Canada originally named 15 players to the team it will take to this year’s IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark. On Sunday, after the team played a pre-tournament game in Vienna against Austria, Hockey Canada announced that Sidney Crosby would join the team. Also on Sunday, a day after his Colorado Avalanche were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, The Athletic reported that Nathan MacKinnon will join the team as well. Then on Monday, goaltender Marc-André Fleury announced that he would also go to play in his first-ever World Championship.

Crosby and Fleury were teammates on the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2005 to 2017 and won three Stanley Cups together. Crosby and MacKinnon previously played together at the 2015 Worlds in Prague, where Canada won gold.

That 2015 title made Crosby a member of the exclusive Triple Gold Club – membership requires gold medals from the World Championships and the Olympics, as well as a Stanley Cup victory. MacKinnon has two of those and might get a shot at an Olympic gold next year. Fleury has the possibility of ending his career with a World Championship gold that would complete his membership in the club.

Canada beat Austria 5-1 on Sunday, getting two points each from Will Cuylle, Ryan O’Reilly and Noah Dobson. Dylan Garand stopped 22 of 23 Austrian shots.

With NHL players still being added to the roster, the game against Austria featured a number of junior and European-based players, including Porter Martone, a highly-ranked prospect for this summer’s NHL Entry Draft. Canada’s third goal was scored by Ty Ronning – son of ex-NHLer Cliff Ronning – assisted by Eisbären Berlin teammate and ex-NHLer Zach Boychuk and British-born ex-NHLer Brendan Perlini, who plays in Switzerland. Perlini’s older brother Brett plays regularly for the British national team.

Canada plays another pre-tournament game on Tuesday in Budapest against Hungary. After that, presumably some of the non-NHL Canadians will fly home and the rest of the players will be off to Stockholm, where they will play their first World Championship game on Saturday against Slovenia.

Binnington, Bedard, coach Tourigny react to Canada's bronze-medal loss The bronze-medal game featured two teams that suffered their first defeats of the tournament in Saturday’s semifinals. Less than 24 hours later, Sweden erased a 2-1 third-period deficit and defeated Canada 4-2.

The roster so far (players denoted with a * are junior or European-based players who might be replaced if more NHLers are added):

Goaltenders: Marc-André Fleury (Minnesota Wild), Dylan Garand (Hartford Wolf Pack, AHL / NY Rangers), Carter George* (Owen Sound Attack, OHL / Los Angeles Kings).

Defensemen: Noah Dobson (New York Islanders), Ryker Evans, Brandon Montour (both Seattle Kraken), Mackenzie Weegar (Calgary Flames), Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers), Zayne Parekh* (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Calgary), Harrison Brunicke* (Kamloops Blazers, WHL / Pittsburgh), Nicolas Beaudin* (Kometa Brno, CZE).

Forwards: Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks), Will Cuylle (New York Rangers), Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli (both Columbus Blue Jackets), Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster (both Philadelphia), Barrett Hayton (Utah HC), Bo Horvat (NY Islanders), Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville Predators), Sidney Crosby (Pittburgh Penguins), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Porter Martone* (Brampton Steelheads, OHL), Ty Ronning*, Zach Boychuk* (both Eisbären Berlin, DEL), Brendan Perlini* (Lausanne HC, SUI).

Connor Bedard cool under pressure Connor Bedard <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/connor-bedard-scores-twice-in-world-championship-debut">started the 2024 IIHF World Championship like a house on fire</a> with five goals and an assist in Canada’s first three games. There have been no points since then but, no matter, the Canadians have emerged victorious all three times, and have taken 17 of 18 possible points overall.