Two former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates could reunite for the upcoming 2026 Olympic Tournament in Milano-Cortina.
A projection for Team Canada’s roster shows some interesting picks for Canada’s Olympic lineup. The usual suspects, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Sidney Crosby, headline a Mariana Trench-deep Canadian squad.
But upon a closer look, two former Maple Leafs teammates anchor the third line. Those teammates are John Tavares and Mitch Marner.
Tavares and Marner played together with the Maple Leafs from 2018 to the spring of 2025. The duo originally played on the same line when Tavares first arrived in Toronto. During that first season, Tavares notched a career-high 47 goals.
While Marner would go on to anchor the top line with Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, the Tavares-Marner connection remained vivid through all those seasons.
Now, there’s a real chance that Team Canada coach Jon Cooper could dip into the connection, reuniting Tavares and Marner.
Seeing the duo play together would certainly be a fascinating situation. Since leaving for the Vegas Golden Knights, Marner has continued to shine. Meanwhile, Tavares has led the Maple Leafs during a difficult, injury-riddled season.
The projection rounds out Team Canada’s third line with Sam Reinhart on the left wing. Such a line would be a defensive nightmare for opponents, while leaving Reinhart open to do his bidding as the offensive force.
Maple Leafs Fans Could Remember Old Times
Seeing Tavares and Marner together would be a no-brainer for Jon Cooper. The duo knows each other well. So, there wouldn’t be any issues with pairing them. Their years with the Maple Leafs allowed Tavares and Marner to develop a solid relationship.
Cooper also knows the pair extremely well. Cooper is the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team the Toronto Maple Leafs have gotten to know all too well over the years.
The Canadian head coach also faces a similar situation with his top defensive pair. Keeping Cale Makar and Devon Toews together is a slam-dunk decision. The duo is a force with the Colorado Avalanche. So, it would be outlandish to separate them in such a crucial tournament.
Marner and Tavares Could Play Key Role for Team Canada
Having Marner and Tavares in the middle six could lead to a key role. The opposition will more than likely focus on shutting down Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. That’s why Marner and Tavares could have a unique opportunity to gang up on the opposition.
The former Maple Leafs teammates could feast on relatively weaker offensive and defensive opponents. Marner continues to be an elite playmaker, while Tavares has evolved into one of the most underrated two-way centers in the NHL.
Having two defensively adept forwards, plus a raw goal-scorer like Reinhart, could propel them to a major role at the 2026 Olympics.
If anything, Marner and Tavares could anchor the defensive side of the equation much like they did during their Maple Leafs days. It’s a tantalizing thought to see Marner and Tavares together, once again, for old times’ sake.
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