WJC: 2025 Team Canada Roster Talk

[TheBeastCoast]

Cowan has already adopted the Leafs' lifestyle. More worried about his lewk than corsi. Total junior player.

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Oh we are getting real weird now. Next are we going to say him having a girlfriend means he isn't focused on winning too?

 

[Some Other Flame]

The jokes write themselves.

The perfect counter for the next time next time someone makes an appeal to authority in an argument.

The quote unquote authority is literally too stupid to be a coach

 

[Strummer53]

I still don't think this roster is unsalvageable. Everyone is going to cry about how this guy or that guy was left off and "they left so much superstar skill at home" or whatever...but at the end of the day, a lot of these guys that are on the team are also "superstars" at this level. And they're playing like junk. There's plenty of "talent" though.


I think it's less a question of roster selection, and more just lineup construction and deployment. Not that this is the "optimal roster" possible per se. But close enough it really shouldn't matter.

And there are bright spots for sure. The team not giving up any even strength goals...at all, is something to build on.


Up front in particular...a few main thoughts:

-Ritchie and Cowan need to be split up. They're both good players (even though Cowan is currently a whipping boy and that giveaway for the EN goal was just...ooooof), but they have less than zero chemistry. It just doesn't work. Ritchie should be centering a "top line", that's fine. But get Cowan away from him and "anchoring" his own line. Cowan wants to play solo heropuck and he can do it to some extent...so let him carry some other "3rd line", kill penalties, etc. It's just too disruptive to be on a "top line" with Ritchie.

-McKenna and Catton can kind of cook. There's clear chemistry there and they look dangerous, so build off of it. Build a "2nd line" around them. Maybe Cataford? Give them a little size, can get to the net, forecheck, work the corners, etc. Would be good to get him involved because he does have plenty of skill too.

-Howe is so invisible when he plays...honestly just ditch him for Martone. At least there's offensive upside there.

-Luchanko always has so much jump, i wish they'd work him in more regularly. But i don't mind him as that "floater" who comes off the bench hungry, subs in wherever, kills penalties, etc. either.

-The whole roster seems way better configured to just roll "3 lines" and a "4th energy line" rather than trying to stack some sort of actual "Top Line". There's just way too much talent that's more or less on the same level, and not as much of the absolute gamebreaking variety that'd be worth doubling down on like the USA top line. So leverage that depth by just rolling line after line that teams have to contend with in the matchup game.


So to me...the goal should be to spread things across 3 main lines. A framework something like:

XXX - Ritchie - XXX
McKenna - Catton - XXX
Cowan - Yager - XXX
XXX - XXX - XXX

You can plug a lot of players into different spots there, but for me it'd probably like something like:

Rehkopf - Ritchie - Martone

Just give Ritchie a pair of big goal-scoring wingers to work with and let him run. He can do the bulk of the puck carrying...just have them get open and get to the net.

McKenna - Catton - Cataford

These two seem to really have something and look dangerous, but i think a big body who can clean up around the net and create more traffic there would probably help more than anything.

Cowan - Yager - Gauthier

This basically becomes your "go to guys" quasi checking line that can also score. Yager isn't really driving much, and Cowan seems like he's on a bit of a one-man mission out there too often. But Yager can be your defensive anchor, Gauthier can just sorta crash around, forecheck, one-touch the puck to Cowan, whatever. It's a line i think you could play a bunch of minutes and even match against top lines...and Cowan will probably still pot some goals, and maybe even get Yager involved in a supporting context.

Pinelli - Beaudoin - Nadeau
*Luchanko

Basically your "leftovers" to create some sort of responsible "energy line" that you don't have to worry about defensively, but probably shouldn't be playing too much.


At least...that's my somewhat long-winded thinking. I really don't see a big "talent deficit" between this roster and anyone else in the tournament. They just need to rejig a lot of things that aren't working lineup-wise, and stay out of the box.

I believe I see this pretty much the same as you here. Can complain about who isn't here, etc but above everything else, this is a collection of teenagers that are collectively struggling as a unit.
You can see it in their outlet passes, in the immense amounts of mental mistakes, the unsustainably low shooting percentage, etc.
In club play you could figure it out, in tournament play you need to find a way to get through it.

 

[D Wakaluk]

The jokes write themselves.

That's actually a crazy quote.

Anyone who watched the game must have been thinking in the third; "you gotta call a timeout, cool these kids down - they are dominating but they gotta cut the bullshit" .. and here we have the coach saying in black and white that he CAN'T and he WON'T .. what the hell man

 

[Peasy]

How does Hockey Canada even give Dave Cameron another chance after his last disastrous tournament? Its literally just a repeat. Stupid decisions all over the place.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Catton and McKenna need to be given Martone and played over 20 mins a night, they can handle the minutes and they are really the only consistent play drivers

 

[1Gold Standard]

How does Hockey Canada even give Dave Cameron another chance after his last disastrous tournament? Its literally just a repeat. Stupid decisions all over the place.

It's not just Cameron who is at fault here...he's always been an inept coach...but pair an inept coach with an equally inept management group (Peter Anholt + a few others) and you get this kind of mess.

Can they recover in the quarters? It's possible they can play for a medal, but I think finishing 6th. or 7th. is the more likely outcome.

Hockey Canada might clean house after that...but then again, maybe not.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

How does Hockey Canada even give Dave Cameron another chance after his last disastrous tournament? Its literally just a repeat. Stupid decisions all over the place.

As an American fan, you guys deserve better. Canadians are some of the most knowledgeable and passionate fans in the sport.

 

[jj cale]

The guys here ( we all know who they are) who warned us all about the roster selection and the coaching concerns before the tournament were bang on, I mean, they couldn't have been more accurate.

 

[kyle44]

I don't know why anyone thinks Martone will be some kind of savior for this team. He was awful in the first two games and looked a step behind the play. Sure, he has better natural instincts than 2/3 of those forwards, but I'm not expecting anything different if he's inserted back in,

 

[NyQuil]

The guys here ( we all know who they are) who warned us all about the roster selection and the coaching concerns before the tournament were bang on, I mean, they couldn't have been more accurate.

Questioning Hockey Canada?

Now you’ve done it…

 

[JackSlater]

The jokes write themselves.

Yes, Cameron is the joke. He used an analogy of a kid touching the stove. As we all know if your kid keeps touching the stove, you cannot stop them from touching the stove.

It's not just Cameron who is at fault here...he's always been an inept coach...but pair an inept coach with an equally inept management group (Peter Anholt + a few others) and you get this kind of mess.

Can they recover in the quarters? It's possible they can play for a medal, but I think finishing 6th. or 7th. is the more likely outcome.

Hockey Canada might clean house after that...but then again, maybe not.

Anholt is the worse decision than Cameron honestly. Never won a thing and clearly a moron. Never forget though...

At least Cameron managed to get to the gold medal game both times, even if he was not a net positive. Now of course how Cameron got to the final both times was partly because Schenn and McTavish went supernova, and when he blew a third period lead the second time McTavish made a miraculous save to bail him out. Obviously no one is going supernova this time. Cameron is now on record that he is not inclined to instill discipline, so we'll see if he is willing to try making necessary lineup changes.

 

[hockey20000]

I don't know why anyone thinks Martone will be some kind of savior for this team. He was awful in the first two games and looked a step behind the play. Sure, he has better natural instincts than 2/3 of those forwards, but I'm not expecting anything different if he's inserted back in,

i would rather take the chance he can do something lol nothing too lose at this point the cze are prob favorites in the qf

 

[JackSlater]

I don't know why anyone thinks Martone will be some kind of savior for this team. He was awful in the first two games and looked a step behind the play. Sure, he has better natural instincts than 2/3 of those forwards, but I'm not expecting anything different if he's inserted back in,

It's not about him being a saviour, it's about trying something rather than just taking Cameron's approach of not doing anything. Martone was not notable in his first two games, but he does have offensive talent that many Canadian forwards don't have. On a team that really struggles to score goals it is a risk worth taking.

 

[jj cale]

Questioning Hockey Canada?

Now you’ve done it…

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It feels like I am getting ready for a funeral with the next game.

The whole management group from top to bottom really messed things up this year, and this year we should have had a very strong team. But they somehow figured out a way to make it one of our worst entries ever.

There has to be some accountability,

 

[NyQuil]

It feels like I am getting ready for a funeral with the next game.

The whole management group from top to bottom really messed things up this year, and this year we should have had a very strong team. But they somehow figured out a way to make it one of our worst entries ever.

There has to be some accountability,

Well, if you’re looking for a distraction, just watch how TSN spins this over the next few days.

Should be highly amusing.

 

[jj cale]

Well, if you’re looking for a distraction, just watch how TSN spins this over the next few days.

Should be highly amusing.

I'm not strong enough a human being to be able to sit through that.

 

[hockey20000]

Well, if you’re looking for a distraction, just watch how TSN spins this over the next few days.

Should be highly amusing.

indeed it will be filled f ull of excuses if it ends in the qf

 

[TeamBandWagon]

IMHO, the whole development program model needs to change. Something like a dedicated national team development program like the US or other countries have. Of course, that would hurt major junior hockey, and who's going to pay for it? But pulling kids out of junior, and throwing a Canadian jersey on them, isn't working any more. From a US perspective, most of our players are coming from the NCAA, which is a better, more mature league; after they play junior/national development. Canada has lost the last 6/8 match ups to the US? That's not a fluke.

No one doubts Canadian talent, they will always be in the mix, but others countries have caught up, and in some ways, past them. Canada sort of reminds me of Brazil in soccer. Insane talent, but how to get them to play as a team?

Just an American perspective. Feel free to correct me. I'm only an older casual fan that doesn't really follow sports any more, but this is always a fun tournament to watch. Peace, Happy New Year.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

IMHO, the whole development program model needs to change. Something like a dedicated national team development program like the US or other countries have. Of course, that would hurt major junior hockey, and who's going to pay for it? But pulling kids out of junior, and throwing a Canadian jersey on them, isn't working any more. From a US perspective, most of our players are coming from the NCAA, which is a better, more mature league; after they play junior/national development. Canada has lost the last 6/8 match ups to the US? That's not a fluke.

No one doubts Canadian talent, they will always be in the mix, but others countries have caught up, and in some ways, past them. Canada sort of reminds me of Brazil in soccer. Insane talent, but how to get them to play as a team?

Just an American perspective. Feel free to correct me. I'm only an older casual fan that doesn't really follow sports any more, but this is always a fun tournament to watch. Peace, Happy New Year.

I personally don't think it is a talent issue. We have a ridiculous amount of talent and part of my concern with the idea of going to a similar model that the Americans use is that kids that don't join that program at an early age don't get looked at for the team and you end up in the exact same scenario as this year where you are taking a sub optimal team to these tournaments....just for a different reason. Also the logistics of how it would even work in Canada.

End of the day there is a pretty deep supply of talent for this team year on year, obviously better or worse some years over others but the Hockey Canada side needs to pull their head out of their ass. That is the biggest thing that needs to change. Stop awarding teams to your buddies and pick actual winners to run this team. Maybe run a selection camp that is something more then the farce that this years was.

 

[JackSlater]

IMHO, the whole development program model needs to change. Something like a dedicated national team development program like the US or other countries have. Of course, that would hurt major junior hockey, and who's going to pay for it? But pulling kids out of junior, and throwing a Canadian jersey on them, isn't working any more. From a US perspective, most of our players are coming from the NCAA, which is a better, more mature league; after they play junior/national development. Canada has lost the last 6/8 match ups to the US? That's not a fluke.

No one doubts Canadian talent, they will always be in the mix, but others countries have caught up, and in some ways, past them. Canada sort of reminds me of Brazil in soccer. Insane talent, but how to get them to play as a team?

Just an American perspective. Feel free to correct me. I'm only an older casual fan that doesn't really follow sports any more, but this is always a fun tournament to watch. Peace, Happy New Year.

I'd say it's pretty much the opposite and that USA will likely be dropping its national team development model soon enough because it's big enough to not need it anymore. Canada has too many good players and has a junior league that is too strong for that approach to make sense, and that's true now for USA too. It does give a bit of an artificial boost to junior level results but it is not something Canada should pursue. There is a lot wrong here really. Canada has won 3 of the last 5 tournaments, so I don't think we can say that the strategy is not working anymore. This is also a poor year to use as evidence in the claim that other countries have passed Canada. Canada's player pool for this tournament was much better than that of any other country if we want to discuss actual development. Due to the NHL taking players and boneheaded roster decisions the team doesn't indicate that, but this team also isn't so mediocre because the talent is inferior. The biggest problem in terms of the on ice results is how the team is being coached, and no national development team is going to fix Dave Cameron.

There are improvements Canada can make to development, absolutely. Number one would be fixing how goaltenders are developed, though that is the last problem the team has this year.

 

[Crosby2010]

Whether it is 2011 or this years version (in neither time did he ever call a time out at the appropriate time) I am not sure if a coach has made me grit my teeth more. I'd say Cameron is like a Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers type level of coach where he collapses in the big moment. No one in Hockey Canada thought it was a bad idea to pick the guy who reminds you of Milhouse Vanhouten? No one?

 

[NordiquesForeva]

Major lineup changes are needed at this point. Risky going into an elimination game, but more risky not to. The offense can’t continue to sputter like that.

But more importantly, it Cameron is unable or unwilling to hold these players accountable for their lack of discipline, he should be out on his ass this morning and one of the assistants promoted to the top job. What he said after the game last night is just simply inexcusable. He’s the head coach! It’s his f***ing job to hold these teenagers responsible for bad decisions, lack of hustle, and lack of discipline! Sit some of these guys on the bench for a period and let them think about shit. While kids like Cataford or Gauthier have accomplished basically nothing offensively so far, they’ve been asked to kill incessant penalties taken by their teammates…give them a look for a period next to Ritchie or McKenna. Sit Pinelli. Sit Cowan and Rehkpf. Actions should have consequences. Not too late to do this, and shuffle the lineup, for the QF game.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Major lineup changes are needed at this point. Risky going into an elimination game, but more risky not to. The offense can’t continue to sputter like that.

But more importantly, it Cameron is unable or unwilling to hold these players accountable for their lack of discipline, he should be out on his ass this morning and one of the assistants promoted to the top job. What he said after the game last night is just simply inexcusable. He’s the head coach! It’s his f***ing job to hold these teenagers responsible for bad decisions, lack of hustle, and lack of discipline! Sit some of these guys on the bench for a period and let them think about shit. While kids like Cataford or Gauthier have accomplished basically nothing offensively so far, they’ve been asked to kill incessant penalties taken by their teammates…give them a look for a period next to Ritchie or McKenna. Sit Pinelli. Sit Cowan and Rehkpf. Actions should have consequences. Not too late to do this, and shuffle the lineup, for the QF game.

Cowan's penalty was the worst of the bunch, but the way this roster is constructed, he's too important to sit out for an elimination game. Need him to deliver.

Pinelli out, Rehkopf stapled to the bench and Martone back in - I'm game for that.

 

[JackSlater]

Whether it is 2011 or this years version (in neither time did he ever call a time out at the appropriate time) I am not sure if a coach has made me grit my teeth more. I'd say Cameron is like a Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers type level of coach where he collapses in the big moment. No one in Hockey Canada thought it was a bad idea to pick the guy who reminds you of Milhouse Vanhouten? No one?

He isn't collapsing in the big moments this time, he's collapsing moment by moment.