WJC: 2024 Team Canada Roster Talk - Part 1

[jj cale]

You are right.

One of the 10 things I get right every calendar year.

 

[Ace]

Welp. If we thought Benson was a remote possibility we can forget about that lmao

Not necessarily. I think him sticking with the Sabres is a no brainer past his nine game look. But…that doesn’t completely close the door on WJC. He had an injury after six games and came back to look even better the three games since he has returned. There’s some time left before the tournament. Could easily see a situation where he has some struggles and another break to go and play for his country is the perfect idea.

Of course the Sabres can’t find 12 forwards they want to ice WITH Benson in the lineup…so….who knows.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Another point - with the head coach this year being Letang, from Sarnia, he's someone that would be very familiar with London players like Cowan, Barkey, and Bonk, as well as Rekhopf from Kitchener. London eliminated Sarnia in the western conference finals last season. I'm not saying this gives those particular players any sort of inside edge, but in forming his roster Letang would already be very familiar with what those players bring to the table and I think Cowan in particular is a lock for a bottom-6 role, with Barkey having a good chance too. Rekhopf likely needs to play the wing and have a scoring role in the top-6 open up for him, but he certainly merits a camp invitation and strong consideration.

Not sure if that matters too much cause the GM is from the Lethbridge Hurricanes

 

[Boonk]

Not necessarily. I think him sticking with the Sabres is a no brainer past his nine game look. But…that doesn’t completely close the door on WJC. He had an injury after six games and came back to look even better the three games since he has returned. There’s some time left before the tournament. Could easily see a situation where he has some struggles and another break to go and play for his country is the perfect idea.

Of course the Sabres can’t find 12 forwards they want to ice WITH Benson in the lineup…so….who knows.

The Sabres just lost TNT to long term injury and desperately need more help from their forward depth. Benson has been playing well in the NHL and has stepped up in TNTs absence since returning from his injury. They aren’t sending Benson to the World Juniors.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

Not sure if that matters too much cause the GM is from the Lethbridge Hurricanes

My understanding is that the coaching staff have much more influence on player selection at the world junior level than at the senior or best-on-best level. I'll have to go back and check but I think the GM role for the world juniors is a fairly recent introduction.

 

[Mathieukferland]

My understanding is that the coaching staff have much more influence on player selection at the world junior level than at the senior or best-on-best level. I'll have to go back and check but I think the GM role for the world juniors is a fairly recent introduction.

Seems since 2017 when Joël Bouchard took over after the debacle in Finland the year prior. Your guess is as good as mine as to who has more pull in that management room, I’m really not sure

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Is this information available through a paywall, and if so how are you able to post it? If not, how do I get access to it?

If it was paywalled I'm probably not suing myself for posting it. Be neat if people wanted to pay for it but it is free.

Giants in the Crease Tableau Page

 

[joeyrikley]

Owen Beck: 5G 7A in his last 5GP

Sooooo hot right now

 

[LDN]

When will the camp invites be named?

 

[Mathieukferland]

I can’t actually remember the last time Canada played the states in a friendly match, I guess it’s a good measuring stick for what is likely to be the best or second best team at the tournament

 

[Snippit]

View attachment 772553
I can’t actually remember the last time Canada played the states in a friendly match, I guess it’s a good measuring stick for what is likely to be the best or second best team at the tournament

Canada vs Denmark U25?

That seems like it would be a steep challenge unless I'm misreading that.

 

[joeyrikley]

Got bored and made a more fun roster prediction. Not really how I think the lines will turn out but I think they’d be fun:


Benson-Beck-Savoie
Celebrini-Yager-Dumais
Geekie-Minten-Cowan
Rehkopf-Danielson-Goyette
Heidt-Firkus

Mateychuk-Luneau
Pickering-Donovan
Buchinger-Lamoureux
Molendyk-Bonk

Bjarnason
Rousseau
Meneghin

 

[Boonk]

Canada vs Denmark U25?

That seems like it would be a steep challenge unless I'm misreading that.

Seems about right, its a good test. They usually play a USports all star team for training camps

 

[Teemu]

 

[joeyrikley]

It keeps getting worse

 

[wayupnorth]

Got bored and made a more fun roster prediction. Not really how I think the lines will turn out but I think they’d be fun:


Benson-Beck-Savoie
Celebrini-Yager-Dumais
Geekie-Minten-Cowan
Rehkopf-Danielson-Goyette
Heidt-Firkus

Mateychuk-Luneau
Pickering-Donovan
Buchinger-Lamoureux
Molendyk-Bonk

Bjarnason
Rousseau
Meneghin

Are they allowed to carry this many players due to the event being in Sweden. I always though it was 13F 7D and 3G

 

[joeyrikley]

Are they allowed to carry this many players due to the event being in Sweden. I always though it was 13F 7D and 3G

Honestly you might be right, the COVID years they’d carry 3 8 14, so I’ve just been doing that but last year they carried 2 7 13 (14 once Beck got added)

 

[wayupnorth]

Honestly you might be right, the COVID years they’d carry 3 8 14, so I’ve just been doing that but last year they carried 2 7 13 (14 once Beck got added)

Beck added when injury occurred i think. Much harder to do when tourney is in Sweden

 

[joeyrikley]

Beck added when injury occurred i think. Much harder to do when tourney is in Sweden

Yeah that’s why I was wondering if they’d carry 8 and 14, because of the new rules stating you can bring players in for injury

 

[kyle44]

I highly doubt he gets an invite, but Aiden Fink is up to 6th in NCAA scoring.

 

[kiwi51]

Didn't Canada win back to back gold medals?

What happened to that coach is he back coaching the team?

 

[Gold Standard]

Didn't Canada win back to back gold medals?

What happened to that coach is he back coaching the team?

U20 coaches for Team Canada are generally one and done. And it usually goes to the assistant coach from the previous year. Last year's assistant Alan Letang is this year's head coach.

The coach for the 2025 tournament will either be Shaun Clouston or Gilles Bouchard.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I see both Wheeler and Pronman included Michael Buchinger on their projected rosters. How likely is it he actually makes the team? Scanning through the roster projections in this thread, Buchinger’s name doesn’t seem to come up much.

 

[ORRFForever]

Poitras with his 5th goal. Oy.

I should be rooting for these young Canadian guys but...

 

[cmcneil02]

Not saying he makes the team but Center Markus Vidicek has been on fire with the Halifax Mooseheads, he’s played center with Jordan Dumais on his wing for his whole career. Feel like he could have a Brett Leason impact. Also was apart of the lineup that went to the Summer Showcase.

He’s Undrafted doesn’t have NHL size but has the size for a tournament like this, 19 goals, 37 points in 24 games.

Lots of great choices though.