Team Canada has reached the semi-finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, powered by its all-world lineup. That lineup includes the best defenseman in the world, Cale Makar.
Up to now, Makar hasn’t taken over games as he usually does in the NHL. He’s been a consistent offensive presence while playing solid defense throughout the tournament. Thus far, Canada has not been lit up, often relying on the strong backend keeping opponents in check.
That said, Makar’s role on the Team Canada blue line has gone relatively unnoticed. And that’s a good thing. The fact that Makar hasn’t overly stood out, both offensively and defensively, speaks to his consistent play throughout the tournament.
But it’s Friday’s semi-final showdown against Finland where Makar could become Canada’s X-factor. At various points in the tourney, Makar has been unlucky offensively, getting good looks, but slamming the puck on posts or barely missing goals.
Against Finland, Makar will find a strong defensive core that will focus on stopping Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. The Finnish defense’s main assignment will be cutting off McDavid’s ability to control the game as he has so many times during the tournament.
That focus could open the door for Makar to bust through. In a way, it would be a matter of the Finns picking their poison. They’ll stop McDavid and McKinnon, but let Makar be the one who beats them.
That’s the sort of scenario that Makar could be facing on Friday. If there’s any blueliner who can take on that role, it’s Makar. So, it will be interesting to see how Finland chooses to approach Team Canada’s defenders.
It could be that Makar gets a unique shot at playing a major role in helping Canada get to what seems like an inevitable collision course with the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
