John Tavares deserves serious consideration for Team Canada’s Olympic roster, and his play this season has made that clearer than ever. The Toronto native is off to one of the strongest starts of his later-career years, producing 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 21 games with the Maple Leafs. Beyond the raw numbers, Tavares continues to drive play, anchor his line, and provide the type of leadership and two-way reliability that Olympic teams rely on in high-pressure moments.
Tavares is not new to representing Canada on the biggest stages. He was part of the 2014 Sochi Olympic team, though his tournament ended abruptly when he suffered a devastating knee injury in the quarterfinal against Latvia, an injury that cost him the remainder of the 2013–14 NHL season. Before that, Tavares was a standout performer at the 2008 and 2009 World Juniors, earning tournament MVP in 2009, and later represented Canada at the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Championships. His international résumé is as complete as any forward in his age group.
Why Team Canada needs him
Team Canada is heading into the 2026 Olympics fresh off winning the 2024 Four Nations Cup, and while the core of that roster looked excellent, the Olympics are the strongest international tournament on the planet. The pace, skill, and intensity jump to another level entirely. That’s where Tavares becomes essential.
With Olympic rosters expanding to 25 players, Canada has room to add a seasoned veteran who provides something that analytics alone can’t measure: experience in gold-medal pressure. Tavares has already played and won on the biggest possible stage. His understanding of international ice, situational play, and tournament pacing is invaluable to a roster that is going to lean heavily on young, dynamic forwards.
On the ice, Tavares provides exactly what Canada needs behind its superstar centers:
- Elite middle-six reliability
- Faceoff dominance
- Strong board play and retrieval game
- A net-front weapon on the power play
- Defensive responsibility late in games
He isn’t being asked to be the 1C. He doesn’t need to be the offensive engine. What Team Canada needs from him is the same thing the Leafs lean on every night: stabilizing shifts, smart puck management, interior scoring, and leadership that elevates the group around him. On a roster loaded with Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Sidney Crosby, a player like Tavares becomes the glue that holds a championship-calibre lineup together.
Who he needs to beat out
This won’t be handed to him. Canada’s depth at center is absurd, and Tavares will have to outperform several rising stars and established names to secure a spot. Players like Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Tom Wilson, and Nick Suzuki have all started the 2025–26 season on fire and will be in direct competition for middle-six or utility roles.
Celebrini and Bedard bring generational upside and pure offensive talent hard to ignore. Suzuki has developed into one of the most complete two-way centers in the league. Tom Wilson provides physicality and matchup value that every Olympic coach loves on a bottom-six line. With Tavares, you will know exactly what you’re getting from Tavares, shift after shift, tournament after tournament. When a gold medal is on the line, that matters.
Tavares still belongs among Canada's best on world stage
John Tavares has earned his place in the conversation for Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster, not through reputation alone, but through the impact he continues to make on the ice. His production this season, his ability to elevate the play of those around him, and his experience in high-pressure international settings make him a unique asset, one that Canada would be wise not to overlook. While young stars like Bedard, Celebrini, Suzuki, and others are carving out their own paths, Tavares offers a stabilizing presence that championship teams rely on when the tournament tightens and every shift matters.
At 35, he isn’t the flashiest option, but Olympic hockey isn’t just about flash; it’s about depth, reliability, leadership, and the ability to deliver in critical moments. Tavares brings all of that. For a Canadian team looking to defend its spot atop international hockey, adding a veteran with his skill set and experience could be the difference between a good roster and a gold-medal one.