Team Canada’s stars have all but wrapped up their preparations to compete in the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Twelve nations will battle through group play before a single-elimination round decides gold on Feb. 22. The format leaves little room for error and raises the pressure from the opening puck drop.
For Canada, the anticipation runs deeper. This event will feature Connor McDavid in his first Olympic Games, a debut that many felt was long overdue.
Carter Hutton Raises the Stakes For Connor McDavid’s First Olympics
McDavid arrives in Milan as the NHL’s leading scorer for the 2025-26 season. He posted 96 points in 58 games before the Olympic break and produced a 20-game point streak earlier in the year. Yet this tournament offers something different from regular-season dominance.
During a Daily Faceoff segment, former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton explained why this tournament matters so much for the Oilers’ main man. He said a gold medal can reshape how a player’s career is viewed, especially one who has reached the Stanley Cup Final twice before ultimately falling short. In his view, the Olympic stage gives McDavid a rare chance to add a defining achievement to his career.
“I think it means everything,” Hutton said. “You look at going to the Stanley Cup Finals twice, and he came out with his Players’ Tribune article about who he is and how he wants to win and where he’s at.”
Hutton referenced moments where McDavid looked around and saw winners like Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Drew Doughty. He believes McDavid has to help Canada win gold to build his legacy, just like the rest of the aforementioned players.
“I think Connor McDavid has proven that he is the best player in the world, right?” Hutton said. “There is that conversation now of Nathan MacKinnon winning the MVP at the Four Nations Cup, and it’s been a push, and I feel like for him, this is to cement that legacy, and that’s what he wants.”
McDavid already owns three Hart Trophies, five Art Ross titles, and a Conn Smythe from the 2024 playoffs. He is one of the fastest players in league history to reach 1,000 points. There is little to question his skill or impact, but now the debate centers on legacy and championships.
Inside Canada’s dressing room, he shares space with proven winners. Sidney Crosby returns with two Olympic gold medals and three Stanley Cups. His overtime winner in 2010 has a place in hockey history all by itself.
“Crosby has his golden goal, he has his moment, and he’s still ticking along well, but I think for McDavid, this can be a big thing to cement that legacy,” Hutton said.
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McDavid helped Canada win the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off with an overtime goal against the United States. Now, the expectations from him will be to once again help his nation dominate in the Olympics.
Team Canada has a good lineup to ease his pressure, but he will have to be McJesus all over again.
Canada opens against Czechia on Feb. 12, then meets Switzerland and France in group play. Thereafter, every matchup carries weight because one loss in the knockout round ends the run.