No Blackwood or Thompson? Canada Only Invites 3 Goalies to Orientation Camp

Hockey Canada released its 42-player invitation list for Team Canada’s orientation camp later this month ahead of the 2026 Olympics. And just like a year ago heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off, the goaltending seems to be a hot button issue.

They only named three goalies to the orientation camp roster, despite naming as many as six in previous Olympic events that included NHL players.

At 4 Nations, Jordan Binnington — while having a bad first half of the season — stepped in for Canada, played every minute of the tournament, and walked away with a championship. He was excellent. He did his part and proved the doubters wrong.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the Canadians still made some pretty questionable decisions in the crease. Along with Binnington, Canada took Vegas’ Adin Hill and Montreal’s Sam Montembeault to 4 Nations.

They left behind Logan Thompson, who was having an excellent season with the Capitals, Darcy Kuemper, who ended up finishing second in Vezina Trophy voting and has a Stanley Cup, and the Avs’ new starter Mackenzie Blackwood.

It’s fair that Blackwood just didn’t really have enough time to set himself up for a roster spot. He had just been traded to the Avs two months prior. But Thompson and Kuemper both had solid cases.

Regardless, it’s been months since that tournament. Thompson went on to have a great ending to the season with the Caps, and won a playoff series. While Blackwood, despite falling in the first round, gave the Avs solid goaltending — something they haven’t had since Kuemper.

All three of those guys should be at the orientation camp. Even if Binnington is the undisputed starter. Even if another slow start to the season won’t matter when the Olympics begin, it’s silly for Hockey Canada to not bring others to camp to keep the competition open.

Ultimately, there’s no guarantee that attending the orientation camp automatically earns you a roster spot. In 2014, Team Canada’s gold medal-winning roster included Jamie Benn and Patrick Marleau, but neither was invited to the camp.

So it is possible to play your way in, or out, of consideration.

But why not bring them? Why make it clear that you want Hill and Montembeault as the two backups? What if injuries arise? There are no limits on how many players you can invite to this camp.

Blackwood was invited to the 2022 camp before the NHL eventually backed out of the tournament. He’s been on Hockey Canada’s radar before. So why put yourself in a situation where you’re calling him, Thompson, Kuemper, or someone else to step in for the Olympics after not inviting them to the camp?

It’s all very puzzling.

Canada won 4 Nations largely because Binnington made some great saves in key moments. I won’t take that away from him. But what if he completely blows it in the first game or two of the Olympics? Why wouldn’t you want the next best guy there?

Canada started with Martin Brodeur in goal in 2010 before shifting to Roberto Luongo after Brodeur’s bad start. If, after all, Binnington can’t lead the charge, are you comfortable with Hill or Montembeault stepping in, no questions asked, no competition, regardless of how their season’s have gone?

Blackwood should’ve been invited. I stand by that.

But now it’s up to him to have the type of start that changes management’s mind.