There is a lot of talk about who will make their respective Olympic teams in Milan this February. We are seeing players step up, whether they are locks or on the borderline for their respective clubs. Two of those players for Team Canada are Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard. Both are putting them on notice.
Both are on teams expected to finish near the bottom of the standings. However, those players are stepping up. Celebrini played at the World Championships in 2025, scoring 8 points in 10 games (4 goals, four assists) for Canada, alongside Sidney Crosby. Bedard passed on the invite this past year, but in 2024 put up 8 points (5 goals, three assists) in 10 games for Canada.
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While both were invited to Team Canada’s orientation camp back in August, only one will be selected. And both players are stepping up to begin the season. Celebrini has 16 points (six goals and 10 assists) in 10 games, while Bedard has 12 points (six goals and six assists) in 10 games. But it feels like Celebrini is more of a lock than Bedard is.
During an appearance on TSN Radio in Montreal, Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com, Full Press Hockey, and RG Media was asked about who had the better chance of making Team Canada at the Olympics, given their situations with their respective teams, Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks or Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Jim just wanted to go on the Canadian aspect of it. Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard were invited to Canada’s Olympic camp. Look, I think Bedard, unfortunately, is a product of his environment. There’s really been a drain of talent on that squad. It’s hard for him to look good on some nights. It’s hard for him to acquire the numbers that we’re all expecting.
But on the flip side, Macklin Celebrini is not on a very good hockey team either. But it seems like offense comes a little easier to that squad than it does for the Blackhawks. Celebrini really impressed last year. Do you think that there’s anything he can do in the first 40-45 games of the season to get himself on that squad?”
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Jim Biringer: Yeah, I think, I think so. I mean, look what he did with San Jose last year, is really remarkable. I think if he doesn’t get injured, I think that Calder race a lot closer than what it turned out to be. I think he was probably one of the favorites, if not the favorite, at the beginning of the year to win it. What he did at BU was remarkable for his age. Hobey Baker.
And now, look, the big thing for him is that he played with Canada at the Worlds, right? He played with Sidney Crosby. They saw what they could do. Now you get the invite. That’s huge, right? I think that’s a big thing. And now, San Jose is going to struggle this year, but they have a better team, and they’re on that trajectory. I heard about it; they have, and they’re on that Montreal trajectory, right?
They’re going to be coming along in the next couple of years. But here’s the thing, he has talent around him, something Bedard doesn’t, right? William Eklund, Tyler Toffoli. They have guys that can get him the puck. He can facilitate the puck. So if he impresses again, it all comes down to how they view Celebrini.
Is he going to be an integral part of the offense for Team Canada? Because he is, then he’s going to be on the roster. But if they view him as like a 13th guy, I don’t know if that benefits Macklin Celebrini to just wait around. I think he needs to be playing if he’s going to make the team.
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And in my opinion, I think the squad that you saw at Four Nations could be a similar squad, minus a couple of tweaks here and there. I think he’s going to have a real shot at it, but I’m not sure he gets on the team.
Again, Team Canada has a specific blueprint for building a team. They don’t always bring the young kids. Just look at how they regretted not bringing Crosby in 2006. You can’t ignore what these players have done on the International stage. But if there is one player who has the edge, it is Celebrini. However, Bedard is showing that whatever Celebrini can do, he can do too.
It will be interesting to see what Doug Armstrong and the rest of Team Canada’s management do with their roster in February.
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