After handling France 10-2 (with nine different goal-scorers) on Sunday, Canada’s men’s hockey team is off to a great 3-0-0 start (+17 goal differential) in preliminary play and will look to continue that momentum as the #1 seed in the playoffs.
Canada will face Czechia Wednesday at 10:30am EST, a rematch of their first game, to begin the knockout rounds.
While I wait, I thought I’d try my hand at another armchair GM exercise: assembling a hypothetical second Canadian team. Of course, this is assuming all players selected would be healthy. Chances are, some may have even been on the team that is currently in Milan.
There are a ton of centers that ended up making Canada’s team, making a number of them play as wingers. That’s how you get a ridiculously overpowered Connor McDavid - Sidney Crosby - Nathan MacKinnon line. That’s why NHL teams have a salary cap, folks!
There’s simply a lot of depth amongst Canadian NHL centers.
Forwards (14 total):
Matthew Barzal (right-handed shot, RW) - New York Islanders
Connor Bedard (right-handed shot, C) - Chicago Blackhawks
Jamie Benn (left-handed shot, RW) - Dallas Stars
Dylan Cozens (right-handed shot, C) - Ottawa Senators
Dylan Guenther (right-handed shot, RW) - Utah Mammoth
Zach Hyman (right-handed shot, LW/RW) - Edmonton Oilers
Wyatt Johnston (right-handed shot, C) - Dallas Stars
Travis Konecny (right-handed shot, RW) - Philadelphia Flyers
Ryan O’Reilly (left-handed shot, C) - Nashville Predators
Mark Scheifele (right-handed shot, C) - Winnipeg Jets
Steven Stamkos (right-handed shot, C/RW) - Nashville Predators
John Tavares (left-handed shot, C) - Toronto Maple Leafs
Carter Verhaeghe (left-handed shot, LW) - Florida Panthers
Gabe Vilardi (right-handed shot, RW) - Winnipeg Jets
Potential forward lines
Zach Hyman - Mark Scheifele - Travis Konecny
Dylan Cozens - Connor Bedard - Wyatt Johnston
Carter Verhaeghe - Ryan O’Reilly - Steven Stamkos
Matthew Barzal - John Tavares - Jamie Benn
Dylan Guenther and Gabe Vilardi as extras to rotate in
Defencemen (eight total):
Evan Bouchard (right-handed shot, RD) - Edmonton Oilers
Jacob Chychrun (left-handed shot, LD) - Washington Capitals
Noah Dobson (right handed shot, RD) - Montreal Canadiens
Vince Dunn (left-handed shot, LD) - Seattle Kraken
Aaron Ekblad (right-handed shot, RD) - Florida Panthers
Owen Power (left-handed shot, LD/RD) - Buffalo Sabres
Matthew Schaefer (left-handed shot, LD) - New York Islanders
Troy Stecher (right-handed shot, RD) - Toronto Maple Leafs
Potential defense pairings
Matthew Schaefer - Noah Dobson
Owen Power - Aaron Ekblad
Jacob Chyrchrun - Evan Bouchard
Vince Dunn - Troy Stecher
Goalies (three total):
Jake Allen (catches left) - New Jersey Devils
Cameron Talbot (catches left) - Detroit Red Wings
Scott Wedgewood (catches left) - Colorado Avalanche
I’d put Scott Wedgewood as the #1, Jake Allen as backup, and Cameron Talbot as the third stringer.
