What would Canada look like?
Should Jonathan Toews and Shea Weber be at the Olympics?
The question is moot, since no NHLer is at the Olympics and Canada is still one win away from playing for a third straight gold medal. Had they gone, though, would Toews and Weber and a group of previously lock-in veterans be representing Canada in Pyeongchang?
Incumbent Team Canada head coach Mike Babcock would probably have said yes. I would have said no for two important reasons: Both have taken a step backward this season and there are far too many better alternatives.
Disagree? Good. Arguing over roster selection is what I miss the most about not having NHL participation at the Olympics. No one is doing that this year with a pool of players that in any other year would be playing for a Spengler Cup over the holiday season, and nothing else.
It’s not just Canada that is missing out on the debates.
Would the U.S. snub Phil Kessel again? Would Tuukka Rask or Pekka Rinne start in net for Finland? Which Swedish defenceman would be left off the roster?
For what it’s worth, there are nine players (Joe Thornton, Matt Duchene, Corey Perry, Jonathan Toews, Ryan Getzlaf, Shea Weber,
Jay Bouwmeester, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Jake Muzzin) who were on Canada’s 2016 World Cup of Hockey roster that wouldn’t be on my Olympic team. And that’s without putting Josh Bailey, Jonathan Marchessault, Sean Monahan and Brayden Schenn — four of the top-25 scorers this season — on the roster.
Chances are, they’d still be in the Olympic semifinals right now. But we’d also be debating whether Carey Price should get the start over Braden Holtby or Matt Murray.
Here’ a look at what Canada’s Olympic roster might have looked like:
Forwards
Brad Marchand / Sidney Crosby / Patrice Bergeron Mark Scheifele / Connor McDavid / Claude Giroux John Tavares / Steven Stamkos / Taylor Hall Jamie Benn / Nathan MacKinnon / Tyler Seguin Sean Couturier
Defencemen
Drew Doughty / Duncan Keith Alex Pietrangelo / P.K. Subban Aaron Ekblad / Brent Burns Morgan Rielly
Goalies
Carey Price Braden Holtby Matt Murray