The Athletic Hockey Show – October 10, 2025

Episode: Canada, USA Olympic rosters: who’s on the bubble?

Overview

This episode of The Athletic Hockey Show Prospect Series sees Max Bultman, Scott Wheeler, Corey Pronman, and Chris Peters engage in a spirited, detailed mock selection of the 2026 Olympic rosters for Team Canada and Team USA. Focused on the razor-thin margins between “locks,” “front runners,” and “bubble” candidates, the team debates, dissects, and defends picks for the two hockey superpowers as GMs gear up for December 31 Olympic team submission deadlines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Team Canada: Locks, Front Runners, and Bubbles

Canada's Forwards and Defense: Locks

• Forward locks: Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Braden Point, Sam Reinhart, Mitch Marner, Sidney Crosby
  • "It would be pretty surprising for any of those players not to be a part of this group." – Scott Wheeler [03:04]
• Defense locks: Cale Makar (clear #1, expected to carry heavy minutes), Josh Morrissey (slight debate, but reliable)
  • "We all know that Cale Makar is on the team... the second name that I sort of felt was a lock was Josh Morrissey..." – Scott Wheeler [03:20]
• Goalie lock: Jordan Binnington

Front Runners and Role Debates

• Front Runner Forwards: Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, Sam Bennett, Seth Jarvis, Mark Stone, Brad Marchand
  • Debate: Are Marchand and Stone still front runners due to age, injuries, or are they "bubble" guys now?
    • "Particularly Marchand... he really struggled at the Four Nations. He’s going to need to have a really good first half just to be considered." – Corey Pronman [06:15]
    • "Stone would have to play poorly in the front half of the season not to be on this team." – Scott Wheeler [07:32]
• Defense: Thomas Harley, Shea Theodore, Devon Toews
  • "Shay Theodore is one I wonder about too... I think when you start getting to 7th–8th D, he's somewhere in that conversation." – Corey Pronman [08:30]

Youth vs Experience

• Ongoing debate whether to bring up-and-coming talents like Nick Suzuki, Macklin Celebrini, and Seth Jarvis or stick with tried veterans (Stone, Marchand, Tavares).
  • “If it's between him and a Robert Thomas or a Nick Suzuki... they will just go with the guy that Hockey Canada knows. That's Marchand.” – Scott Wheeler [07:21]
  • “With this, you know, we have to keep in mind that the Four Nations was not played with IIHF rules... creates a different kind of game.” – Chris Peters on Jarvis’s versatility [11:44]

Bubble Forwards – The Big Debate [Began ~15:54]

Each analyst selects three forwards from the “bubble” group:

• Contenders: Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas, Carter Verhaeghe, Mark Scheifele, Zach Hyman, Macklin Celebrini, etc.
• Varied selections:
  • Corey: Robert Thomas, Carter Verhaeghe, Mark Scheifele
  • Chris: Verhaeghe, Scheifele, Celebrini
  • Scott: Suzuki, Thomas, Celebrini
  • Max: Celebrini, Suzuki, Hyman
• Consensus: Suzuki, Thomas, and Celebrini are favorites; Scheifele and Verhaeghe draw support.
  • “I think Macklin Celebrini has a legit case to be brought over... just gives you a little bit more juice.” – Scott Wheeler [21:57]

Bubble Defensemen [24:39+]

Tough choices amid some lackluster options:

• Contenders: Travis Sanheim, Colton Parayko, Drew Doughty, Mackenzie Weegar, Evan Bouchard (plus bubble talk: Chychrun, Shabbat)
• Ev Bouchard: Universally picked for his puck-moving and power play ability.
  • "Even with his warts, he belongs on this team." – Scott Wheeler [24:56]
• Doughty & Weegar/Parayko: Doughty selected for experience; debate between Weegar’s versatility and Parayko’s size/penalty-killing.
• Final Tally: Bouchard and Doughty are unanimous; Weegar and Parayko split the room.
  • Memorable point: “That’s a bit of an indictment of the depth of the Canadian blue line here... Doughty being one of your best options... is not that player.” – Chris Peters [34:11]

Goalie Situation

• Binnington is #1; Aiden Hill and Sam Montembeault included, but confidence is low. Debate about whether other names like Logan Thompson or Darcy Kuemper should be on the orientation list.
  • “Despite the fact that we feel the least confident, Canada clearly doesn't [in net].” – Scott Wheeler [35:29]

2. Team USA: The Locks and the Contentious Bubble

American Locks and Depth

• Forward locks: Brady & Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, Dylan Larkin
  • “Dylan Larkin... just because of all the qualities he brings to a hockey team.” – Corey Pronman [39:28]
• Defense locks: Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy, Jacob Slavin
  (Plus: Brock Faber, Jake Sanderson extremely close to locks)
• Goalie lock: Connor Hellebuyck

Front Runners and Bubble Debates

• Front Runners (Forwards): Matt Boldy, Jake Guentzel, J.T. Miller
  J.T. Miller split between bubble/front runner due to fit/role
• Defense: Brock Faber, Jake Sanderson, Seth Jones (the last is very debated)
• Goalie: Jake Oettinger

The Seth Jones / Adam Fox Defense Dispute [42:01+]

• Jones: Re-emerged as a front-runner after a strong season/playoffs in Florida, but his “true” level is still mistrusted by some.
  • “In Florida, he looked more like himself... but I just don’t place him in the same category as a Jake Sanderson or Brock Faber or Adam Fox.” – Scott Wheeler [43:35]
  • “He was one of the two, three, four best players for them every single time I watched... over a period of months there.” – Corey Pronman [44:08]
• Fox: Norris winner, elite stats, but struggled with pace at Four Nations; questions about his fit (needs the puck/power play, small, not fast).
  • "I just think that because of the missed handoff on the McDavid goal... because of the way that his role shrunk..." (on overreaction to small sample size) – Scott Wheeler [51:29]
  • “He’s just better at hockey. These things, to a certain degree, are measurable.” – Scott Wheeler [52:00]
• General agreement: Both likely make roster, but neither is a top-six lock due to pace and style concerns.

Final D-core Bubble Choices [~60:00]

• Hughes, McAvoy, Slavin, Werenski, Faber, Sanderson = main group
• Fox and Jones generally round out the 7th/8th spots, with some chase from Hannifin and, possibly, Jackson Lacombe.
  • "Is anyone taking any of those six out to put Fox in?... I am not." – Max Bultman [60:52]

Forwards Bubble: The Deepest Pool [61:13+]

• Contenders: Logan Cooley, Kyle Connor, Clayton Keller, Patrick Kane, Matthew Knies, Brock Nelson, Jason Robertson, Tage Thompson, Vincent Trocheck, Cole Caufield, Shane Pinto, etc.
• Common picks:
  • Cooley, Keller, Thompson, and Connor make nearly every list; Trocheck and Nyes are often included for utility/role/energy.
  • Robertson’s omission noted—mostly due to skating and pace.
  • Patrick Kane: sentimental favorite, but everyone acknowledges he'd need an "amazing" first half to unseat a younger, faster player.
    • “He is Mr. USA... [but] feels too much like a nostalgia pick unless he really pops.” – Max Bultman [70:10]
    • “The first half is going to loom super large on those last decisions...” – Chris Peters [70:53]
• Role specificity:
  • Trocheck/Nelson are classic fourth-line centers/penalty killers. U.S. probably brings one for faceoffs and defensive reliability.

Consensus Combo (Forward Pool)

• Lock/Favorites: Cooley, Connor, Thompson, Keller
• Additional/role: Trocheck or Nyes often included; J.T. Miller presumed safe
  • “I think they're going to bring one of Nelson or Trocheck because you need a fourth line center... I can't see them not bringing one of those two guys.” – Corey Pronman [68:35]

Goaltending

• Hellebuyck set as #1; Swayman wins consensus as third.
  • "Congratulations, Jeremy Swayman. You get it by default." – Max Bultman [71:28]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Canada’s blue line uncertainty:
  "The fact that we're only talking really about two locks on D kind of suggests that there's a lot of questions that need to be answered about how Canada wants to play at the Olympics with, with the group that they have available to them." – Chris Peters [04:33]
• On youth vs experience:
  “Push comes to shove, they will just go with the guy that Hockey Canada knows. And that’s Marchand.” – Scott Wheeler [07:21]
• On the importance of Olympic pace:
  "The Olympics are going to be played at a pace even faster than what we saw at the Four Nations..." – Chris Peters [09:37]
• On Adam Fox’s roster status:
  “He is just better at hockey. These things, to a certain degree, are measurable. He has performed at a world class level for six... years.” – Scott Wheeler [52:00] "If you are McDavid or McKinnon and you're coming down the ice... Would you rather one of the defensemen... be Seth Jones or Adam Fox?" – Max Bultman [55:06]
• On picking for roles vs talent:
  "I actually think what's needed here is a little bit more skill..." – Scott Wheeler, on Team Canada's bubble forwards [21:57]
• Team USA’s skill depth:
  "In USA's case, they've got a lot of high octane offensive players. More where... you know, you've got your guys... that are going to give you some good two way capabilities. But if that's what the player pool gives you, lean into it." – Chris Peters [65:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Episode Intro/Purpose: [02:09]
• Team Canada Locks/Front Runners: [03:04–06:15]
• Aging Stars Debate (Marchand/Stone): [06:15–09:37]
• Young Forwards Case (Suzuki/Jarvis): [09:37–12:46]
• D-core Bubble Debate: [24:39–34:11]
• Canadian Goalie Depth: [35:09–37:27]
• Team USA Locks/Front Runners: [39:14–42:01]
• Jones/Fox Debate (US D): [42:01–60:10]
• USA Forwards Bubble (Cooley, Connor, Keller, etc.): [61:08–71:28]

Conclusion

The episode showcased the narrow margins and deep pools both Canada and the U.S. contend with as they finalize Olympic rosters, with heated but thoughtful debate around legacy vs. youth, role specificity, and adapting to the hyper-fast Olympic pace. Seth Jones and Adam Fox’s place on Team USA's blue line was the day’s most passionate topic, while on both teams, the bubble forward debates highlighted just how much high-end talent will be left home.

Most memorable moment:
Scott Wheeler’s passionate, statistic-laden defense of Adam Fox (51:30–52:36) and the group’s collective groaning at the paradox of being "forced" to have point-per-game defenseman Evan Bouchard as a 7th D for Canada.

For listeners seeking clarity or context on 2026 Olympic roster debates, this episode distilled the arguments, trade-offs, and emotional investments that will shape hockey’s showcase, bringing the deliberation process alive.