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

[bossram]

This is an interesting exercise. Would Canada be the overwhelming favorite *today* in a best on best event? They would be a favorite but there are chinks in the armor and other countries have comparable talent IMO. Here's my team:

They would be the favourite on reputation only, but in reality they should only be a slight favourite. The U.S. can assemble a comparably talented roster and Canada's goaltending is shaky.

 

[GrizzGreen]

Makar is better than everyone of those guys. But I hear you on depth.

This is a baffling take

 

[Slats432]

This is a baffling take

Almost as if he never saw any of them play.

 

[GrizzGreen]

Almost as if he never saw any of them play.

Inserting that into a list with Neidermeyer and Pronger is crazy enough... adding prime Weber, Doughty, and Keith into the mix makes it even more off the wall. Crazy depth on that team.

 

[Thechozen1]

Lots overlooking Morrissey here.

 

[armChairScout]

Well, Bergeron retired. So he is out.

Marchand - Crosby - Marner
RNH - McDavid - Mackinnon
Dubois - Point - Stamkos
Horvat - Thomas - Stone

Omg that’s an old slow team.

Probably not all that relevant since Centers can usually play Winger without issue in short tournaments, it's just interesting that Canada doesn't have a lot of natural goal-scoring wingers right now.

Highest goal scorers of last 5 seasons (Overall - Canada)

4) Connor McDavid (1) Center
7) Steven Stamkos (2) Center
8) Brayden Point (3) Center
11) Nathan MacKinnon (4) Center
13) Mark Scheifele (5) Center
17) John Tavares (6) Center
18) Brad Marchand (7) Left Wing
23) Sidney Crosby (8) Center
24) Patrice Bergeron (9) Center
25) Bo Horvat (10) Center

Omg Bergeron!!?? Marchan !! Stamkos !! Tavares !!! Is this a serious post ?

These guys are finished and one is retired

 

[Slats432]

Verhaghe McDavid MacKinnon
Stamkos Crosby Marchand
Marner Barzal Tavares
Kyrou RNH Point
PLD Stephenson

Makar Toews
Pietrangelo Doughty
Theodore Ekblad
Nurse

Kuemper
Fleury
Thompson

Obviously thinking about a full game scenario needing guys for PK etc. Goaltending is questionable. Lines might be off, would have to think more on that.

 

[MNRube]

Toews - Makar
Pelech - Pietrangelo
Theodore - Doughty

I think that’s the most well-rounded blueline I’ve seen. Obviously Doughty could hit a wall but I like his experience on the 3rd pair

 

[UnSandvich]

They would be the favourite on reputation only, but in reality they should only be a slight favourite. The U.S. can assemble a comparably talented roster and Canada's goaltending is shaky.

Tbh I think Canada is still the favorite against everyone but the US. To me it comes down to:

F: Slight advantage Canada
D: Very Slight Advantage US, perhaps equal
G: Major advantage US

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

hate that we been going years without a real best on best tournament

has for the team am i being bias or does Suzuki really not have a spot on the team? id personally prefer him over Danault or Dubois

 

[ORRFForever]

Tbh I think Canada is still the favorite against everyone but the US. To me it comes down to:

F: Slight advantage Canada
D: Very Slight Advantage US, perhaps equal
G: Major advantage US

McDavid is an advantage unto himself - and I expect him to be a difference maker.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Tbh I think Canada is still the favorite against everyone but the US. To me it comes down to:

F: Slight advantage Canada
D: Very Slight Advantage US, perhaps equal
G: Major advantage US

I would disagree with defenseman, Canada has the top 2 defensemen from the last two cup winners and doesn’t have anyone atrocious in their own zone à la Quinn Hughes or Seth Jones that they need to shelter

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I would disagree with defenseman, Canada has the top 2 defensemen from the last two cup winners and doesn’t have anyone atrocious in their own zone à la Quinn Hughes or Seth Jones that they need to shelter

Canada could have the better defense. It’s definitely close, but USA doesn’t need to pick players like Hughes and Jones. We have the depth to role 6 very good defensemen without them.

Slavin-Fox
Werenski-McAvoy
Hanifin-Pesce
Carlson

And honestly, how much better defensively is someone like Hamilton than Hughes? They both struggle defensively compared to the best defensemen in the league and it’s why they aren’t amongst the best defensemen in the league.

 

[UnSandvich]

I would disagree with defenseman, Canada has the top 2 defensemen from the last two cup winners and doesn’t have anyone atrocious in their own zone à la Quinn Hughes or Seth Jones that they need to shelter

And the US has 2 of the Top 3 or 4 Dmen in the world in Fox & McAvoy, and Slavvin who's quite comfortably Top 10

 

[ORRFForever]

Canada could have the better defense. It’s definitely close,

I'd call it even.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Stamkos-McDavid-Marchand
Marner-MacKinnon-Stone
Point-Crosby-Verhaege
Hyman-RNH-Suzuki
Cozens

Toews-Makar
Chabot-Pietrangelo
Morrissey-Hamilton
Doughty

Jarry
MAF
Hart

 

[ORRFForever]

Stamkos-McDavid-Marchand
Marner-MacKinnon-Stone
Point-Crosby-Verhaege
Hyman-RNH-Suzuki
Cozens

Toews-Makar
Chabot-Pietrangelo
Morrissey-Hamilton
Doughty

Jarry
MAF
Hart

NOT a reflection of your choices, you had to play the hand you're given, but that is the weakest Canadian team in my memory.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

NOT a reflection of your choices, you had to play the hand you're given, but that is the weakest Canadian team in my memory.

It's a little between eras, I'm afraid.

Crosby is towards the end, as is a player like Doughty, Marchand, or MAF. Bergeron is recently done. Price is recently done. Toews is recently done. Some others too.

Players like Tavares, Stamkos, Pietrangelo are still credible players, but I wouldn't say they've aged incredibly well.

None of the younger players have stepped forward and asserted themselves as demanding a spot. The youngest player I have listed is 22 years old, and I don't think you can really argue anyone has earned a spot any younger than Owen Power (who turns 21 at the beginning of the NHL season). So there's not a ton of youth. Yeah, maybe Bedard would end up making it, but I think it's a little offensive to proven very good NHL players to throw a guy who hasn't played NHL games into the mix. People had Lafreniere on the team before he played NHL teams, and we see what happened there.

And then the current goaltending situation is by far the biggest problem Canada has had as long as I can remember. They have the worst goaltending of the big 5 nations by far, and it's probably barely better than the Czechs. It's possible one of those 3 guys plays well enough to not lose the team a best on best tournament, but it'd be more of a situation where the goalie doesn't actively hurt the team as opposed to helps the team compared to what the other teams have in net.

Saying all that, it's still probably the best team out there. Best forwards by a big margin, first or second best defense, and then the goaltending is still NHL level despite not having any of the better NHL goalies.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It's a little between eras, I'm afraid.

Crosby is towards the end, as is a player like Doughty, Marchand, or MAF. Bergeron is recently done. Price is recently done. Toews is recently done. Some others too.

Players like Tavares, Stamkos, Pietrangelo are still credible players, but I wouldn't say they've aged incredibly well.

None of the younger players have stepped forward and asserted themselves as demanding a spot. The youngest player I have listed is 22 years old, and I don't think you can really argue anyone has earned a spot any younger than Owen Power (who turns 21 at the beginning of the NHL season). So there's not a ton of youth. Yeah, maybe Bedard would end up making it, but I think it's a little offensive to proven very good NHL players to throw a guy who hasn't played NHL games into the mix. People had Lafreniere on the team before he played NHL teams, and we see what happened there.

And then the current goaltending situation is by far the biggest problem Canada has had as long as I can remember. They have the worst goaltending of the big 5 nations by far, and it's probably barely better than the Czechs. It's possible one of those 3 guys plays well enough to not lose the team a best on best tournament, but it'd be more of a situation where the goalie doesn't actively hurt the team as opposed to helps the team compared to what the other teams have in net.

Saying all that, it's still probably the best team out there. Best forwards by a big margin, first or second best defense, and then the goaltending is still NHL level despite not having any of the better NHL goalies.

I don't think it's the best forward group by a significant margin. Canada has very good depth at center, which helps, but are fairly weak on the wings. This might be the most vulnerable Canada has been in awhile.

 

[ORRFForever]

It's a little between eras, I'm afraid.

Crosby is towards the end, as is a player like Doughty, Marchand, or MAF. Bergeron is recently done. Price is recently done. Toews is recently done. Some others too.

Players like Tavares, Stamkos, Pietrangelo are still credible players, but I wouldn't say they've aged incredibly well.

None of the younger players have stepped forward and asserted themselves as demanding a spot. The youngest player I have listed is 22 years old, and I don't think you can really argue anyone has earned a spot any younger than Owen Power (who turns 21 at the beginning of the NHL season). So there's not a ton of youth. Yeah, maybe Bedard would end up making it, but I think it's a little offensive to proven very good NHL players to throw a guy who hasn't played NHL games into the mix. People had Lafreniere on the team before he played NHL teams, and we see what happened there.

And then the current goaltending situation is by far the biggest problem Canada has had as long as I can remember. They have the worst goaltending of the big 5 nations by far, and it's probably barely better than the Czechs. It's possible one of those 3 guys plays well enough to not lose the team a best on best tournament, but it'd be more of a situation where the goalie doesn't actively hurt the team as opposed to helps the team compared to what the other teams have in net.

Saying all that, it's still probably the best team out there. Best forwards by a big margin, first or second best defense, and then the goaltending is still NHL level despite not having any of the better NHL goalies.

 

[ORRFForever]

Stamkos-McDavid-Marchand
Marner-MacKinnon-Stone
Point-Crosby-Verhaege
Hyman-RNH-Suzuki
Cozens

Toews-Makar
Chabot-Pietrangelo
Morrissey-Hamilton
Doughty

Jarry
MAF
Hart

Your 4th line is painful - I can't believe any of the 3 would play on Team Canada but, as you said, Canada's in a rut. All we can hope is the newest generation steps up - we'll go from having an old team to having a very young one.

 

[TopCheese]

RNH - Mcdavid (A) - Point (all offence line, Canada likes to keep NHL linemates together)
Stone - Mackinnon - Marner (this would be an unbelievable all situations line)
Stamkos - Crosby (C) - Marchand (responsible vet line with 3 of the most clutch players in the league)
Benn - PLD - Koneckny (could be the most annoying line to play against in history)
Verhaghe - Barzal

Makar - Toews (best pairing in the NHL)
Pietrangelo (A) - Morrissey (can be used in any situatioin, 2 solid two way guys)
Doughty - Pelech (extremely reliable shut down pairing)
Hamilton (in case we need goals)

Hart
Keumper
Jarry

This is the best all around lineup IMO. Incredible firepower mixed superb shutdown ability, size, nastiness and leadership. Don't think any country could stop this.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't think it's the best forward group by a significant margin. Canada has very good depth at center, which helps, but are fairly weak on the wings. This might be the most vulnerable Canada has been in awhile.

Yeah, but they also have McDavid. That’s a big advantage.

 

[Roof Daddy]

Verhaege-McDavid-Stone
Crosby-MacKinnon-Marner
Stamkos-Point-Kyrou
Marchand-Tavares-Konecny

Toews-Makar
Morrissey-Doughty
Theodore-Pietrangelo

Hart

 

[WarriorofTime]

Canada had a sub gen of forwards after McDavid’s cohort that produced lots of busts and not a lot of ones that look particularly high end. Like 98-01 birth years. However if Bedard’s cohort changes that then they’ll be fine long term for any real or fictional best on best competition.