New projection includes several forwards ahead of John Tavares in their early Team Canada list
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
In a new article by The Athletic, they break down who might best fit on Team Canada for the Olympics and John Tavares' absence has started to stir some discussion.
With the 2026 Winter Olympics set to include NHL players once again, it's started a huge debate over who should be on the team is heating up with John Tavares' absence an early surprise.
It's clear the mainstays like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar are in no danger of losing their spot, and we will see them fight for a chance to win a gold medal in Milan come February.
But there are only a few spots that can really be up for grabs anyways, and one article has sparked a huge debate over one player who was left off the list and suggests they may be looking to shift their mentality.
The surprising names who made the early Team Canada list
A new article in The Athletic broke down who the best choices were to fill out the roster and threw out a whole slew of names from veterans to rookie sensations:
Marchand, Mark Stone, Seth Jarvis, Anthony Cirelli and Travis Konecny are the other potential holdovers from the 4 Nations group...
The bubble forwards we believe have improved their stock the most since being left off the 4 Nations squad are Nick Suzuki, Mark Scheifele, Macklin Celebrini and Tom Wilson.
The bubble forwards we believe have improved their stock the most since being left off the 4 Nations squad are Nick Suzuki, Mark Scheifele, Macklin Celebrini and Tom Wilson.
Inconspicuous by his absence is Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares, who has seemingly been snubbed left right and center when it comes to representing Canada.
Obviously this isn't a final list, but it's striking to see Tavares not get his due especially with his track record.
But to be left off the list shows a bit of disrespect towards the former Maple Leafs captain and if veteran leadership and versatility is what they are going for, Tavares is their guy.
He's a player who is still putting up elite numbers, staying healthy, and it's not like he'd be a first timer playing for Canada.
Why Leafs fans believe Tavares still deserves serious consideration
Taking to social media, it was apparent that Tavares' exclusion from a potential roster spot according to The Athletic is unacceptable and the numbers speak for themselves:
Since last season, Tavares has 47 goals and 95 points with 33 of those goals coming at even-strength. For all the doubters who thought age would hold him back can't make any more excuses.
Not to mention his international accolades.
Tavares has represented Canada seven times in his career (World Hockey Championship, 3x World Juniors, 2014 Olympics, Spengler Cup and 2017 World Cup of Hockey) and won four gold medals as well as a Spengler Cup as part of Team Canada.
Oh, and he just scored his 500th career goal the other night to go along with his 1,200th career game shortly after; he's the definition of a true veteran.
So why wouldn't you want someone who has the pedigree of Tavares on the roster? Yes he might not be as fast as a Celebrini but you know that he's able to adapt to the different ice and succeed -- we've seen it.
Even this season, he ranks 11th in the NHL in points with 21, tied with Mark Schiefele, Evgeni Malkin, and Mikko Rantanen and has been one of the lone bright spots in a Maple Leafs season full of questions.
Leaving Tavares off the projection doesn't just overlook his production -- it ignores a player who has delivered for Canada on every stage he's ever played.
And fans are making it clear that's not acceptable.
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