Bouchard and Formenton are HUGE additions to the team.
Lafreniere-Glass-Suzuki
Frost-Hayton-Tippett
Formenton-JAD-Mattheos
Foudy-Bowers-Studnicka
Veleno/Dellandrea/McLeod (best “utility” players IMO)
Smith-Dobson
McIsaac-Bouchard
Beaudin-Mitchell
Brook/JBD
Scott
DiPietro
Villalta
I think this is the lineup I’d go with right now. Tons of good options everywhere, though. I really like how balanced this team is, and with the additions of Formenton and Bouchard, this team is the clear-cut favourite for gold.
The offense is filled with high-character types with great two-way games and has a bunch of high-skill game-breakers. Some might disagree, but I like how Tippett’s game has evolved and I think he would work excellently with the proven Frost-Hayton combination; he’s the kind of guy who can change a tight, structured game in a millisecond with his Kessel-like shooting ability. More than that, it’s just so damn fast. Everyone can haul ass, which will be key to establishing the TC-trademarked overwhelming forecheck and possession/volume offense that has been undefeatable in the past. The fact that we have both Formenton and Foudy is just terrifying for other teams. We should be looking at half a dozen breakaways a game if we line them up against the top-lines of our opponents, who will naturally be looking to primarily push the offense. It’s not fun to try to run a powerplay against guys who can turn it the other way in a split second. I could see any of the extras stealing the spot of Bowers or Studnicka, and all are very well-rounded players and good skaters who could produce well while focussing mainly on shutting down opponents.
I also really like the defense. Smith and Dobson need no explanation. Absolute studs who I’d take top-10 easily in a redraft and can drive the offense while shutting down the other team’s best players for 25+ minutes without breaking a sweat. Earlier this year, I would have put Joseph with Bouchard, but McIsaac has been great this year, looking like the top notch player we all thought he was before last year’s somewhat disappointing season. That’s a big pair who are difficult to enter the zone against and can move the puck up extremely well. Bouchard’s stealthy bullet of a slapper is a weapon at even strength and obviously on the PP. Beaudin and Mitchell are responsible in their own end, but also are known mainly for their puck-moving strengths and ability to walk the line or go down low to create offense. There’s no “defensive defenseman” on this team, and I love it. Whoever’s our there, we’ll be able to control the play in the opponent’s end and set up high quality chances, without being concerned when the puck enters our zone.
DiPietro will likely come into camp as the favoured starter, and for good reason, but I can see Scott being our #1 for the tournament. He’s been insanely good this season. If by some chance this team ever manages to get outplayed, which I think would require more of an internal loss of focus than any special performance from our opponents, he can take over the game and steal a win. I don’t think I’d be significantly less confident with him in net than if Carter Hart returned, if he keeps up his play.
