Hours after 2026 Olympics nod, Devon Toews leaves no doubt about prioritizing wife's pregnancy over playing for Team Canada

Hours after being named to Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews spoke to the media about the honor of representing his country.

However, he emphasized that his wife Kerry’s pregnancy takes absolute priority. Toews expressed excitement about the Olympic opportunity but left no ambiguity: being present for the birth and supporting his wife outweighs everything else.

"Yeah, I mean, if my baby hasn't arrived, I'm staying here. That's 100% what I'll do," Toews said.

According to reports, barring unforeseen issues, Devon Toews is expected to participate, potentially joining the team late if the baby arrives around or after the due date. Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong acknowledged the situation, noting they’ll monitor it respectfully.

Devon Toews has racked up 12 points through a goal and 11 assists in 38 games this season.

Devon Toews notches an assist in the Avalanche's 6-1 win over Blues

On Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche thrashed the St. Louis Blues 6-1 at Ball Arena. Valeri Nichushkin opened the scoring for the home team after giving them a 1-0 lead just one minute into the opening frame.

Nathan MacKinnon doubled the lead at 3:13. The same players scored their second goals to put the Avs up 4-0 before heading into the second period. Brock Nelson was the lone scorer for Colorado in the second period, scoring on the power play to make it 5-0 for the home team.

With less than four minutes remaining, Nischushkin completed his hat trick and secured a dominant win for the Avalanche. MacKinnon notched four points, while Nischushkin had three points on the night.

Devon Toews also picked up an assist in the game, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 12 saves between the pipes, posting a .923 save percentage. The Colorado Avalanche strongly hold the first position in the league with a 30-2-7 record.

They travel to PNC Arena to face the Carolina Hurricanes next on Saturday. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta