World Cup: Canada 4 Nations Tournament 2025 Roster Talk

[NordiquesForeva]

This is an absolutely brutal decision


Agreed, his pair was dominant for us all night. I'm hoping they go:

Toews - Makar
Harley - Doughty
Morrissey - Sanheim

Haven't liked Parayko's game at all, would prefer Sanheim in there

I don’t think Harley is able to play unfortunately, provided Makar is good to go. Harley is only able to replace Makar. In other words, Cooper can’t decide to healthy scratch any of the d-men and dress Harley.

I thought Harley acquitted himself quite well last night. He made a mistake on that weird late change on the American goal, but his actual gameplay was quite strong.

I thought Doughty and Morrissey also had very strong games. Overall our d-men were the least of our problems last night, though they were generally outplayed by the American D (who were exceptional I thought).

 

[Nakawick]

Feels like we are out of combinations with the roster we have, and this shouldn't be the case.

Would be fun to have guys like Scheifele, Suzuki, Celebrini, Bedard and even Guenther who would be my dark horse pick for the Olympics next year.

I see Hagel clicking with McDavid and Point.. Then keep Stone with McKinnon and Crosby and hope for the best.

Cirelli has no business on this team. So frustrating.

Why is Scott Salmond still involved in player selection after the WJC fiasco?

I too would put either McDavid or Mackinnon with Hagel and Point. The team didn’t really have a net front presence against the US and were very perimeter. The US played the whole 3rd in shut down mode daring Canada to score. The US coaching staff knew how to beat this Canadian roster.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Binington should be on a beach in Mexico, and not anywhere near this team. Such a horrible decision to leave Logan Thompson or Blackwood home. Egregious

 

[Peiskos]

Have to admit I was sleeping on Harley. He looks a bit like Lidstrom back there... So efficient and cerebral. Thought he was their best D man.

Leaving Scheifele off the roster is leaving the #3 goal scorer in the league off the roster. What did they struggle to do last night? Score goals. The guy happens to practice against Hellebuyck too. Knows his weaknesses has played with him for like 10 years. But yeah let's not take him because that would be too obvious. Canada deserves to lose with their soft goaltending and poor roster selection. I picked the Americans before the tourney because it's obviously a better constructed team even though I bleed red and white. I marched through Vancouver drunk as f*** in 2010 until 6am after we won. That roster felt inevitable. This one feels entitled.

Ya the Scheifele omission is probably the most obvious bone headed decision here. He's got a decent amount of international experience too which makes it all the more perplexing.

 

[Linds]

Need to put faster skaters in the top 6 with McD and Mackinnon. Crosby and Stone skate like old dinosaurs. Would be interesting to see if they put Point in the Top 6 next game

 

[Nakawick]

Reinhart McDavid Jarvis/Konecny
Hagel MacKinnon Point
Marchand Crosby Marner
Stone Bennett Konecny/Jarvis
Cirelli

Toews Makar
Harley Sanheim
Morrisey Doughty/Parayko

Hill
Binnington

 

[ORRFForever]

It is insane out. WOW!

And who do I blame for this weather mess?... You guessed it....

Frank Stallone Mitch Marner !!!!

 

[ORRFForever]

L.T. must have the world's WORST breath...

"Canada couldn’t endure Logan Thompson for 10 days?"​

MSN

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

L.T. must have the world's WORST breath...

"Canada couldn’t endure Logan Thompson for 10 days?"​

MSN

 

[Jets4Life]

Wtf is with this coaching staff and Binnington? He legitimately might not even be a top 5 Canadian goalie at this point. I'm not saying the loss is on him, but that terrible first U.S. goal turned the game on its head, Canada never got that momentum back.

Top Canadian goalies by saving percentage 2024-25:

1. Logan Thompson 0.921
2. Darcy Kuemper 0.918
3. Mackenzie Blackwood 0,916
4. Jake Allen 0.910
5. Cam Talbot 0.905
6. Joel Hofer 0,903
7. Calvin Pickard 0.901
8. Adin Hill 0.900
9. Stuart Skinner 0.900
10. Sam Montembeault 0,897
11. Jordan Binnington 0,897

It's not like three goalies are the best in the nation, and just having a bad year either. All 3 are good/mediocre in their respective careers.

 

[ShameOnYouZidlicky]

Crosby needs to be back at centre. Have him centre the 3rd line where he will face weaker matchups. There's no reason why Cooper shouldn't be going with McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Point down the middle for tomorrow. In fact I would move Point up the lineup just because him and Reinhart are the best pure goal scorers on this roster. Roll those 3 lines to start and Finlands D will have difficulty containing them.

If Canada can't beat Finland tomorrow then this tournament is a disaster for them.

Completely agreed. Centre is the only position that Canada is strongest at in the tournament and they should be taking advantage of that. Why is Cirelli playing 3C when you could run McDavid, MacKinnon and Crosby down the middle. They should have run with that since the beginning of the tournament. Next game I'd go with:

Hagel - McDavid - Point
Konecny - MacKinnon - Reinhart
Marchand - Crosby - Stone
Cirelli - Bennett - Marner

- Despite the TBL rhetoric I actually have thought Hagel and Point have been pretty good. Hagel plays a Hyman type game that McDavid benefits from and Point is one of Canada's best scorers that McDavid can feed from his strong side

- I wonder if Canada can get Reinhart going by playing him on his natural side. We really need him to contribute. Konecny can play with Mack's speed and add some grit to the line.

- Crosby plays well with grinders. Everyone knows that so I'm not sure why he was playing with MacKinnon other than the Coal Harbour connection. He has history with Marchand and I think Crosby and Stone are a natural fit

- Bennett played well enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Cirelli I keep in because of his elite defensive play, but he should not get more than 10 minutes. Unsurprisingly, especially as a Leafs fan, Marner has been so disappointing. Maybe he'll benefit from less pressure and weaker competition. At the very least he won't be a defensive liability. Jarvis has been fine, but I wouldn't be devastated without having him in the lineup.

Do you have any thoughts on what lines you would run?

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Completely agreed. Centre is the only position that Canada is strongest at in the tournament and they should be taking advantage of that. Why is Cirelli playing 3C when you could run McDavid, MacKinnon and Crosby down the middle. They should have run with that since the beginning of the tournament. Next game I'd go with:

Hagel - McDavid - Point
Konecny - MacKinnon - Reinhart
Marchand - Crosby - Stone
Cirelli - Bennett - Marner

...like it...maybe replace Cirelli with Jarvis...issue might be most wingers are righty's...

 

[Three On Zero]

Canada lacks two way forwards that have a shoot first mentality.

 

[King Woodballs]

At least goaltending isn’t the reason canada is where they are.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Canada lacks two way forwards that have a shoot first mentality.

...they have some (Reinhart, Point), just not used effectively by Stooper Cooper...

 

[Three On Zero]

...they have some (Reinhart, Point), just not used effectively by Stooper Cooper...

I don’t put much value in a coach neutering play style in such a short tournament. It’s more on the players. Guys seem to be trying to play a skilled game on this platform instead of playing the way that got them selected.

 

[Pancakes]

Sid was great in game 1 but I thought he was pretty bad last night. Brutal turnover on the gwg.

Honestly though I feel like all of Canada's forwards were pretty mid last night except for McDavid and even he was mostly quiet outside of the goal.

 

[Three On Zero]

Sid was great in game 1 but I thought he was pretty bad last night. Brutal turnover on the gwg.

Honestly though I feel like all of Canada's forwards were pretty mid last night except for McDavid and even he was mostly quiet outside of the goal.

Not a single player stood out above the rest. McDavid has a nice rush goal but was mediocre the rest of the game. Was one hell of an entertaining game but also painful to watch.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

I don’t put much value in a coach neutering play style in such a short tournament. It’s more on the players. Guys seem to be trying to play a skilled game on this platform instead of playing the way that got them selected.

...player line mix has alot to do with it...like consistently pushing Marner with McJesus despite it not working at all for two games in a row...Point & McJesus worked a lot better when he FINALLY went with it...Cooper refuses to make adjustments until it's almost over...bad coaching is bad coaching...

 

[Three On Zero]

...player line mix has alot to do with it...like consistently pushing Marner with McJesus despite it not working at all for two games in a row...Point & McJesus worked a lot better when he FINALLY went with it...Cooper refuses to make adjustments until it's almost over...bad coaching is bad coaching...

Fair point on the line aspect

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Completely agreed. Centre is the only position that Canada is strongest at in the tournament and they should be taking advantage of that. Why is Cirelli playing 3C when you could run McDavid, MacKinnon and Crosby down the middle. They should have run with that since the beginning of the tournament. Next game I'd go with:

Hagel - McDavid - Point
Konecny - MacKinnon - Reinhart
Marchand - Crosby - Stone
Cirelli - Bennett - Marner

- Despite the TBL rhetoric I actually have thought Hagel and Point have been pretty good. Hagel plays a Hyman type game that McDavid benefits from and Point is one of Canada's best scorers that McDavid can feed from his strong side

- I wonder if Canada can get Reinhart going by playing him on his natural side. We really need him to contribute. Konecny can play with Mack's speed and add some grit to the line.

- Crosby plays well with grinders. Everyone knows that so I'm not sure why he was playing with MacKinnon other than the Coal Harbour connection. He has history with Marchand and I think Crosby and Stone are a natural fit

- Bennett played well enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Cirelli I keep in because of his elite defensive play, but he should not get more than 10 minutes. Unsurprisingly, especially as a Leafs fan, Marner has been so disappointing. Maybe he'll benefit from less pressure and weaker competition. At the very least he won't be a defensive liability. Jarvis has been fine, but I wouldn't be devastated without having him in the lineup.

Do you have any thoughts on what lines you would run?

I like the idea of Hagel and Point with McDavid, at least try it. If not Hagel then Konecny or Bennett with McDavid. All 3 guys drive to the net and will fish for pucks and will go to the dirty areas. Something Marner refuses to do yet he's taken every shift with McDavid so far. Point has 97 goals in the last two seasons but yet he's been buried with the Tampa boys because of Coopers favouritism. Cooper really needs to put his favouritism aside because it's hurting the team at this point.

Cooper should have changed up all 4 lines by the 3rd period in last nights game but he only tried a couple minor changes. I think it's time to split up Crosby and MacKinnon. Yeah we all know that they want to play together but a shake up is needed and Canada needs to take advantage of their depth at centre. I think this hurt them against the USA last night. Coopers needs to use his bench a lot more and the top guys will be a bit more fresh later in the game. But he just kept rolling the top 6 out there as if they were just dominating with o-zone time.

Konecny should have never come out of the lineup, he was good against the Swedes in his limited ice time. I would scratch Marner but we all know that's not going to happen. They also need to stop being so cute with the overpassing and just get the puck towards the net and drive the net. Way too much passing on the PP. I think they miss a big booming shot from past Canadian teams. There's no Rob Blake or Pronger or Weber on this team who were able to direct 100+mph shots to the net.

Re-unite Crosby with Marchand because they have proven chemistry from the past. Have to go with what's worked before. But I bet my money that Reinhart-McDavid-Marner will remain together for tomorrow's game because Cooper loves Marner LOL. It's laughable at this point. Oh and Binnington will be back in net even though he's been below average.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Crosby needs to be back at centre. Have him centre the 3rd line where he will face weaker matchups. There's no reason why Cooper shouldn't be going with McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Point down the middle for tomorrow. In fact I would move Point up the lineup just because him and Reinhart are the best pure goal scorers on this roster. Roll those 3 lines to start and Finlands D will have difficulty containing them.

If Canada can't beat Finland tomorrow then this tournament is a disaster for them.

Yeah, should def be McD, Mack, Sid, Bennett down the middle. Point needs to be playing more, put him Top-6 wing.

Or don't, I'm from the US.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Top Canadian goalies by saving percentage 2024-25:

1. Logan Thompson 0.921
2. Darcy Kuemper 0.918
3. Mackenzie Blackwood 0,916
4. Jake Allen 0.910
5. Cam Talbot 0.905
6. Joel Hofer 0,903
7. Calvin Pickard 0.901
8. Adin Hill 0.900
9. Stuart Skinner 0.900
10. Sam Montembeault 0,897
11. Jordan Binnington 0,897

It's not like three goalies are the best in the nation, and just having a bad year either. All 3 are good/mediocre in their respective careers.

Add in MAF and Connor Ingram. I'd play either of them over most on that list. MAF may not be what he once was but he's a HOF'er for a reason. Canada management think this is 2019 Binnington we are getting. I don't get how he's such an automatic for them despite having below average numbers.

 

[jaric1862]

Hagel-McDavid-Point
Reinhart-MacKinnon-Marner
Marchand-Crosby-Stone
Bennett-Cirelli-Konecny

Konecny replaces any of the top 6 wingers who don't perform.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Yeah, should def be McD, Mack, Sid, Bennett down the middle. Point needs to be playing more, put him Top-6 wing.

Or don't, I'm from the US.

Im just mind blown that a guy like Point (who has 2 cups and performs remarkably in the playoffs) is played with two checkers on the 3rd line because oh the coach has to keep his boys together. And then Marner who is not effective at all in games with such little time and space is McDavids right hand man.