Who Would Make Canada's Roster If There Was Olympics This Year?

[Nucks2001]

TC always seems to bring a “grinder” type player, typically one with chemistry with one of their star players.

For that reason I think Hyman would be a lock if his play doesn’t fall off a cliff from now until the

Stone, McTavish, Konecny are better options to fill that “grinder” role. IMO. Any grinder will play well with McDavid. Some people are insistent on having a “Team Oilers” instead of a Team Canada. With selections like RNH, Hyman, Bouchard and Nurse. May I remind everyone that the Oilers are cup-less and almost all of these players are benefitting from the “McDavid effect.” Just ask Pat Maroon or Milan Lucic

 

[ORRFForever]

2025 World Cup roster projections by the athletic

Projecting Canada's 2025 hockey roster: How do McDavid, Makar, Bedard and Co. stack up for best-on-best?

Best-on-best international hockey is returning, even if it may not look exactly how many fans hoped. How does Canada's roster stack up?

theathletic.com

Chris Johnston

Crosby-McDavid-Bedard
Marchand-Mackinnon-Barzal
Stone-Point-Marner
Hyman-Tavares-Reinhart
Stamkos/Scheifele

Toews-Makar
Theodore-Pietrangelo
Morrissey-Doughty
Rielly-Ekblad

Hill
Binngton
Talbot


Eric Duhatschek

RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Marchand-Crosby-Point
Kadri-MacKinnon-Stone
Horvat-Bedard-Marner
Suzuki/Scheifele

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Weegar
Theodore-Pietrangelo
Rielly-Doughty

Hill
Jarry
Thompson


Dom Luszczyszyn

Hyman-McDavid-Marner
Crosby-MacKinnon-Bedard
Hagel-Point-Barzal
Verhaeghe-Scheifele-Reinhart
Toffoli/Thomas

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Dobson
Theodore-Pietrangelo
Weegar-Bouchard

Hart
Jarry
Levi

I prefer this one...

Dom Luszczyszyn

Hyman-McDavid-Marner
Crosby-MacKinnon-Bedard
Hagel-Point-Barzal
Verhaeghe-Scheifele-Reinhart
Toffoli/Thomas

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Dobson
Theodore-Pietrangelo
Weegar-Bouchard

Hart
Jarry
Levi

 

[Nucks2001]

I prefer this one...

Dom Luszczyszyn

Hyman-McDavid-Marner
Crosby-MacKinnon-Bedard
Hagel-Point-Barzal
Verhaeghe-Scheifele-Reinhart
Toffoli/Thomas

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Dobson
Theodore-Pietrangelo
Weegar-Bouchard

Hart
Jarry
Levi

Hagel isn’t a bad option. Better than Hyman. Can kill penalties. I don’t think Toffoli makes it. I’d rather have an older Stamkos, who I think Canada can still get a lot of value out of on PP2. Similar to a Jeff Carter role on the 2014 team

McTavish should be here somewhere. Perhaps, instead of Hyman, McTavish could fill that power forward role for McDavid. He can also take face-offs.

Defensively, I don’t mind Weegar, but I think Pelech would provide more in that role. I don’t think Bouchard makes it all.

I don’t think anyone can argue that from a PURE TALENT AND SKILL perspective, excluding chemistry that a McTavish-McDavid-Marner line is better than Hyman-McDavid-Marner.

 

[ORRFForever]

Jack Quinn - 3 goals in 5 games.

Fantilli just scored.

 

[ORRFForever]

LAF is playing well, again - 2 assists tonight.

 

[MNRube]

I feel like Canada usually favors the veterans in a best on best situation so I’d be surprised to see McTavish, Byfield etc unless they make it impossible to be left off

 

[ORRFForever]

I feel like Canada usually favors the veterans in a best on best situation so I’d be surprised to see McTavish, Byfield etc unless they make it impossible to be left off

My guess : They will bring a couple young players - break them in a little at a time. After all, we can't have them all join the team at once.

 

[Nucks2001]

My guess : They will bring a couple young players - break them in a little at a time. After all, we can't have them all join the team at once.

From an eye test perspective, Byfield is already a more "impactful" player than Stone, Marchand or Tavares right now. I agree with your previous take on that people feel comfortable with what's worked in the past.

 

[Nucks2001]

For all of those there dismissing Robert Thomas off your rosters, he’s currently 2nd in even strength points for Canadian-born players to Nathan MacKinnon. He’s a legitimate star and should be a lock on people’s rosters. FYI, he’s also top 10 in takeaways for all NHLers, spends 1:47 SH which is more than guys like Stone, Danault and Stephenson and is 54% in the FO circle.

 

[ORRFForever]

For all of those there dismissing Robert Thomas off your rosters, he’s currently 2nd in even strength points for Canadian-born players to Nathan MacKinnon. He’s a legitimate star and should be a lock on people’s rosters. FYI, he’s also top 10 in takeaways for all NHLers, spends 1:47 SH which is more than guys like Stone, Danault and Stephenson and is 54% in the FO circle.

Good points.

 

[Czechboy]

This is for February. I'm sure no one will take issue with the selections.lol

 

[ORRFForever]

This is for February. I'm sure no one will take issue with the selections.lol

Re : "lack of left wingers"

Meh. We move centers to the wing so it's a moot point.

 

[MM917]

Hyman and Bouchard do these guys not watch the Oilers play? LOL

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Only Oiler that should be on Canada is mcdavid

 

[Frank Drebin]

Not a fan of the guy but Binnington is at least #2 for goalies. Cant go into a tournament with 3 goalies with little post season success

 

[ORRFForever]

Not a fan of the guy but Binnington is at least #2 for goalies. Cant go into a tournament with 3 goalies with little post season success

A Vegas goalie (or 2) will be in the mix.

 

[Ruok]

I feel like a lot of people have not actually watched oilers play the last month or so.

For a short tournament, it would probably be worth it to bring the entire Rnh - Mcd - Hyman line, as it's one of the best in hockey and they already have great chemistry.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Only Oiler that should be on Canada is mcdavid

RNH?

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

RNH?

No thank you

 

[MM917]

RNH?

Are we trying to lose the tournament?

I feel like a lot of people have not actually watched oilers play the last month or so.

For a short tournament, it would probably be worth it to bring the entire Rnh - Mcd - Hyman line, as it's one of the best in hockey and they already have great chemistry.

That is because of one player, nobody is doubting that McDavid should be on the team but giving him actual quality players to play with is the way to go not continue to saddle him with the losers he plays with in Edmonton that has led to zero success and a non-play-off team in the terrible Western Conference so far this season.

 

[Yepthatsme]

I feel like a lot of people have not actually watched oilers play the last month or so.

For a short tournament, it would probably be worth it to bring the entire Rnh - Mcd - Hyman line, as it's one of the best in hockey and they already have great chemistry.

It being the best line in hockey has no effect on their being better versions of those players in the league. Need someone to help retrieve pucks and be a puck protection monster like Hyman? Instead you can have Crosby. Need a player who can do the small little things to help a line and shoulder a lot of responsibility like RNH? Have Point or Stone.

Just because it works doesn’t mean there aren’t better versions available when you have a pool of all the Canadian players to choose from.

Regardless I wouldn’t have either of those players with McDavid. Imagine the fits an all out rush offense line of MacKinnon-McDavid-Barzal would cause to any defenseman alive.

 

[ORRFForever]

RNH?

No!

Are we trying to lose the tournament?

 

[Hodge]

It being the best line in hockey has no effect on their being better versions of those players in the league. Need someone to help retrieve pucks and be a puck protection monster like Hyman? Instead you can have Crosby. Need a player who can do the small little things to help a line and shoulder a lot of responsibility like RNH? Have Point or Stone.

Just because it works doesn’t mean there aren’t better versions available when you have a pool of all the Canadian players to choose from.

Regardless I wouldn’t have either of those players with McDavid. Imagine the fits an all out rush offense line of MacKinnon-McDavid-Barzal would cause to any defenseman alive.

Hyman should be on Team Canada because he's one of the 14 best Canadian forwards alive, full stop.

 

[Nucks2001]

Hyman should be on Team Canada because he's one of the 14 best Canadian forwards alive, full stop.

He's closer to 14 than 1:

Locks:
McDavid
MacKinnon
Point
Marner
Crosby
Bedard

That's 6 forwards right there. I don't think anyone will argue that Hyman is a better hockey player than Barzal, Thomas, Stone or Scheifele. That's 10 forwards. This is where you can start to discuss Hyman along with players that will fill roles for Canada such as Reinhart (2-Way Playmaking Winger), Verhaeghe (High-Volume shooter), Konecny, Cirelli or Hagel (Forechecker, Agiator, PKer), Danault (Shutdown centre and PK specialist).

Or you opt to go with veterans to fill in your remaining roster spots such as Stamkos, Marchand and Marchessault or youth in McTavish, Jarvis or Byfield.

IMO, I think Hyman's duties can be fulfilled by others. No one is saying Hyman isn't a good player or debating about what he would provide for Team Canada, just that there is better options. In reality, Hyman has a good chance of making it because Hockey Canada really likes chemistry. That does not necessarily mean he's the best option.

 

[loadie]

Would this be on an nhl size rink or international size? Probably wouldn’t make a whole lot of difference but personally I would be going with bigger players on the smaller ice than I would on the larger surface. I would imagine players like Byfield and Fantilli would be in the conversation just based on their size and skill alone