Is Canada a wagon at WJC this year?

[Jared Dunn]

I know it's kind of gold or bust every year and last year was very much bust but was thinking about what their roster might be and I feel like it's unusually strong if all available

Catton-Yager-Sennecke
Cowan-Lindstrom-Wood
Barlow-Iginla-Greentree
Cristall-Boisvert-Luchanko (likely imo)
Rehkopf, Letourneau, Hage, Heidt, Parascak, Martone, Misa...

Dickinson-Yakemchuk
Molendyk-Parekh
Bonk-Brunicke
Danford, Akey...

Not sure on the goalies but feel like that will be tough to beat

Click to read more...

 

[TheBeastCoast]

It is a very strong and deep group this year. Americans are going to be strong again this year though.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I think you might have forgotten 1 pretty good forward in particular. There some northern rivalry between Yellowknife and Whitehorse or what lol
Team looks pretty average on the whole to me. Not a wagon year, not a down year. Normal average year.
Bjarnason should be one of the goalies i think. On talent Ravensbergen, but he's 17 and hasn't had the greatest start to the season so far.

 

[Chainshot]

I know it's kind of gold or bust every year and last year was very much bust but was thinking about what their roster might be and I feel like it's unusually strong if all available

Catton-Yager-Sennecke
Cowan-Lindstrom-Wood
Barlow-Iginla-Greentree
Cristall-Boisvert-Luchanko (likely imo)
Rehkopf, Letourneau, Hage, Heidt, Parascak, Martone, Misa...

Dickinson-Yakemchuk
Molendyk-Parekh
Bonk-Brunicke
Danford, Akey...

Not sure on the goalies but feel like that will be tough to beat

Figure one of the tenders is potentially Ratzlaff since he was the #3 last year. Not that I think he'd be the started, though the way the Nats handled last year's net was... odd.

 

[Mathieukferland]

I know it's kind of gold or bust every year and last year was very much bust but was thinking about what their roster might be and I feel like it's unusually strong if all available

Catton-Yager-Sennecke
Cowan-Lindstrom-Wood
Barlow-Iginla-Greentree
Cristall-Boisvert-Luchanko (likely imo)
Rehkopf, Letourneau, Hage, Heidt, Parascak, Martone, Misa...

Dickinson-Yakemchuk
Molendyk-Parekh
Bonk-Brunicke
Danford, Akey...

Not sure on the goalies but feel like that will be tough to beat

This projected team+The previously mentioned missing Yukon forward is the deepest group they’ve had since the cancelled winter tournament of 2022, and goaltending should some good options between Ratzlaff, Bjarnsson, Ravensberg, Ivankovic and George.


However, seeing as last year’s GM Peter Anholt is back, expect the bottom of the roster to be gutted of depth scoring and replaced with "character" guys and "good stories"

 

[howkie]

No Hage? Well kinda expected, since he never been on any team canada before so..

 

[jj cale]

Strong team but not a wagon, co fave along with the U.S team.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

No QMJHL player? Gauthier and Cataford should be there IMO.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

No QMJHL player? Gauthier and Cataford should be there IMO.

No they shouldn't IMO. Not above any of the players mentioned above.

 

[BKarchitect]

No they shouldn't IMO. Not above any of the players mentioned above.

What have guys like Barlow or Boisvert (an 06) done to be considered ahead of guys like Cataford?

This isn’t a glamour competition about “highest upside NHL prospect”.

Cataford and Gauthier as experienced 05’s with some role versatility and who are absolutely dominating similar aged junior competition absolutely deserve consideration.

 

[Gustave]

McKenna will be hard to cut, even if he’s 16.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

No Hage? Well kinda expected, since he never been on any team canada before so..

Who is Hage going to bump off this team right now? Next year is probably his year.

No they shouldn't IMO. Not above any of the players mentioned above.

You are just blatantly ignorant if you think Cataford is worse then every single player listed above.

 

[WarriorofTime]

They are the clear favorite and at home because of the strong 06 group, USA has a good 05 group (and Hagens 06) but is weaker on defense this year.

 

[kudla]

Yeah, Martone is making this team

 

[frontsfan67]

I know it's kind of gold or bust every year and last year was very much bust but was thinking about what their roster might be and I feel like it's unusually strong if all available

Catton-Yager-Sennecke
Cowan-Lindstrom-Wood
Barlow-Iginla-Greentree
Cristall-Boisvert-Luchanko (likely imo)
Rehkopf, Letourneau, Hage, Heidt, Parascak, Martone, Misa...

Dickinson-Yakemchuk
Molendyk-Parekh
Bonk-Brunicke
Danford, Akey...

Not sure on the goalies but feel like that will be tough to beat

Favourites are definitely Canada and US as per usual

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Who is Hage going to bump off this team right now? Next year is probably his year.


You are just blatantly ignorant if you think Cataford is worse then every single player listed above.

Cataford is a fine hockey player but IMO I'd want to incorporate the 2025 draft eligible guys like Martone, Misa ect.

I only see Cataford as a Bottom 6 guy and Hockey Canada has already groomed players like Jett Luchenko and Cole Beaudoin through the U-17 and Ivan Hlinka tournaments so i don't see where he fits in.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

What have guys like Barlow or Boisvert (an 06) done to be considered ahead of guys like Cataford?

This isn’t a glamour competition about “highest upside NHL prospect”.

Cataford and Gauthier as experienced 05’s with some role versatility and who are absolutely dominating similar aged junior competition absolutely deserve consideration.

Boisvert already played for team Canada at the U-17 and is a top line player at North Dakota at 18.

 

[BKarchitect]

As usual, people expecting way too many 17 and 18 year-olds to be on this team because of draft pedigree.

Canada won’t pass on Cataford and who can play up and down the line-up and are demolishing their CHL league as experienced 19 year-olds.

 

[JackSlater]

Canada looks very deep this year, which is good. Not sure that the top end is going to blow teams away though. It bodes well for the future that Canada will likely be cutting several very good players for this level, but it doesn't help the team win if a theoretical Canadian B team at the 2025 WJC is better than the other theoretical B teams.

I also expect Canada to have a few random selections that will leave heads scratching. A lot of first rounders and high end draft prospects (several who will be 18 at the time of the tournament) this year though.

 

[BKarchitect]

Boisvert already played for team Canada at the U-17 and is a top line player at North Dakota at 18.

Cataford is destroying the Q, can play up and down a line-up and already played for Team Canada as an U18.

This is draft position bias, pure and simple. Cataford almost assuredly won’t even be the lowest drafted 2005 born player selected. We know how this goes, whether you like it or not, this isn’t simply about talent. There will be an Allard or two this year. Hell, Cataford is a top 3 round pick so he doesn’t even qualify for dark horse role.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Cataford is destroying the Q, can play up and down a line-up and already played for Team Canada as an U18.

This is draft position bias, pure and simple. Cataford almost assuredly won’t even be the lowest drafted 2005 born player selected.

Cataford was a 3rd round pick which is really good. It's not some draft position bias. We're not talking about some undrafted player nobody knew about.

Hockey Canada has a strong preference for selecting players who played previously in the Ivan Hlinka and the U-17. Cataford has never played at those tournaments.

I'm sure Cataford will be invited but he will have to be head and shoulders above someone who already has the history with Hockey Canada to make the team.

 

[BKarchitect]

Cataford was a 3rd round pick which is really good. It's not some draft position bias. We're not talking about some undrafted player nobody knew about.

Hockey Canada has a strong preference for selecting players who played previously in the Ivan Hlinka and the U-17. Cataford has never played at those tournaments.

I'm sure Cataford will be invited but he will have to be head and shoulders above someone who already has the history with Hockey Canada to make the team.

Cataford played at HG. So did Gauthier who was one of Canada’s top performers.

Boisvert didn’t, is still 18 and plays in a the NCAA. Again, not saying it’s correct but how on earth would he have an inside track over those guys on this years TC?

 

[jj cale]

Canada looks very deep this year, which is good. Not sure that the top end is going to blow teams away though. It bodes well for the future that Canada will likely be cutting several very good players for this level, but it doesn't help the team win if a theoretical Canadian B team at the 2025 WJC is better than the other theoretical B teams.

I also expect Canada to have a few random selections that will leave heads scratching. A lot of first rounders and high end draft prospects (several who will be 18 at the time of the tournament) this year though.

I don't see the top end as being all world either, I actually like the U.S top end on forwards a touch better.

And that is not even counting Smith who no one thought would return to play for the U.S this year but they might even get back now

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Cataford played at HG. So did Gauthier who was one of Canada’s top performers.

Boisvert didn’t, is still 18 and plays in a the NCAA. Again, not saying it’s correct but how on earth would he have an inside track over those guys on this years TC?

Yes you are right. He only had one point so he was at the bottom of the list and i missed it. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Cataford is destroying the Q, can play up and down a line-up and already played for Team Canada as an U18.

This is draft position bias, pure and simple. Cataford almost assuredly won’t even be the lowest drafted 2005 born player selected. We know how this goes, whether you like it or not, this isn’t simply about talent. There will be an Allard or two this year. Hell, Cataford is a top 3 round pick so he doesn’t even qualify for dark horse role.

The only thing about Mathieu Cataford (nice first name lol) that might be held against is that his only prior appearance with hockey Canada, the 2022 Hlinka, he was moved down the lineup and eventually ended up as the 13th forward.


It was the only time I had seen cataford play, but if it’s up to me the only Québec player I would bring is Boisvert, he fits a bottom line role better because he plays in a similar way to Jake Neighbours, extremely physical goalscorer, and in past Dave Cameron teams there are always seems to be one of those players brought (M. Foligno, Neighbours, Kassian etc). Would not be my personal choice but don’t discount Éthan Gauthier either, played well at that same Hlinka and is a similar player