Are Stamkos and Tavares both locks for Team Canada?

[The Macho King]

Has Tavares ever spent significant time on the wing?

 

[waitin425]

It really is crazy how a guy T9th in NHL points can be considered an option for 13th fwd. Canada is so deep. I personally think he will have a bigger role but I see the logic

I posted my line up over in the Olympic thread. I don't see Tavares as a 4th liner/shut down guy. He also doesn't fit in with the first three lines I project. But he definitely deserves to be there.

Hubs - McDavid - Marner
Stammer - MacK - Point
March - Sid - Bergeron
RoR - Couts - Stone

 

[HSF]

why not put JT as the 3C and point on wing? Stamkos and Mckinnon can play wing to

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Huberdeau - McDavid - MacKinnon
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Stamkos - Point - Marner
Couturier - O'Reilly - Stone

 

[notDatsyuk]

I would say neither is a lock, but both have a good chance, with Stamkos slightly ahead of Tavares.

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

I would have more concerns with Tavares (and a couple of other players) on the bigger ice surface but they announced that the tournament is going to take place on NHL rink size.

I

Isn't it an NHL size rink this year?

I hadn't seen that. That would make it make a bit more sense.

 

[Yackiberg8]

I wouldn't say either are locks but both are making a very good case, Stamkos especially, carrying a team right now without Kucherov, Point, and Cerelli.

Stamkos has been absolutely snake bitten with the Olympics.

2010 his sophomore season gets passed up while in the middle of scoring 51 goals and 95 points.
2014 breaks his leg, returns to play 2 weeks after the Olympics.
2018 no NHL players.

Would be a shame if a player of his caliber never gets the chance to compete on that stage.

Agreed. Would be a bad look for Hockey Canada if he wasn’t on it imo.

I think Tavares deserves a spot as well.

 

[Melrose Munch]

According to the Athletic Kadri isn't eligible because he didn't make the long list, so that leaves McDavid, Stammer, Huberdeau and Tavares as the top 4 scoring players team Canada could select for this team as it stands.

Both should be on it

Really? smh.. kadri and wilson on team canada would be interesting though.

 

[HabsQC]

I think so

Huberdeau - Mcdavid - Mackinnon
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Stamkos - Point - Marner
Couturier - Tavares - Stone

Couture/Scheifele

Theodore - Pietrangelo
Chabot - Makar
Reilly - Doughty

Hamilton/Ekblad

Price
Binnington
Blackwood

Do you agree with this ? Do I forget someone ?

 

[hotpaws]

Has Tavares ever spent significant time on the wing?

JT's game has always suited wing more than center and he's always played wing on the main team .

JT has never been fast but he's painfully slow now and basically his offensive game now consists of hanging around the net hoping the puck comes near him .

 

[ACC1224]

Yup. Not as slow as a lot of people think but it certainly could be an issue on a bigger ice surface against some teams. Canada has a wealth of fast players to rely on, though, so it might not even be an issue.

I believe they are playing on an NHL size rink.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I posted my line up over in the Olympic thread. I don't see Tavares as a 4th liner/shut down guy. He also doesn't fit in with the first three lines I project. But he definitely deserves to be there.

Hubs - McDavid - Marner
Stammer - MacK - Point
March - Sid - Bergeron
RoR - Couts - Stone

ROR and Couts are playing their way off and JT is playing his way on IMO. Personally I think he is great as a depth guy and he is well suited for the wing or C. He's a great Faceoff guy and has tons of skill despite everyone here seemingly forgetting that aspect. I just can't see a way a guy like JT - captain of one of the top teams in the league atm, top 10 in scoring, with his resume, does not make this team.

 

[Tutu to]

Stamkos: I wasn’t sure at the start of the season but he has been great this year. Pretty much a lock.

Tavares: He has also been great but I wouldn’t consider him a lock like Stamkos. That being said he will probably make the team. Personally have him as the 13th or 14th forward.

 

[AvroArrow]

Mackinnon probably plays RW, I can see Stammer playing the wing as well, JT/Stamkos should both be on the team.

C - McDavid/Crosby/Tavares/Kadri
RW - Mackinnon/Bergeron/Stamkos/Marner
LW - Huberdeau/Marchand/Stone/Couturier

Extra: O'Rielly/Point, I can see either of these 2 making it over some of the names mentioned above but I think Kadri takes ROR's spot as the defensive shutdown C. Point if healthy makes it easily.

 

[BlueMed]

Mackinnon probably plays RW, I can see Stammer playing the wing as well, JT/Stamkos should both be on the team.

C - McDavid/Crosby/Tavares/Kadri
RW - Mackinnon/Bergeron/Stamkos/Marner
LW - Huberdeau/Marchand/Stone/Couturier

Extra: O'Rielly/Point, I can see either of these 2 making it over some of the names mentioned above but I think Kadri takes ROR's spot as the defensive shutdown C. Point if healthy makes it easily.

You really think that's gonna happen when the GM of team canada is the same GM as the Blues? Kadri has done nothing in career that holds a candle to what ROR has done.

 

[AvroArrow]

You really think that's gonna happen when the GM of team canada is the same GM as the Blues? Kadri has done nothing in career that holds a candle to what ROR has done.

Kadri is absolutely blowing him out of the water this year, ainec. And yes ainec applies here. What has O'Rielly done this year to give him the edge over Kadri ? Absolutely nothing. I like ROR a lot but no shot any sane gm picks ROR over Kadri at this point in their careers. If it was 2-3 years ago, yes easily ROR but that has changed.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Kadri is absolutely blowing him out of the water this year, ainec. And yes ainec applies here. What has O'Rielly done this year to give him the edge over Kadri ? Absolutely nothing. I like ROR a lot but no shot any sane gm picks ROR over Kadri at this point in their careers. If it was 2-3 years ago, yes easily ROR but that has changed.

I posted this earlier but according to the Athletic Kadri didn't make the long list in the summer so he doesn't qualify

 

[BlueMed]

Kadri is absolutely blowing him out of the water this year, ainec. And yes ainec applies here. What has O'Rielly done this year to give him the edge over Kadri ? Absolutely nothing. I like ROR a lot but no shot any sane gm picks ROR over Kadri at this point in their careers.

ROR has led his team to a stanley cup and won the conn smyth and selke at the same time only 2 years ago. You think what Kadri has done during these 26 games into this season puts him ahead of ROR? You also realize that Doug Armstrong is team Canada's GM if I'm not mistaken...

 

[AvroArrow]

ROR has led his team to a stanley cup and won the conn smyth and selke at the same time only 2 years ago. You think what Kadri has done during these 26 games into this season puts him ahead of ROR? You also realize that Doug Armstrong is team Canada's GM if I'm not mistaken...

Not just what Kadri has done during these 26 games but also what ROR has done, which isn't really much. Kadri has been significantly better than years past, while ROR looks significantly worse than previous years. It's not just what Kadri is doing, it's also a "down season" from ROR. He's almost tripled ROR's production. Now Armstrong may have a bias and pick his own guy, but if you ask me which of the 2 deserves to be there ? It's Kadri rather easily.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Would be cool if they both made it but I dont know if Canada ices their best team with both on their roster. Probably still good enough to win it with both of them on their roster.

 

[slobbergob]

Not just what Kadri has done during these 26 games but also what ROR has done, which isn't really much. Kadri has been significantly better than years past, while ROR looks significantly worse than previous years. It's not just what Kadri is doing, it's also a "down season" from ROR. He's almost tripled ROR's production. Now Armstrong may have a bias and pick his own guy, but if you ask me which of the 2 deserves to be there ? It's Kadri rather easily.

Kadri didn't make the long list so the point is moot.

I have no problem with ROR making the team, down year or not. He provides too much all over the ice to be left off the team, especially considering who the GM is. And there's real chemistry with Mackinnon if they decide to run him out on the wing.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Not just what Kadri has done during these 26 games but also what ROR has done, which isn't really much. Kadri has been significantly better than years past, while ROR looks significantly worse than previous years. It's not just what Kadri is doing, it's also a "down season" from ROR. He's almost tripled ROR's production. Now Armstrong may have a bias and pick his own guy, but if you ask me which of the 2 deserves to be there ? It's Kadri rather easily.

Kadri isn't even eligible

 

[waitin425]

ROR and Couts are playing their way off and JT is playing his way on IMO. Personally I think he is great as a depth guy and he is well suited for the wing or C. He's a great Faceoff guy and has tons of skill despite everyone here seemingly forgetting that aspect. I just can't see a way a guy like JT - captain of one of the top teams in the league atm, top 10 in scoring, with his resume, does not make this team.

Agreed. Ill just add that Couts and RoR's body of work over the past 3-4 years puts them on the team. JT is there regardless

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Don't know how you don't take both.

 

[Koolboss]

Kadri isn't even eligible

That can change