Final Team Canada Build: What the lads’s Olympic roster could appear to be

This week on Wednesday Night Hockey I’ll have the honour of unveiling my ultimate Team Canada picks alongside these of Jen Botterill, Luke Gazdic, and David Amber, and I’m about to offer readers a sneak peek. 

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To be clear, these picks are MY picks, as in, who could be on the group if I had been the GM, not who I feel the present brass will take. That mentioned, I can’t actually see the place we’ll differ, so it could work both means.

I final put collectively my Team Canada roster a couple of month in the past and just some issues have modified, notably with the forwards.

Here’s who I had for forwards in November, then we’ll get into potential adjustments. My earlier roster:

Sam Reinhart – Sidney Crosby – Nathan MacKinnon

Macklin Celebrini – Connor McDavid – Mitch Marner

Brad Marchand – Brayden Point – Mark Scheifele

Mark Stone – Nick Suzuki – Tom Wilson

Brandon Hagel – Sam Bennett

Out: Travis Konecny, Anthony Cirelli, Seth Jarvis.

Notably absent, however as I known as it “inevitably in” (primarily based on assuming there’s even one damage): Connor Bedard

I had Bedard ranked forward of the three names listed as “out” on the time, which means one damage would see him in my lineup.

Funny, within the time since, I had put him firmly contained in the cutoff of the 14 guys I might take, however his latest damage — mixed with listening to that possibly Canada isn’t tremendous comfy taking each him and Celebrini — has Bedard again on the surface, simply in time for me to write down about it once more.

I are inclined to agree with what I consider to be the Canadian brass’ hesitation to take each Bedard and Celebrini, no matter what number of factors they’ve. In phrases of getting factors, there aren’t going to be many errors to benefit from on the market (nor do you wish to commit them), and it’s additionally simply not a studying match. It’s for the realized.

If you take a look at among the underlying stats, you’ll see that Celebrini is rather more inclined to carry the puck up the ice, transporting it from one finish of the rink to the opposite. That’s spurred on by a great quantity of puck touches within the D-zone, which is why you’re listening to him known as a “200-foot forward” in comparison with Bedard, at the same time as Celebrini isn’t precisely a defensive wizard but himself.

Yes Bedard is placing up factors, however when taking part in for Canada he’s simply not going to get the identical alternatives to do it, given the variety of forwards he’d be behind within the excessive leverage conditions, which neutralizes his superpower. And as of immediately, if he’s not getting factors, there are different guys more practical on the different issues. 

Mix on this unlucky damage that would price the Blackhawks star a month — with no certainty on what he’ll appear to be when he will get again — and that’s why I’ve bought him on the surface trying in. Even with that, it’s shut.

In saying all that, none of that is about not taking a participant, it’s about all the numerous causes you are taking different guys.

Tom Wilson has gone from fringe to simple along with his all-around play; he’s been an absolute drive. And for me, Nick Suzuki has emerged from the pack of gamers on the perimeter. He’s too worthwhile defensively, whereas sitting 20^th within the league in factors (37 in 33 video games). He’s mature and savvy and poised within the largest moments.

The different notice is that Jon Cooper wants his blankie too, as all coaches do. They want one thing to carry on to for security when issues get tight, and for Coop, that blankie has all the time been Anthony Cirelli. Who might blame him?

Now, one notice on this: Cirelli has been ice chilly – like, ice, ice chilly offensively of late (only one level in his final 10 video games). For nearly some other participant, that could be sufficient to play their means off the group. But that’s simply not what Cirelli does. He made the 4 Nations group as a man who’s by no means hit 60 factors, so I don’t assume they care a lot about that. 

Cirelli’s only a confirmed winner – Memorial Cup, Stanley Cup, and the whole lot in between – and I feel they’ll need him there. You want guys you’ll be able to belief, and so it is sensible to me, too.

Without additional ado, my forwards for Milan in 2026:

Sam Reinhart – Sidney Crosby – Nathan MacKinnon

Macklin Celebrini – Connor McDavid – Brandon Hagel

Mark Stone – Brayden Point – Mitch Marner

Brad Marchand – Anthony Cirelli – Tom Wilson

Next up, so as: Connor Bedard, Seth Jarvis, Wyatt Johnston, Mark Scheifele, Bo Horvat, Morgan Geekie, John Tavares, Travis Konecny

I feel the common fan could have Bedard on their roster, however I don’t assume he’ll get named to the official group (he could get named an “alternate” in case of damage). I might see any of Jarvis, Johnston, or Scheifele making it too. Any different names would shock me.

Now, my tackle the defence is extraordinarily boring: if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it. And buddy, it ain’t broke.

Cale Makar, Colorado A-Z Eventz
Devon Toews, Colorado A-Z Eventz
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars

Which different Canadian defender do it’s important to placed on, and at the price of whom? 

Matthew Schaefer is undeniably essentially the most enjoyable choose in that dialog, and a man who’s going to signify Canada for years to return, although I stand by my “It’s not a tournament for learning” level from above. He’s not going to be dangerous on the World Cup in two years as a result of he didn’t make this group at 18. (Reminder: He turned 18 just some months in the past.) 

And as of now, he nonetheless has some cleansing as much as do in his recreation (in fact! He’s solely performed 34 NHL video games!), simply getting greater and stronger and more durable to get inside on. When constructing this group you’re considering nearly completely about defending in opposition to one of the best nations, as all of Makar, Toews, Morrissey, Theodore, Doughty, and Harley, can defend the home whereas transferring the puck up the ice, and a pair can run an influence play.

I’m Team Schaefer all the way in which. It’s simply an enormous ask midway by his first NHL season to be on the Canadian Olympic roster.

From there, possibly you want Jakob Chychrun. I do too! But once more, this can be a matter of roles and the way you’ll deploy guys, and with out the offensive alternatives for Chychrun, I’m undecided the remainder of his recreation is sufficient to bump off any of the established names. So, I’m undecided who you permit off for him.

And so, I’m holding it the identical.

Finally, goalies haven’t modified for me both.

Logan Thompson is Canada’s primary goalie with a bullet, no arguments allowed. Jordan Binnington has pushed the boundaries of “How bad could a guy play and still make the team based purely on his history” this season, however he’s proven himself to have the cojones when it counts. And final, Darcy Kuemper is a confirmed, regular NHL professional who has performed in big video games – profitable a Stanley Cup – and proven he could make the saves you want him to make. You don’t want anybody to be spectacular as a result of the remainder of the group is. You simply want him to be dependable.

And so, my full group:

Sam Reinhart – Sidney Crosby – Nathan MacKinnon

Macklin Celebrini – Connor McDavid – Brandon Hagel

Mark Stone – Brayden Point – Mitch Marner

Brad Marchand – Anthony Cirelli – Tom Wilson

Devon Toews – Cale Makar

Josh Morrissey – Colton Parayko

Shea Theodore – Drew Doughty

Travis Sanheim – Thomas Harley

Logan Thompson
Jordan Binnington
Darcy Kuemper

What makes me really feel finest about this roster, is that it feels boring. We’re not attempting to make one thing occur that isn’t there by overthinking it. There’s no speaking your self into something. It simply is sensible. 

Bedard not being on this group is the one half that bothers me. I want he was wholesome and lighting it up, which might complicate issues. With an damage to another person, this concern could not even matter.

But for now, totally wholesome, this can be a fairly darn good group to ship in pursuit of our first gold medal since 2014. It’s been a very long time coming, however Canada’s sending a group that’s previous a contender, and doubtless the favorite.