Ottawa opened training camp intent on playoff advancement, but Alex Formenton won’t participate as the club pursues a fresh start and explores a trade in light of his acquittal on sexual assault charges from 2018. The roster focus shifts to internal competition and building on last season’s breakthrough, with leadership from Brady Tkachuk and a mix of new and returning faces ready to push for ice time.

Jordan Spence joins the defense alongside a healthy return to form from Nick Jensen and the ongoing evaluation of Tim Stutzle’s right-wing line, potentially pairing with Fabian Zetterlund or Claude Giroux. Lars Eller signed for a year, Dylan Cozens and Zetterlund are in the lineup, and the camp cadence is set by a demanding, growth-oriented coaching staff. The team remains hopeful about early-season durability and depth as they navigate roster decisions and development pathways.

Injury notes center on Jensen’s hip rehab and Eller’s minor abdominal procedure, which could influence the opening roster. The camp atmosphere emphasizes competition, accountability, and players rising to the challenge, with Staios and Green signaling that the best answers will emerge from the group rather than outside additions.

USA Hockey taps a familiar circle for Milan 2026, naming John Tortorella as an Olympic assistant under Mike Sullivan, with David Quinn and John Hynes on the staff. The move preserves the blistering bench energy that powered the 4 Nations run and keeps Sullivan’s group in charge of the American program.

Canada fields a star-studded roster with Crosby, Reinhart, MacKinnon, McDavid, Makar and Point; Latvia adds Rodrigo Ābols while Sweden relies on Sam Ersson in net. USA sits in Group C with Germany, Denmark and Latvia, as groups and a global pause set the stage for a high-stakes Milano showdown.