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

[Mathieukferland]

While this is the weakest Canadian team in my life, it would be a small favourite - the McDavid factor.

The team looks old - while I was always concerned about all the weak late "teen" drafts, I never thought they would have this kind of impact. Give it a few years and we will have a young strong team

This would be my general attitude. By 2026 (I doubt 2025 happens) reinforcements will have arrived. But at the moment this team and Russia and the USA are about at the same level. The only difference; we have the most talented play of all time leading the attack, and those other two countries don’t. Similar to the most recent WJC whereby Canada, I didn’t find, that great but they had an absolute trump card in Bedard.

 

[ORRFForever]

This would be my general attitude. By 2026 (I doubt 2025 happens) reinforcements will have arrived. But at the moment this team and Russia and the USA are about at the same level. The only difference; we have the most talented play of all time leading the attack, and those other two countries don’t. Similar to the most recent WJC whereby Canada, I didn’t find, that great but they had an absolute trump card in Bedard.

While the late teen drafts were awful for us, they were terrific for the U.S.. Now the Americans are going through a bit of a draft lull while we are producing terrific players.

Like you said, by 2026, we should be loaded with young talent. It's just too bad we may not see McDavid in his prime in a Canadian uniform.

 

[Sky04]

Likely forgetting some guys but this would be a fun lineup. We need to develop more goalies, hopefully Cossa and Hart improve.


Crosby - Bergeron - Stone
PLD - McDavid - MacKinnon
Marner - Point - Stamkos
Huberdeau - Barzal - Scheifele

O'Reilly
Bedard

Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Ekblad
Theodore - Pietrangelo

Chabot

Jarry
Kuemper

Lol Marchand who is the nation's best natural winger would definitely make it.

 

[FlappyGiraffe]

Lol Marchand who is the nation's best natural winger would definitely make it.

literally read the first 4 words of my post, thanks for that half a month later

 

[Random Comment]

This Canada team could sleep through a tournament right now and medal.

 

[Sky04]

literally read the first 4 words of my post, thanks for that half a month later

Hard to forget when you can take 5 seconds to look up players but I guess that's a lot to ask.

 

[Peiskos]

To me Canada is always the favorite in most international competions at most levels but if we would a true best on best today I don't think they would be so far ahead of the pack. Here's who I would have:

Goaltenders (x3):

Cart Hart
Stuart Skinner
Logan Thompson

Defense (x8):

Josh Morrissey-Dougie Hamilton
Devon Towes-Cale Makar
Shea Theodore-Alex Pietrangelo
Darnell Nurse-Jakob Chychrun

Forwards: (x14):

Zach Hyman-Connor McDavid-Travis Konecny
PLD-Nathan MacKinnon-Mark Stone
Brad Marchand-Sidney Crosby-Patrice Bergeron
John Tavares-Steven Stamkos-Mitch Marner
Extras: Brayden Point and Mark Scheifele

Lines/pairings are imperfect but these are the names I would think would be in contention. A few notes:

* Canada, as always, has impressive center depth. On the actual team I might expect to see even more natural centers named that would play wing
* I don't find Canada's depth on wing (either side) all that impressive. It kind of trails off after a few big names
* I like the d from a skating/puck moving perspective. Could it be exploited? Possibly
* This might be the worst era for goaltending in Canadian history, They rarely need to rely on outstanding goaltending to win but having any of these guys as a starter would give me pause

Curious why no Kuemper as one of your 3 choices. He would likely be the starter, '22 cup goalie along with gold for Canada in 2021 at the WC. He's seems to be the guy and I've watched him for a number of years now, he's more than good enough for the team that would be in front of him.

 

[HockeyWooot]

Hyman McDavid Stamkos
PLD Mackinnon Marner
Marchand Crosby Point
Horvat Suzuki Stone
Cozens/Thomas

Toews Makar
Morrissey Doughty
Theodore Pietrangelo
Pelech
Ekblad/Chabot/Chychrun

Jarry
Kuemper
Hart

 

[patnyrnyg]

I would think Connor McDavid has a pretty good shot.

Ah, not so sure. He hasn't really shown much on the international stage. Maybe the wider rink is detrimental to his skill set?

 

[JuJu Mobb]

Would Jordan Kyrou make the team?

 

[Random Comment]

Easy favourites if there was a tournament today.

 

[ORRFForever]

I would not trust Kadri at the Olympics but here are 2 players that most would leave off...

MSN

 

[Big Phil]

I guess Jarry and Kuemper aren't that bad in net. They are no Brodeur/Roy/Belfour/Joseph/Luongo, but with the roster in front of them, they'll do.

There is a bit of a shift up front and on defense. If we played in 2018 or 2022 that is a very different set of players. If we played, let's say, at the end of this year, which we won't, the roster changes a lot. Even the concerning play of Huberdeau doesn't guarantee he's on the team despite breaking the assist record for LW last year. One of these days Crosby is going to not be on this mock type of team either. Not today, but still.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Forwards (14): McDavid, Crosby, Marner, MacKinnon, Point, Horvat, Stamkos, Tavares, Dubois, Bergeron, Marchand, Scheifele, Hyman, Giroux
Defense (8): Hamilton, Morrissey, Makar, Theodore, Doughty, Pietrangelo, Toews, Pelech
Goalies (3): Hart, Jarry, Kuemper

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Forwards (14): McDavid, Crosby, Marner, MacKinnon, Point, Horvat, Stamkos, Tavares, Dubois, Bergeron, Marchand, Scheifele, Hyman, Giroux
Defense (8): Hamilton, Morrissey, Makar, Theodore, Doughty, Pietrangelo, Toews, Pelech
Goalies (3): Hart, Jarry, Kuemper

Awful

So many old players. This is a young man league has been for years now. Slow slow and old , forget it

 

[Voight]

Horvat-McDavid-Marner
Dubois-MacKinnon-Kyrou
Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron
Point-Stamkos-Konecny
Stone, Cozens/Barzal/Thomas

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Ekblad
Theodore-Pietrangelo
Dobson, Chychrun/Rielly/Chabot

Jarry
Kuemper
Hart/Skinner/Murray

People bemoan the goaltending too much when it’s all a matter of who’s not any given year. What we really need is for our forward prospects to start panning out so that we can re-establish an insurmountable edge in the quality of the lines we can roll. The number of top-10 picks who have failed to become stars post-2015 is sickening; if any two of Jost, Patrick, Glass, Tippett, Vilardi, Hayton, Dach, Lafreniere and Byfield had really risen up to star status by now, I would feel a lot more confident in our position at the top.

He's having a down year but I think Huberdeau still makes it (or would've).

Its nice to see Robert Thomas on your roster, it seems many are omitting him. Parayko should also be on more of these projected rosters IMO. Dougie Hamilton as well.

Surprised to see people including Bedard

 

[Eye of Ra]

Surprised to see people including Bedard

for same reasons people wanted Crosby on 2006 olympic team

 

[Voight]

for same reasons people wanted Crosby on 2006 olympic team

At least he was a rookie with some NHL games under his belt

 

[Hanji]

Yea there’s no way Bedard makes it.

He’d be a huge question mark (liability) because olympic competition is lighyears beyond anything he’s experienced.
You can’t have uncertainties in short tourneys like the Olympics.

Lindros played at the 1991 Canada Cup before ever playing an NHL game. But he had experience against men with the Canadian Olympic Development Team. Plus he was a physical manchild who at 18 could steamroll over anybody.

 

[Half Clapper]

Mcdavid - Crosby - Mackinnon
Stamkos - Point - Marner
Marchand - Bergeron - Stone
Scheifele - Horvat - Barzal

Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Doughty
Theodore - Pietrangelo

Jarry
Kuemper

You can argue about it until you're blue in the face, but I think that is Canada's best 20 players to win a gold medal.

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Mcdavid - Crosby - Mackinnon
Stamkos - Point - Marner
Marchand - Bergeron - Stone
Scheifele - Horvat - Barzal

Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Doughty
Power - Pietrangelo

Jarry
Kuemper

You can argue about it until you're blue in the face, but I think that is Canada's best 20 players to win a gold medal.

Sorry but there are faster better players coming up

Forget stone and stamkos


For

Dylan Cozens
Dubois
I even prefer Dach to stone
Pelech
Paryeko
Hamilton

 

[Half Clapper]

Sorry but there are faster better players coming up

Forget stone and stamkos


For

Dylan Cozens
Dubois
I even prefer Dach to stone
Pelech
Paryeko
Hamilton

If the tournament was happening tmw the only guy who has a legitimate chance of making it from your list is PLD. Cozens isn't better than any FWD I listed. Dach is def not better than Stone and no chance he makes the roster.

Pelech I can see a case, but I think they would go with experience, plus I think he plays sheltered minutes. Parayko has a great chance over Pietrangelo, but I think they take the experience. Hamilton is an elite PP guy but his pt numbers are making him look better than he is. The guy does not much play much at 5v5.

Here are top the top 50 players avg TOI per game at even strength

 

[Mathieukferland]

If the tournament was happening tmw the only guy who has a legitimate chance of making it from your list is PLD. Cozens isn't better than any FWD I listed. Dach is def not better than Stone and no chance he makes the roster.

Pelech I can see a case, but I think they would go with experience, plus I think he plays sheltered minutes. Parayko has a great chance over Pietrangelo, but I think they take the experience. Hamilton is an elite PP guy but his pt numbers are making him look better than he is. The guy does not much play much at 5v5.

Here are top the top 50 players avg TOI per game at even strength View attachment 663582View attachment 663583

Bryam and Chychrun seem like better options on the left side than anyone he suggested

 

[namttebih]

Marchand - McDavid - Marner
Crosby - MacKinnon- Konecny
Stamkos - Tavares - Horvat
O'Reilly - Bergeron - Cirelli
Huberdeau - Scheifele - Thomas

Toews - Makar
Pelech - Pulock
Theodore - Pietrangelo
Power - Ekblad

Kuemper
Jarry
Hart

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Marchand - McDavid - Marner
Crosby - MacKinnon- Konecny
Stamkos - Tavares - Horvat
O'Reilly - Bergeron - Cirelli
Huberdeau - Scheifele - Thomas

Toews - Makar
Pelech - Pulock
Theodore - Pietrangelo
Power - Ekblad

Kuemper
Jarry
Hart

Why do you guys keep insisting on Tavares and stamkos ? They do nothing and are past their prime , Bergeron also past hisnprime

So many younger kids that need to be given a chance.

You guys just picking on reputation rather then what have you done for me lately

O’reilly. Please