Canada's Connor McDavid (97) and Sidney Crosby talk during third period 4 Nations Face-Off hockey action against the United States in Montreal on February 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Team Canada's Connor McDavid (97) celebrates after his game-winning goal against the United States during an overtime period of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Canada's Connor McDavid (97) and Sidney Crosby talk during third period 4 Nations Face-Off hockey action against the United States in Montreal on February 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
GMH
Team Canada's Connor McDavid (97) celebrates after his game-winning goal against the United States during an overtime period of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
EDMONTON - Connor McDavid says the Olympic experience finally feels real after the Edmonton Oilers centre was named Wednesday to Canada鈥檚 roster for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
聽鈥淎s a player, I鈥檓 just excited about the fact it鈥檚 becoming more real, coming together, the team鈥檚 announced, the Olympics are getting closer, gets more and more real by the day,鈥 said McDavid, who missed out on the 2022 Olympics after the NHL elected not to take part.
One of six players added to the roster over the summer, McDavid said the selection still carried weight.
鈥淓veryone wants to earn their spot, so it鈥檚 an incredible honour to be named to that team," McDavid said Wednesday following the Edmonton Oilers鈥 morning skate ahead of their game against Boston. "It鈥檚 an incredible honour to represent your country at the Olympics, the biggest sporting event in the world. Incredibly honoured.鈥
The NHL鈥檚 leading scorer said he was disappointed for Edmonton teammates Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard, who didn鈥檛 make the cut.
鈥淚 know how badly he wanted to be on that team,鈥 McDavid said of Hyman, his linemate who missed the first two months of the season with a wrist injury. 鈥淗e did everything he could possibly do to get back, maybe a touch too early just to give himself a bit more of a runway. And he鈥檚 played great. It is disappointing.鈥
With the selection process complete, McDavid said the focus now shifts to the opportunity ahead.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited about it, guys in here are excited about it, Leon (Draisaitl, who will play for Germany). It鈥檚 a great opportunity for us, something we haven鈥檛 done ever,鈥 he said.
One adjustment McDavid hadn鈥檛 faced before last winter鈥檚 4 Nations tournament was preparing his game to peak in February rather than April for the NHL playoffs. That means finding ways to elevate a game that has already been at a blistering pace in recent weeks for the middle of the season.
鈥淵ou have to find a way to peak in February, kind of unique that way,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 never had that experience before; last year was a new experience. You go from playing a regular-season, middle-of-the-season kind of sleepy game to a couple of days later, you鈥檙e in what feels like a playoff Game 7.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be the same this year. Very important for guys to be ramping up their games and obviously, personally, I feel like I鈥檓 trying to do that, too. Make sure my game鈥檚 in a good spot coming down the stretch to the Olympics."
This report by 国产诱惑福利 was first published Dec. 31, 2025.