Are we in Canada paranoid about 2026 or should we not be worried?

[Crosby2010]

If Brad Marchand continues to slow, Macklin Celebrini would do well on Sid's left side.

Of course, he's much too young. There are just so many high end Canadian forwards, H.C. can't just add Celebrini because we'd all love to see it.

Traditionally Canada doesn't take a player based on projection. I guess Lindros was one of those types since he didn't even play an NHL game yet. But there was still a training camp in 1991 so he did make it based on that. It wasn't until 1996 where we saw teams picked without training camp. It all depends on who can slide on that left side if Marchand slows down. He is on the wrong side of 35 years old, and won't get younger. The next year won't make him better. I still think he can contribute if he is playing well, but if we have to lose an old vet for a fresh youngster there is nothing wrong with that either.

 

[ORRFForever]

...if we have to lose an old vet for a fresh youngster there is nothing wrong with that either.

We'd all love it but 19 is awfully young. Fortunately, the Left side is weaker and in more need of players.

 

[ORRFForever]

Where are we going to put Dylan Guenther in 2026?

The Right Side is stacked but how do you leave him off if he continues to get better?

 

[JackSlater]

Yeah you might be onto something. Slim chance, but a chance if he blows the doors off. Put him with a talented centre and he might do alright. Youth is a big deal in a short tournament like this but so is experience of course. Where is that fine line? If, let's say, he ends up winning the Calder this year, close to a PPG. Then comes out flying at a 100 point pace early next year. He'd get some consideration, not only in the room but amongst the fans/media. Then again, the sophomore jinx can be real, just ask Bedard. He was once thought to be a guy we assumed makes the 2026 team.

If Celebrini ends up with a point per game and then is on a 100 point pace next year he will definitely make the Olympic team. Bedard will very likely be there too. As much a people all bemoan Crosby not making the 2006 Olympic team, most of those same people would have cut him in 2006 when he was just at a point per game and not among the top ten Canadian scorers when the team was actually picked. Celebrini isn't as good as Crosby was, but thinking hasn't changed that much. Celebrini is already fairly responsible and is elite in transition, plus his offence is coming along on a fairly putrid San Jose team. He is capable of being an asset as a player, not just as a full looking statline.

Canada should absolutely consider youth to some degree for the four nations event. At the Olympics winning should be the sole consideration.

 

[ORRFForever]

What Team Canada could look like in Feb 2028...

Celebrini (21) - Mc David (30) * - Guenther (24)

Hagel (29) - MacKinnon (33) - Bedard (22) *

McMichael (27) - Point (31) * - Johnston (24) *

Cuylle (26) - Jarvis (26) - Marner (30)

 

[Crosby2010]

Where are we going to put Dylan Guenther in 2026?

The Right Side is stacked but how do you leave him off if he continues to get better?

No, he doesn't make it. Like you said, the right side is more stacked than the left side. He has to blow the doors off to be considered, I think.

If Celebrini ends up with a point per game and then is on a 100 point pace next year he will definitely make the Olympic team. Bedard will very likely be there too. As much a people all bemoan Crosby not making the 2006 Olympic team, most of those same people would have cut him in 2006 when he was just at a point per game and not among the top ten Canadian scorers when the team was actually picked. Celebrini isn't as good as Crosby was, but thinking hasn't changed that much. Celebrini is already fairly responsible and is elite in transition, plus his offence is coming along on a fairly putrid San Jose team. He is capable of being an asset as a player, not just as a full looking statline.

Canada should absolutely consider youth to some degree for the four nations event. At the Olympics winning should be the sole consideration.

I personally wanted Crosby on the team when they picked it in December 2005. I thought he had shown enough and if anything was only getting better. Funny how he leads the NHL in points the following year but Todd Bertuzzi is picked over him on the 2006 team. But that team did nothing right anyway, starting with the picks. Staal and Spezza were more seasoned and ready for the Olympic team and both were having stellar years. Neither got picked either. I don't know if Celebrini will have Crosby's type of impact in his career or if he maintains it early on, but he'll be on their radar. But yeah he'll be 19.

 

[JackSlater]

No, he doesn't make it. Like you said, the right side is more stacked than the left side. He has to blow the doors off to be considered, I think.



I personally wanted Crosby on the team when they picked it in December 2005. I thought he had shown enough and if anything was only getting better. Funny how he leads the NHL in points the following year but Todd Bertuzzi is picked over him on the 2006 team. But that team did nothing right anyway, starting with the picks. Staal and Spezza were more seasoned and ready for the Olympic team and both were having stellar years. Neither got picked either. I don't know if Celebrini will have Crosby's type of impact in his career or if he maintains it early on, but he'll be on their radar. But yeah he'll be 19.

Crosby was on a bit of a cold streak when they picked the team, his scoring had gone down a bit in the games leading up to the announcement. Bertuzzi was picked because Gretzky promised him that he would, essentially to help motivate him after his suspension. Gretzky also wanted to pick Yzerman and Lemieux before they told him not to bother, so needless to say there were some interesting choices going on in winter 2005.

Celebrini isn't going to have the impact in his career that Crosby did, Crosby is one of the very best players ever. I am not saying that Celebrini is Crosby. I am saying that people are conservative with their picks and then complain about it after the fact based on what happens after the selections are made. If we disregard names and ages, we have a player who is a point away from a point per game playing on a putrid team, an elite skater who is among the best in the league in transition, and a player who is statistically one of the league's best in puck battles. The player can presumably play on Canada's weaker left side and is at least aware defensively. The player also has lots of room for improvement heading into the 2026 Olympics. Such a player is at least worthy of consideration for Canada's fairly shallow left side in 2025. Again though, I will be stunned if Celebrini makes the team.

 

[HFpapi]

I'm not too hung-up on goaltending as I don't think a goalie for Team Canada needs to be much more than just solid and not let in soft goals but it's pretty jarring to see that the USA has likely 6 goalies that would be in pole position to be Canada's starter if they were from Canada.

Hellebuyck
Oettinger
Swayman
Wolf
Stolarz
Demko*

Have to imagine any of those guys barring health (Demko*) would be leading contenders for Canada's net.

A long ways from the days when it didn't even matter that Patrick Roy dropped out in '02 because we still had Brodeur, Belfour, and Joseph.

 

[ORRFForever]

No, he doesn't make it. Like you said, the right side is more stacked than the left side. He has to blow the doors off to be considered, I think.

I like Guenther. The way he is progressing, I don't know how to keep him off the team in 2028. YOUNG, fast, skilled. As I/we have said MANY times, the amount of talent coming down the pipe is amazing.

And to think, just a couple years ago, we were worried about our team being OLD and decrepit.

I'm not too hung-up on goaltending as I don't think a goalie for Team Canada needs to be much more than just solid and not let in soft goals but it's pretty jarring to see that the USA has likely 6 goalies that would be in pole position to be Canada's starter if they were from Canada.

Hellebuyck
Oettinger
Swayman
Wolf
Stolarz
Demko*

Have to imagine any of those guys barring health (Demko*) would be leading contenders for Canada's net.

A long ways from the days when it didn't even matter that Patrick Roy dropped out in '02 because we still had Brodeur, Belfour, and Joseph.

I agree but, as I always say, we only need ONE.

I personally wanted Crosby

He has NEVER had a season where he was NOT PPG+. That is amazing. Hopefully 2024-2025 will NOT be THAT year.

 

[ORRFForever]

Nice to see Philip Tomasino being given a chance in Pittsburgh. He's taking advantage of it with 2 Goals in 3 games.

I always wondered why P.T. was brought up so early in his career in Nashville, played well and then fell off a cliff. Looks like P.T. wanted a fresh start and got it. Nice!

 

[ORRFForever]

As per Elliot Friedman, Joey Daccord will NOT be on Team Canada because he does NOT have a Canadian Passport. If someone gets injured and he gets a Canadian Passport, he can be included.

Let's hope JD gets one before the 2026 Olympics.

 

[ORRFForever]

My lineup :

Hagel - McDavid* - Point *

Duchene* - MacKinnon - Reinhart

Marchand - Crosby* - Konecny

Bennett - Scheifele* - Marner / Stone

I'm concerned about the size of my 3rd line.

****************************************************

RIck Bowness was on HNIC. He and I have the same players up front - except I have Duchene and he has Cirelli. Of course, the lines are different and he has Reinhart on the Left Wing.

*********************************************************

Kevin Bieksa had Celebrini as his 4th Line Left Wing, Wilson as his 4th Line Right Wing and Bedard as the 13th forward.

He also had Strome as his 3rd Line Center - I wonder if K.B. knows how much <bleep> I got at HF for having Strome on my team?

*************************************************************

Kelly Hrudey had the same lineup as me - except he had LAF and Cirelli over Hagel and Duchene.

He also forgot Crosby.

*************************************************************

Elliotte Friedman had my guys - minus Duchene and Bennett. He had Cirelli and Wilson instead.

He also gave Parayko some love - which is nice to see.

*************************************************************

Looks like everyone is going with the HOT hands up front.

As for the D....

Everyone's D included the pair from the Avs, the pair from Vegas and Morrisey. After that, Dobson, Parayko, Weegar, Montour, Tanev and even Bouchard got some love as the extra D-Men.

**************************************************************

No idea why Duchene got passed over? He's fast, talented, on fire and he's played for Canada in the past. He's also a Lefty.

 

[Mathieukferland]

My lineup :

Hagel - McDavid* - Point *

Duchene* - MacKinnon - Reinhart

Marchand - Crosby* - Konecny

Bennett - Scheifele* - Marner / Stone

I'm concerned about the size of my 3rd line.

****************************************************

RIck Bowness was on HNIC. He and I have the same players up front - except I have Duchene and he has Cirelli. Of course, the lines are different and he has Reinhart on the Left Wing.

*********************************************************

Kevin Bieksa had Celebrini as his 4th Line Left Wing, Wilson as his 4th Line Right Wing and Bedard as the 13th forward.

He also had Strome as his 3rd Line Center - I wonder if K.B. knows how much <bleep> I got at HF for having Strome on my team?

*************************************************************

Kelly Hrudey had the same lineup as me - except he had LAF and Cirelli over Hagel and Duchene.

He also forgot Crosby.

*************************************************************

Elliotte Friedman had my guys - minus Duchene and Bennett. He had Cirelli and Wilson instead.

He also gave Parayko some love - which is nice to see.

*************************************************************

Looks like everyone is going with the HOT hands up front.

As for the D....

Everyone's D included the pair from the Avs, the pair from Vegas and Morrisey. After that, Dobson, Parayko, Weegar, Montour, Tanev and even Bouchard got some love as the extra D-Men.

**************************************************************

No idea why Duchene got NO love. He is fast, talented, on fire and he's played for Canada in the past. He's also a Lefty.

Did any of them have Hyman?

 

[ORRFForever]

The first time we'll see McDavid in a Canadian uniform, best on best, and he'll be 28. Ouch! Where did all those wonderful years go?

Same with MacKinnon, except he will be 29.

Did any of them have Hyman?

No. Not one.

 

[Mathieukferland]

No. Not one.

Good, I’m glad the consensus seems to have shifted away from him. Kunitz was almost immediately separated from Crosby in 2014 so im glad that mistake won’t be repeated

 

[ORRFForever]

Good, I’m glad the consensus seems to have shifted away from him. Kunitz was almost immediately separated from Crosby in 2014 so im glad that mistake won’t be repeated

He's ice cold so, unless McDavid insists on Hyman being there, it would be a wasted pick - and we may already have a wasted pick with Marchand although, to be honest, B.M. is warming up.