Olympics: Team Canada 2022 (Part 2)

[Stewie Griffin]

Again, if Sid and McDavid are a line, Sid will be getting the center duties. It makes 100% more sense that way because Sid's better defensively, much better on faceoffs, and it allows McDavid to utilize his speed in quick transition by playing the wing spot in the defensive zone.

Agreed. I also think they would opt to keep marchand and Bergeron together. I think the forward group looks something like:
McDavid-Crosby-Stone
Huberdeau-Mackinnon-Marner
Marchand-Bergeron-Scheifele
Couturier-O'Reilly-Stamkos
Tavares and Barzal as extras

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Again, if Sid and McDavid are a line, Sid will be getting the center duties. It makes 100% more sense that way because Sid's better defensively, much better on faceoffs, and it allows McDavid to utilize his speed in quick transition by playing the wing spot in the defensive zone.

I would be stunned if they move the best player in the world out of position. Getting the best out of McDavid should be a priority.

The ability to have that speed through the middle of the ice, entering, and exiting the zone with possession, and controlling the game down the middle. I don’t know why you’d want to give that up. McDavid is a natural centre. He’s the one that sticks at centre, when Draisaitl plays on his line.

Crosby could still take some faceoffs on the wing. It’s not uncommon at all for wingers to take an abundance of faceoffs.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Agreed. I also think they would opt to keep marchand and Bergeron together. I think the forward group looks something like:
McDavid-Crosby-Stone
Huberdeau-Mackinnon-Marner
Marchand-Bergeron-Scheifele
Couturier-O'Reilly-Stamkos
Tavares and Barzal as extras

Where is Point? Point will be on the roster, Tavares won't be.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Where is Point? Point will be on the roster, Tavares won't be.

Honestly completely forgot about him as I just looked at the names on a previous posters list lol. Let me do some shuffling then:
McDavid-Crosby-Stone
Huberdeau-Mackinnon-Marner
Marchand-Bergeron-Point
Stamkos-O'Reilly-Scheifele (swap Couturier or Barzal for one of the 4th line wingers)

 

[Mathieukferland]

Any (slim) chance MacKenzie Blackwood had of making them team is likely eliminated, he is playing the season unvaccinated

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Good for him. His reasoning makes complete sense. Taking a stand on principle can be more important than money or professional accomplishments.

 

[zeke]

I would be stunned if they move the best player in the world out of position. Getting the best out of McDavid should be a priority.

The ability to have that speed through the middle of the ice, entering, and exiting the zone with possession, and controlling the game down the middle. I don’t know why you’d want to give that up. McDavid is a natural centre. He’s the one that sticks at centre, when Draisaitl plays on his line.

Crosby could still take some faceoffs on the wing. It’s not uncommon at all for wingers to take an abundance of faceoffs.

Well, wing is easier so "out of position" doesn't matter.

The center simply has more defensive responsibility and McDavid isn't great there. Since almost the entire Canadian team is centers it could make sense to put the best defensive centers up the middle - especially since guys like Crosby and Point are so damn good offensively anyways.

 

[Habs10025]

Sidney Crosby will play center team Canada/Olympics.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I would be stunned if they move the best player in the world out of position. Getting the best out of McDavid should be a priority.

The ability to have that speed through the middle of the ice, entering, and exiting the zone with possession, and controlling the game down the middle. I don’t know why you’d want to give that up. McDavid is a natural centre. He’s the one that sticks at centre, when Draisaitl plays on his line.

Crosby could still take some faceoffs on the wing. It’s not uncommon at all for wingers to take an abundance of faceoffs.

Crosby's better defensively, though. If Crosby is taking draws and Crosby is the one playing deep in the defensive zone, then why would McDavid be the center? McDavid being better in transition actually works better on the wing since it frees him up to concentrate on that aspect and leave the defensive stuff to the center (ie. what Kane and Kucherov do).

Being the "winger" doesn't suddenly negate McDavid's ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone any more than it limits Kane, Kucherov, Bure, Jagr, etc. from doing it. He does that a lot with the Oilers, anyways. Draisaitl will often times take the "center" role in the defensive zone to allow McDavid to be nearer the blueline for quick breaks. It would be no different with Crosby.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Crosby's better defensively, though. If Crosby is taking draws and Crosby is the one playing deep in the defensive zone, then why would McDavid be the center? McDavid being better in transition actually works better on the wing since it frees him up to concentrate on that aspect and leave the defensive stuff to the center (ie. what Kane and Kucherov do).

Being the "winger" doesn't suddenly negate McDavid's ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone any more than it limits Kane, Kucherov, Bure, Jagr, etc. from doing it. He does that a lot with the Oilers, anyways. Draisaitl will often times take the "center" role in the defensive zone to allow McDavid to be nearer the blueline for quick breaks. It would be no different with Crosby.

I mean, I like Sid a lot, but it’s not like he’s prime Toews defensively.

The difference between McDavid and Crosby defensively isn’t worth moving McDavid away from his natural position.

Sid can take the faceoffs and McDavid can still play down the middle. Similar to Landeskog and MacKinnon in Colorado.

Crosby could be a lot like Marchand on the wing for Canada. Great skill, but also the ability to win puck battles and retrieve pucks in the corners.

 

[um]

Good for him. His reasoning makes complete sense. Taking a stand on principle can be more important than money or professional accomplishments.

Or anybody else's health

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Or anybody else's health

I don’t think he’s effecting that.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I mean, I like Sid a lot, but it’s not like he’s prime Toews defensively.

The difference between McDavid and Crosby defensively isn’t worth moving McDavid away from his natural position.

Sid can take the faceoffs and McDavid can still play down the middle. Similar to Landeskog and MacKinnon in Colorado.

Crosby could be a lot like Marchand on the wing for Canada. Great skill, but also the ability to win puck battles and retrieve pucks in the corners.

You keep saying the bolded, but you keep ignoring the fact McDavid does that very thing often when he's with Draisaitl. Often times McDavid will play the "winger" role on that line, so he's used to playing that role and it doesn't affect his game. Draisaitl doesn't just take the faceoffs then move to the wing, he'll play the center role and allow McDavid to (for lack of a better word) cherry pick a bit at the blueline for quick transition.

Meanwhile, Sid never plays the wing for the Pens. Ever. Even when they stack his line with Malkin, it's Malkin who moves over to the wing. The last time Sid played wing at any sort of high level was way back at the 2005 WJC when he was 18 playing on a line with Bergeron and Perry.

So if anything, moving Sid to the wing will cause more issues with being able to play his game than moving McDavid to the wing will.

 

[Beau Knows]

I thought for sure they'd go Bergeron and Marchand with Crosby again, but Crosby with McDavid is intriguing.

 

[Three On Zero]

You can't break up the money line of Bergeron, Marchand and Crosby.

 

[Gold Standard]

You can't break up the money line of Bergeron, Marchand and Crosby.

My inclination is to keep them together for now, depending on how they look heading into Christmas. But I am intrigued and would love to see an all Nova Scotia line of Marchand Sid MacKinnon.

 

[JackSlater]

I wouldn't put much stock in some summer scrimmage lines. The lines from Canada's official camps with the coaches, managers, and all the realistic players present almost never exist by the time the second game of the tournament happens. Good for the players getting together though. I'd like to see more details but it seems like it was kept fairly quiet.

 

[Rengorlex]

Canada has the depth to roll with a top line of McDavid-Crosby-MacKinnon. Crosby plays center down low, springs McDavid and MacKinnon to break defences and drives the middle. This would instantly go down as one of the best lines ever created in hockey history and it's a crime against the sport to not put it together.

 

[ORRFForever]

I'm sure there will be a Babcock-esk mixing of the lines during the round robin to see what works. I would not be surprised, come playoff time, if Crosby, Bergeron and Marchand end up back together.

 

[dmac7719]

Canada has the depth to roll with a top line of McDavid-Crosby-MacKinnon. Crosby plays center down low, springs McDavid and MacKinnon to break defences and drives the middle. This would instantly go down as one of the best lines ever created in hockey history and it's a crime against the sport to not put it together.

It would be a crime against the sport to put them together. All three are at their best when the puck is on their stick, and there's only one puck.

 

[TheDoldrums]

So I just noticed a site that I gamble at posted some odds on team Canada roster decisions. It's worded as "Must be on the Team Canada roster at the 2022 Olympics" so not necessarily being dressed. Anyways, for fun here's what they have.

Scheifele Yes -313, No +210
Stamkos Yes +120, No -167
Tavares Yes -278, No +190
Barzal Yes -286, No +195
Couturier Yes -333, No +220
Chabot Yes -313, No +210
Chychrun Yes +100, No -139
Pelech Yes +120, No -167
Ekblad Yes -159, No +115
Nurse Yes +145, No -208
Doughty Yes +120, No -167
Letang Yes +300, No -500
Subban Yes +550, No -1111
Kuemper Yes -147, No +105
Fleury Yes -250, No +175
Binnington Yes +200, No -294

They seem a lot higher on Tavares' chances than the mood of this thread. I like the odds on Kuemper, with him going to a great team and coming off a solid World Championships I think he's in a good spot to grab one of the spots. Also might throw down on Subban No even at that price because I have a hard time envisioning any scenario where he makes the team. Anyways, anyone have any insights here to make me some money?

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Could You send me pm with the site adress where those odds are posted? Or post it here.

 

[ORRFForever]

They seem a lot higher on Tavares' chances than the mood of this thread.

That's the first thing I noticed. It's shockingly high. Perhaps they expect a lot of Toronto $$$.

 

[jfc64]

3.1

Crosby - Point - McDavid
Huberdeau - MacKinnon - Marner
Dubois - Toewes - Barzal
Lafreniere - Couturier - Stone
Suzuki - Horvat

Theodore - Makar
Chychrun - Ekblad
Chabot - Doughty
Nurse - Hamilton

Price
Kuemper
Hart

 

[Adam da bomb]

3.1

Crosby - Point - McDavid
Huberdeau - MacKinnon - Marner
Dubois - Toewes - Barzal
Lafreniere - Couturier - Stone
Suzuki - Horvat

Theodore - Makar
Chychrun - Ekblad
Chabot - Doughty
Nurse - Hamilton

Price
Kuemper
Hart

I really don’t see how Laf makes the team. Don’t see how he beats out more experienced proven players like Schief. Also no Bergeron?