World Cup: Four Nations Tournament-Team Canada

[JackSlater]

I'm not trying to build an all-star team. Trying to build a team to win a short tournament on NA sized ice. Familiarity, defined roles for players and lines, etc. Trying to stay away from too much shifting guys to their off-wing or centers playing wing. It's unavoidable to a certain degree but I'd like to mitigate it. Canada has too many centers and too many high-end scoring right shot forwards. I can't take them all. Hench a guy like Lafreniere gets a nod due to the lack of high-end left-shot wingers. He can compliment a goal scoring C in Point with the play driving RW Marner. Brings a straight-line game and a bit of size and physicality to boot. Has already has success for Canada in international competition.

If you want to flip-flop Reinhart and MacKinnon fine, I'm good either way. McDavid is used to a right-shot on his LW so you get that with Reinhart or MacKinnon. I felt having the pure shooter in Reinhart on his off-wing would be better but that might be splitting hairs.

Crosby's line is your shutdown line, 4th line role is clearly defined. I took Duchene as he can play all 3 forward positions.

There might be better RD than Parayko but you can't have all skill back there on D. He's one of the best shut-down defenders in the league, should compliment Morrisey well. They can go up against any line. Weegar gets the nod as the spare D as he's a rare commodity in that he's a right-shot who can play both sides. Pairs of Toews-Makar and Theodore-Pietrangelo should be able to hit the ground running in Game 1 the chemistry/familiarity is already there. You don't have time in a tournament this short to figure everything out. You need the team ready right from the start. You go with just the 13 best forwards and 7 best D and by the time you get everyone in their correct place, your tournament might already be over.

I don't like any of the choices in net but I'll take two guys with cups and the other guy is comfortable playing at the Bell Centre which can be a tough place to play.

A lot of people just pick a bunch of players without consideration to how they would play or function as a team. Credit for actually thinking things through.

 

[JackSlater]

With around a week left before the team comes out I'm pretty set on most of the skaters. Obviously included the players already named to the team I am set on

Forwards: McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Point, Marchand, Reinhart, Marner, Stone, Lafreniere, Konecny, Thomas, Bedard

Defencemen: Makar, Morrissey, Pietrangelo, Theodore, Toews

That leaves only one forward spot, someone to play LW, and two defencemen, one of whom at least would be a penalty killer.

 

[PanniniClaus]

I don't know what you can't grasp. It is pathetic that Canada does not have even one elite goaltender to select. It is a random quirk that Daccord, born and raised in the United States, happens to have Canadian citizenship through a parent and Canada should pick a goaltender that Canada actually produced rather than hoping to be selected by the likes of Joey Daccord. Canada's goaltending has been a problem for a long time and while the interest in Daccord indicates how significant it is, selecting him or not won't make it less obvious.

I think we can all grasp it... it's been staring us in the face for a long time. Still need to choose three and go play. I am not sure why you are so hung up on it... should we just recuse ourselves from the event? We have a goaltending problem so we feel it best if the Czechs take our place.

 

[Regal]

With around a week left before the team comes out I'm pretty set on most of the skaters. Obviously included the players already named to the team I am set on

Forwards: McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Point, Marchand, Reinhart, Marner, Stone, Point, Konecny, Thomas, Bedard

Defencemen: Makar, Morrissey, Pietrangelo, Theodore, Toews

That leaves only one forward spot, someone to play LW, and two defencemen, one of whom at least would be a penalty killer.

I tend to agree with this, though you have Point twice so that’s 2 forward spots (unless you meant to add someone else).

I feel pretty confident in Hagel above the rest forward options, though I’m not sure if he’s seen that way. But he checks all the boxes. He’s a natural LW, he has chemistry with one of the already named forwards, he’s having a good start, he’s shown he can both enhance a line playing with stars and produce as the best player on his line, he’s one of the better ES producers and he’s a strong PKer if that’s needed. I could see Laf getting in over him on name value but I don’t think he’s actually better.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Canada shouldn't opt for Daccord because he isn't from Canada

By your logic, should the two older Hughes brothers and Sanderson still be able to play for the USA? Because they all played the entirety of their minor hockey in Canada. I have no issue picking Daccord, but as I’ve said before hopefully Hockey Canada can start focussing less on Stakeholder Equity seminars and more on goaltending summits, because something is clearly wrong

 

[JackSlater]

I think we can all grasp it... it's been staring us in the face for a long time. Still need to choose three and go play. I am not sure why you are so hung up on it... should we just recuse ourselves from the event? We have a goaltending problem so we feel it best if the Czechs take our place.

Clearly we can't all grasp it since one guy keeps quoting me claiming that he doesn't get it. Which I guess would be why I am "hung up" on it. If I don't get quoted asking dumb questions I doubt I will bring it up again. I hope that this is not another very simple concept to grasp that ends up being missed.

I have no idea why you are talking about recusing the team, even sarcastically, as it is completely disconnected from anything that has been said.

I tend to agree with this, though you have Point twice so that’s 2 forward spots (unless you meant to add someone else).

I feel pretty confident in Hagel above the rest forward options, though I’m not sure if he’s seen that way. But he checks all the boxes. He’s a natural LW, he has chemistry with one of the already named forwards, he’s having a good start, he’s shown he can both enhance a line playing with stars and produce as the best player on his line, he’s one of the better ES producers and he’s a strong PKer if that’s needed. I could see Laf getting in over him on name value but I don’t think he’s actually better.

Yes the second Point should be Lafreniere, I'll edit it. I would go with Hagel or O'Reilly at this point for the other spot unless someone is escaping my mind. Hagel as a decent third wheel who knows how to contribute as the third wheel, O'Reilly as a LW option who can also play PK centre.

 

[JackSlater]

By your logic, should the two older Hughes brothers and Sanderson still be able to play for the USA? Because they all played the entirety of their minor hockey in Canada. I have no issue picking Daccord, but as I’ve before hopefully Hockey Canada can start focussing less on Stakeholder Equity seminars and more on goaltending summits, because something is clearly wrong

Sanderson would have played his early years in the United States and I believe Luke Hughes did spend some development time in the United States before going to their national team, but yes players should play for the country that developed them. I strongly suspect that if Sanderson hadn't been cut by the Brooks Bandits and then ended up in Ann Arbor he would have opted to play for Canada, but who knows. There are some instances where players don't have citizenship (I think that the Hughes brothers do, maybe not) but it's rare, think Harley playing for Canada, I believe in his case he doesn't even have American citizenship. Daccord never played in Canada until he was an adult playing in the AHL as far as I am aware, it would be like the Tkachuks playing for Canada because their mother is from Winnipeg. It becomes a farce at some point like you see in soccer and basketball from time to time.

I agree that Hockey Canada is wasting money on nonsense and needs to focus on goaltending. Other countries are doing well, there is really no excuse. I don't want players from other countries, but by all means bring in some exerts from other countries to help with how goaltenders are developed within Canada. Russia has done very well after bringing in Finnish goaltending experts, for one example. The infrastructure and money is there, even with the money that is being wasted lately.

 

[therealdeal]

It's humorous they're chasing Daccord.

We’re digging deep on this one boys!!

 

[Regal]

Yes the second Point should be Lafreniere, I'll edit it. I would go with Hagel or O'Reilly at this point for the other spot unless someone is escaping my mind. Hagel as a decent third wheel who knows how to contribute as the third wheel, O'Reilly as a LW option who can also play PK centre.

Yea PK center is a weird sore spot on the team despite having a multitude of PKing wingers: Reinhart, Konecny, Stone, Marchand, and Marner. It’s possible they use Reinhart at center on the PK since he’s played some at center over his career. His faceoffs have been bad this year but they weren’t terrible his first two years in Florida.

 

[JackSlater]

Yea PK center is a weird sore spot on the team despite having a multitude of PKing wingers: Reinhart, Konecny, Stone, Marchand, and Marner. It’s possible they use Reinhart at center on the PK since he’s played some at center over his career. His faceoffs have been bad this year but they weren’t terrible his first two years in Florida.

It's an odd lack for Canada that probably hasn't existed in a while. Thomas can take one of those spots if he's selected, but there isn't really a classic Selke type centre available. Who knows what Hockey Canada will do though. I have the guys that I think should be locked in but I'm sure the actual selection committee sees it differently to whatever degree.

I'll also throw out a name that almost never comes up in Kyrou. I don't think that he will be picked, but Armstrong has to be the second biggest voice when it comes to picking this team and he was talking Kyrou up in the months before 2022 Olympic participation was cancelled. I don't think it makes sense for the team given how deep Canada is on the right side but I also don't think his chances are at 0.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

It's an odd lack for Canada that probably hasn't existed in a while. Thomas can take one of those spots if he's selected, but there isn't really a classic Selke type centre available. Who knows what Hockey Canada will do though. I have the guys that I think should be locked in but I'm sure the actual selection committee sees it differently to whatever degree.

I'll also throw out a name that almost never comes up in Kyrou. I don't think that he will be picked, but Armstrong has to be the second biggest voice when it comes to picking this team and he was talking Kyrou up in the months before 2022 Olympic participation was cancelled. I don't think it makes sense for the team given how deep Canada is on the right side but I also don't think his chances are at 0.

Despite being past his prime Ryan O’Reilly probably has a decent chance at being selected for this very reason.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Despite being past his prime Ryan O’Reilly probably has a decent chance at being selected for this very reason.

Cirelli would be my pick for that role, can penalty kill and win faceoffs. Having a good year and can skate, whereas even in his prime O’Reilly was not exactly fleet of foot, even less so now