Analyst narrows 2026 Winter Olympics picks - only 3 of 7 hopefuls make the cut

The article lists players like Wyatt Johnston, Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Mark Scheifele, Nick Suzuki, Bo Horvat, and more among the «hopefuls» aiming to play in the Games.

But the author agrees with insider Pierre LeBrun, who believes only three from that list will be in the final cut.

Despite the early-season surge from some of those prospects-Celebrini and Bedard among them-the depth of Canadian talent plus roster constraints leave little room for error. The likely «safe bets» on the final roster remain established stars like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, and Sam Reinhart.

For the younger hopefuls, that means competition will be brutal. Even a hot streak will have to stand out among elite peers to earn a spot. Some names may get left off despite big campaigns this season.

It's a reminder that making Team Canada-especially for the Olympics-is often more about depth and overall balance than just raw talent or recent performance. If you're a fan of Johnston, Celebrini, or Bedard, this is the moment their season starts to really count.