WJC: 2025 Team Canada Roster Talk

[Isaac Nootin]

I honestly kinda hope they lose out in the quarters again so maybe someone is held accountable for this...

Yeah, no.

Regardless, in the end no one holds HC accountable. They're the smartest in the room, always.

 

[JackSlater]

I've said it countless times over the years, Hockey Canada very much subscribes to the NHL theory that parity is good for business....and when it comes to this U20 tournament Hockey Canada is in the making money business as much as they are in the winning hockey tournaments business. It's a 50/50 split.

Well there are billions at stake. Can you blame them?

 

[MeHateHe]

For all the experts I here, here’s Scott Wheeler’s take.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5987884/2024/12/14/team-canada-world-junior-roster-selection-camp/?source=user_shared_article

Paywalled, but you should pay for journalism, because people who write for a living should get paid.

In short, the only two cuts he disagreed with were Cristall and maybe Sennecke.

 

[ORRFForever]

For all the experts I here, here’s Scott Wheeler’s take.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5987884/2024/12/14/team-canada-world-junior-roster-selection-camp/?source=user_shared_article

Paywalled, but you should pay for journalism, because people who write for a living should get paid.

In short, the only two cuts he disagreed with were Cristall and maybe Sennecke.

You must be a journalist.

As for me, I look forward to the day when I walk into a 7-11 and a self important (sports) journalist is working behind the counter because A.I. replaced them. He can correct my grammar when I order...

ORRFF : "A Slurpee for my friend and I."

Toronto Star Journalist : "It's 'my friend and ME'."

ORRFF : "Thank you. Have a nice day and, by the way, there's a spill in aisle 3 that needs to be cleaned up."

The "journalist" can rest assured that A.I. will never be able to push a mop.

 

[JackSlater]

I will give Hockey Canada credit for this - I never expected they would take four draft elligible players to a WJC. Even if Martone is 18 and looks about 28 years old, they still usually hold it against platers that they fell after the draft cutoff. Credit to them for taking young guys if they think they give the team the best chance to win.

 

[JackSlater]

For all the experts I here, here’s Scott Wheeler’s take.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5987884/2024/12/14/team-canada-world-junior-roster-selection-camp/?source=user_shared_article

Paywalled, but you should pay for journalism, because people who write for a living should get paid.

In short, the only two cuts he disagreed with were Cristall and maybe Sennecke.

I appreciate that Wheeler is at least in the building for camp each year. Not much new info there. He suggests that Molendyk was the biggest of all locks and is expected to be the top defenceman on the team.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

How can someone actually cheer against their team, just because a player got cut?
Bring on the games already, Go Canada go!

 

[therealdeal]

Yeah guys, it’s hard picking these teams and there is a lot on the line.

Once the team is picked, we cheer on whoever puts the jersey on, these guys always play hard and represent.

Go Canada Go! Good luck guys!

 

[ORRFForever]

How can someone actually cheer against their team, just because a player got cut?
Bring on the games already, Go Canada go!

No one is at that point. Most just don't like certain picks.

Of course, posters love to say, "If they'd chosen MY guys, we would have won". I call them the "This Team Will NOT Medal" crowd.

 

[Leviathan899]

Speak to me Canadians…..thoughts on Cristall not making it.

I’m ok with it, he lacks serious pace and is flat out not a quick player. Elite vision and hands in tight, but he needs to be the go to guy to flourish and he wouldn’t be that here, and rightfully so. I don’t like him in a secondary or checking role, and based on the fact he’s never really impressed in a Canada jersey, plus two very pedestrian camp games, it makes sense.

Canada's biggest strength this year was its depth at every position, especially compared to the US. They could have easily run 4 lines and 3 pairs with more scoring talent than all but the US' top 5 guys but just completely nuked that advantage for no reason. Just a completely unforced error, especially after they were embarrassed last year because ... they couldn't score.

Wasn’t for a lack of talent. Didn’t have the most mobile or offensively minded D core last year and they struggled transitioning the puck through the NZ.

 

[Leviathan899]

I honestly kinda hope they lose out in the quarters again so maybe someone is held accountable for this...

Could've been
Mckenna-Catton-Yager
Cristall-Ritchie-Sennecke
Heidt-Luchanko-Wood
Cowan-Misa-Martone
Cataford

Molendyk-Yakemchuk
Dickenson-Parekh
Price-Bonk
Schaefer

Bjarnason
George
Ravensbergen

You’re of course entitled to your opinion but I’ll take the official roster over this all day long. I have watched every game of Sennecke over 3 years and have coached him in the past, and I’m ok with his cut. Still too immature and he can make some egregious plays with the puck under pressure. Game breaking talent but he also disappears for stretches. As an oshawa fan, I wouldn’t have picked him either. This roster you’ve concocted is very soft and weak defensively. Heidt and Cristall both can’t skate and aren’t good checkers, and don’t push the pace. Both deserved to be cut imo. Also not a fan of Yakemchuk at all, huge reach as a top 10 pick and has never played a good game in a Canadian jersey. Bad U18’s and was arguably worst skater on the ice at the summer showcase, for any team. Parekh I could see on the team but he’s weak and struggles with physical opponents. A real head case too.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

If they lose, everyone associated with them should be barred from managing/coaching Team Canada ever again.

 

[therealdeal]

If they lose, everyone associated with them should be barred from managing/coaching Team Canada ever again.

Brother don’t start planning for catastrophe, we could lose and deserve to win, or win but have deserved to lose!

Positive vibes only! This is our team guys, let’s get behind them, all of them. I’m still proud to be Canadians and these young guys always make put it on the line. If we don’t have their backs then we’re critics, not fans.