At the upcoming 2026 Olympics, Team Canada superstar Connor McDavid is going to be a key driver. But which Canadian players should get the nod as McDavid's linemates? The possibilities are fascinating, and we're exploring them below.
Now that Team Canada has revealed its roster for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, many debates have started. One of the most intriguing debates is which players should be on a line with Edmonton Oilers superstar center Connor McDavid – by most people’s standards, the best player on the planet.
To be sure, there’s not a bad choice when it comes to which wingers you’d want to put on a line with McDavid. He’s one of the game’s most dynamic players who executes at the highest level and at top speeds.
That said, it’s fascinating to consider the possibilities for McDavid’s linemates at the Olympics. At the 4 Nations Face-Off, McDavid spent some time with Vegas Golden Knights right winger Mitch Marner and Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart.
Marner’s skills as a playmaker are as elite as anyone’s in the sport. He set up McDavid on the winning goal in the 4 Nations championship game. Meanwhile, Reinhart has 23 goals already this season, and he once again could benefit from the time and space McDavid creates for his teammates.
Another great option for McDavid could be another superb talent in Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon, whose overall balance and skill are second to none. Not to mention, MacKinnon is one of the few players in the NHL who can keep up with McDavid's speed.
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However, beyond those three players, there are still going to be many other options for Canada's coach Jon Cooper to use alongside McDavid at the 2026 Games.
For one thing, veteran Golden Knights right winger Mark Stone and right winger Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals could create time and space with their robust physical games, and Wilson and Stone can also finish plays created by McDavid. So there’s a potential fit there for both those players and McDavid.
But there are going to be other options for Cooper to employ alongside McDavid. For instance, it'd be special if McDavid had rising superstar Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks as a linemate.
Celebrini’s vision and creativity are as good as just about anyone’s, and he’s already shown in one-and-a-half NHL seasons that he can start plays and finish them with an equal amount of flair and skill.
Celebrini likely won’t be used as a center in the Olympics, and he’s not going to be there solely for his defensive talents, so slotting him in as McDavid’s linemate could prove to be a stroke of genius for Cooper and the team's coaching staff.
It’s a measure of McDavid’s amazing talents that there isn’t a bad answer when it comes to his Olympic linemates. But the difference between winning Olympic gold and finishing lower on the podium could indeed come down to choices of who plays with McDavid and who doesn’t.
For the next month or so, it’s going to be compelling and entertaining to consider all the possibilities. Whether it’s Marner, Stone, Celebrini, MacKinnon or someone else, somebody is going to benefit from being McDavid’s linemate.
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