Team Canada depth-chart

[xxxx]

A few weeks ago I was doing this poll-project, creating at least 6 canadian national depth-teams (A, B, C, D,...), and here are the final results. People voted in nhl-poll section, and always 2 goaltenders, 6 defensemen, and 12 forwards per team (three polls per team, each poll lasted 2 days) The average amount of voters per one poll was about 60-70, overall over 1200 votes. Over 320 people voted at least in one of those polls, with many many of them participating in multiple team-polls, so thanks to all people and their time they gave to it.


All in all, it's 16 goaltenders, 48 defensemen, and 96 forwards (and 18 coaches), that are included in these 8 canadian depth-teams. The coaches (3 per team) and captains (1+3 per team) were voted on for teams A, B, and C. I chose the others for the other teams. A lot of players didn't even make those teams (especially the young ones) but you can easily argue for some of them to be higher in the depth chart.



Team Canada "A"
Jamie Benn - Sidney Crosby "C" - Patrice Bergeron "A"
John Tavares - Jonathan Toews "A" - Tyler Seguin
Brad Marchand - Connor McDavid - Ryan Getzlaf
Steven Stamkos - Claude Giroux - Corey Perry

Duncan Keith - Drew Doughty
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Shea Weber "A"
Alex Pietrangelo - P.K. Subban

Carey Price
Braden Holtby

Head coach: Mike Babcock - Assistant coaches: Joel Quenneville, Barry Trotz
180 votes overall

Team Canada "B"
Taylor Hall - Matt Duchene - Ryan O'Reilly "A"
Logan Couture - Joe Thornton "C" - Nathan MacKinnon
Mark Scheifele - Jeff Carter - Mark Stone
Sean Monahan - Ryan Johansen - Wayne Simmonds

Mark Giordano "A" - Brent Burns "A"
T.J. Brodie - Kris Letang
Jake Muzzin - Aaron Ekblad

Corey Crawford
Roberto Luongo

Head coach: Darryl Sutter - Assistant coaches: Claude Julien and Ken Hitchcock
170 votes overall

Team Canada "C"
James Neal - Jason Spezza "C" - Tyler Toffoli
Jonathan Huberdeau - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle
Mike Hoffman - Sean Couturier - Brendan Gallagher
Jaden Schwartz - Kyle Turris - Rick Nash "A"

Morgan Rielly - Colton Parayko
Jay Bouwmeester "A" - Travis Hamonic
Brent Seabrook "A" - Tyson Barrie

Marc-André Fleury
Martin Jones

Head coach: Todd McLellan - Assistant coaches: Jon Cooper, Lindy Ruff
244 votes overall

Team Canada "D"
Milan Lucic "A" - Bryan Little - Jonathan Drouin
Patrick Sharp "A" - Derick Brassard - Adam Henrique
Andrew Ladd "A" - Brayden Schenn - Jeff Skinner
Max Domi - Patrick Marleau - Boone Jenner

Karl Alzner - Chris Tanev
Dion Phaneuf "C" - Ryan Ellis
Ryan Murray - Dougie Hamilton

Matt Murray
Steve Mason

Coaches: Peter DeBoer, Dave Tippett, Alain Vigneault
185 votes overall

Team Canada "E"
Mike Cammalleri "A" - Nazem Kadri - Jordan Staal "A"
Robby Fabbri - Sam Reinhart - Justin Williams
Sam Bennett - Eric Staal "C" - Mitch Marner
Anthony Duclair - Travis Zajac - Riley Smith

Brian Campbell "A" - Tyler Myers
Dan Hamhuis - Jared Spurgeon
Johnny Boychuk - Mike Green

Jake Allen
Brian Elliott

Coaches: Bill Peters, Michel Therrien, Bob Hartley
196 votes overall

Team Canada "F"
Evander Kane - Bo Horvat - Joel Ward
Alex Killorn - Tyler Bozak - Tanner Pearson
Scott Hartnell - Mike Fisher "A" - David Perron
Shane Doan "C" - Ryan Spooner - Jarome Iginla "A"

Marc Methot - Jason Demers
Michael Del Zotto - Francois Beauchemin "A"
Cody Ceci - Matt Dumba

Devan Dubnyk
Cam Talbot

Coaches: Paul Maurice, Bruce Boudreau, Gerard Gallant
178 votes overall

Team Canada "G"
Tyler Ennis* "A" - Andrew Cogliano - Troy Brouwer "C"
Chris Kunitz "A" - Mathieu Perreault - Cody Eakin
Matt Beleskey - Mike Ribeiro - Brendon Sutter
Andrew Shaw - Ryan Strome - Matt Read

Trevor Daley "A" - David Savard
Nathan Beaulieu - Erik Gudbranson
Braydon Coburn - Kevin Klein

Mike Smith
James Reimer

Coaches: Randy Carlyle, Willie Desjardins, Mike Yeo
118 votes overall
*)I forgot to put Ennis in for the previous polls, so he may be a little bit higher in the depth-chart for sure.

Team Canada "H"
Benoit Pouliot "A" - Dylan Strome - Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Brandon Pirri - Joel Colborne - Kris Versteeg
Matt Moulson "C" - Nolan Patrick - Cale Clutterbuck
Casey Cizikas - David Desharnais - Josh Bailey
Zack Smith

Calvin De Haan - Jason Garrison "A"
Marc Staal "A" - Michael Stone
Darnell Nurse - Damon Severson
Michael Matheson

Cam Ward
Calvin Pickard

Coaches: Glen Gulutzan, Guy Boucher, Jared Bednar
the team was made from the players from the previous poll that didn't make the previous team[/CENTER]

Other players that are not included in those eight previous teams - Bernier, Domigue - Petrovic, McNabb, Wiercioch, Wideman, Justin Schultz, Hutton, Russell, Dillon, Bieksa, Despres, Gorges, Hickey, Manson, Holden, Theodore, Morrissey, Chychrun, Chabot, D.Pouliot - Chimera, Z.Kassian, Paquette, Kelly, M.Foligno, D.MacKenzie, Letestu, Stajan, Parenteau, Calvert, C.Stewart, Comeau, B.Ritchie, N.Ritchie, Beauvillier, Crouse, Dubois, Athanasiou, C.Brown, Konecny, and others.

Click to read more...

 

[Atas2000]

Well it states exacly what I always say. Canada A team is top notch in every position, there is no doubt about that. Team B is not really close if they's be up against top competition.

There s depth. There is more depth than fr other nations, but the stupid narrative "Canada's E team would still be good" is just a false narrative. At top level Canada can assemble exactly one superb team.

 

[Bear12Good]

Dream team

 

[Bear12Good]

Team CAnada B better team Russia A

 

[JackSlater]

Well it states exacly what I always say. Canada A team is top notch in every position, there is no doubt about that. Team B is not really close if they's be up against top competition.

There s depth. There is more depth than fr other nations, but the stupid narrative "Canada's E team would still be good" is just a false narrative. At top level Canada can assemble exactly one superb team.

The Canadian B team would be competitive talent wise with any national team. This includes the Canadian A team. There is no need to be so sensitive about that.

 

[Atas2000]

The Canadian B team would be competitive talent wise with any national team. This includes the Canadian A team. There is no need to be so sensitive about that.

Competitive like in they wouldn't be a bottom feeder. They wouldn't be favorites to win it aginst other nations' A teams. It is no being anything it is a simple fact that many cananadian fans are sensitive about.

 

[JackSlater]

Competitive like in they wouldn't be a bottom feeder. They wouldn't be favorites to win it aginst other nations' A teams. It is no being anything it is a simple fact that many cananadian fans are sensitive about.

It's a nice defence mechanism that you have, but that team would certainly be favourites against the top teams of many nations. At the very least, it is a better roster than what Finland and Czech Republic can produce at the moment, and the same for any team below them. For other teams its very debatable, for instance Canada B's defence is far better than Russia's defence though a total roster comparison is tricky, but once again debatable. I do agree that Canada's B team is not better than team USA or team Sweden.

 

[sdf]

Team CAnada B better team Russia A

Team russia b better than team canada a

 

[Atas2000]

It's a nice defence mechanism that you have, but that team would certainly be favourites against the top teams of many nations. At the very least, it is a better roster than what Finland and Czech Republic can produce at the moment, and the same for any team below them. For other teams its very debatable, for instance Canada B's defence is far better than Russia's defence though a total roster comparison is tricky, but once again debatable. I do agree that Canada's B team is not better than team USA or team Sweden.

The problem ist you are having a defence mechanism. I'm just saying it as it is. But Canadians somehow have that obsession with "our B/C/D(depending on the desperatio ) team could win it all". It is ridiculous and I don't get it.

 

[JackSlater]

The problem ist you are having a defence mechanism. I'm just saying it as it is. But Canadians somehow have that obsession with "our B/C/D(depending on the desperatio ) team could win it all". It is ridiculous and I don't get it.

I see no evidence of you "saying it as it is". It's blatantly obvious that, right now, that Canadian B team is better than what Finland or the Czech Republic can ice, and quite comparable to any other national team. Not necessarily better, but easily competitive. The top players play in the NHL, and we can easily compare them. Since Canada can only send one team to real international events though, there is no need for you to be so sensitive about the topic. Your sensitivity is pretty obvious when you make literally the first response just to complain about Canada's depth.

 

[tony d]

I appreciated the effort the OP did towards these polls. Good job.

 

[Snippit]

Team russia b better than team canada a

I know you said this in response to a Canadian poster saying the opposite, but what you said is so obviously not true that there was no point in saying it.

 

[sdf]

I know you said this in response to a Canadian poster saying the opposite, but what you said is so obviously not true that there was no point in saying it.

I not sure if this is so obviously

 

[Patmac40]

I not sure if this is so obviously

It really is. Put together the Russian B roster and tell me that it would beat a team chock full of perennial NHL All-Stars.

The Russian squad has finished lower than Canada in 4 out of the last 5 international tournaments. Not to mention they've finished ahead of Russia in all but 2 "best-on-best" tournaments since 2000.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Canada A and Canada B would both be elite. Canada B would probably be the favorite to win an international tournament if Canada A stayed home. Canada C would be a middling international roster.

Russia has always had star power but they don't seem to play well in the Olympics or in the recent WCoH. Their defense is usually weak and coaching seems to be an issue, with the players not on the same page.

 

[Ingvar]

Canada A and Canada B would both be elite. Canada B would probably be the favorite to win an international tournament if Canada A stayed home. Canada C would be a middling international roster.

Russia has always had star power but they don't seem to play well in the Olympics or in the recent WCoH. Their defense is usually weak and coaching seems to be an issue, with the players not on the same page.

Nah. Canada B shouldn't stand a chance against Sweden A and USA A, maybe even Russia A (if it was properly coached). This team doesn't win a best-on-best hockey tournament. In a few years Finnish team would also be there after their youth hits their prime.

If you mix up Canada A and B then you can have two teams that can challenge for a title. But we all knew Canada is super deep, didn't we?

 

[jj cale]

Nah. Canada B shouldn't stand a chance against Sweden A and USA A, maybe even Russia A (if it was properly coached). This team doesn't win a best-on-best hockey tournament. In a few years Finnish team would also be there after their youth hits their prime.

If you mix up Canada A and B then you can have two teams that can challenge for a title. But we all knew Canada is super deep, didn't we?

The Canadian B team here could play with and beat any national team in the world on any given day without question, anyone looking at that roster and saying they wouldn't have a chance against the Swedish, Russian, American and Canadian A teams is either naive or not very knowledge about the sport.

If a beaten up with key players missing team Finland could win a bronze medal in 2014 dismantling the best American team to win that bronze game and also win a silver medal with an on paper roster that clearly did not match up with a few others in 2006 you can be damn sure that Canadian B lineup posted above could contend for gold and beat anyone in any given tournament.

You are deluding yourself.

 

[Ingvar]

The Canadian B team here could play with and beat any national team in the world on any given day without question, anyone looking at that roster and saying they wouldn't have a chance against the Swedish, Russian, American and Canadian A teams is either naive or not very knowledge about the sport.

If a beaten up with key players missing team Finland could win a bronze medal in 2014 dismantling the best American team to win that bronze game and also win a silver medal with an on paper roster that clearly did not match up with a few others in 2006 you can be damn sure that Canadian B lineup posted above could contend for gold and beat anyone in any given tournament.

You are deluding yourself.

Finland didn't win. Yep, Canada B can beat any team in a one-off but generally it unfavourably match-ups against Swedish, American, Canadian A and maybe Russian team. What quality would put it above others? I would bet on a stellar goaltending performance but it is always an outside chance - neither Crawford nor Luongo is a prime Hasek.

 

[JackSlater]

Finland didn't win. Yep, Canada B can beat any team in a one-off but generally it unfavourably match-ups against Swedish, American, Canadian A and maybe Russian team. What quality would put it above others? I would bet on a stellar goaltending performance but it is always an outside chance - neither Crawford nor Luongo is a prime Hasek.

This seems to contradict your previous statement that Canada B "shouldn't stand a chance" against Sweden, USA, Russia.

 

[jj cale]

Finland didn't win. Yep, Canada B can beat any team in a one-off but generally it unfavourably match-ups against Swedish, American, Canadian A and maybe Russian team. What quality would put it above others? I would bet on a stellar goaltending performance but it is always an outside chance - neither Crawford nor Luongo is a prime Hasek.

It does not matter if Finland did not win gold,it matters that for the purpose of this argument Finlands results clearly show that an on paper team inferior to A teams of Sweden,Russia,Canada and the U.S can and have beat those teams. And on paper this Canadian B team has more talent then either of those Finnish teams so there is little question they would be capable of taking the big boys down also.

It does not mean they go into any game as favorites against those teams but that it certainly could beat any of those teams on any given day. You initially said it would have no chance against those A teams but in this post you seem to have reversed course and admitted the obvious as Slater has pointed out.

It is really something that should have been clear from the start however. But still, good on you for seeing the error of your initial judgement.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It does not matter if Finland did not win gold,it matters that for the purpose of this argument Finlands results clearly show that an on paper team inferior to A teams of Sweden,Russia,Canada and the U.S can and have beat those teams. And on paper this Canadian B team has more talent then either of those Finnish teams so there is little question they would be capable of taking the big boys down also.

It does not mean they go into any game as favorites against those teams but that it certainly could beat any of those teams on any given day. You initially said it would have no chance against those A teams but in this post you seem to have reversed course and admitted the obvious as Slater has pointed out.

It is really something that should have been clear from the start however. But still, good on you for seeing the error of your initial judgement.

Canada has no sisu. I think Finland can beat Canada in 2022 on a best-on-best tournament.

 

[jj cale]

Canada has no sisu. I think Finland can beat Canada in 2022 on a best-on-best tournament.

lol, no sisu? yeah, o.k.




Any other bizarre theories/opinions you want to bring up? I know you had some tinfoil hat stuff going on in the Finnish roster thread concerning conspiracy theories regarding Canadian clubs purposefully withholding Pulju from the Finnish wjc team so as to weaken your team because Canada was afraid of you guys.

Thankfully some of your levelheaded countrymen straightened
you out there.