What would a Canadian Olympic males’s hockey B crew appear like?

Now that the Canadian Olympic males’s hockey roster has been revealed, let the second guessing start.

Why didn’t they take an additional power-play quarterback? How may they’ve left this goalie off who’s having a wonderful season? They took too many defensive centres. Most followers little question had an issue with no less than one or two alternatives and really feel there have been some evident omissions and snubs.

The fact is, there are way more worthy alternatives than there are roster spots. Canada can take solely 25 gamers to Milan, and there was all the time going to be a handful who would find yourself upset when the roster was introduced.

I’m certain if Canada may, they’d ship a whole second crew to the match. That’s not attainable, but it surely doesn’t imply we will’t have some enjoyable going by the train of placing collectively a Canadian B crew of gamers who didn’t make the minimize.

Zach Hyman – Wyatt Johnston – Connor Bedard

Travis Konecny – Mark Scheifele – Morgan Geekie

John Tavares – Dylan Strome – Seth Jarvis

Sam Bennett – Ryan O’Reilly – Drake Batherson

Nazem Kadri – Robert Thomas

This is undoubtedly Canada’s deepest place and a second crew can nonetheless boast loads of centre depth. Wyatt Johnston and Mark Scheifele have extra factors this season than another Canadian skater not named Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini or Brad Marchand. Dylan Strome owns the perfect faceoff successful share (58.1 per cent) amongst centres which have taken 630 attracts this 12 months, with Ryan O’Reilly not that far behind. We haven’t even talked about Connor Bedard, who was one of the crucial notable omissions from the Canadian crew and on tempo for 116 factors earlier than taking place with harm. Add in gamers like Robert Thomas and John Tavares, and offence gained’t be in brief provide down the center from this alternate Canadian group.

There would even be plenty of flexibility with this unit and if foot pace is a priority, gamers like O’Reilly, and Tavares might be shifted to wing and utilized within the faceoff circle when wanted.

Speaking of the wing, there’s a plethora of right-shot choices to select from. Morgan Geekie has 25 targets in 2025-26, second solely to MacKinnon and Drake Batherson and Zach Hyman each have averaged some extent per sport this season. Travis Konecny and Seth Jarvis would additionally convey invaluable expertise that they gained from their best-on-best expertise on the 4 Nations Face-Off.

If you’re involved that this crew doesn’t play with sufficient edge, look no additional than Nazem Kadri and Sam Bennett. Kadri may play nearly anyplace within the lineup and would give this crew a component the A squad has with Tom Wilson. Bennett was additionally considered one of Canada’s finest gamers within the 4 Nations remaining and there are few gamers which have confirmed they will rise to the event like he has in recent times.

It’s loopy that there have been really a number of very troublesome selections even on a B squad. Case and level, Steven Stamkos simply misses out regardless of a extremely popular December the place he notched 20 factors in 16 video games. Stamkos is now as much as 17 targets, however a gradual begin harm his case in comparison with a number of the different alternatives.

It would’ve been nice to incorporate Dylan Guenther, as all he appears to do is rating game-winning targets, however the truth that Konecny and Jarvis didn’t make the A squad bumps him out. Mathew Barzal may have simply made it, too. His creativity from the wing is a novel ability, although there’s merely a logjam at that place.

Jakob Chychrun – Evan Bouchard

Matthew Schaefer – MacKenzie Weegar

Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson

Vince Dunn – Brandon Montour

To say this blue line is offensive minded can be a serious understatement. Evan Bouchard actually has his flaws, however few can quarterback an influence play and rack up factors like he can from the again finish. Despite a gradual begin, the Edmonton Oilers defenceman ranks fourth amongst blue-liners in factors this season. Jakob Chychrun, on the opposite facet, leads all blue-liners in targets this season with 15 and already has a 20-goal season to his credit score. It’s not out of the realm of chance that Chychrun hits 30 this season.

There was a extremely good argument that Schaefer ought to’ve been on the Olympic crew. He’s had an unimaginable rookie season so far and this week he grew to become the youngest defenseman in historical past to succeed in 25 factors. Schaefer has basically already secured the Calder Trophy except one thing unexpected occurs and he would give a Canada B squad unimaginable skating and puck-moving potential from the again finish. Pairing him with an excellent anchor like Weegar would solely enable Schaefer to roam extra freely and wreak havoc all around the ice.

The different two pairs of Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson in addition to Brandon Montour and Vince Dunn present plenty of familiarity and chemistry since they play collectively usually. They can all transfer the puck and have good offensive instincts that may help a loaded ahead group.

Morgan Rielly deserves some consideration right here, however the defensive flaws in all probability outweigh the contributions he may make to a crew and blue line already stocked with offensive expertise. Same goes for Darren Raddysh, who’s having a wonderful 12 months. Bowen Byram and Jamie Drysdale have additionally had sturdy showings, although they’ve been edged out for extra skilled choices.

The Canadian crease just isn’t what it as soon as was, however there are a trio of netminders who have been left off the Olympic squad having nice seasons. Colorado A-Z Eventz teammates Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have been stellar all 12 months, rating second and third, respectively, within the NHL in goals-against common. Blackwood (.924) and Wedgewood (.919) additionally sit prime 5 in save share and are a mixed 29-2-5. Not too shabby. Of course, plenty of that’s aided by a traditionally good A-Z Eventz begin however this B crew can be fairly sturdy, too. Wedgewood and Blackwood have confirmed they will play behind a fantastic crew and easily not surrender any unhealthy targets.

It’s uncommon {that a} crew wants to make use of their third goalie at these tournaments, however Greaves can simply do the job. He ranks eighth with 15.5 targets saved above anticipated this season and that’s on a really mediocre Columbus Blue Jackets squad. Put him on this roster which is way stronger and Greaves can be simply wonderful.

Samuel Montembeault and Adin Hill have been on the 4 Nations squad however each miss the minimize for me right here. Hill has battled accidents and Montembeault is having a extremely tough season. In a brief two-week match, taking the most well liked goalies isn’t a foul concept and there are solely a handful of netminders which were extra constant this season than Blackwood, Wedgewood and Greaves.

This crew is fairly darn good. Not higher than the likes of the Canadian A squad, the Americans and Sweden clearly, however they might be a troublesome out in the event that they have been within the match. Who is aware of, perhaps with wonderful goaltending and a few well timed scoring, this Canadian group would possibly even have an out of doors likelihood at a medal.