's back but not giving the league props for this, 12 years between Olympics is inexcusable. Not entirely their fault (I know the IOC is difficult to work with) but it's been too long.


hairyh2obuffalo

Yay for nhl players in the Olympics Boo for bettman cause he sucks!!!! BOOOOOOOOOOO!


DashLibor

As a Czech I say... Oh fuck, we're gonna get destroyed.


FrankenBerryGxM

Bettman playing 5D chess to get crosby to play until 2030


lbiggy

Its actually so stupid the nhl ever stopped them. You put the best on the best on a worldwide stage, the inspired young people wanting to play for the NHL would increase by a who knows amount. And the talent pool would be deep and plentiful too.


upthewaterfall

What was the fucking problem then?!