World Cup: Four Nations Tournament-Team Canada

[NordiquesForeva]

That's all fair. The main thing in my mind that is a positive with Barzal is that Duchene was generally pretty useful for Canada, and Barzal is a reasonably similar kind of player. Would be nice if he was a better goal scorer. At this point I've written him off for this team and I will be surprised if he's there. There are other options that can bring some extra versatility.

I agree on Duchene. I thought he did an admirable job in 2014. In addition to his C/LW versatility think his skillset, with his speed and play driving ability through the neutral zone, played well on international ice...and to his credit he certainly took advantage of every opportunity to play for Canada internationally which probably helped his reputation with the "powers that be" and got him some reps on international ice.

Barzal is very similar to Duchene. But I think the circumstances of the 4 Nations tournament are much different than the 2014 Olympics...different ice surface, different makeup of the structure of the forward group with (imo) Barzal's primary skillsets being fairly redundant, we're weak on the left side/strong on the right side, etc.. Not to mention Barzal isn't exactly lighting the world on fire, and iirc Duchene was somewhere in the top-10 or so in NHL scoring at the Christmas break in 2013.

 

[therealdeal]

View attachment 936113
Not surprising, But Binningtom and Hill are on the team

Both odd choices frankly. Binnington was not good for Canada in the spring, and Hill has been shady.

Why not Monty?!

 

[JackSlater]

I agree on Duchene. I thought he did an admirable job in 2014. In addition to his C/LW versatility think his skillset, with his speed and play driving ability through the neutral zone, played well on international ice...and to his credit he certainly took advantage of every opportunity to play for Canada internationally which probably helped his reputation with the "powers that be" and got him some reps on international ice.

Barzal is very similar to Duchene. But I think the circumstances of the 4 Nations tournament are much different than the 2014 Olympics...different ice surface, different makeup of the structure of the forward group with (imo) Barzal's primary skillsets being fairly redundant, we're weak on the left side/strong on the right side, etc.. Not to mention Barzal isn't exactly lighting the world on fire, and iirc Duchene was somewhere in the top-10 or so in NHL scoring at the Christmas break in 2013.

Yeah that's all true. Duchene was a good soldier for Canada internationally, not that Barzal always refuses either, but his speed was an asset that that team didn't really have. Barzal is one of the best skaters in the NHL but Canada has quality skaters who are healthier and have produced more. Numbers game for him.

I do think that Duchene consistently showing up for Canada helped push him on that team over guys like Seguin and Hall who were also elite skaters and having strong years that year. Hall and Seguin missed their chance in 2018.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Binnington and Hill making the team kind of hint that management is not going to be putting a ton of weight on the first 1/4 of this season. Probably bodes well for guys off to slow starts and not well for guys hoping their strong starts put them in a better spot to be selected.

Vast majority of this team was likely essentially picked in the summer.

 

[JackSlater]

Daccord negotiations continue.

Correct it seems, sadly. LeBrun talked and wrote about it here: Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill appear set to make Canada's 4 Nations team; Daccord's status unclear | TSN

The key point is at the end - "Here's one of the stumbling blocks: I'm told from a league source he doesn't have a Canadian passport. He is a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S., but doesn't have a passport. That could be a stumbling block. Hockey Canada just trying to make sure it knows all its options. Doesn't mean necessarily it would name him the third guy - just want to know what their options are."

Here are the IIHF statutes and bylaws. The relevant part is Bylaw 4 (page 38), detailing player eligibility, and more specifically 4.1 D, which states that for a player to be eligible for a country he must "Submit to the IIHF a national passport of the representing Country that is valid for the duration of the event."

https://blob.iihf.com/iihf-media/ii...atutes/2024-2028_iihf_statutes_and_bylaws.pdf

 

[Zybalto]

Binnington and Hill making the team kind of hint that management is not going to be putting a ton of weight on the first 1/4 of this season. Probably bodes well for guys off to slow starts and not well for guys hoping their strong starts put them in a better spot to be selected.

Vast majority of this team was likely essentially picked in the summer.

I wonder if this means it's more likely to see a guy like Stamkos make the roster.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Correct it seems, sadly. LeBrun talked and wrote about it here: Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill appear set to make Canada's 4 Nations team; Daccord's status unclear | TSN

The key point is at the end - "Here's one of the stumbling blocks: I'm told from a league source he doesn't have a Canadian passport. He is a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S., but doesn't have a passport. That could be a stumbling block. Hockey Canada just trying to make sure it knows all its options. Doesn't mean necessarily it would name him the third guy - just want to know what their options are."

Here are the IIHF statutes and bylaws. The relevant part is Bylaw 4 (page 38), detailing player eligibility, and more specifically 4.1 D, which states that for a player to be eligible for a country he must "Submit to the IIHF a national passport of the representing Country that is valid for the duration of the event."

https://blob.iihf.com/iihf-media/ii...atutes/2024-2028_iihf_statutes_and_bylaws.pdf

Just name Thompson and be done with it. Daccord will not matter.

 

[Zybalto]

Just name Thompson and be done with it. Daccord will not matter.

If we're looking at this years early hot goalies, Talbot has been great too. The Daccord hand wringing is a bit of a distraction for the team TBH.

 

[JackSlater]

Just name Thompson and be done with it. Daccord will not matter.

Him or whoever else. Pick whichever of the mediocre Canadian goaltenders is actually eligible and be done with it.

 

[thethirdhockeyman91]

As a ranger fan I don’t see why Lafreniere would make this team. He’s been good for a season and a half but there’s better players ahead of him that should be on the roster

 

[FlyingV09]

I think you take Binnington and Hill because of their accomplishments in big pressure games and you take Thompson because he’s playing well currently.

 

[Slats432]

My roster as of today...

Marner - McDavid - Reinhart

Scheifele - MacKinnon - Crosby

Point - Cirelli - Hagel

Konecny - Ryan O’Reilly - Barzal

Suzuki, Stamkos



Makar - Toews

Morrissey - Theodore

Montour - Pietrangelo

Middleton - Harley



Talbot

Thompson

Allen

 

[RoyIsALegend]

My roster as of today...

Marner - McDavid - Reinhart

Scheifele - MacKinnon - Crosby

Point - Cirelli - Hagel

Konecny - Ryan O’Reilly - Barzal

Suzuki, Stamkos



Makar - Toews

Morrissey - Theodore

Montour - Pietrangelo

Middleton - Harley



Talbot

Thompson

Allen

Brad Marchand has already been named to the team.

No Mark Stone?

JACOB MIDDLETON? What!?!

 

[Cypher]

Welp, the Avs just ensured Adin Hill is 1 of the 3 goalies....

 

[crazynaiman]

Here is just my dream team, full of my personal preferences:

Point McDavid Marner
Marchand MacKinnon Crosby
Lafreniere Bedard Celebrini
Konecny Strome Reinhart
Suzuki (or even McMichael)

Makar Toews
Morrissey Theodore
Power Dobson
Montour

GK: all the same

P.S. I just don't want to watch the same 30+ y.o. players like Stone, Scheifele or Pietroangelo again, or some average system players like Hagel, Cirelli. I need a festive, bright and fresh lineup (like a "1st pick" third line). I mean it is not the Olympics, it's the World Cup, which is meant to be a festive and fun tournament. At least in my eyes. I'm not Canadian, so that's how it is for me.

 

[1Gold Standard]

No biggie if Canada mails it in for this NHL marketing nonsense in February, Not to worry... we have a new golden generation that will be ready for primetime February '26. You know, a real and legit international tourney.

Hopefully after that a real World Cup with 8 to 10 teams.

 

[gritdash60]

Lafreniere Bedard Celebrini

Fun line, but im pretty sure if Bedard is playing it's on the wing, Team Canada wont probably have centers with under 40% faceoffs in any case, so maybe swap Celebrini and Bedard in that line and it looks instantly better.

 

[JackSlater]

Here is just my dream team, full of my personal preferences:

Point McDavid Marner
Marchand MacKinnon Crosby
Lafreniere Bedard Celebrini
Konecny Strome Reinhart
Suzuki (or even McMichael)

Makar Toews
Morrissey Theodore
Power Dobson
Montour

GK: all the same

P.S. I just don't want to watch the same 30+ y.o. players like Stone, Scheifele or Pietroangelo again, or some average system players like Hagel, Cirelli. I need a festive, bright and fresh lineup (like a "1st pick" third line). I mean it is not the Olympics, it's the World Cup, which is meant to be a festive and fun tournament. At least in my eyes. I'm not Canadian, so that's how it is for me.

It's not the world cup either. I'm perfectly fine with Canada skewing young though... not that I expect it.

Fun line, but im pretty sure if Bedard is playing it's on the wing, Team Canada wont probably have centers with under 40% faceoffs in any case, so maybe swap Celebrini and Bedard in that line and it looks instantly better.

Bedard should probably be moving to the wing in the NHL as well. If he and Celebrini were to play together in the future it's a lot easier to imagine Celebrini as the centre.