Hockey Canada announces its Olympic roster, one Florida Panthers standout snubbed

Hockey Canada's final 25 is official, built in the classic 14 forwards, eight defensemen, three goalies shape. Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are in, exactly as expected.

The forward group screams pace and layers, with Brayden Point and Mitch Marner as pure transition fuel, plus Brandon Hagel and Brad Marchand for pressure on the forecheck. Nick Suzuki and Macklin Celebrini add play-driving down the middle.

On the back end, it's a puck-moving base with Makar and Devon Toews, then size and reach from Colton Parayko and Travis Sanheim to keep the slot cleaner. If Canada defends by keeping the puck, this roster is built for it.

Team Canada roster leaves out Sam Bennett

I get why fans are stuck on it, because Bennett is the kind of player you hate playing against in a one-game swing. The Hockey News roster rundown made the omission feel even louder once you saw the names in black and white.

The resume is not small: Sam Bennett just won the 2025 Conn Smythe, led that playoff run with 15 goals, and he put up 51 points in 76 games in 2024-25. That's real production, not just «energy guy» stuff.

So why is he out? Hockey Canada hasn't given a Bennett-specific explanation, but the selection reads like role compression, with Anthony Cirelli and Bo Horvat already covering tough minutes, and Marchand and Tom Wilson bringing edge. Bennett was even invited to the orientation camp, which tells you he was firmly in the mix.

The money angle won't comfort Panthers fans either, because Bennett is 29, drafted fourth overall by Calgary in 2014, and he's now on an $8 million cap hit deal. He's expensive, proven, and still watching from home as Canada chases gold.