World Cup: Four Nations Tournament-Team Canada

[ToDavid]

Given how the Penguins season is going, maybe Crosby should be pulling out of regular season games until the four nations tournament, rather than vice versa.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Did Mark Stone decline?

 

[antiqueslivers]

I wonder if crosby sit outs of the 4 nations tourney, they call up schiefle or not.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Maybe not the right place, and it is a constant rant and gripe of mine...

But I see saw the McDavid interview on SportsNet about this thing, and the Canada jerseys have a Rogers ad on the shoulder sleeve?

Absolutely disgusting the national jersey is bastardized with a soulless corporation's logo. Gross.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Who was chosen as Pietrangelo replacement?

 

[Mathieukferland]

 

[Nucks2001]

I love how Hockey Canada management and Armstrong insist that the selection process was unbiased. Hockey Canada SERIOUSLY needs adults in there.
-Suzuki snubbed because of WC
-Thompson snubbed due to petty coaches
-Assuming Parayko and Binnington were picked because of Armstrong. I do think Parayko makes a strong case for actually being there though.
-Marchand was probably in the first 6 because of Sweeney.

Why can’t we just have the most deserving and best players represent their country?

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Canada should have a GM that is not affiliated with an NHL team, Imo.

 

[Jets4Life]

I wonder if crosby sit outs of the 4 nations tourney, they call up schiefle or not.

Scheifele should have been picked. Ditto for Logan Thompson. This is not the best Team Canada roster.

Canada should have a GM that is not affiliated with an NHL team, Imo.

This roster give me Bobby Clarke 1998 vibes.

 

[Nucks2001]

Anyone think they roll both Morrissey and Theodore on the 2nd PP? I think it would be Interesting to get the most use of their offensive defencemen.
Something like:

Marner-Point-Konecny/Stone
Morrisey-Theodore

The one pro thing about this team is that you can literally switch any player from PP2 to PK and vice-versa without a hiccup. Marchand, Hagel, Cirelli, Jarvis can all play the PP and Point, Marner and Konecny can all PK

Still wish they brought a more versatile center outside of Cirelli. Bennett just doesn’t cut it.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Should be good to go hopefully

 

[CapsCrazyX17]

OG Caps fans know that Cassidy might be a good coach but he's an insensitive, petty human being.

 

[yessir29292]

Anyone think they roll both Morrissey and Theodore on the 2nd PP? I think it would be Interesting to get the most use of their offensive defencemen.
Something like:

Marner-Point-Konecny/Stone
Morrisey-Theodore

The one pro thing about this team is that you can literally switch any player from PP2 to PK and vice-versa without a hiccup. Marchand, Hagel, Cirelli, Jarvis can all play the PP and Point, Marner and Konecny can all PK

Still wish they brought a more versatile center outside of Cirelli. Bennett just doesn’t cut it.

Makes sense to have 2 D out there... especially if they are only going to be out there for the last 20-30 seconds of the powerplay

 

[robertocarlos]

Based on the schedule the USA could screw Canada by beating them on Saturday and then deliberately manipulating the score against Sweden. Canada then misses the playoff game.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

The media is saying Adin Hill is the starter. I would go with Binnington myself.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Canada should have a GM that is not affiliated with an NHL team, Imo.

I certainly like the concept although there will never be a full time job allocated to this so I can see why they get current execs to do it off the sides of their desks.

 

[kris]

I certainly like the concept although there will never be a full time job allocated to this so I can see why they get current execs to do it off the sides of their desks.

If there can't be a full time job for this in Hockey Canada what are they even doing?

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

How Sanheim made the team over Weegar is a head scratcher.

 

[PanniniClaus]

I love how Hockey Canada management and Armstrong insist that the selection process was unbiased. Hockey Canada SERIOUSLY needs adults in there.
-Suzuki snubbed because of WC
-Thompson snubbed due to petty coaches
-Assuming Parayko and Binnington were picked because of Armstrong. I do think Parayko makes a strong case for actually being there though.
-Marchand was probably in the first 6 because of Sweeney.

Why can’t we just have the most deserving and best players represent their country?

I guess for me, I would want to understand it better to know if there is an actual issue or not with Thompson. His play does suggest he could be there and if he keeps it up you have to believe he is in the picture for 2026.

Suzuki should have been at last year's Worlds and is nowhere good enough a player to just consider a lock. I do like him over Bennett however. There is a reason Canada is loyal to those that sacrifice... that's not about being an adult in my view.

Marchand is there for being the MVP in 2016... 8 and a half years ago.

I don't think any federation's decision making is unbiased. Most teams have these internal debates. Heck, the Swiss Federation is looking at leaving Bischel out of the Olympics because of Junior participation or lacj thereof.

If there can't be a full time job for this in Hockey Canada what are they even doing?

Oh you could probably get some half assed executive at Hockey Canada to do this but I assume we all would want to have it in the hands of the best talent evaluators, not Susan ( who topped out in U18 house) or Frank (has an MBA and hasn't played past high school) appointed by the Board of Directors. Whom at Hockey Canada would you trust to this?

 

[sepHF]

How long do they have to name replacements for injured players?

 

[PanniniClaus]

The media is saying Adin Hill is the starter. I would go with Binnington myself.

On form... It's Hill.

How long do they have to name replacements for injured players?

Thought it was the 10th. But I may be dreaming. Certainly want all the notice you can.. why they haven't announced a replacement for Petro is beyond me.

 

[Nucks2001]

How Sanheim made the team over Weegar is a head scratcher.

That one was a head scratcher too, not as much because Sanhiem is a better defensive guy than Weegar, but one of Bouchard or Weegar should definitely have made it.

The bigger snubs are Scheifele and obviously Logan Thompson. Robert Thomas imo, is a bigger snub that no one talks about. Filled out all the check boxes that they wanted, was playing well, and has a Stanley Cup.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

The three best Canadian goalies are Blackwood, Thompson and Daccord yet none of them are on Team Canada, lol.

(yes I know Daccord had Visa issues, but still).

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

That one was a head scratcher too, not as much because Sanhiem is a better defensive guy than Weegar, but one of Bouchard or Weegar should definitely have made it.

The bigger snubs are Scheifele and obviously Logan Thompson. Robert Thomas imo, is a bigger snub that no one talks about. Filled out all the check boxes that they wanted, was playing well, and has a Stanley Cup.

I think management likely saw enough PMD in Makar, Toews, Theodore and Morrissey that they wanted another shutdown D so they chose Sanheim.

I would have selected Thomas and Schefiele over Cirelli and Hagel. Cirelli and Hagel have overachieved this year and I'm still waiting for both of them to come back down to earth.

Thompson is unproven and I think his numbers this year are inflated due to Carberys system.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

I'll withhold an opinion on the goaltending until I see them play the actual games.

I'm good with the defense. With Pietrangelo out, I'm interested to see who management selects as his replacement. I'll bet its Doughty and, if that's the case, I'm certainly OK with it. I'd be good with Weegar too. With Makar, Morrissey and Theodore all on the team already I have a hard time seeing Bouchard as the replacement but you never know.

At forward, I'll preface what I'm about to say with stating that I understand where the management team is coming from and what kind of forward group they were trying to build. We're also short on LHS forwards (thus players like Marchand and Bennett). However, I would have liked to have seen (1) more scoring ability on the wings, and (2) better faceoff ability at the bottom of the lineup, particularly RHS.

I really believe Thomas would have fit the bill as a bottom-6 centre option that can play a reliable ES game. He's near PPG, fairly versatile up and down the lineup (i.e., we'd be in good hands with Thomas if one of our top centres got injured), he can kill penalties, and he's very strong on faceoffs (56%) and would be our best RHS faceoff guy. While Thomas doesn't have the same scoring pedigree as Scheifele, he's more versatile in my opinion and fits in the forward group better.

Switching Bennett out for Thomas would improve the team I believe. Players like Cirelli and Konecny and Hagel (to a lesser extent) are capable of playing a hard-nosed game in the bottom-6. That said, I hope Bennett plays well and does the job they expect him to.

As far as Marchand is concerned, he probably shouldn't have made the team in hindsight and management handcuffed themselves to him by naming him one of the first 8 players. I think Duchene would have been a better selection. Can play any forward position, he's playing really well this season, still a dynamic skater, and has a long history with Hockey Canada. If not Duchene, I would have rolled the dice on Johnston after his terrific playoff last year and, low and behold, he's now turned his game around and is playing as well as we would have expected before the season started.

Someone like Suzuki is not nearly good enough to make the national team without getting his ass over to the World Championships. I have absolutely no problem with the management group not selecting him and there are a number of better players who deserve to be there ahead of him anyway.