Why Connor Bedard Isn't Playing at the Olympics for Team Canada
connor bedard will not play for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics after head coach Jon Cooper chose a roster built largely around established NHL veterans. The choice matters now because Canada moved past Finland in a 3-2 semifinal and is heading to the gold-medal game without the young star available.
Development details — Connor Bedard not selected
Jon Cooper made the selection decision that left Connor Bedard off the Olympic roster, favoring experienced players for a short international tournament. Bedard, 20, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, did not make the cut even though he had contributed at the NHL level this season. Across 44 games with the Chicago Blackhawks he recorded 23 goals and 30 assists.
Bedard also missed about a month this season due to an injury at a critical time, a factor that reduced his availability and likely diminished his immediate case for inclusion. Team Canada instead carried mostly veterans, with Macklin Celebrini noted as the exception to that veteran makeup. When an injury opened a roster spot, Sam Bennett was named as an injury replacement after Anthony Cirelli was removed from the roster.
Context and escalation
The coaching staff’s emphasis on veteran experience shaped the roster from the outset. Cooper prioritized players whose roles and minutes were well-defined in a condensed tournament format, a pathway that left less room for an offense-first young center who is still developing a full 200-foot game.
Canada’s path through the knockout rounds intensified scrutiny of that choice. In the semifinal against Finland, Canada fell behind 2-0 before the veteran group mounted a comeback and secured a 3-2 victory. The comeback validated, at least temporarily, Cooper’s preference for experience in a high-pressure setting. Nonetheless, Bedard’s absence was a recurring theme in postgame discussion when Canada faced adversity on the ice.
Immediate impact
Leaving connor bedard at home had immediate roster and lineup consequences. Canada leaned on veteran leadership—names such as Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid provided on-ice direction—and used players versatile enough to shift into new roles when the situation demanded. Nick Suzuki, for example, was valued for his ability to play on the wing and provide depth in multiple situations.
The decision also affected narrative and team depth: when Canada trailed early in the semifinal, fans and observers questioned the absence of a high-end scorer who might produce a quick offensive spark. Yet the veterans delivered the necessary results in that game, preserving the roster plan through to the tournament final. For Bedard personally, the immediate consequence is a continued focus on his NHL season rather than Olympic competition.
Forward outlook
Bedard remains on a trajectory that keeps future Olympic consideration realistic. He is still young and has ample time to make subsequent Olympic rosters. What makes this notable is that short tournaments often tilt selection decisions toward players with proven two-way reliability and international experience; managers and coaches face a trade-off between injecting youthful offensive upside and maintaining a defensively reliable group.
Confirmed milestones ahead include Canada’s gold-medal game in this Olympics and the ongoing NHL season in which Bedard will continue to play for Chicago. The roster ruling stands for this tournament: Bedard will not join Team Canada in Milano Cortina for these Games, and any change to that status would only occur in a future selection cycle. In the meantime, attention will remain on how Canada’s veteran-led group performs in the final and on Bedard’s development back with his NHL club.
