WJC: 2025 Team Canada Roster Talk

[SpoolCat]

I gotta say I think I finally understand what Star Wars and comic book fans go though when they get some of the movies they get that are bad. I waited all year for this really? Is my thoughts. At least last year we put up 10 against Latvia. We couldn't even do that this year. We have what 1 5 on 5 goal in 3 games that went in off the goalies butt. Then theres the penalties so many of them were just stupid not even good. Also why are they always shooting from outside. Catton and maybe McKenna is the only one who even gets close. I really wonder how different this team would look with Schaefer still on it.
I think Martone has to come in and hopefully be put with McKenna to maybe build on that chemistry from the U18s. At this point we have to try something. Then hopefully Ritchie and Cowan can be more effective as a secondary threat.
The worst part is that I still think that this player pool with competent management and good coaching could probably win gold. But instead Anholt and Cameron galaxy brained their way to maybe the worst Team Canada of all time

 

[Divine]

Leading scorer is a bit of a misnomer with 3 points in 4 games. Most of the teams issues seem to be with coaching though. Ideally you'd like to see some consequences for taking stupid penalties yet the staff tosses them back out there the very next shift.

It's not though leading scorer is a fact. You can be the leading scorer on a low scoring team, which is exactly what Cowen is.

People are arguing him being the leading scorer doesn't count because he has too few points? What does that say about the rest of the team?

I agree about accountability though. Rehkopf takes back to back penalties literally a minute after he gets done serving the first penalty, putting Canada back down 2-1 immediately after tying the game, and doesn't miss a shift.

 

[Dust]

It's not though leading scorer is a fact. You can be the leading scorer on a low scoring team, which is exactly what Cowen is.

People are arguing him being the leading scorer doesn't count because he has too few points? What does that say about the rest of the team?

It's not that it doesn't count, it's more that if you tossed other players in the same ice time and situations, they'd probably fair just as well considering the bar is set so low.

 

[Divine]

It's not that it doesn't count, it's more that if you tossed other players in the same ice time and situations, they'd probably fair just as well considering the bar is set so low.

I don't agree as his ice time is pretty similar to most others. His ice team would mean a minute more for the players likely to replace him. He's getting 17 minutes a game, not 25 like people here seem to believe.

Yager gets 2 seconds less ice time per game than him playing on a completely different line and has 1 point in 4 games.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

But instead Anholt

I'm still stunned they let the same guy who picked last years disastrous team give it another go. Its even more outrageous when you look up the results of his WHL team.

 

[Jayevs]

Honestly my first line would’ve been Cristall-Ritchie-Sennecke but they f***ed this team before they ever hit the ice

 

[Mooche]

The jokes write themselves.

 

[Strummer53]

I gotta say I think I finally understand what Star Wars and comic book fans go though when they get some of the movies they get that are bad. I waited all year for this really? Is my thoughts. At least last year we put up 10 against Latvia. We couldn't even do that this year. We have what 1 5 on 5 goal in 3 games that went in off the goalies butt. Then theres the penalties so many of them were just stupid not even good. Also why are they always shooting from outside. Catton and maybe McKenna is the only one who even gets close. I really wonder how different this team would look with Schaefer still on it.
I think Martone has to come in and hopefully be put with McKenna to maybe build on that chemistry from the U18s. At this point we have to try something. Then hopefully Ritchie and Cowan can be more effective as a secondary threat.
The worst part is that I still think that this player pool with competent management and good coaching could probably win gold. But instead Anholt and Cameron galaxy brained their way to maybe the worst Team Canada of all time

Nothing will top that Tim Hunter coached year for me.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

The jokes write themselves.

Should be grounds for replacing him as head coach, honestly.

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

Will we see the same thing trickle upwards at the Four Nations Cup? We are leaving a lot more skill at home in favor of role players like Hagel, Bennett, Jarvis, Cirelli...etc. Seems to be a systemic issue plaguing Hockey Canada; however, we have the high end top 6 talent that should dominate, unlike this wjc roster. Either way, I think the olymipcs will bring the best pure skilled players from both of these teams. Can't wait for 2026.

HC's tried and true formula of f***ing over deserving players due to politics and trying to galaxy-brain their rosters has really hampered us at this tourney for quite a long time; we just tend to barely overcome or have a single superstar come through and transcend.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Forget left off the team, the talent they didn't even bother inviting to camp is ridiculous.

And most unforgivable is completely misusing the talent that's on the team.

Talented kids are left off the Canadian roster every year. That's a given considering the depth at the junior level. But the way most of these kids are being used and tossed around is indefensible. The kids have been underperforming badly, but it's also on the coaching staff to put them in positions and situations where they aren't comfortable and won't succeed.

 

[LeafsNet]

First of all, his wasn't the penalty that led to the 2-1 goal. Two players on Canada took 2 penalties last game. Cowan took one penalty all tournament.

He's leading the team in scoring, despite being 'this bad'.

So ask yourself who would you replace your leading scorer with in a team struggling to score goals?

The majority of the forwards on this team have 0 points in 4 games so you want to scratch your leading scorer? Explain the logic to me.

Don’t waste your time man….the Leafs are all up in their feelings 24 hours a day. Just sit back and laugh.

 

[Bender Duster]

My (unnecessary and pointless take):

Malone needs to get in.
Catton/McKenna need a new winger.
I think Yager is miscast in the checking role, while Howe should be bottom line/13th F.
I like what Luchanko brought, he would be a promotion on the lines to me.
Dickenson looks lost out there and wouldn't hate it if Akey got in for him on a rotation.
Rebuild the PP.
Finally I would shorten the bench to 9F 4D if necessary. It's not like these guys aren't used to the minutes.

Ultimately, unless they decide to really shake things off on the off day, nothing will change.

I like the cut of your jib.

Are you available to coach the next game?

 

[wickedwitch]

By not including "extra" skilled players, Canada has nobody to:
1) play a skilled role when the current ones go cold
2) substitute in when line combinations don't work
3) substitute in the case of injury
4) play extra when some players take dumb penalties and need to be benched

Now, their goal tending has been good enough that this may work out for them. Turning every game into a coin flip gives them a 12.5% chance of winning, which is a lot better than 0. But the most of the struggles they have been having were really predictable.

 

[Random Comment]

Yak definately wouldn't help own zone coverage or the PK.
Maybe the PP, but considering Schaefer was on the squad, that's basically a repeat style of player (except Yak is the inferior of the two)

Yak generates more offense off the PP too if you didn’t know. The team clearly lacks offense. You don’t leave 3rd, 7th, or 9th overall picks at home. It’s pure stupidity.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Is this the style of game Cowan plays in London? Haven't watched a junior game (other than the WJC) in about a year and a half. Because he reminds me of Robbie Schremp where he tries to skate around all 5 guys before making a fancy pass. Works in the OHL (see Schremp's junior totals), but gets exposed versus tougher competition.

Overall, the team just doesn't look good offensively. Barely anyone can consistently create chances, and even when they do manage to create a chance, they have zero finishing ability and just play whack-a-mole with the puck toward the goalie. Still waiting for the big offensive guys to show up. So far, it looks like Canada brought along an entire lineup of 3rd and 4th line pluggers.

 

[PAZ]

Anyone want to create what Canada's 'B' team aka all the snubs would look like? I wouldn't be surprised if that roster looked better than what's there right now.

 

[donghabs98]

The jokes write themselves.

Feels like a waving the white flag type of comment

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Name the players that were good all game tonight?

If you're going to replace Cowan, you need other players to be playing well... which they aren't.

They’re blinded by hate. If Rehkoph was a leafs pick everyone would be screaming for him to be scratched. Same thing happened with Minten last year, and Marner/Rielly/Kadri before them.

 

[Oscar The Grouch]

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

 

[22Brad Park]

And most unforgivable is completely misusing the talent that's on the team.

Talented kids are left off the Canadian roster every year. That's a given considering the depth at the junior level. But the way most of these kids are being used and tossed around is indefensible. The kids have been underperforming badly, but it's also on the coaching staff to put them in positions and situations where they aren't comfortable and won't succeed.

Misa not there surprised me .Thought he be a lock

 

[Forlan]

The problem is there is no player playing well. You can rag on Cowan all you want, but I can’t name a player in the lineup I would be putting out to drive play, make smart plays, never mind put a puck in the net.

There’s no confidence, no good lines, no dependable d-pair, no drive to the net. Tough year for the boys, I hope they’re not reading social media.

There is still one - Berkly Catton

 

[TonsofPuppies]

Nothing will top that Tim Hunter coached year for me.

Don't forget about Dave Lowry and Steve Spott. Lmao

 

[BerthMania]

I think this is the worst offence I've seen on team Canada since I follow hockey.

 

[biturbo19]

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.