'It's a mistake': Team Canada facing criticism for snubbing Sam Bennett

Following the success of the Four Nations Face Off, the NHL heads back to the international stage with the 2026 Olympics set for this February in Italy, and now, anticipation is rising for the tournament.

On Wednesday, Team Canada officially announced their roster, and while there's plenty of talent with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon leading the way, there were some questionable decisions too.

While the likes of Mackenzie Blackwood, Connor Bedard and Mark Scheifele can all feel hard done by following their snubs, it was Sam Bennett that drew the most attention as an omission.

This comes after he scored the game tying goal in the gold medal game of the Four Nations, and with three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, playing key roles in both Cup wins for the Panthers, it's a move that simply makes no sense from Canada's perspective.

This season, Bennett has scored 13 goals and 29 points in 39 games for the Panthers, so it's not like he's struggling either, and while Macklin Celebrini was a fantastic addition for the Canadians, it's likely that Bo Horvat shut out Bennett from his role.

Ultimately, that may come back to bite Canada, and while they've got the talent to overcome a move like this, it still raises major question marks about how Canada's selection process works after snubbing Bennett.