WJC: 2024 Team Canada Roster Talk - Part 1

[Mathieukferland]

You guys see Matty Wood having any chance making the team?

What he had going for him is that he was great at u18 (there was no in person camp this past summer) and showed great chemistry with Celebrini and Ritchie.

What he has going against him is that his play style doesn’t fit with the spot he’s likely competing for, not skilled enough for the top 6 but, inspite of his size, isn’t really the physical forechecking force they usually take to fill out the lineup. Also, a modest start to the NCAA season where you need to be performing extremely well due to Hockey Canada’s preference for CHL players

 

[Scoresberg]

What about my boy Tanner Molendyk? Seems to be having a good year in the W.

 

[joeyrikley]

What about my boy Tanner Molendyk? Seems to be having a good year in the W.

I like his chances, but in a limited role. He’s on my list as my seventh Dman

 

[ORRFForever]

Don’t like to hope for young guys to struggle, or fall out of the nhl. Selfishly, I want them playing for Canada, but morally you want to root for them

Fair enough.

I, on the other hand, feel NO guilt rooting against them and hoping they play on the WJR's - which is strange because, as a Catholic, I feel guilty about EVERYTHING.

 

[jj cale]

2 months away from opening night!
My roster would currently be (assuming a few players return/are loaned back)

Forwards: there’s no match winner à la Bedard or McTavish as past years, but a lot of 200ft players and hard players that can play the relentless 2 man in seal forecheck that Canada like to use. Dumais cèdes the final spot to Heidt who is off to an amazing start to the season. Cristall, for all his points, looked so off the pace at the u18 that I don’t think he’s made for this level.

Celebrini-Boston University
Danielson-Brandon Wheat Kings
Yager-Moose Jaw Warriors
Savoie-Rochester Americans
Benson-Buffalo Sabres
Cowan-London Knights
Minten-Toronto Maple Leafs
Ritchie-Oshawa Generals
Barlow-Owen Sound Attack
Beck-Peterborough Petes
Wright-Coachella Valley Firebirds
Geekie-Wenatchee Wild
Heidt-Prince George Cougars

Defensemen: at this point I’m assuming Korchinski isn’t returning based on his usage in Chicago. What’s left is a decent but not amazing group that has a lot of puck movers and size. Not sure who this year’s “Tyson Hinds” will be that can play a defensive stabilizing presence, maybe look for Warren to make the team if injuries occur. Bonk and Étienne Morin are competing for the same spot in my opinion.

Mateychuk (L)- Moose Jaw Warriors
Lamoreaux (R)-Drummondville Voltigeurs
Nelson (R)-North Bay Batallion
Bonk (R)-London Knights
Pickering (L)-Swift Current Broncos
Dickinson (L)-London Knights
Molendyk (L)-Saskatoon Blades

Goaltenders: a veritable who’s who. Rousseau, though undrafted and having never played for Hockey Canada before, is on fire to start the season for Halifax. Dyck, formerly involved at u18s, if off to a good start for Swift Current. Bjarnason beats out Unger for the last spot, likely spectating and gaining experience in that environment in preparation for Ottawa 2025

M. Rousseau-Halifax Mooseheads
Dyck-Swift Current Broncos
Bjarnason-Brandon Wheat Kings

Great news because that's how they are gong to have to play to beat teams like the U.S and Sweden this go around..

 

[joeyrikley]

Fair enough.

I, on the other hand, feel NO guilt rooting against them and hoping they play on the WJR's - which is strange because, as a Catholic, I feel guilty about EVERYTHING.

Haha I’m trying to be a good guy butttt truth is I put the world juniors above anything. I’d be over the moon if those guys were available

 

[NordiquesForeva]

How are we feeling about the goaltending situation this year?

 

[TheDoldrums]

Great news because that's how they are gong to have to play to beat teams like the U.S and Sweden this go around..

Yep. They are not going to have the most skilled team in the tournament but I think it will be filled with a bunch of likeable smart hard workers who can still win the thing.

 

[ORRFForever]

Haha I’m trying to be a good guy butttt truth is I put the world juniors above anything. I’d be over the moon if those guys were available

Ha, ha. The truth comes out. (smile)

I agree. This year's team is fascinating - so many moving pieces with so much potential.

 

[joeyrikley]

How are we feeling about the goaltending situation this year?

I honestly have never been confident in goaltending going into the tournament. But we’ve seen Levi, Hofer, Milic, randomly take over and dominate. So I am not too stressed

Yep. They are not going to have the most skilled team in the tournament but I think it will be filled with a bunch of likeable smart hard workers who can still win the thing.

Reminds me of the 2018 team, ignoring the horrible incident following the tournament, that is the style of team we’re looking at this year. Grit and grind, no stars, just hard working unit

 

[Mathieukferland]

How are we feeling about the goaltending situation this year?

They need to hold a goaltending summit soon at this rate relying on all these unheralded or undrafted players to carry the load recently

 

[ORRFForever]

They need to hold a goaltending summit soon at this rate relying on all these unheralded or undrafted players to carry the load recently

It makes ZERO sense. Using the law of averages and the number of players we produce, we should produce a TOP end goalie once every couple years. What is in the water up here?

 

[joeyrikley]

They need to hold a goaltending summit soon at this rate relying on all these unheralded or undrafted players to carry the load recently

Hoping this D’aigle kid out of the Q is what he’s been projected to be. Could be big in the coming years

 

[jj cale]

They need to hold a goaltending summit soon at this rate relying on all these unheralded or undrafted players to carry the load recently

I can't fathom why they haven't already done it, the issue has been clearly obvious for ages now.

 

[ORRFForever]

I can't fathom why they haven't already done it, the issue has been clearly obvious for ages now.

I wonder if our best athletes are playing the odds and becoming forwards - a better chance of excelling when each team needs 12 forwards and only 2 goalies. If that's the case, you can't blame them - I'd do the same.

 

[ORRFForever]

Hoping this D’aigle kid out of the Q is what he’s been projected to be. Could be big in the coming years

The problem is, we keep hearing the same thing every year : "What about this kid?".... but they NEVER reach greatness.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Hoping this D’aigle kid out of the Q is what he’s been projected to be. Could be big in the coming years

I wouldn’t hold your breath he got caved in at both u18 and hlinka

 

[jj cale]

I wonder if our best athletes are playing the odds and becoming forwards - a better chance of excelling when each team needs 12 forwards and only 2 goalies. If that's the case, you can't blame them - I'd do the same.

You can also look at it the other way, if the majority of the great athletes aren't playing in goal...................better chance for me to excel at the goalie position and make oodles of money in the pros.

I just think the problem lies in development, somethings off.

 

[joeyrikley]

I wouldn’t hold your breath he got caved in at both u18 and hlinka

To be fair he is only 16, being on those squads is super positive

 

[ORRFForever]

You can also look at it the other way, if the majority of the great athletes aren't playing in goal...................better chance for me to excel at the goalie position and make oodles of money in the pros.

I just think the problem lies in development, somethings off.

Fair enough.

 

[jj cale]

I wouldn’t hold your breath he got caved in at both u18 and hlinka

Yeah I haven't been overly impressed with him in my viewings yet either. i'll give him a little slack for the under 18's as Canadas defensive play was so rotten but still.................he didn't look sharp.

I wouldn't be hanging my hat on his star quite yet.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Yep. They are not going to have the most skilled team in the tournament but I think it will be filled with a bunch of likeable smart hard workers who can still win the thing.

Canada...winning..on BIG ICE..?? not gonna happen bro.

 

[jj cale]

Canada...winning..on BIG ICE..?? not gonna happen bro.

We win on big ice on a regular basis, where have you been for decades?

The real game/mind block is European teams having such a difficult time winning on small ice, a problem that carries on to this day. They still grade out very badly there, they seem to need big ice and off North American soil to have any chance at all. There's no excuse......................they just are underwhelming in that setting.


True story!!

 

[joeyrikley]

Canada...winning..on BIG ICE..?? not gonna happen bro.

I could be wrong but I have a faint memory of a report stating that the IIHF is starting to stray away from European size ice. Opting to use NHL sizes or a happy medium between the two. Again, I could be imagining that and would love if anyone can confirm or deny

 

[jj cale]

I could be wrong but I have a faint memory of a report stating that the IIHF is starting to stray away from European size ice. Opting to use NHL sizes or a happy medium between the two. Again, I could be imagining that and would love if anyone can confirm or deny

You need not be concerned either way, last WJC on big ice, Czech Republic, 2020.


Gold medal winner........................Canada. I can't believe there is a single European fan left that still hangs for dear life onto that myth. I think it must soothe their often fragile psyche in some strange way.