Team Canada HC makes feelings known about Connor Bedard & Macklin Celebrini to star-studded 2025 Olympics orientation camp

Team Canada coach Jon Cooper addressed the buzz around young stars Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini during the team's orientation camp in Calgary on Thursday.

The camp brought together 92 players from the NHL, women’s and para hockey programs as Canada prepares for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy.

Cooper acknowledged the excitement surrounding the two rising talents but reminded that roster spots are far from guaranteed.

"Well, listen, there's 43 players here and there's going to be 25 going to the Olympics. Some guys are not going to make it. Those two might. We don't know who's not going to be here,” Cooper said. (2:40 onwards)

He explained that tough decisions will have to be made, with injuries and other factors to play out. Cooper pointed that even if Bedard and Celebrini don’t make the final roster, their involvement in the camp will help them in future Olympic cycles.

“They've been a part of something that will help them moving forward. And I think that's a great thing Hockey Canada has done is they've pulled a whole group of guys together that are what, a little longer in the tooth and some young bucks.

“And but in the end we didn't bring guys here because they were young. We brought them here because they deserve to be here and it's good for them.”

Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brayden Point and Sam Reinhart are confirmed in Canada’s 2026 men’s team.

Another 36 NHL players were also in Calgary, competing for the remaining roster spots, which will be announced in early January.

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Jon Cooper on Team Canada's orientation camp

Jon Cooper reflected on how special it's to be back with the group, noting that after the Four Nations tournament, everyone went their separate ways and hadn’t been together since then.

“And so it, you know, brought a smile to my face. I think everybody was genuinely moved to be in the room together. You know, what maybe one last time,” Cooper said. (0:36 onwards)

Cooper also made it clear that the focus now shifts to the bigger challenge ahead: the upcoming Olympics. His message is simple, every player should walk away from the camp determined to earn a spot on the team.