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WJC: 2024 Team Canada Roster Talk - Part 1

TheDoldrums said:
players have been cut after making it the year previously before and its a very deep group of forwards
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Please elaborate. Other than the covid year with Lambos and Kidney, who has been cut after making the previous team? Can't say for sure, but in my memory it's not a common trend
 
joeyrikley said:
Please elaborate. Other than the covid year with Lambos and Kidney, who has been cut after making the previous team? Can't say for sure, but in my memory it's not a common trend
Click to expand...
I think the only one that comes to mind is Bigras in 2015 Montreal/Toronto, but that was one of Canada’s best ever teams so it was not surprising. As you note Kidney and Lambos were kind of exceptions because of the weird covid tournaments
 
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My updated end of October roster predictions:

Some Notes
- Assuming at this point there will be no Fantilli, Bedard, Korchinski, Poitras or Benson
- Assuming Wright, Minten, Savoie and Luneau will be made available
- I wanted to include one goalie with Canadian pedigree, as that tends to be the way management chooses the goalies
- Hvidston, Goyette and Donovan all got AHL games last year, felt like good depth pieces
- Dickinson is my Drysdale of the team
- No Cristall, didn't like his game in the U18s, too slow for Canada's style

Geekie-Wright-Savoie: Keep the ICE boys together, hard working, 2-way line
Celebrini-Minten-Dumais: Thinking Duclair-Reinhart-Domi, two offensive studs with a 2-way centre to ground them
Cowan-Beck-Yager: Defensive, hustler line, think Comtois-Howden-Formenton
Hvidston-Danielson-Goyette: I like the defensive upside mixed with offensive upside
Heidt-Firkus: Can't decide who would be scratched, depends on the game I think, Firkus offers instant offence, Heidt brings solid 2-way play

Mateychuk-Luneau: Two best players, worry about too much offence on a single pair
Pickering-Lamoureux: BIG BOYSSSSSSSSS
Molendyk-Bonk: Young guys, Molendyk offensive provider, Bonk defensive anchor
Donovan-Dickinson: Both lefty's, I'd likely play Donovan in the more important games


DiVincentiis: Okay start to the season, was good last season
Meneghin: 2.02 GA, .935 S%, 13 GP
Dyck: Canadian pedigree
 
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joeyrikley said:
My updated end of October roster predictions:

Some Notes
- Assuming at this point there will be no Fantilli, Bedard, Korchinski, Poitras or Benson
- Assuming Wright, Minten, Savoie and Luneau will be made available
- I wanted to include one goalie with Canadian pedigree, as that tends to be the way management chooses the goalies
- Hvidston, Goyette and Donovan all got AHL games last year, felt like good depth pieces
- Dickinson is my Drysdale of the team
- No Cristall, didn't like his game in the U18s, too slow for Canada's style

Geekie-Wright-Savoie: Keep the ICE boys together, hard working, 2-way line
Celebrini-Minten-Dumais: Thinking Duclair-Reinhart-Domi, two offensive studs with a 2-way centre to ground them
Cowan-Beck-Yager: Defensive, hustler line, think Comtois-Howden-Formenton
Hvidston-Danielson-Goyette: I like the defensive upside mixed with offensive upside
Heidt-Firkus: Can't decide who would be scratched, depends on the game I think, Firkus offers instant offence, Heidt brings solid 2-way play

Mateychuk-Luneau: Two best players, worry about too much offence on a single pair
Pickering-Lamoureux: BIG BOYSSSSSSSSS
Molendyk-Bonk: Young guys, Molendyk offensive provider, Bonk defensive anchor
Donovan-Dickinson: Both lefty's, I'd likely play Donovan in the more important games


DiVincentiis: Okay start to the season, was good last season
Meneghin: 2.02 GA, .935 S%, 13 GP
Dyck: Canadian pedigree
Click to expand...
Also of note:

This teams averages:
6.095 feet (essentially 6'1)
175.32 lbs
7 possible returnees
10R/12L

Canada's last 12 teams averages:
6'1
194.9 lbs
7 possible returnees
8R/14L


I think the weight must be due to un-updated weights on EliteProspects. If not, would be by far the lightest team of the past decade
 
Benson should be sent back to the WHL after 9 games as should Korchinski but never know how dumb NHL teams will be. Others from the WHL should be Savoie, Geekie, Yager, Danielson, Mateychuk, Pickering, Bjarnason for locks, imagine Molendyk too with lack of dmen. Heidt and Christall I'd say should be on the team but will probably have to wait until next year, same for Price and Dragicevic. Myatovic would've been a solid checking role option but he's hurt, maybe Lind for that role also. Ratzlaff has had a weak start or he'd be a goalie option. Catton should be there in the Fantilli role but we'll see, Yakemchuk as a late bday is a wildcard. So potential team of

Benson-Geekie-Savoie
Celebrini-Wright-Danielson
Minten-Yager-Wood
Catton-Beck-Firkus
Cowan/Dumais

Korchinski-Mateychuk
Pickering-Luneau
Molendyk-Bonk
Dickenson/Yakemchuk-Lamoureux

Bjarnason
then who knows
 
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landy92mack29 said:
Benson should be sent back to the WHL after 9 games as should Korchinski but never know how dumb NHL teams will be. Others from the WHL should be Savoie, Geekie, Yager, Danielson, Mateychuk, Pickering, Bjarnason for locks, imagine Molendyk too with lack of dmen. Heidt and Christall I'd say should be on the team but will probably have to wait until next year, same for Price and Dragicevic. Myatovic would've been a solid checking role option but he's hurt, maybe Lind for that role also. Ratzlaff has had a weak start or he'd be a goalie option. Catton should be there in the Fantilli role but we'll see, Yakemchuk as a late bday is a wildcard. So potential team of

Benson-Geekie-Savoie
Celebrini-Wright-Danielson
Minten-Yager-Wood
Catton-Beck-Firkus
Cowan/Dumais

Korchinski-Mateychuk
Pickering-Luneau
Molendyk-Bonk
Dickenson/Yakemchuk-Lamoureux

Bjarnason
then who knows
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- Benson is playing first line, Korchinski is playing first pair...may get loaned but I'd be surprised if either were in juniors after 9 games
- I don't think Wood, Catton, Firkus, Dumais fit into the way Canada builds their bottom 6
- Wright should be manning the first line, it'll be his team
- Not sure Danielson is going to be in a top 6 role, 8 pts in 9 games isn't great
- Dumais is lighting up the Q again, 14 pts in 5 games, feels almost impossible to keep him out of the top 6 at this point
- Bjarnason doesn't feel like a lock in my eyes, had a horrible U-18, and his season stats have not been great. May get a spot to be get him ready for next year, ala Garand, but wouldn't lock him in
 
If Wright were to be loaned out, I wonder if he would be the only returning captain in Team Canada history? The only other name I can think of is Lindros, but he wore an "A" in 1991 and the "C" in 1992.

Wright will have had an odd arc with the Canadian national junior team, having made the team at Christmas 2021 for the aborted tournament in Alberta, then missed the summer tournament in 2022, named captain for the 2023 tournament, then possibly returned as the captain again for 2024.
 
My guess would be Benson gets sent to Wenatchee before his tenth game. The smarts and battle are there, but it's becoming more apparent that he's just not physically ready for an NHL schedule. No shame in that.

Savoie is on a reconditioning assignment with Rochester in the AHL. 1G, 2A in 3 games thus far. I have to think the Sabres really want to have a look at him in the NHL, assuming he plays well on the farm. With Quinn out until ~Christmas, Benson probably returning to the Dub, and Olofsson not getting it done (healthy scratch today), there's definitely a top-9 spot or two available.

Savoie would have to be absolutely lights-out to stick with the Sabres though, assuming he does get a callup. Kulich and Rosen are both off to hot starts in the AHL, and each has a year of impressive pro experience with Rochester. Either is a more likely candidate to grab a forward spot for any significant period than Savoie.

I'm thinking Savoie will be available to TC as well.
 
Brent Burns Beard said:
How come no one is giving Akey or Cagnoni any chance for this team? Too early? Next year?
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No Hockey Canada reps for Akey coming up through the various levels doesn't bode well for him, I'd say no chance this year, and very doubtful next year.

As for Luca Cagnoni? He's a 04-born player. He turns 19 a few days before tourney puck drop. there is no next year for him. This year or bust. camp invite is about as far I would go.
 
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Gold Standard said:
No Hockey Canada reps for Akey coming up through the various levels doesn't bode well for him, I'd say no chance this year, and very doubtful next year.

As for Luca Cagnoni? He's a 04-born player. He turns 19 a few days before tourney puck drop. there is no next year for him. This year or bust. camp invite is about as far I would go.
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No chance for Akey simply becuase he didn’t get a chance earlier in his development?

Is he not good enough or is it just politics?
 
Brent Burns Beard said:
No chance for Akey simply becuase he didn’t get a chance earlier in his development?

Is he not good enough or is it just politics?
Click to expand...
Players react differently in high pressure environments such as the world juniors, and hockey Canada typically selects players that have played at the international level before. He will really have to clearly be better than direct competitors like molendyk or bonk to gain a spot
 
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Deep Blue Metallic said:
My guess would be Benson gets sent to Wenatchee before his tenth game. The smarts and battle are there, but it's becoming more apparent that he's just not physically ready for an NHL schedule. No shame in that.

Savoie is on a reconditioning assignment with Rochester in the AHL. 1G, 2A in 3 games thus far. I have to think the Sabres really want to have a look at him in the NHL, assuming he plays well on the farm. With Quinn out until ~Christmas, Benson probably returning to the Dub, and Olofsson not getting it done (healthy scratch today), there's definitely a top-9 spot or two available.

Savoie would have to be absolutely lights-out to stick with the Sabres though, assuming he does get a callup. Kulich and Rosen are both off to hot starts in the AHL, and each has a year of impressive pro experience with Rochester. Either is a more likely candidate to grab a forward spot for any significant period than Savoie.

I'm thinking Savoie will be available to TC as well.
Click to expand...
Am I missing something with Benson? Seems that they’re running him as their first line winger, seems odd they’d do all that to send him down after 9 games
 
joeyrikley said:
Please elaborate. Other than the covid year with Lambos and Kidney, who has been cut after making the previous team? Can't say for sure, but in my memory it's not a common trend
Click to expand...
American I know, but happened to Debrincat who played at the 2016 WJC, but was cut for 2017 - where the US would go on to win.
 
Deep Blue Metallic said:
My guess would be Benson gets sent to Wenatchee before his tenth game. The smarts and battle are there, but it's becoming more apparent that he's just not physically ready for an NHL schedule. No shame in that.

Savoie is on a reconditioning assignment with Rochester in the AHL. 1G, 2A in 3 games thus far. I have to think the Sabres really want to have a look at him in the NHL, assuming he plays well on the farm. With Quinn out until ~Christmas, Benson probably returning to the Dub, and Olofsson not getting it done (healthy scratch today), there's definitely a top-9 spot or two available.

Savoie would have to be absolutely lights-out to stick with the Sabres though, assuming he does get a callup. Kulich and Rosen are both off to hot starts in the AHL, and each has a year of impressive pro experience with Rochester. Either is a more likely candidate to grab a forward spot for any significant period than Savoie.

I'm thinking Savoie will be available to TC as well.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

My question is will team Canada roll

Geekie - Savoie - Benson
or
Benson - Geekie - Savoie
 
joeyrikley said:
Am I missing something with Benson? Seems that they’re running him as their first line winger, seems odd they’d do all that to send him down after 9 games
Click to expand...
He fully earned his look in camp and pre-season. The coaching staff wanted to see what they have in Benson in games that count. Perfectly understandable.

Regular season is an entirely different animal, however. He has 2A in 6 games. Not dreadful production, but not exactly setting the league ablaze either, with top-6 linemates.

He's on the cusp, but just not there yet. Where he'd win a puck battle with a quick stick and good body position, like all small players have to do, he's now just getting muscled off the puck, and frequently put onto the ice. His ability to read the play rarely produces turnovers now. Goalies anticipate his clever moves in tight that resulted in goals in pre-season.

Ideally him and Savoie would both be playing in the AHL. Alas.
 
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DinosaurBones said:
I agree, they always seem to coward the young guy in first couple games though. Even Fantilli last year seemed to be getting under played. By the end of the tornament Id expect him to have top offensive opportunities though, I agree, Atleast I hope.
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IIRC correctly Fantilli was in the top 6 but kind of sucked and fell down to the 4th line before slowly making his way back up.
 
Shane's doing really well in the AHL...

6 games, 4G, 2A, +4.

The WJR's is only a 1.5 months away so there's a pretty good chance Seattle lets him play at the WJR's before any thought of calling him up.
 
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