TORONTO — The immense disappointment of being passed over for Team Canada won’t keep Mark Scheifele from remaining in the Olympic testing protocol in case he’s called on as an injury replacement ahead of next month’s Milan Cortina Games.

The Winnipeg Jets center was one of the top players left off the 25-man roster unveiled on Wednesday.

“Obviously it was a tough day. News that you don’t want,” Scheifele said after a two-goal, three-point performance during Thursday’s 6-5 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. “It just shows the amount of talent in Canada. There’s so many great hockey players, so many great guys. It’s an honor to be part of this country just because there are so many great hockey players, and obviously I wish I was picked. God’s got a plan, and you’ve just got to trust it.”

After being one of the final cuts for last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, Scheifele is having the most productive season of his NHL career. His 1.23 points per game ranks sixth among Canadian skaters — trailing Nathan MacKinnon (1.79), Connor McDavid (1.71), Macklin Celebrini (1.55), Connor Bedard (1.42) and Mark Stone (1.41).

Bedard was the only other player from that group passed over by Doug Armstrong’s management group, but he’s also currently sidelined by a shoulder injury.

Scheifele has shown himself to be a reliable 200-foot performer despite playing on the NHL’s 32nd-ranked team, and his 38 points at even strength are currently the third-highest among Canadian skaters. As a result, he’s holding his head high after setting the goal of playing in his first Olympics this year.

“I don’t know what else I could have done,” said Scheifele. “I’m proud of the way I played all season to now. I think I’m probably playing the best hockey I’ve ever played in my career. That’s all you’ve got to do is just trust in God’s plan and know there’s a reason for everything.”

There is still a chance he could be called upon since injury replacements are permitted right up until the start of the Feb. 11-22 tournament. That’s why it’s significant that Scheifele is choosing to remain in the drug-testing protocol mandated by the International Olympic Committee.

For example, New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat left Thursday’s game with an undisclosed lower-body injury after being named to Team Canada. While the initial hope is that it won’t be a long-term issue for Horvat, according to league sources, the Islanders expect to have more clarity on Friday.

The NHL is using a condensed schedule this season to account for the Olympic break, and other issues could arise with players selected ahead of Scheifele.

If it were up to those who see what the 32-year-old does daily in Winnipeg, he’d already have a ticket to Italy booked.

“I really thought he had a real good chance of being on the team,” said Jets coach Scott Arniel. “I know there’s some really, really tough decisions out there — a lot of great players — but I just felt that he was so close last year. He’s having a fantastic season, a great start.