Crew Canada’s braintrust met on the NHL GM conferences in Florida final month to debrief from the 4 Nations Face-Off and start the sit up for the Olympics.
Rosters increase from 23 gamers at 4 Nations to 25 gamers (14 forwards, eight defensemen, three goalies) for the Olympics, and every nation wants to call its first six gamers by June 15.
For Canada, the primary 4 are no-brainers in Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. I’d nonetheless embrace Brayden Level within the first six, as effectively — simply as he was forward of 4 Nations. However Brad Marchand, the opposite first-six participant for 4 Nations, gained’t be in competition once more at this stage of his profession. My decide for the ultimate spot within the first six? Mitch Marner. His play at 4 Nations warrants it, simply as his glorious common season does.
However like all Canadian Olympic hopefuls, the Stanley Cup playoffs are across the nook for Marner — and postseason play can be main standards for Crew Canada Olympic normal supervisor Doug Armstrong and his workers when additional including intel of their roster-shaping.
The IIHF World Championships are big in that course of, as effectively. Any Canadian hopeful could be smart to just accept an invitation from Hockey Canada to the spring match if he doesn’t qualify for the postseason. That’s why, barring well being points, Philadelphia Flyers teammates Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim are good bets to be on the worlds; each want to preserve their best-on-best roster spot intact from 4 Nations.
I’d say Sanheim is likely one of the gamers who has already risen in administration’s ranks, due to his play at 4 Nations. Konecny didn’t do something to harm himself, however the competitors at ahead can be extremely aggressive.
Listed here are some Canadian forwards who had been left off the 4 Nations roster that I imagine have improved their Olympic inventory probably the most since 4 Nations:
1. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens: He’s on the coronary heart of the Habs’ playoff drive and taking part in one of the best hockey of his profession when the stress has been at its highest. He hasn’t helped himself with Crew Canada by turning down World Championship invitations the previous few years, however his efficiency over the previous two months could have completely raised his inventory inside Crew Canada administration’s group. As of Monday morning, solely MacKinnon, Marner, McDavid and Crosby had extra factors this season than Suzuki amongst Canadian forwards.
Nick Suzuki has elevated himself into elite firm this season. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Photos)
2. Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues: Identical to his crew, Thomas saved his greatest hockey for the second half of the season. He’s acquired 18 factors in his previous seven video games alone — and an NHL-high 34 factors since 4 Nations. (Suzuki is second with 32.) Let’s see what the Stanley Cup playoffs would possibly do to additional strengthen Thomas’ Olympic case. However he’s very a lot within the dialog proper now, in my thoughts. It in all probability doesn’t damage that Canada’s GM, Armstrong, can be the Blues’ GM.
3. Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars: Johnston didn’t disguise how dissatisfied he was to not make the 4 Nations roster after we chatted earlier this season, however in that very same dialog, he talked in regards to the larger carrot in making an attempt to make the Olympic roster. I beloved his sport final yr within the playoffs, and after a sluggish begin this season, which value him a 4 Nations alternative, he’s again taking part in on the degree most had been anticipating. A deep run by the Stars with Johnston entrance and middle might propel his Olympic case.
4. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets: He was in all probability the largest snub from the 4 Nations roster based mostly on efficiency on the time. I don’t have him ranked larger for no different purpose than it’s not been a couple of second-half surge for Scheifele — as a result of he’s been glorious proper from the get-go and constant all season. His inventory stays the place it was earlier than. The Stanley Cup playoffs on a Jets crew that may win all of it can be his greatest alternative to place himself larger up the record with Crew Canada administration.
5. Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals: I do know this can be a controversial decide. It’s humorous how many individuals texted me after the three fights in 9 seconds to open the primary U.S.-Canada sport at 4 Nations saying Crew Canada ought to have taken Wilson. There is not going to be three fights in 9 seconds on the Olympics. In truth, there is not going to be a single struggle. However it will likely be an Olympic match performed on NHL-sized ice, not worldwide ice. Wilson is having a profession season, and his toolbox is totally different from most gamers at this degree. Having mentioned that, if we realized something from what we noticed at 4 Nations, our first style of best-on-best hockey in eight and a half years, it’s that the tempo was ridiculous. Crew Canada administration must be assured that Wilson might dangle at that type of tempo in Italy.
Honorable mentions: Jordan Kyrou, John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois.
I didn’t point out Connor Bedard nor Macklin Celebrini, however for positive each younger superstars have an opportunity to get larger up the Olympic radar, relying on potential World Championship performances for Crew Canada this spring and relying on how they begin subsequent season within the NHL.
In my books proper now, Suzuki and Thomas are the 2 Canadian forwards which have helped their inventory probably the most since 4 Nations.
(Prime images of Tom Wilson and Robert Thomas: Patrick Smith and Elsa / Getty Photos)
