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Canadian player named to Olympic roster suffers concerning injury and Connor Bedard is the next man up


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Sam Walker
January 1, 2026  (5:39 PM)
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Connor Bedard is off Team Canada's Olympic roster, but New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat's injury on Thursday may just change that.

Hockey Canada's Milano Cortina 2026 roster hit on Wednesday, and Bedard wasn't on it.
Bedard is also hurt right now. He has been out since Dec. 12 with an upper body injury, still leading Chicago with 44 points in 31 games on a poorly structured roster.
Horvat is on the roster, and he got the nod on production. He has 21 goals and 33 points this season, and Canada even leaned on his faceoff work in its public reasoning.

Connor Bedard and Team Canada intrigue following Bo Horvat's injury vs. Mammoth on Thursday

Horvat already missed time with a lower body issue in December and only recently worked his way back.
That is why Bedard's «snub» is not really a final chapter; it is more like a pause.
Olympic rosters always need contingency names, especially at center, and Canada's depth chart is stacked but not invincible.
If Horvat is out long-term, the replacement instantly turns to Bedard.
For Bedard, the path back starts with getting healthy, then reminding everyone how quickly he can tilt a game off the rush. For Canada, the next milestone is simple, find Horvat a replacement, cough... Connor Bedard, if things turn sour, which we hope not for the sake of the Islanders forward.
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Canadian player named to Olympic roster suffers concerning injury and Connor Bedard is the next man up

Should Team Canada keep the door open for Connor Bedard if Bo Horvat misses time?


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