Olympic dreams come true for Habs quartet

MONTREAL – It was 1:30 a.m. on what was, by then, officially New Year’s Eve. The Canadiens had just pulled up to their hotel in Raleigh after a dramatic comeback win in Florida.

The place felt more like a retreat than a typical downtown stopover — tucked deep in the forest, framed by dogwood trees, with crisp North Carolina air drifting across a quiet lake. A fountain splashed in the distance, the kind of atmosphere that usually invites a perfect night’s sleep.

But not for Nick Suzuki. Not that night.

“I didn't really sleep that much,” Suzuki explained the next morning, “anticipating that I would hopefully be getting a phone call.”

He knew that in roughly six hours, his phone could deliver the biggest call of his career — the one that would tell him whether he’d made Team Canada for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

When the sun finally rose, so did Suzuki, jolted awake by his ringtone. The rest, as they say, is history.

“I got a phone call in the morning early, at like, 8:00 a.m. So, it was a crazy night,” he said. “I saw a Tampa Bay phone number calling me, so, I had a good feeling, but I didn't really know what the news was going to be. Julien BriseBois told me that I was making the team, and there was a crazy amount of emotions. I couldn't be happier and proud to make that team.”

That morning in the Habs’ hotel meal room, his teammates offered quiet congratulations, fully aware of what the moment meant to their 26-year-old captain. And when Hockey Canada made the announcement official around noon, players who were still around for breakfast gathered behind Suzuki, cheering as they watched the confirmation come through live on his phone.

“It means a lot,” Suzuki acknowledged. “There are so many great athletes, especially in Canada, and to experience the Olympics as an athlete will be something that's truly rare […] I can’t wait to get over to Italy. It’s a dream and it still hasn't sunk in too much yet.”

The London, ON native, who was left off Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, wasn’t going to leave any doubt in the national team’s management group this year. At the time of the announcement, Suzuki had 44 points in 39 games –– now up to 65 points in 57 games –– with the Canadiens and finished the 2025 calendar year (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31) with the third-most points (97) among Canadian NHLers behind only Nathan MacKinnon (121) and Connor McDavid (115).

Suzuki won’t be heading to Milano Cortina to pile up points — at least not primarily. His value lies in everything else he brings. A near lock for Selke Trophy consideration this season, he’s become one of the NHL’s most reliable two-way centers, capable of killing penalties, taking tough defensive matchups, and freeing up the MacKinnons, McDavids and Macklin Celebrinis of the world to focus on filling the net.

And for Suzuki, that’s exactly the role he embraces.

“I just want to be me. I think I can impact the game in many different ways, so I don’t need to change the way I play. I made the team for a reason, so I just want to play my game and whatever the team needs me to do, I can do.”

JURAJ SLAFKOVSKY – SLOVAKIA

Juraj Slafkovsky’s path to the Slovak national team was far less dramatic than his Montreal teammate’s.

Back on June 16, he was among the “First 6” players named to each country’s roster — a decision that surprised absolutely nobody.

Now heading into his second Olympic Winter Games at just 21 years old — and as the tournament’s reigning MVP — the Kosice native has taken another major step in his fourth pro season. Driving a line with rookies Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen, Slafkovsky has produced 45 points in 57 games, including 32 in 33 since December 1.

In the best form of his NHL career, Slafkovsky leads Slovakia back onto the Olympic stage after recording 14 points and earning MVP honors during their bronze-medal run at Beijing 2022.

ALEXANDRE TEXIER – FRANCE

Name a more popular French national in Montreal right now than Alexandre Texier. Since arriving with the Canadiens on November 23, the 26-year-old has taken both the city and its hockey fans by storm. In short order, he’s piled up 17 points in 30 games, recorded a hat trick, signed a two-year contract extension, and captured the hearts of Habs fans who have showered him with love on multiple occasions at the Bell Centre.

In February, Texier will briefly shift his focus back to more familiar European territory. For two weeks, he’ll take on a different responsibility as he prepares to lead France in Italy, and he’ll do so as the lone active NHL player on the roster.

“I’ve always had a little bit of a leadership role when playing for France,” Texier told the Montreal media in early January. “You have self-expectations to be vocal around the team. That said, I don’t want to be a hero, either. I don’t need to be a savior – at all. I just want to play simple, bring some positivity and bring the small details of the National Hockey League to the French team.”

Texier is no stranger to international duty. He has represented France on numerous occasions throughout his career, including five World Championships and the Olympic qualifiers, where he led the team with six points in three games.

OLIVER KAPANEN – FINLAND

A couple of days after Christmas, Oliver Kapanen’s phone rang. On the other end was Finnish head coach Antti Pennanen, calling with news that would change the trajectory of the 22-year-old’s season: he’d made Team Finland.

“Happy, relieved,” Kapanen said when asked to describe his emotions. “I didn’t really expect it in the moment.”

Truth be told, he hadn’t expected it at all. Heading into training camp, the Olympic Winter Games weren’t even on his radar. That shifted quickly. Once Kapanen cracked the Canadiens’ roster and found success early in the season, the possibility became real. And it hasn’t been fleeting. Nearly two thirds of the way through the year, Kapanen is tied for first with Beckett Senneck among NHL rookies in goals.

Now, with the opportunity to wear his country’s colors once again, his enthusiasm is unmistakable.

“Whenever I have the chance to play for Finland, I’ll play,” he told the Habs content team. “Since putting on the jersey in juniors, it’s been a huge honor. And of course, it’s nice to see those top players on the team for the first time for me, so I’m excited.”

Unsure exactly of his role at this moment, he plans to bring to Finland the same elements that have earned him trust in Montreal: scoring goals, staying true to himself and playing a responsible 200-foot game.

For more information about the men’s ice hockey tournament at Milano Cortina 2026, click here.