Canada Olympic hockey: Projecting the men's First 6, big questions about the rest of the roster

New York Times

a day ago

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — As one of the top performers in this Stanley Cup Final, Brad Marchand is obviously dreaming about winning a championship right now.
But he also has another important item placed at the top of his list of short-term goals: pulling on a Team Canada sweater at the Winter Olympics in Milan next February.
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'It's one of the biggest things I think about and that I care about,' Marchand told The Athletic on Wednesday.
An impressive playoff run where he's been just a shade under a point-per-game for the Florida Panthers will certainly help his cause. The fact that he's 37 years old and coming off a regular season where he endured some health setbacks will not.
As a result, Marchand is not expected to be among the first six players named to the team when Hockey Canada finalizes those selections. The first six roster choices for each participating country could be announced as soon as Monday.
However, he's still very much in the mix for a spot on the final 25-man roster, due to be picked by Dec. 31.
The Olympic tournament is so prominent in Marchand's mind that he only plans to take a couple of days of rest following the conclusion of this Stanley Cup Final before diving into his offseason training regimen. Never mind that his actual season is going to extend into at least mid-June.
Marchand is among the generation of NHLers hurt by the league's decision to pass on participating in the 2018 and 2022 Games because they fell in his prime and were held immediately after he made his best-on-best debut at the 2016 World Cup.
'I feel like we got robbed of going to the last two,' Marchand said. 'It's an opportunity that I never ever thought that I would even come close to having. When you get in the NHL, that's like the pipe dream. That's the be-all or end-all. To be considered for that Olympic team is such a completely different level than anything you could ever really dream of when you're younger.
'So, yeah, when it became a possibility it's one of the things that I strive for. That's one of the things that I think about when I'm training and when things get tough.'
Marchand was among the first six players selected by Team Canada last June for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
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However, the veteran winger also went through three separate surgical procedures over the summer to fix issues with his elbow, groin and abdominal area. He missed three months of training as a result and saw a dip in his production to 51 points in 71 games split between the Boston Bruins and the Panthers.
Marchand has effectively erased memories of a challenging year with his superlative playoffs, which have included two overtime winners and a series-leading four goals in the Stanley Cup Final. Plus he says there were other mitigating factors — like the fact the Bruins struggled on the power play — that contributed to his offensive dip.
'You go from being a point-a-game guy to 0.75 and it's (viewed as) the end of the world, but there's a lot of different factors that go into that,' Marchand said. 'I never overthought that stuff. I don't get caught up in how the outside world perceives my play or anything like that. It's just about coming in, working hard. If you do the right things long enough sometimes you get the right bounces.'
So who would replace Marchand if he's not a member of the first six players announced? Here's our projection.
Connor McDavid: Safe to say the guy that scored the McGolden Goal at the 4 Nations will be this team's centerpiece in Italy.
Sidney Crosby: Captain Canada will get to play with another roster full of teammates who grew up idolizing him.
Nathan MacKinnon: The NHL's third-highest scorer across the past three seasons and the 4 Nations MVP is another easy selection.
Brayden Point: A favorite of head coach Jon Cooper highlights what an embarrassment of riches Canada has down the middle.
Cale Makar: Fresh off a second career Norris Trophy, Makar is a lock to represent his country for the next decade.
Devon Toews: There are multiple attractive options to go with on the final pick, including Sam Reinhart and Mitch Marner, but locking in another defenseman who just happens to be Makar's regular partner in Colorado makes a ton of sense.
Pietrangelo was initially named to the 4 Nations roster but wound up missing the tournament to deal with an undisclosed injury and then endured a difficult end to his season with the Vegas Golden Knights.
That begs the question: Will the right-shot defenseman's body still allow him to compete at an Olympic level?
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The same thinking applies to Doughty, who was a last-minute injury fill-in at the 4 Nations after missing several months recovering from a broken left ankle. He's a beloved national team player who will need to prove something to management with his play in the opening months of next season.
Among the notable younger blueliners knocking at the door for an opportunity behind them? Start with Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers.
It's pretty rare for a teenager to get the call from Team Canada, but Celebrini has a legitimate shot after capping an impressive rookie NHL season by hitting it off with Crosby at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
Some of Canada's most impactful hockey voices are already big fans of Celebrini's game – making the only real question 'when' he'll represent the country in best-on-best competition, not 'if' he will.
However, the depth of Canadian talent at forward is enviable and management will be cognizant of using the final roster spots to fill specific roles. That Canada will bring 14 forwards to the event is worth noting because it opens the door to the possibility of carrying a younger player as an extra in case of injury or performance needs.
Connor Bedard could theoretically be in the mix for that kind of job as well but would need to have a major breakout in the early part of next season for the Chicago Blackhawks.
The consternation about the state of Canada's goaltending ended up being overblown because of how well Jordan Binnington played at the 4 Nations, particularly in the championship game against Team USA.
We can safely pencil him into the No. 1 job for now with an important caveat that the position is often volatile and unpredictable.
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That means the door remains open for any breakthrough performers in the first three months of the season to grab jobs. That includes Vegas' Adin Hill and Montreal's Samuel Montembeault, who were the Nos. 2 and 3 at the 4 Nations, but also a list that includes Vezina Trophy finalist Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings and Logan Thompson, who had a strong year for the Washington Capitals.
No matter how it shakes out, there should be fewer hot takes this time around about the challenges Canada is facing in the crease.
(Photo of Brad Marchand: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)