Olympics: Team Canada 2018 Roster discussion

[Bear12Good]

Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron
Benn-Mcdavid-Seguin
Tavares-Giroux Scheifele
Stamkos-Toews--Carter
Getzlaf,Perry

Weber-Doughty
Vlasic--Burns
Keith-Pietangelo
Ekblad



Price-Holtby-Crawford

 

[86Habs]

Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Benn - McDavid - Seguin
Duchene - Toews - Carter
Tavares - Scheifele - Stamkos
O'Reilly, MacKinnon

Keith - Doughty
Vlasic - Letang
Pietrangelo - Burns
Weber, Brodie

Price
Holtby
Murray

HMs:
F - Getzlaf, Stone, Hall, Couture, Perry
D - Subban, Rielly, Ekblad

That is my current projection, about a year out and assuming NHLers go. All depends on the management team and, most importantly, the coaching staff that's assembled, though. The team above generally assumes Babcock returns as head coach, but turns the page on Getzlaf & Perry. Tough to say at this point, though.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

No matter what combination people throw up, Team Canada looks outrageously good.

Embarrassment of riches.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Benn - McDavid - Seguin
Duchene - Toews - Carter
Tavares - Scheifele - Stamkos
O'Reilly, MacKinnon

Keith - Doughty
Vlasic - Letang
Pietrangelo - Burns
Weber, Brodie

Price
Holtby
Murray

HMs:
F - Getzlaf, Stone, Hall, Couture, Perry
D - Subban, Rielly, Ekblad

That is my current projection, about a year out and assuming NHLers go. All depends on the management team and, most importantly, the coaching staff that's assembled, though. The team above generally assumes Babcock returns as head coach, but turns the page on Getzlaf & Perry. Tough to say at this point, though.

I'd question all those highlighted presently, all underperforming. Stamkos, granted, is on LTIR, but if several of these players don't rebound, I'd drop a few of them for players who are performing. The 1st. 2 to get the axe would be the Avs duo. Having to cut Bergeron or Tavares would be an arrow through my heart though.... but I don't play favorites, everybody gets the Getzlaf/Perry treatment from me, except maybe for Towes. but he better snap out of it...and soon.

 

[JackSlater]

I'd question all those highlighted presently, all underperforming. Stamkos, granted, is on LTIR, but if several of these players don't rebound, I'd drop a few of them for players who are performing. The 1st. 2 to get the axe would be the Avs duo. Having to cut Bergeron or Tavares would be an arrow through my heart though.... but I don't play favorites, everybody gets the Getzlaf/Perry treatment from me, except maybe for Towes. but he better snap out of it...and soon.

Tavares is there. The Islanders are a mess. His situation is a worse version of what Crosby had at the beginning of last season.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Tavares is there. The Islanders are a mess. His situation is a worse version of what Crosby had at the beginning of last season.

I don't buy it to this extent, regardless of the mess the NYI are, he needs to perform better. and 2 good games in a row is a good start. Now, I hope he has a monster 2nd. half and then hops a flight to Paris with McDavid sitting next to him. He should want a positive end to the season. But I won't complain if he decides he needs a full summer of R&R and takes a pass on Paris.

 

[xxxx]

I don't buy it to this extent, regardless of the mess the NYI are, he needs to perform better. and 2 good games in a row is a good start. Now, I hope he has a monster 2nd. half and then hops a flight to Paris with McDavid sitting next to him. He should want a positive end to the season. But I won't complain if he decides he needs a full summer of R&R and takes a pass on Paris.

I'm sorry but a half of a season shouldn't make it or break it for any player.

Quite frankly, Marchand is a lock too btw. Who saw what the line was doing at the World Cup knows exactly what I'm talking about. I have never seen Crosby having such a chemistry in his career on any line, other than maybe Kunitz and Dupuis when they were all on the top of the world. Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron will be our 1st line in Korea, you can bet on that.

 

[JackSlater]

I don't buy it to this extent, regardless of the mess the NYI are, he needs to perform better. and 2 good games in a row is a good start. Now, I hope he has a monster 2nd. half and then hops a flight to Paris with McDavid sitting next to him. He should want a positive end to the season. But I won't complain if he decides he needs a full summer of R&R and takes a pass on Paris.

The case study takes place now. Te Islanders finally fired Capuano, so it will be up to Tavares to demonstrate what exactly the problem was. I am expecting a strong second half from him.

 

[waitin425]

Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron
Benn-McDavid-Seguin
Tavares-Toews-Stamkos
Hall-Schiefele-Carter
MacKinnon

Doughty-Keith
Weber-Burns
Pietro-subban
Ekblad

Total spitball on my part without a ton of forethought. I think ekblad needs a monster start to next season to rebound and make this team.

 

[xxxx]

Up front I have a pretty clear idea of what 14 players I would select now (with 2 possible changes), and I also have a clear TOP5 on defence, plus two goalies I would have 100%. It's pretty opened for the last goalie, and for the remaining 3 defensemen. Also, of course, there's many great forwards being left off and like 12 options for 2 or 3 questionable spots.

Let's start in goal - Price and Holtby would be my duo,and what a strong duo that would be. Then, there is so so many good goalies, I could find a reason for any of them to be the third one. It could be Murray, it could be Jones, or it could be the more experienced Fleury or Luongo. Or Dubnyk, who's Hart nomination two years ago, and this year's fantastic numbers are probably not a coincidence. And then there's Crawford, the 2-time SC winner, and has World Cup experience.

My 5 Ds would be Keith, Vlasic, and Doughty, Burns, and Weber. For the remaining three spots I consider 5 LH-ed and 4 RH-ed defenders the most - Rielly, Muzzin, Giordano, Brodie, and Bouwmeester, and Pietrangelo, Letang, Subban, and Ekblad.

I have a pretty clear vision of what 14 forwards would I take right now, so I'll just post the whole line-up:

Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Stamkos - McDavid - Carter
Benn - Toews - Seguin
Tavares - Getzlaf - Scheifele
O'Reilly
Marner

 

[Oberyn]

Up front I have a pretty clear idea of what 14 players I would select now (with 2 possible changes), and I also have a clear TOP5 on defence, plus two goalies I would have 100%. It's pretty opened for the last goalie, and for the remaining 3 defensemen. Also, of course, there's many great forwards being left off and like 12 options for 2 or 3 questionable spots.

Let's start in goal - Price and Holtby would be my duo,and what a strong duo that would be. Then, there is so so many good goalies, I could find a reason for any of them to be the third one. It could be Murray, it could be Jones, or it could be the more experienced Fleury or Luongo. Or Dubnyk, who's Hart nomination two years ago, and this year's fantastic numbers are probably not a coincidence. And then there's Crawford, the 2-time SC winner, and has World Cup experience.

My 5 Ds would be Keith, Vlasic, and Doughty, Burns, and Weber. For the remaining three spots I consider 5 LH-ed and 4 RH-ed defenders the most - Rielly, Muzzin, Giordano, Brodie, and Bouwmeester, and Pietrangelo, Letang, Subban, and Ekblad.

I have a pretty clear vision of what 14 forwards would I take right now, so I'll just post the whole line-up:

Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Stamkos - McDavid - Carter
Benn - Toews - Seguin
Tavares - Getzlaf - Scheifele
O'Reilly
Marner

Marner doesn't even sniff the roster

 

[Butch26]

CAN
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Stamkos - McDavid - Tavares
Benn - Toews - Seguin
Hall - Scheifele - Simmonds
Duchene - Getzlaf
1.Mackinnon 2.Carter 3.Marner 4.Stone 5.Perry 6.Couture

Keith - Doughty
Vlasic - Burns
Rielly - Weber
Letang - Subban
1.Parayko 2.Pietrangelo 3.Hamilton 4.Barrie 5.Ekblad 6.Muzzin 7.Giordano

Price
Hotbly
Crawford

 

[ProspectsSTC]

Give me Benn-McDavid-Stone as a line

 

[JackSlater]

I'm not going to bother making a projected roster until the status of NHL participation is updated in some significant manner, but I must say that this will be quite a missed opportunity for Canada if the NHL doesn't participate. Canada will still have a very large talent edge next year. By 2022 and beyond it looks like the competition will be tighter for Canada.

 

[ToewsGretzky*]

I'm not going to bother making a projected roster until the status of NHL participation is updated in some significant manner, but I must say that this will be quite a missed opportunity for Canada if the NHL doesn't participate. Canada will still have a very large talent edge next year. By 2022 and beyond it looks like the competition will be tighter for Canada.

Canada just won back to back IIHF World Championships 2015 & 2016 with teams with average ages of 23-24 years old, the youth of those back to back IIHF teams continues to be not talked about at all.. if that were any other country people would be proclaiming them as unstoppable come 2022 and beyond Olympics.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Canada just won back to back IIHF World Championships 2015 & 2016 with teams with average ages of 23-24 years old, the youth of those back to back IIHF teams continues to be not talked about at all.. if that were any other country people would be proclaiming them as unstoppable come 2022 and beyond Olympics.

Ya, I wouldn't read too much into those 2 tournaments. Of the 2 teams and in the age group you are referencing, players who have yet to make their debut with the Senior team at a real Best on Best tournament is, by my estimation, only about 5 or 6 players. So not exactly the cup runneth over. players like McDavid, Hall, Ekblad and Mackinnon ect. Mac and Ekblad seem to be experiencing some hiccups at the moment.

 

[ToewsGretzky*]

Ya, I wouldn't read too much into those 2 tournaments. Of the 2 teams and in the age group you are referencing, players who have yet to make their debut with the Senior team at a real Best on Best tournament is, by my estimation, only about 5 or 6 players. So not exactly the cup runneth over. players like McDavid, Hall, Ekblad and Mackinnon ect. Mac and Ekblad seem to be experiencing some hiccups at the moment.

True but I think players like MacKinnon and Ekblad experiencing hiccups is just a result of the teams they play on, their talent is there, we know that. MacKinnon and Ekblad could have played on Canada's 2016 World Cup team easily and still would have resulted in a gold. McDavid and Hall also easily could have been there at the 16' World Cup over guys like Couture and Thornton.

 

[JackSlater]

Canada just won back to back IIHF World Championships 2015 & 2016 with teams with average ages of 23-24 years old, the youth of those back to back IIHF teams continues to be not talked about at all.. if that were any other country people would be proclaiming them as unstoppable come 2022 and beyond Olympics.

True, but many fans (especially from other countries) get over-excited by small achievements like the one you mentioned, so it's not a reasonable standard. In 2022 Canada will probably be weaker than it is now, while at least two teams (Finland and USA) will definitely be stronger. Sweden will probably be similar. Russia might even have a decent defenceman by 2022. Makes for a tougher road.

 

[lawrence]

Put Crosby and Mcjesus on the same line.

 

[ToewsGretzky*]

True, but many fans (especially from other countries) get over-excited by small achievements like the one you mentioned, so it's not a reasonable standard. In 2022 Canada will probably be weaker than it is now, while at least two teams (Finland and USA) will definitely be stronger. Sweden will probably be similar. Russia might even have a decent defenceman by 2022. Makes for a tougher road.

Winning the IIHF World Championships is not a small achievement, the tournament is a test of the depth of a nation, inability to win it such as nations like the US shows poor depth, ability to win it displays depth, aka an integral part of being a hockey superpower.

There is no data to suggest Sweden will be of similar caliber to Canada in 2022, none at all. The narrative that Canada isn't also improving needs to stop. Canada will have more sheer talent and speed than at any time in our history come 2022.

 

[JackSlater]

Winning the IIHF World Championships is not a small achievement, the tournament is a test of the depth of a nation, inability to win it such as nations like the US shows poor depth, ability to win it displays depth, aka an integral part of being a hockey superpower.

That's pretty much fiction. USA loses every year because it gets one or two of their Olympic level players at best, not because of a lack of depth. Different countries receive vastly different levels of player support at that tournament. If Russia has 50% of its Olympic team and finishes ahead of American team with 5% of its Olympic team (both of which being realistic possibilities every year), that tells us next to nothing about depth. That most of the best players don't bother going not only demonstrates why the tournament fails as a test of depth but also conveys why the achievement is pretty minor.

There is no data to suggest Sweden will be of similar caliber to Canada in 2022, none at all.

Similar to its current level.

The narrative that Canada isn't also improving needs to stop. Canada will have more sheer talent and speed than at any time in our history come 2022.

No, accurate statements shouldn't stop. Canada had a bumper crop of talent that will mostly be aged out of elite level hockey by 2022, and the players that will be replacing them by then are not as good and don't project to be as good. The next few drafts don't look promising for Canada at the moment. These things are cyclical, but 2022 will likely see Canada in a bit of a lull.

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

Marner doesn't even sniff the roster

Definitely don't think he'll make the 2018 roster, but I see him getting a camp invite. He'll be a member of the top Team Canada team post-2018 for sure. Babcock as his coach also will give him a little edge, as will Rielly (shortage of LD will also play into that).

 

[xxxx]

Definitely don't think he'll make the 2018 roster, but I see him getting a camp invite. He'll be a member of the top Team Canada team post-2018 for sure. Babcock as his coach also will give him a little edge, as will Rielly (shortage of LD will also play into that).

I'm not sure if Marner is underrated on this site or I overrate him, but to me he seems like a legit star already. If he gets even better next year, he will definitely be talked about in the media in relation to the team.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Winning the IIHF World Championships is not a small achievement, the tournament is a test of the depth of a nation, inability to win it such as nations like the US shows poor depth, ability to win it displays depth, aka an integral part of being a hockey superpower.

There is no data to suggest Sweden will be of similar caliber to Canada in 2022, none at all. The narrative that Canada isn't also improving needs to stop. Canada will have more sheer talent and speed than at any time in our history come 2022.

I'll repeat here for the men's senior team a comment I wrote on TSN's page way back in the day, 2010 to be exact, after the junior team's disappointing OT loss, "enjoy it now, because there'll be fewer and fewer gold medals for our junior team if things remain as they are at Hockey Canada."

If NHL players do compete in S. Korea next year, enjoy it, as it will be the final best on best tournament that Canada will play as the odds on favorite. and odds on favorite is not a guarantee of winning anything.

And the IIHF World Championship means little. I enjoy winning it, it's a fun primer for that evening's NHL playoff action, but it's just for ***** and giggles.

 

[ToewsGretzky*]

I'll repeat here for the men's senior team a comment I wrote on TSN's page way back in the day, 2010 to be exact, after the junior team's disappointing OT loss, "enjoy it now, because there'll be fewer and fewer gold medals for our junior team if things remain as they are at Hockey Canada."

If NHL players do compete in S. Korea next year, enjoy it, as it will be the final best on best tournament that Canada will play as the odds on favorite. and odds on favorite is not a guarantee of winning anything.

And the IIHF World Championship means little. I enjoy winning it, it's a fun primer for that evening's NHL playoff action, but it's just for ***** and giggles.

I am quite shocked by your doom and gloom..Canada will be the odds on favourite in 2022. What you're essentially saying is that in just 5 years Canada's best possible players and best possible mens national team won't be considered the team to beat anymore? absurdity.

The World Juniors are irrelevant and have zero bearing on future mens tournaments..this is documented. US has produced nothing at the mens level with its 2004 and 2010 World Juniors, the 2013 gold hasn't produced anything for them either. Canada didn't win junior gold from 1998 to 2004, yet Canada has still managed amazing success at the mens level in this current decade.