Make no mistake, Devon Toews was excited about being named to Team Canada for February’s Olympic Games on Wednesday morning. He’s just got a few other things on his mind.

“My wife’s due in February, so that’s something that’s way more important to me than making an Olympic team,” Toews said on Wednesday, minutes after being named to the team. “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.”

It’s a unique situation, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Toews to represent his country at the Olympics. No one knows if he’ll have this chance in four years when the NHL returns to the Olympics.

But being there for the birth of your child isn’t exactly something that happens every day either. A team spokesman confirmed Toews’ wife has a due date of Feb. 2, so if the baby is a little late, he might be a little late to join Team Canada.

If that situation does arise, Toews has made up his mind on what he’ll do.

“If my baby hasn’t arrived, I’m staying here. That’s 100% what I’ll do,” Toews said. “I’m not leaving until that baby’s here and everybody’s home safe. I think (my wife’s) excited, I think she’s excited for me to have this opportunity. It doesn’t come every day, so she’s excited for that, but I’ll be there for that baby, for sure.”

‘Special’ player, man Devon Toews hits the spotlight at 4 Nations Face-Off

Of course, Toews saying something like this doesn’t surprise the people that know him well.

“Not only is he a great hockey player, but he’s probably even a better person,” Toews’ NCAA coach Rand Pecknold told The Gazette earlier this year.

His current coach, who has had Toews on his team since 2020, would agree.

“We know his character, right?” Jared Bednar said of Toews. “He’s (an) all-in team guy, and his number one team is his family.”

Still, there’s an excitement from Toews about joining fellow teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar in Milan.

“It’s pretty cool,” Toews said. “Vancouver (Olympics) is like my biggest moment of watching hockey. I’m not a big hockey knowledge nerd guy but that’s the one moment that I remember growing up, just being from that area. Having an opportunity to be a part of a moment like that is something that I’ll cherish, for sure.”

It’s a mild surprise that Toews was the only other member of the Avalanche named to Team Canada on Wednesday. Neither Mackenzie Blackwood or Scott Wedgewood made the cut, as Canada is rolling with Jordan Bennington, Logan Thompson, and former Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper in net.

Wedgewood was not available to the media but Blackwood was. He said he has “never talked to” Team Canada officials.

As for his emotions on not being named?

“Maybe a little disappointment, but really, I don’t know, it was kind of 50/50 anyways,” Blackwood said.

The NHL will pause the regular season from Feb. 6-23 in order for their players to participate in the Olympics. Rosters for the remaining countries will be announced in the near future, with Team USA releasing the rest of their roster on Jan. 2.