Will these 3 Habs Players Make Team Canada?

The fact that only 3 goalies were invited to the camp likely means that Canada thinks their netminders from the Four Nations tournament will be their guys again, barring any injury. Therefore, Montembeault currently seems like a lock to make Team Canada. 

  Now it’s possible that a bad start to the regular season could push Montembeault off their final roster, but with the way he’s improved every year since coming to the Habs, it is expected that with an improved defense in front of him, his numbers should stay about the same or even improve.   The good thing about having this orientation camp for Montembeault is that he could have a chance to show that he deserves to be more than the 3rd goalie on the team this time around.   

Nick Suzuki, C

Now we move on to the discussion of whether or not Nick Suzuki can make the Olympic team. It wasn’t long ago that we blamed politics and the management for Suzuki being omitted from the Four Nations team in favour of players on their respective NHL teams. The anger was likely less about Suzuki not making the team and rather that he did not even get a call from Team Canada saying that he came close to making it, but they went in a different direction. However, it is also well-known that Suzuki’s rejecting to play at the World Championships for Canada on numerous occasions may have rubbed Hockey Canada the wrong way.   After the Four Nations tournament, Suzuki exploded for 37 points in the final 26 games of the NHL season, which was the 4th most in the league during that time, and it helped the Habs sneak into the playoffs. The leadership from the Habs captain even garnered him a 1st place vote on the Hart Trophy ballot. Sure, he wasn’t the most skilled player in the league last season, but there was no question he was the team’s MVP alongside rookie sensation Lane Hutson on defense.   It wouldn’t be surprising if Suzuki took being exempt from that Canada team to heart and used it as fuel to lead the Canadiens to the playoffs. There is no doubt he has managed to make Canada 2nd-guess their decision of not having him on the team, as he proved he can be a leader and have success in any given situation.    Suzuki is the type of versatile forward that can be a great fit in Canada’s bottom-six, where he may be tasked as either a shutdown centre or winger, while also being able to contribute offensively when needed. The fact that he has good offensive ability should allow him to get an edge on a guy like Anthony Cirelli, who played a similar role Suzuki would have, but with less offense.    Honestly, I would say Suzuki making Team Canada would be a coin flip with at 50-50 considering he’ll be fighting Cirelli, Robert Thomas and maybe even Travis Konecny for 2 spots on the roster. It will be interesting to see how that situation with Suzuki goes down, but hopefully, we will see him wearing the red and white for Canada in February 2026.

Noah Dobson, D

Finally, we have the newest Hab, Noah Dobson. Of the three Habs players invited to the Orientation Camp, Dobson is certainly the one least likely to make Team Canada.    The truth is, with Dobson being a primarily offensive defenseman, he would need to make the team over a guy like Evan Bouchard if they want a pure right-handed offensive defenseman on the team. While it isn’t impossible but Bouchard has superior offensive numbers to Dobson throughout their careers. Then there is also the factor that Bouchard already plays with Connor McDavid, and for that reason, he would also likely be considered over Dobson.   Now, Dobson’s defensive game isn’t as bad as Islander fans are saying, but it isn’t to the levels of a Drew Doughty or Colton Parayko either, who could be used as the right-handed defensemen likely used to play a shutdown role. Nonetheless, anything could happen, and Dobson could impress enough to make the team.   Hopefully, we see the three Habs players play for Team Canada, although the time until February is a long time away still and anything can happen until then.   Which of these players do you see making Team Canada’s Olympic squad?