Team Canada Lines at 2026 IIHF World Championship

Head coach Misha Donskov has some key decisions to make as he maps out the best way for Canada, the hockey odds favourite at the BetMGM online sportsbook to win gold at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

Donskov has, at least for the most part, stuck with the same lines in the early stages of the tournament. He has tinkered from time to time, searching for optimal chemistry as the team looks to win a medal for the first time in three World Championships. 

So, who does he have playing together? 

What Are Team Canada’s Lines at the World Hockey Championship?

You’ll notice Team Canada has an abundance of centres, many of whom will have to play out of position. The most notable is Sidney Crosby. 

The others include John Tavares, Mark Scheifele, and Dylan Cozens. 

While the lines below are the most commonly used, Donskov has tried numerous alternatives. 

In the latter stages of the game against Denmark, he played Crosby, Tavares, and Ryan O’Reilly together. It paid immediate dividends, with the trio combining on Parker Wotherspoon’s goal. 

Line 1 – Sidney Crosby – Macklin Celebrini – Porter Martone 

Porter Malone didn’t start on the first line, but he has fit in nicely since joining Crosby and Celebrini, who will likely form the most formidable duo in the tournament. 

Line 2 – Mark Scheifele – Robert Thomas – Gabriel Vilardi

The second and third lines are interchangeable, as both have top-end talent. The Scheifele-Robert Thomas-Vilardi line is slightly more offensive, but both pack a punch.

Scheifele and Vilardi play on the same line most of the time for the Winnipeg Jets, making it an easy and obvious decision. 

Thomas is one of the best setup men around, complementing a duo that combined for 66 goals during the 2025-26 NHL season. 

Line 3 – Dylan Holloway – Ryan O’Reilly – John Tavares

I’m a little surprised Dylan Holloway and Thomas aren’t paired up, with the pair playing on the same line for the St. Louis Blues more often than not. 

O’Reilly and Tavares are familiar with each other from their time together in Toronto, and the trio has already yielded positive results.

Line 4 – Connor Brown – Fraser Minten – Dylan Cozens 

Excellent defensively, Canada’s shutdown line is an adept forechecking trio. 

Before departing for the New Jersey Devils, Brown was an influential depth player in the Edmonton Oilers’ consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final, and Minten and Cozens are impactful in their roles with the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators, respectively. 

Extra Forwards – Emmitt Finnie, Dawson Mercer, Sam Dickinson 

The Detroit Red Wings’ Emmitt Finnie made his first appearance against Denmark in Canada’s third game, replacing the Devils’ Dawson Mercer in the lineup. 

The San Jose Sharks’ Sam Dickinson hasn’t seen any action yet. 

Defence – Morgan Rielly – Dylan DeMelo 

Canada’s defensive pairings are pretty evenly distributed, with Morgan Rielly and Dylan DeMelo forming a partnership. 

DeMelo is one of three Jets. 

Defence – Darnell Nurse – Zach Whitecloud

The Edmonton Oilers’ Darnell Nurse teams up with Calgary Flames’ new addition, Zach Whitecloud. It’s a steady pairing, with both able to play on the penalty kill. 

Defence – Parker Wotherspoon – Evan Bouchard

Wotherspoon averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the most of his four seasons in the NHL. 

He’s teaming up with Evan Bouchard, Canada’s most offensive blueliner. 

Extra Defenceman – Denton Mateychuk 

There’s some rotation among Canada’s seven defencemen, and the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Denton Mateychuk fits in where necessary. 

Power Play 1 – Sidney Crosby – Macklin Celebrini – Gabriel Vilardi – Mark Scheifele – Evan Bouchard 

Donskov has decided to employ a power play with four forwards. Unsurprisingly, Bouchard anchors the first power play unit, with Jets teammates Vilardi and Scheifele joining Crosby and Celebrini. 

Power Play 2 – John Tavares – Robert Thomas – Ryan O’Reilly – Dylan Holloway – Morgan Rielly 

Familiarity is the key for the second power-play unit, with Holloway and Thomas teammates in St. Louis and Tavares and Rielly playing alongside one another for the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

It wasn’t long ago that O’Reilly played with Rielly and Tavares in Toronto. Thomas and O’Reilly were teammates in St. Louis when the Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019. 

Penalty Kill 1 – Dylan Cozens – Ryan O’Reilly – Zach Whitecloud – Darnell Nurse

You won’t be surprised to see the entire fourth line contributing to the penalty kill. Cozens teams up with O’Reilly on this unit, while Whitecloud and Nurse complete the quartet. 

Penalty Kill 2 – Connor Brown – Fraser Minten – Parker Wotherspoon – Evan Bouchard 

Brown is the penalty kill specialist, arguably the best on the team at snuffing out time and space with a man disadvantage. 

He pairs up with linemates Minten, Wotherspoon and Bouchard. 

Who is Team Canada’s Captain?

Celebrini is Team Canada’s captain. Crosby was a late inclusion, and he was adamant that Celebrini remain the captain.