Players u where suprised never got a chance to play WC, CC, OG, WHC

[Eye of Ra]

For Sweden, i was suprised players such as Magnus Wernblom, Thomas Bulan Berglund, Anders Brostrom and Mats Lusth never got a chance to play in a WC. They where very good SHLers with a physical style.

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[Boonk]

Jared Spurgeon has been one of the best two-way defensemen in the NHL for quite a while now and hasn't represented Canada or the US at any tournament at all at the IIHF level...ever.

 

[Albatros]

I don't know if it's surprising despite his longevity, but Gordie Howe.

 

[dalewood12]

The Canadian Olympic rosters are always so deep, but it's still strange that Claude Giroux, Mike Green, Marc Staal or Kris Letang never cracked the roster.

 

[JackSlater]

I don't know if it's surprising despite his longevity, but Gordie Howe.

Realistically, when would Howe have played in these tournaments other than the 1976 Canada Cup when he wasn't good enough to make the team? He wasn't allowed in any of those tournaments for the first quarter century or so of his career. He did play in the 1974 Summit Series though.

Adam Oates was a very good player who never played international hockey, though I'm confident that he did have the chance but rather chose not to, at least when it comes to the IIHF WC.

 

[Gold Standard]

Jared Spurgeon has been one of the best two-way defensemen in the NHL for quite a while now and hasn't represented Canada or the US at any tournament at all at the IIHF level...ever.

Spurgeon has his fair share of supporters at Hockey Canada and he was in consideration for 2014 Olympic team. He just didn't make it. The fact that he hasn't played a IIHF tournament is on him and him alone. I would imagine, given his boosters at Hockey Canada, they would have extended a few invites to suit up in May for a WHC over the years.