\u2014 Aarif Deen (@runwriteAarif) December 31, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n An Avalanche spokesperson later clarified that, barring something unforeseen, Toews will be playing for Team Canada. If the expected due date is delayed, he\u2019ll join his Canadian teammates late, but he\u2019ll likely still be there in time for the tournament to begin on Feb. 11.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a headache, puzzle that I don\u2019t necessarily envy,\u201d Avalanche captain and Swedish Olympian Gabe Landeskog said. \u201cThat\u2019s probably not easy to deal with, when it comes to kids and your wife and giving birth and things like that. I know the Olympics don\u2019t come around very often, but neither does a first impression with your little baby. So first and foremost you want to be there for your wife and partner and and the other kids. So I can understand the headache that comes with it.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: Devon Toews Makes Team Canada, Will Play in First Olympic Games<\/a><\/p>\n Toews will join Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon on Team Canada\u2019s roster, just as he did for the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. Makar and MacKinnon were part of the first six to be named to the roster last summer.<\/p>\n The trio won Gold at 4 Nations together.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s cool. It should be a fun time,\u201d Toews said. \u201cKind of weird on a game day morning of getting [the call], but yeah, pretty honored nonetheless.\u201d<\/p>\n As he does in Colorado, Toews spent most of that tournament playing with Makar on the top pair.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the best because obviously we\u2019re so familiar with each other. And whether or not they want to keep us together, I think they still have that in their back pocket if they want to throw us as a tandem, just reading off each other so well,\u201d Makar said. \u201cI\u2019m very fortunate to have a partner like him. Makes my life and my job a lot easier.\u201d<\/p>\n Makar joked: \u201cI go to bed every night thinking about him, and I wake up in the morning thinking about Toewser.\u201d<\/p>\n Blackwood, Wedgewod Snubbed<\/p>\n Neither of the Avalanche\u2019s goalies made the roster for Team Canada.<\/p>\n Scott Wedgewood worked his way into the conversation after taking over starter duties while Mackenzie Blackwood was injured in October. The 33-year-old still leads the NHL in wins (17) heading into a New Year\u2019s Eve matchup against the St. Louis Blues.<\/p>\n Blackwood, who is 12-1-1 on the season since making his debut on Nov. 1, became a late consideration for Hockey Canada\u2019s brass after his game started to pick up. Blackwood was reported to be one of the four finalists, along with the three who made the team, just a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n Blues goalie Jordan Binnington was the starter at 4 Nations and will be on the team again despite his terrible season to date. Binnington will go head-to-head with Blackwood at Ball Arena on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n Since Wedgewood is not starting, he stayed on the ice for an extended period during morning skate and was not yet made available to media. Blackwood, however, spoke about the disappointment. He could very well be next in line as an injury replacement, but it doesn\u2019t sound like Hockey Canada has reached out to him yet.<\/p>\n It\u2019s likely that will happen in the coming days, if not later on Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never talked to them, ever,\u201d Blackwood said, also noting that he hasn\u2019t done any kind of testing yet. \u201cMaybe a little disappointment, it was kind of 50-50 anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n The other goalies are Washington\u2019s Logan Thompson and L.A. Kings netminder and former Avalanche Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper.<\/p>\n \u201cGreat to see a former teammate and a fellow champion going to that team. That\u2019s exciting and probably well deserved,\u201d Landeskog said of Kuemper, who he has not yet had a change to congratulate. \u201cHe\u2019s a heck of a goalie when he turns it on, and obviously he\u2019s done that for us in the past, and hopefully doesn\u2019t do that in the tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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