World Cup: Four Nations Tournament-Team Canada

[Nucks2001]

Are you serious dude? Even at age 36 Marchand is a first line star and I say this as a die hard feafs fan. He's a player you'd love to have on your team

In all likelihood, Marchand would have made the team. But don’t kid yourself, he’s far no longer 1st line material on Canada anymore. The only way I see Marchand playing top 6 minutes is if Canada rolls an all Nova Scotia line.

Aside from that, Marchand likely plays a 4th line role and on the PK. It’s not a horrible selection by any means, but considering that you could have named another defensemen like Toews, Morrisey, Dobson, Theodore and monitor your other forwards play, it’s not the smartest selection by any means and seems very Hockey Canada-esque. Don Sweeney likely played a role in it

 

[bobholly39]

Bouchard is definitely making this team

I'd love to see Crosby and McDavid on the same line.

 

[HFpapi]

Are you serious dude? Even at age 36 Marchand is a first line star and I say this as a die hard feafs fan. He's a player you'd love to have on your team

Did I say otherwise?

He'd be on my team if it started today but the tournament doesn't start today. I said what's the point of taking the risk on an older player who's shown decline when you can just not make him the earliest selection and see how his next year plays out. If he's the same player in Feb, then great, name him. If he looks old and slow to start the year, you aren't stuck with him.

Of all players in contention for this team, he's the oldest. I just simply don't see the logic in naming the oldest player first, furthest away from the tournament, when there's zero risk in just not naming him yet and seeing how the season goes.

 

[MNRube]

The centers and scoring D are obviously great, but Canada needs to consider bringing some role players and sandpaper types. There’s no superstars who provide that anymore (Perry, Getzlaf, Weber, Bergeron). I could see Crosby adapting a shutdown style to fill the void, but this is the 3rd best team defensively

 

[JackSlater]

There isn't really an obvious candidate to replace Marchand as the sixth named player. It doesn't really matter and clearly he was going to get picked anyway.

The centers and scoring D are obviously great, but Canada needs to consider bringing some role players and sandpaper types. There’s no superstars who provide that anymore (Perry, Getzlaf, Weber, Bergeron). I could see Crosby adapting a shutdown style to fill the void, but this is the 3rd best team defensively

There is less variety in the forwards compared to the previous generation or so. Canada always had Toews and Bergeron to shore up two lines defensively, and in the lost best on best era there would have been Bergeron, O'Reilly, Stone, maybe Couturier. Really could use one or two of those legitimate Selke guys, even with Stone and O'Reilly still good they are not necessarily reliable to be there at their age. There aren't really Getzlaf types anymore stylistically. If Dubois had panned out (to his potential at least) he could have provided some valuable physicality on the wing.

We will have to see if any young players seem to bust out to start the next season.

 

[Nucks2001]

There isn't really an obvious candidate to replace Marchand as the sixth named player. It doesn't really matter and clearly he was going to get picked anyway.



There is less variety in the forwards compared to the previous generation or so. Canada always had Toews and Bergeron to shore up two lines defensively, and in the lost best on best era there would have been Bergeron, O'Reilly, Stone, maybe Couturier. Really could use one or two of those legitimate Selke guys, even with Stone and O'Reilly still good they are not necessarily reliable to be there at their age. There aren't really Getzlaf types anymore stylistically. If Dubois had panned out (to his potential at least) he could have provided some valuable physicality on the wing.

We will have to see if any young players seem to bust out to start the next season.

Laf and Byfield add size to the wings and I think they both breakout this season as legitimate all-stars. Aside from that, Canada just has to play to their strengths. You can add another player such as Danault, Stone or Cirelli, but anything more than that is excessive. Canada’s problem at the 1998 and 2006 Olympics were that they didn’t choose the best players possible or play them in the right situations.

Sure, this Canadian team is not as big or defensively oriented as the 2010 or 2014 teams, but they are far more offensively gifted and faster than those teams. Adding Marner, Barzal and Thomas should be obvious selections.

I also think Brayden Point fills the Toews role for this team.

 

[JackSlater]

Laf and Byfield add size to the wings and I think they both breakout this season as legitimate all-stars. Aside from that, Canada just has to play to their strengths. You can add another player such as Danault, Stone or Cirelli, but anything more than that is excessive. Canada’s problem at the 1998 and 2006 Olympics were that they didn’t choose the best players possible or play them in the right situations.

Sure, this Canadian team is not as big or defensively oriented as the 2010 or 2014 teams, but they are far more offensively gifted and faster than those teams. Adding Marner, Barzal and Thomas should be obvious selections.

I also think Brayden Point fills the Toews role for this team.

Canada's problem in 1998 was sample size and three of the world's best forwards not being there in the semi-finals. If we go back to 1998 Canada has a run of Roy, Brodeur, Luongo, and Price at the best on best level. Drastically better than now. The team plays to win, not to just throw out the best offensive talent it can. You build around McDavid and MacKinnon at forward and try to complement them while having variety to throw at other teams.

I'm fairly optimistic on Lafreniere. He was a strong even strength scorer last year and he brings good size as you said. Byfield shows great flashes too. If at least one can break out they provide some needed talent and versatility to the forward group. Unfortunately neither has played internationally since they were 18.

 

[some]

Hyman-McDavid-Bedard
Marchand-Crosby-MacKinnon
Lafrenière-Point-Marner
Verhaege-Thomas-Reinhart
13th: Barzal

Toews-Makar
Morrisey-Dobson
Theodore-Doughty
Pietrangelo

Hill
Thompson
Skinner

Skinner is quite well the first choice.

 

[therealdeal]

Stone should not be forgotten. He’s probably a lock for this team if he’s healthy.

 

[Nucks2001]

Stone should not be forgotten. He’s probably a lock for this team if he’s healthy.

Knowing Stone, he probably goes LTIR in February.

Skinner is quite well the first choice.

It’s arguable for Skinner to be the starter, but “quite well?” Canada hasn’t had a “quite well” choice in net since Carey Price

 

[jj cale]

Normally I would think a set up like this is a useless NHL cash grab but in Canada's case this time around it is going to be fairly useful because this dress rehearsal will let us see what changes we need to make in roster and tactics before the olympics.

Because I don't think we are going to win this " tournament"

 

[JackSlater]

Normally I would think a set up like this is a useless NHL cash grab but in Canada's case this time around it is going to be fairly useful because this dress rehearsal will let us see what changes we need to make in roster and tactics before the olympics.

Because I don't think we are going to win this " tournament"

After this length of time without bringing any of the top guys together, yeah this is a valuable dress rehearsal. I view it similarly. I want to see if any top guys show signs of life with McDavid, see what pairings work, see who sticks out in a bad way etc.