While the Vancouver Canucks may be off the ice for the summer, the international hockey scene is heating up—but don't expect to see Teddy Blueger wearing Latvia's jersey at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. The Canucks' reliable centre recently confirmed he'll be sitting out this year's tournament, and for good reason.
After a grueling season that saw him miss half the regular schedule due to injury, Blueger also suited up for Latvia at the 2026 Winter Olympics. That's a lot of hockey, and the timing just didn't line up for another long international commitment. "It's been such a long season, such a condensed schedule, and then you've got a whole other month till the tournament even begins," Blueger told The Hockey News. "It's too big of a gap. Then by that time, you either have got to keep training for a month, or take a couple weeks off then start training again." Smart move for a player who knows his body best.
Blueger's Olympic appearance this year marked a special milestone—it was his first time representing Latvia as a member of the Canucks. Before that, his most recent stint with his national team came during the 2021–22 Olympic qualifiers, where he wore the captain's 'C' and delivered two goals and two assists in just three games. Talk about leading by example.
But Blueger is no stranger to the international stage. Before this year's Olympics, he put together an impressive three-year run at the IIHF World Championships from 2017 to 2019, all while still part of the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. The highlight came in 2018, when Latvia reached the quarter-finals and finished eighth—their best showing during that stretch. Blueger chipped in with an assist in that tournament, proving his value on the big stage.
His international resume also includes two U20 World Junior tournaments (2012 and 2013), plus a stint in the WJC-20 Division 1A in 2013–14. It's clear that when he's healthy and the timing is right, Blueger is a proud and passionate representative for his country.
With Blueger sitting this one out, the only other Canuck who could potentially lace up for Latvia is Abbotsford Canucks forward Anrī Ravinskis. However, he wasn't named to the team's preliminary roster during training camp, so Latvia's blue and maroon will have a different look this year. For Blueger, rest and recovery are the priority—and fans can expect him to come back even stronger next season.