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

[Boonk]

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

You rant about all that and then slot in O’Reilly? Lol okay, he’s had a terrible season until being traded to Toronto and isn’t even close to the player he was during those World Championship years and the Blues cup run.

 

[namttebih]

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

Ciirelli

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

JT and SS are 10th and 7th respectively for Canadian forwards in scoring this year. Bergeron is 1C for the team that is going to win the President's trophy this year. Sure they're past their prime, but their prime is so much higher than their competition.

There are 5 forwards in my group who are 25 or under. How young would you like to go? Who do you suggest as replacements?

O'Reilly with PB and Cirelli wouldn’t be expected to produce.

The thread is asking about today - as in right now. Whenever the next best on best happens, I have no doubt that the lineup will look different.

 

[Crosby2010]

I'm okay with Stamkos on team Canada. Of course the obvious thing is by the time an actual tournament happens again it will be a much different team than what we see. Tavares is the one I am not sure about anymore. But Stamkos is still quick, he still has a wicked shot and a killer one timer and would fit perfectly on the wing on any of these teams. I know the idea would be to slot him on the right wing, but we are thinner on the left wing. He might look good coming in on his off wing.

However, by the time a tournament happens that is best vs. best we won't be picking either one of them, not even on the border.

 

[PecnoTrunk]

You guys need to start watching hockey

I’m with the new and out with the old dammit

In any case

Bedard will be there

 

[Boonk]

You guys need to start watching hockey

I’m with the new and out with the old dammit

In any case

Bedard will be there

So that’s why you slotted in a declining O’Reilly? Lol ok.

 

[HockeyWooot]

Hyman McDavid Stamkos
Dubois MacKinnon Marner
Marchand Crosby Bergeron
Suzuki Point Stone
Cozens

Toews Makar
Morrissey Doughty
Pelech Hamilton
Chabot/Pietrangelo

Jarry
Hart
Fleury

 

[ORRFForever]

I'm okay with Stamkos on team Canada. Of course the obvious thing is by the time an actual tournament happens again it will be a much different team than what we see. Tavares is the one I am not sure about anymore. But Stamkos is still quick, he still has a wicked shot and a killer one timer and would fit perfectly on the wing on any of these teams. I know the idea would be to slot him on the right wing, but we are thinner on the left wing. He might look good coming in on his off wing.

However, by the time a tournament happens that is best vs. best we won't be picking either one of them, not even on the border.

Timing is everything in life. The team is a bit of a mess with a lot of players either old or not ready for a "best on best" - not many players in the "Goldilocks zone" to use an astronomy term. Maybe we're lucky there is no "Best on Best" for the next couple years?

The U.S. seems to have a LOT of players in their "prime".
Can we say the same thing?

 

[ORRFForever]

Hyman McDavid Stamkos
Dubois MacKinnon Marner
Marchand Crosby Bergeron
Suzuki Point Stone
Cozens

Toews Makar
Morrissey Doughty
Pelech Hamilton
Chabot/Pietrangelo

Jarry
Hart
Fleury

Using HW's forwards, who is in their "prime" up front?

* Mc David, McKinnon, Marner, Point.

As for the rest...

* TBH, I'm not sure what Hyman is.

* Stamkos, Sid, Marchand, Bergeron, Stone are past their "Best Before" date.

* Not ready for prime time : Suzuki, Cozens, Dubois (is close).

If you want to see Canada win EVERY Best On Best, and most of us do, having a few more years to put Humpty Dumpty together may be a blessing.

Note : The 2016 Team Europe proved a lot of "older" players could be great in a "Best On Best" so... maybe there is something to be said for experience.

 

[HockeyWooot]

Using HW's forwards, who is in their "prime" up front?

* Mc David, McKinnon, Marner, Point.

As for the rest...

* TBH, I'm not sure what Hyman is.

* Stamkos, Sid, Marchand, Bergeron, Stone are past their "Best Before" date.

* Not ready for prime time : Suzuki, Cozens, Dubois (is close).

If you want to see Canada win EVERY Best On Best, and most of us do, having a few more years to put Humpty Dumpty together may be a blessing.

Note : The 2016 Team Europe proved a lot of "older" players could be great in a "Best On Best" so... maybe there is something to be said for experience.

McDavid, MacKinnon, Marner, Crosby, Point are top 30 scorers this season, Stone is a great player when healthy and Bergeron is the 1C for the best team in the league this season. Not sure how'd theyd not be included?

 

[NordiquesForeva]

McDavid - Crosby - Stamkos
Marchand - Bergeron - MacKinnon
Horvat - Point - Marner
Dubois - Scheifele - Stone
Kyrou, Nugent-Hopkins

Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Pietrangelo
Theodore - Doughty
Pelech, Hamilton

Jarry
Hart
Kuemper

I'd love to see Crosby play on a line with McDavid. In the context of constructing Team Canada, it would make Hyman redundant, and would free up space in the lineup to bring more offensively gifted players. Stamkos usually slots in as a winger now (LW or RW...providing optionality), and is a player that can play with pace and can still finish what others create. Stamkos presents a very strong RHS option for faceoffs.

Assuming everyone is healthy, and the Olympics were held in February/March 2023. Overall, I'd lean heavily towards bringing players who are playing well this season and look to start integrating some younger talent where possible. Admittedly, this team is a little on the older side but I would think of it as a transitional team with younger players taking more prominent role next time (if/when)..

 

[NordiquesForeva]

Delete

 

[ORRFForever]

McDavid, MacKinnon, Marner, Crosby, Point are top 30 scorers this season, Stone is a great player when healthy and Bergeron is the 1C for the best team in the league this season. Not sure how'd theyd not be included?

I'm not saying they would not be included - that wasn't my point . I'm just saying a healthy chunk of Canada's best players are a little "long in the tooth" and I'm worried the grey beards could come back to haunt us.

P.S. I didn't mean to single out your team/choices, HW - I just used your team because it was a recent post.

 

[PecnoTrunk]

What terrible lineups you guys are combining

Old and slow

Slow and old

Damn!!

I’d rather take inexperienced to give them experience and lose to the Americans rather then slow and old and lose to the Americans

I’d rather lose with young then old

Don’t you guys get it !!

 

[Crosby2010]

Timing is everything in life. The team is a bit of a mess with a lot of players either old or not ready for a "best on best" - not many players in the "Goldilocks zone" to use an astronomy term. Maybe we're lucky there is no "Best on Best" for the next couple years?

The U.S. seems to have a LOT of players in their "prime".
Can we say the same thing?

Hard to say, maybe we just aren't picking the right ones with that team. By the way, that's a stacked team no doubt. I think in Canada we can be our own worst enemy. How many teams would like a situation where a guy like Mark Scheifele or John Tavares aren't considered good enough on most lists?

But you have a point as well. In 2010 I would say was one of those years where there were a higher number of players in their primes. 2014 as well. Even 2016. Other years it was sort of a hybrid. 2002 had a lot of experience but it worked. 1996 we had a lot of age in there and it didn't work at the end. 1998 we were too slow and the old guard was old by then. 1976 is likely the best team when it came to players in their prime. Maybe 1987 too? But definitely not if the team was picked now. We'd all pick Crosby on there but how much longer is he even going to be a legit guy on that team? I guess if Huberdeau was having a season like that year he could be considered a guy in his prime. I don't know what the heck is happening to him this season.

 

[ORRFForever]

Hard to say, maybe we just aren't picking the right ones with that team. By the way, that's a stacked team no doubt. I think in Canada we can be our own worst enemy. How many teams would like a situation where a guy like Mark Scheifele or John Tavares aren't considered good enough on most lists?

But you have a point as well. In 2010 I would say was one of those years where there were a higher number of players in their primes. 2014 as well. Even 2016. Other years it was sort of a hybrid. 2002 had a lot of experience but it worked. 1996 we had a lot of age in there and it didn't work at the end. 1998 we were too slow and the old guard was old by then. 1976 is likely the best team when it came to players in their prime. Maybe 1987 too? But definitely not if the team was picked now. We'd all pick Crosby on there but how much longer is he even going to be a legit guy on that team? I guess if Huberdeau was having a season like that year he could be considered a guy in his prime. I don't know what the heck is happening to him this season.

Even Canada can't afford to have a bunch of below average drafts / drafts where players don't reach their full potential in a row.

**

If we have a Best On Best in 2026, the team may end up being too young - there are just so many young Canadian prospects due to explode in the coming years.

 

[ORRFForever]

Our Ace In The Hole is McDavid.

Against the elite teams (the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland), the over/under on the number of points McDavid would score every game would be 2.5(?) and, if you have one players who is all but guaranteed those points, you'd have to keep the rest of Team Canada (all but) pointless to have any chance of winning.

 

[ORRFForever]

There's an American poster who I (sadly) believe is not longer with us.
He went to the Russian Olympics in 2014 and he said you could see the other team's game plan was to shut down Crosby - above all else. He said the other teams actions were all based on whether Sid was on the ice - Sid would jump on/off the bench and the other teams reacted.

Now, you could make the case that "prime" McDavid is far more dominant than prime "Crosby", so, again, our Ace In The Hole.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Our Ace In The Hole is McDavid.

Against the elite teams (the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland), the over/under on the number of points McDavid would score every game would be 2.5(?) and, if you have one players who is all but guaranteed those points, you'd have to keep the rest of Team Canada (all but) pointless to have any chance of winning.

If McDavid goes superman mode like last spring I have a very difficult time seeing Canada losing, even if the rest of the roster isn’t as good as it usually is….

 

[ORRFForever]

If McDavid goes superman mode like last spring I have a very difficult time seeing Canada losing, even if the rest of the roster isn’t as good as it usually is….

^^ Yup. ^^

What do you think the over/under would be on the number of points McDavid would get against the elite teams?

I say 2.5 but, with ELITE wingers, it could be 3.5.

 

[Crosby2010]

^^ Yup. ^^

What do you think the over/under would be on the number of points McDavid would get against the elite teams?

I say 2.5 but, with ELITE wingers, it could be 3.5.

Gretzky had 21 points in 9 games at the 1987 Canada Cup. So I don't think it is better than 2.5 overall. And the funny thing is, Canada never really had a game in 1987 where they blew away the competition in scoring. Maybe Finland to an extent. They scored a lot though, but even a prime Gretzky couldn't do better than 2.3 PPG at his best.

That being said, with McDavid it opens up a lot for the other players. If he is being keyed on all of the time just imagine the room that MacKinnon will have.

Even Canada can't afford to have a bunch of below average drafts / drafts where players don't reach their full potential in a row.

**

If we have a Best On Best in 2026, the team may end up being too young - there are just so many young Canadian prospects due to explode in the coming years.

The last couple of drafts have been lousy for everyone. 2020 was supposed to be a huge draft, maybe it still will be. But it was loaded with Canadian talent. 19 picks in the 1st round alone I think. 2023 is going to be similar.

 

[ORRFForever]

Gretzky had 21 points in 9 games at the 1987 Canada Cup. So I don't think it is better than 2.5 overall. And the funny thing is, Canada never really had a game in 1987 where they blew away the competition in scoring. Maybe Finland to an extent. They scored a lot though, but even a prime Gretzky couldn't do better than 2.3 PPG at his best.

That being said, with McDavid it opens up a lot for the other players. If he is being keyed on all of the time just imagine the room that MacKinnon will have.


The last couple of drafts have been lousy for everyone. 2020 was supposed to be a huge draft, maybe it still will be. But it was loaded with Canadian talent. 19 picks in the 1st round alone I think. 2023 is going to be similar.

Fair enough on the Gretzky comparison.

If you look at the list of "high end prospects" for Canada since 2019, it's astounding. Even if half (a third?) reached their potential, we'd be flooded with great players.

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Everyone think that having mcdavid will bring us to the promised land. He not even get his oilers to the finals !!!

We need young fast players. Not over aged has beens.

We need more then mcdavid

Fair enough on the Gretzky comparison.

If you look at the list of "high end prospects" for Canada since 2019, it's astounding. Even if half (a third?) reached their potential, we'd be flooded with great players.

Like who ?just curious

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Why the no love for Sean couturier?

I’m disappointed in Quinton Byfield and lafreniere

They can still surprise in 2 years from now.

 

[Half Clapper]

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

right now owen power is better

 

[ForsbergForever]

Why the no love for Sean couturier?

I’m disappointed in Quinton Byfield and lafreniere

They can still surprise in 2 years from now.

I think Couturier has been injured for so long now most people forget he even exists. In any case he may be facing forced retirement due to the chronic back issue.