By The Canadian Press

Westlake heads to sixth Paralympic Games as Canada’s Para hockey team named

Jan 20, 2026 | 10:55 AM

CALGARY — Veteran forward Greg Westlake heads to his sixth Paralympic Games as Canada’s Para hockey team looks for its first Olympic gold medal in 20 years at the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics.

Westlake, who recently came out of retirement, is among the Paralympic veterans on the 17-player roster announced Tuesday by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

The Paralympic Games opening March 6 and closing March 15 will follow the Olympic Games in Italy.

The 39-year-old Westlake is the only player on the roster who was also on the Canadian team that won gold at the 2006 Turin Paralympics.

Westlake spent two seasons as an assistant coach of Canada before deciding last year he wanted 2026 to be his Olympic swan song.

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“It’s a celebration for all these guys on the team,” Westlake said in Calgary at Hockey Canada’s headquarters.

“For me, it’s my sixth Games. For some guys, it’s their first. I know how much my first meant to me and my family. It’s just about taking a moment right now. We spend so much time on the road. We spend so time working and trying to live the right way and do all the right things and leave no stone unturned, just to give ourselves a little chance at a gold medal.

“This one was special for me because I did come out of retirement. I’d be lying if I said it was just a smooth ride the whole season. There was tons of times where I didn’t know if I could hold up, I didn’t know if I could push through the training.”

Forward Adam Dixon will compete in his fifth Paralympics, while captain Tyler McGregor will play in a fourth.

Defencemen Rob Armstrong, defenceman Tyrone Henry and Corbin Watson head to their third.

Forward Liam Hickey will also be at his fourth Games, but third as a para ice hockey player after competing in the 2016 Rio Games in wheelchair basketball.

Forwards Vincent Boily and Micah Kovacevich and defencemen Shawn Burnett, Auren Halbert and Mathieu Lelièvre will make their Paralympic debuts.

The United States has won four straight gold medals since Turin, with Canada claiming silver in 2022 and 2018 and bronze in 2014.

The U.S. has beaten Canada in four of the last five world championship finals. Canada beat its archrival to take the world title in 2024 in Calgary.

Canada plays its first game of the 2026 Paralympics on March 7 against Slovakia, followed by Japan on March 9 and Czechia on March 10.

Eight countries are split into two pools with defending champion U.S., China, Germany and host Italy in another pool.

The top two teams in each pool make the semifinals. The medal games are March 15.

“We’ve got to be ready for whatever the moment demands of us and we know that’s going to be challenging,” said McGregor.

“We know within a Paralympic Games environment, even though it’s a short tournament, a lot of things happen. A lot of adversity comes and even within those critical games, those-must win games, a lot of things happen, mistakes happen.

“We have to have this rock-solid foundation that whatever comes our way, we’re going to overcome it. We’ve been building that through the work that we do every day, and we know that if we commit to that, it’ll result in a gold medal.”

The Para team joining both NHL players and the top women in the country at a Hockey Canada Olympic orientation camp in August had a profound affect on the Para players.

“It was nice just to be recognized as a high-performance program,” Westlake said. “As Paralympians, I feel like half of our job is advocacy. We’re always in the community banging that drum of the level of athlete, but also the level of people that I play with. They’re incredible men.

“When we were at that three-team camp, it was a little bit of validation. ‘You guys deserve to be here, rubbing shoulders with some of the best athletes in our own country.’ It gave us a lot of confidence. We felt respected. We felt seen.”

Hockey Canada’s stated goal at the Milan Cortina Winter Games is triple gold — men’s, women’s and Para hockey.

“Going into these Games, we understand if we want to win triple gold we have to rise together and collectively be there for each other, support each other through the ups and the downs this journey brings,” McGregor said.

“That orientation camp really set the stage for this season. We’re so grateful we had the opportunity to feel more closely connected to our men’s and women’s teams that we’re really excited to cheer on in Milan.”

Canada

Goaltenders — Adam Kingsmill, Smithers, B.C.; Corbin Watson, Kingsville, Ont.

Defencemen — Rob Armstrong, Erin, Ont.; Shawn Burnett, McMasterville, Que.; Auren Halbert, Calgary; Tyrone Henry, Ottawa; Mathieu Lelièvre, Lévis, Que.

Forwards — Vincent Boily, Alma, Que.; Dominic Cozzolino, Mississauga, Ont.; Adam Dixon — Midland, Ont.; James Dunn, Wallacetown, Ont.; Liam Hickey, St. John’s, N.L.; Anton Jacobs-Webb, Gatineau, Que.; Micah Kovacevich, Edmonton; Zach Lavin, Essex, Ont.; Tyler McGregor, Forest, Ont.; Greg Westlake — Oakville, Ont.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press