La vita è bella for Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews.
He was named to Canada’s team Wednesday for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, joining teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar on a loaded squad that will bring gold-medal-or-bust expectations to Northern Italy in early February.
Toews’ day job is going pretty well, as the Avs get ready for the final game of 2025 against the St. Louis Blues at Ball Arena with the league’s best record after a historic start to the season. He and his wife Kerry are also expecting a fourth child in early 2026.
“My wife is due in February, so that is something that is way more important to me than making the Olympic team,” Toews said. “Being there for that is something that’s on my mind more so than showing up for my country. I’ll be there when that time comes, but right now I’m there for my wife.”
A team spokesman added some context after Toews’ media scrum. Toews’ wife is due Feb. 2. Barring unforeseen circumstances, at worst, Toews is planning to potentially join his Canadian teammates a little late in Italy.
The men’s hockey tournament doesn’t begin until Feb. 11, and Canada’s first game is Feb. 12 against Martin Necas and Czechia.
“We know his character,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s an all-in team guy, and his No. 1 team is his family. I think you’ve got to be here, got to try to be there. Hopefully, that happens before he goes, and he can get the family settled back at home.
“It’s an exciting time as a parent and a father, and I think he’s making the right decision.”
MacKinnon and Makar were among the six players named to Canada’s roster in June. The rest of the team was announced on Wednesday morning.
It will be the first time at the Winter Olympics for all three Avs stars. The NHL has not sent players to the Games since 2014, when Canada defeated Gabe Landeskog and Sweden for the gold medal.
Two Avs who did not make the Canadian roster despite an incredible start to the 2025-26 season are goaltenders Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood. Blackwood is second in the NHL this season in save percentage (.924) and third in goals against average (2.15), while Wedgewood is fourth in save percentage (.919) and second in GAA (2.13).
“Uh, maybe a little disappointment,” Blackwood said after Colorado’s morning skate. “But really, it was kind of 50-50 anyways, so not much (emotions).
Jordan Binnington, who backstopped the country to gold last year at 4 Nations but has an .870 save percentage this season for St. Louis, Washington’s Logan Thompson and Los Angeles’ Darcy Kuemper were chosen to be Canada’s goaltenders.
Kuemper has not played in two weeks after a collision with former teammate Mikko Rantanen, but the Kings activated him from injured reserve Tuesday.
“I respect and trust the guys that they picked, but obviously I’m biased in those areas,” Makar said. “Playing in front of those guys, it’s pretty surreal. Hopefully, it just puts a little bit of a chip on those guys’ shoulders, something that they can prove to everybody else that maybe they did belong there.”
Blackwood said he didn’t speak with anyone from Hockey Canada, but there is still a chance that he will essentially be the first alternate should any of the three picked not be available in six weeks.
Canada has won every best-on-best tournament since Sidney Crosby’s golden goal at the 2010 Olympics. The most recent triumph was the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off this past February in Montreal and Boston.
Toews, MacKinnon and Makar were all on that team, with MacKinnon claiming tournament MVP honors. Makar missed the preliminary round game against the United States with an illness, but Canada won its other three contests, including an overtime win against the Americans in the final.
Makar and Toews played together in those three Canadian wins, and Colorado’s top defensive pairing is expected to fill the same role for their country on the global stage.
When asked what his biggest accomplishment was in 2025, winning gold at 4 Nations and the Olympic announcement Wednesday morning did make the cut.
“For 2025, nothing to do with hockey, honestly,” Toews said. “Being a dad and a father is my biggest accomplishment in life. Being able to watch my kids grow and help them grow is the best thing I’ll ever do.”
