Former Panthers star urges Team Canada to add him with Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid in 4 Nations

After celebrating the pinnacle of his NHL career by hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024, Brandon Montour has set his sights on another dream. This time, the prize isn’t a league trophy but the honor of wearing the Maple Leaf on the world’s biggest stage.

Left out of the 4 Nations roster earlier this year, Montour is determined to fight his way into Team Canada’s lineup for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano.

Brandon Montour determined to earn spot alongside Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid on Team Canada

The NHL season hasn’t even begun, yet anticipation is already building around Olympic hockey. For Canadian players, the Games carry unmatched prestige. With a roster so stacked in every position, only the absolute elite secure their names on the team sheet. That reality fuels Montour’s hunger.

Canada has already announced its first six names: Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Sam Reinhart, and Brayden Point. It’s a lineup that leaves little margin for others to break in, but Montour knows his window of opportunity lies in proving his worth on the ice.“I felt like I had the opportunity of making the 4 Nations team; unfortunately, it was not to be,” Montour told NHL.com. “At the same time, I think, for any hockey fan, it’s cool to kind of see the high end, you know, elite of the elite playing.

It gives you the kind of thirst to feel like you could be a part of that.”That hunger is more than talk. Despite Seattle’s struggles last season, Montour showcased his consistency at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, tallying nine points. His performance didn’t go unnoticed, earning him a call-up to Team Canada’s Olympic orientation camp in Calgary this August.

Brandon Montour’s path to Milano 2026

At 31, Montour knows that opportunities to represent Canada at the Olympics don’t come often.

The blueline competition will be fierce, but he has shown both resilience and growth in recent years. “It was nice to get that,” Montour admitted about the camp invite. “I think I played well at the Worlds and, I mean, I think at this point people know what I bring. But to be recognized, it’s very cool.”From the heartbreak of being left out to the thrill of a new chance, Montour’s Olympic chase is a story of grit. If his form continues, the Panthers’ Cup champion may yet skate alongside Crosby and McDavid under Canada’s banner in Milano.Also Read: Mark Scheifele calls Jonathan Toews’ Jets arrival “the perfect storm” as veteran sparks Winnipeg’s big hopes