World Cup: Canada 4 Nations Tournament 2025 Roster Talk

[DavidLamb]

We’re not allowed to blame the goaltending though even though both goals he allowed were weak.

Helly made the exact same save on Bennett. Stone stopped point blank alone on the goalie but we get a few softies allowed with a weak shot right at Binnington and a 2 on 1 with the pass taken away.

I would trust Fluery over Binnington in net for this team. I don’t know why Hockey Canada decided the best goalie they could find for this team is the goalie with a save percentage below .900 this season.

Here are the 2 possible reasons why they picked the good but leaky Binnington:

Sorry ladies and gentlemen, let me point out some suspicious information as to Management and coaches chose Binnington over Hill as the starter.

1. This goalie works for Armstrong, and Armstrong is likely the most senior man on this team Canada management group. Even if one or 2 coaches believe that he is not the best candidate for No1 goalie.
You better have very solid reason why this coach is not using Binnington. You DO NOT want to burn bridges with General Manager as they are the one fire and hire coaches.

2. Possibility reason #2, Canadian coaches and management did not do their homework. Watching Binnington during 2024 WC, he played alright and let in some leaky goals. He is not the best Canadian Goalie based on recent international tournament and NHL games. The coaching staff might have not watched how Hill, Montebault and Thompson played. I believe any of these 3 goalies are better than Binnington. Please see Binnington statistics below as you would not be able to watch the 2024 WC games.

Montebault:

Hill :

Well, I would NOT dare sit out Binnington vs USA as i would not want to burn my bridge or feel awkward with Armstrong. You never know what the future is like as NHL coaching jobs do not last very long.

 

[JoeSakic13]

The 3 best Canadian goaltenders this season are 3 goalies that are getting to rest during this tournament.

No shock that Binnington let in more softies as he hasn’t been a game changer (a positive one at least) for years.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

McDavid has always played best when paired with someone who excels at puck retrievals, board work, and isn't scared to go to the net, with how scouted and how much teams build their gameplans around shutting him down, I don't know how this isn't obvious in line-up construction.

Bouchard obviously should of made the team 2nd most talented d-man Canada can ice, was extra obvious with Makar out, would've helped a lot with transition and slowing the speed of the US counterattacks (great gap control in the neutral zone).

The Team Canada brass is sentimental and arrogant, they pay homage to former stars and team Canada alums over a more cutthroat approach, team US doesn't seem to play games with roster or line-up construction and they come out looking like the faster, hungrier team with a nice infusion of size that is bound to create match-up issues.

There is definitely one too many of the skilled, but undersized forwards on the team, should've grabbed one big man with some grit, who can make space, and play the net front.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

Time for Cooper to get things fixed up with the forward group for Monday's game, for starters get Marner off of the McDavid line, outside of his heroics in the gimmicky 3 on 3 OT he has done next to nothing 5 on 5. Please break up the TB line, Point and Marchand had obvious chemistry against Sweden, put them back together.

 

[Good Sami]

Yeah but goaltending

Need at last one

 

[waitin425]

Time for Cooper to get things fixed up with the forward group for Monday's game, for starters get Marner off of the McDavid line, outside of his heroics in the gimmicky 3 on 3 OT he has done next to nothing 5 on 5. Please break up the TB line, Point and Marchand had obvious chemistry against Sweden, put them back together.

Marner (and Matthews) are both showing that they are not big game players. I can't understand how guys with so many points and goals every regular season look like average guys come crunch time. Both are soft as baby poo.

 

[DavidLamb]

Let me explain the possible reason why Bouchard is not picked and Harley was picked instead:

1. Jim Nill, (Dallas Start GM) is one of the management staff on Team Canada.
You cannot leave his player off this team. Harley is a good young defenseman, but he is not better than Bouchard. Bouchard would have made a difference with the excellent team USA defense keeping TC on the outside. Shots from the point is what Bouchard excels at. None of the Canadian defenseman except Makar can shoot from the point as well as Bouchard. So, Bouchard's shot from the point could have made a significant difference.

2. Poor assessment and lack of time spent on each defenseman skill set, It is just obvious that with Makar not available, next defensemen in line with great shots from the point are:

A. Bouchard (25- approaching prime time)
B. Hamilton (31 - not too old yet, just passed the prime time age of 29)
C. Dobson (24- old enough)

It is just crazy that his management staff overlooked or APPEARING TO BE OVERLOOKING OR POSSIBLY MAKING DECISION showing to outside observers as mystifying.

 

[DavidLamb]

USA is a land full of innovative, intelligent, and forward-looking. It is now showing itself as the best nation in Hockey, WJC champion smoking TC 8-3 record in the most recent 7-8 years match up.

USA Hockey is full of intelligent people and makes decisions based on current players ' current meritocracy.
There is so much that Canadians should learn and point out so that those who make bullshit decisions should bear responsibility.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

I wouldn't drop Marner. He is not ideal and I don't think he would make a team Canada during strong times, but they can probably use him right now. He just shouldn't be with McDavid. A bit of a strange thing, which was commented on when the team was picked, is that Canada took an excessive amount of right handed forward options. I'd drop Hagel, assuming Konecny is healthier, and let Marner be the main creator on one of the defensive lines. Konecny is in to bring energy and also brings more skill than Hagel can. Marchand can be effective but not playing heavy minutes. I'd put Point with McDavid, leave MacKinnon's line from game 1 alone and hope they can work it out. We are probably stuck with Bennett and Cirelli as two of the centres so might as well try to make the most of it.

My only minor quibble with this is Hagel has been much more effective than Reinhart so far (Canada’s worst forward imo), so I’d lean on keeping Hagel and dropping Reinhart. Hagel is playing like he actually gives a shit. Reinhart isn’t.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

Time for Cooper to get things fixed up with the forward group for Monday's game, for starters get Marner off of the McDavid line, outside of his heroics in the gimmicky 3 on 3 OT he has done next to nothing 5 on 5. Please break up the TB line, Point and Marchand had obvious chemistry against Sweden, put them back together.

Point, Marchand and Sid. or the Nova Scotia trio, I mean they train together every summer for years now. They should have picked Hyman to play with McDavid and why did we not take Tom Wilson. He has 24 goals this year and that game was made for him to bash the T-chuck bros.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

You guys should have played Bennett a lot more. He was excellent every time he touched the ice and still only got 7 minutes??

What a waste.

 

[Ratsreign]

It's a goaltending issue.

When your goalie allows goals on shots he's supposed to start, no one wants to stray too far away from the net which neuters the offence.

Canada doesn't even need elite goaltending. Just stop the shots that you're supposed to and allow the difficult ones. When you allow shots you're supposed to stop, the team doesn't trust you and plays defence first at the cost of their offence.

If Bennington stops the ones he “should have” and only allowed the “difficult ones” past him.... Canada still loses 3-1

 

[Divine]

If Bennington stops the ones he “should have” and only allowed the “difficult ones” past him.... Canada still loses 3-1

No they don’t. Canada isn’t trading chances and doing risky pinches if they’re leading.

Just like the US wouldn’t have played a trap game if they were down 1.

Canada was thoroughly outplaying the US with the expected goals nearly triple for Canada when the US went up 2-1.

 

[Mathieukferland]

You guys should have played Bennett a lot more. He was excellent every time he touched the ice and still only got 7 minutes??

What a waste.

1996 Marlies réunion, put him up with McDavid instead one of those two passengers

 

[TheBeastCoast]

If Bennington stops the ones he “should have” and only allowed the “difficult ones” past him.... Canada still loses 3-1

No the game probably goes to overtime lol how the hell did you come up with 3-1?

Let me explain the possible reason why Bouchard is not picked and Harley was picked instead:

1. Jim Nill, (Dallas Start GM) is one of the management staff on Team Canada.
You cannot leave his player off this team. Harley is a good young defenseman, but he is not better than Bouchard. Bouchard would have made a difference with the excellent team USA defense keeping TC on the outside. Shots from the point is what Bouchard excels at. None of the Canadian defenseman except Makar can shoot from the point as well as Bouchard. So, Bouchard's shot from the point could have made a significant difference.

2. Poor assessment and lack of time spent on each defenseman skill set, It is just obvious that with Makar not available, next defensemen in line with great shots from the point are:

A. Bouchard (25- approaching prime time)
B. Hamilton (31 - not too old yet, just passed the prime time age of 29)
C. Dobson (24- old enough)

It is just crazy that his management staff overlooked or APPEARING TO BE OVERLOOKING OR POSSIBLY MAKING DECISION showing to outside observers as mystifying.

Harley was arguably one of Canada's best defensemen last night by the way lol

 

[BallardEra]

Marchand, Stone and Crosby can't keep up with the young bucks.

I'd move them down into the bottom 6 and still use Sid on the PP.

 

[Divine]

No the game probably goes to overtime lol how the hell did you come up with 3-1?

You come up with that when you overrate the US’s chances.

 

[Ratsreign]

You guys should have played Bennett a lot more. He was excellent every time he touched the ice and still only got 7 minutes??

What a waste.

They maybe should give him a shot on McDavid’s wing.

No the game probably goes to overtime lol how the hell did you come up with 3-1?

From the actual final score. Bennington made a couple of really nice saves on difficult chances during the game. Switch those out for the “softies” and the result is the same. I explained it in my comment which you replied to.

 

[Doom Bot]

Celebrini should have been here. He's much better than most of our bottom 6 options. We don't have the legs to keep up and aren't winning enough battles against the bigger US dmen. Celebrini is an absolute beast in the corners.

Schiefle, Wilson, Hyman were also pretty obvious picks for the bottom 6. Guys like Marchand, Cirelli, Jarvis should not be here. Even guys like Stone and Reinhart, who are very good players normally, are not doing great in this style of game. They can't skate well enough to keep up at 5 on 5.

 

[Divine]

USA is a land full of innovative, intelligent, and forward-looking. It is now showing itself as the best nation in Hockey, WJC champion smoking TC 8-3 record in the most recent 7-8 years match up.

USA Hockey is full of intelligent people and makes decisions based on current players ' current meritocracy.
There is so much that Canadians should learn and point out so that those who make bullshit decisions should bear responsibility.

The US beat Canada in the preliminary games in 2010 also but no one remembers because Canada won the gold.

Let’s at least wait until the tournament is over before crowning the US.

 

[Doom Bot]

Harley is also fantastic. He was easily Canada's best dman.

 

[uncleben]

Marchand, Stone and Crosby can't keep up with the young bucks.

I'd move them down into the bottom 6 and still use Sid on the PP.

Marchand was on the 4th
And did well in is limited role

 

[The Panther]

Whenever a hockey team loses a game, at least 50% of the fans will blame the goalie. It doesn't matter if the favored-team scored 1 goal on 15 total shots and that team's goalie let in only 2 out of 50 shots -- as long as that team lost, the goalie always bears half (or more of) the blame from the more challenged end of the fanbase.

My own rule is basically this: If, in a reasonably good situation (decent team in front of him, home-ice, last change, etc.) my team's goalie lets in 2 or fewer goals, then I never blame the goalie for a loss. Ever.

And so it is with the Canada - USA Four Nations game. We would normally expect an NHL goalie (esp. a starter) to stop that 1st USA goal by Guenzal, yes. But also every NHL goalie is going to let one of those in periodically. It's inevitable, and it's just a question of when. Also let's face it, we all know that Hellebuyck is better than Binnington. So it's not a shocker than the former out-duelled the latter.

The bottom line is: A club as talented as Team Canada '24, with home-ice and the last change, should be able to score more than 1 goal in sixty minutes. That's not on Binnington.

 

[Zalos]

Still confident in our players winning this whole thing. The only change I'd make is to put Hill in net instead of Binnington.

Also, I hope Makar comes back Monday.

 

[twostroke2023]

Marner generally plays with a C who scores more than passes, Matthews or Tavares. so I don’t think he makes sense with McD. Maybe MacK. But him and Schiefle would probably be a good combo. Maybe Point?

Not sure who on this team fits with McD? Maybe Crosby to play the Hyman style role?

I’d actually argue that Marner is one of the hardest to fit on this roster as it’s constructed. He doesn’t fit on the top two lines currently. This roster is built like absolute ass