More than enough high-end talent

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This article was published 09/02/2024 (651 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The best news coming out of the NHL all-star break is that best-on-best international hockey is back.

Finally.

Naturally, the projections have been circulating at a feverish pace. Who will be in? Who will be out? Who will be the surprise choice, the modern day Rob Zamuner?

In our latest edition of Dump & Chase, Ken and Mike have peered into their crystal balls to predict who might be selected to represent the Canadian and American squads on a massive hockey stage.

The old guard versus new blood debate doesn’t really apply since NHLers haven’t been to the Olympics since 2014, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a number of incredibly tough decisions ahead for the management team and coaching staffs.

With word that Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin will be running Team USA for the 2025 Four Nations Faceoff and 2026 Olympic teams, when will Hockey Canada follow with its respective announcement and who will they choose?

Given his background with the program, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman seems like a logical candidate to be part of the braintrust and the same can be said for Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon. Other GMs with ties to Manitoba could also play a role, including Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, Brad Treliving of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators — and perhaps even Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets.

There’s no shortage of candidates for the Canadian coaching staff either, with Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche, Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Bruce Cassidy of the Golden Knights at or near the top of the list that could also include Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks, Kris Knoblauch of the Edmonton Oilers, Pete DeBoer of the Dallas Stars, Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes or Paul Maurice of the Florida Panthers — among other capable bench bosses.

On the U.S. side, Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers and John Tortorella of the Philadelphia Flyers would likely be the front-runners at this time.

When you see how tough it could be to pare down the management team and the coaching staff, just wait until you try and pick a 24-player roster.

Predictions are part of the fun, so here’s our first crack at it, realizing that plenty can change between the Four Nations Faceoff and the Olympics while figuring that some level of continuity is expected, with the events essentially 12 months apart.

Ken Wiebe’s Team Canada:

Goalies (3): Adin Hill, Tristan Jarry, Stuart Skinner

This is probably the position that will generate the most debate and it’s fair to say that the No. 1 job would be considered wide open. When healthy, Hill brings Stanley Cup pedigree and has shown that he didn’t simply catch lightning in a bottle last spring. Jarry leads the NHL in shutouts and figures to be in the mix. The third spot is also still very much up for grabs — and St. Louis Blues netminder Jordan Binnington or Connor Ingram of the Arizona Coyotes could still factor into the equation — but the recent play of Skinner during the Oilers 16-game winning streak makes him impossible to ignore.

Defence (8): Cale Makar, Alex Pietrangelo, Noah Dobson, Chris Tanev, Josh Morrissey, Devon Toews, Morgan Rielly, Vince Dunn

There’s plenty of skill and mobility, mixed in with some sandpaper and the ability to defend with this group. Championship experience, a Norris Trophy winner in Makar and some others who have either been high on the ballot or figure to be for the coming seasons. Would not rule out Drew Doughty, Shea Theodore or Evan Bouchard factoring into the equation before the final decisions are made.

Forwards (14): Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Mark Stone, Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart, Zach Hyman, Brad Marchand, Mathew Barzal, Mitch Marner, Mark Scheifele, Connor Bedard, Brandon Hagel, Ryan O’Reilly

The goalies might generate the most debate, but the toughest decisions will come up front, where Canada has no shortage of explosiveness or finishing ability. Finding chemistry and putting the proper pieces together is going to be the challenge here. There are some sound defensive players in this group as well. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos could easily replace one of the names on the list and the same goes for 2023 Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault, though my sleeper pick is Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe.

Mike McIntyre’s Team U.S.A

Goalies (3): Connor Hellebuyck, Thatcher Demko, Jeremy Swayman

Unlike Canada, the problem at this position with the United States is that they have too many quality candidates. Regardless of how it shakes out, no question they will have a major advantage in the all-important goaltending department.

Hellebuyck is well on his way to a fourth Vezina Trophy nomination, and perhaps a second victory, and the Winnipeg Jets all-star is the undisputed No. 1. It gets really interesting after that, with Demko, Swayman and Jake Oettinger all making compelling cases.

Just based on their numbers this year, I’ve got Oettinger as the odd man out, but that can change.

Other potential candidates, albeit longshots, are veterans John Gibson and Jonathan Quick, Joey Daccord and youngsters Spencer Knight and Dustin Wolf who could eventually work themselves into the picture, too.

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Defence (8): Quinn Hughes, Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy, Brock Faber, Thomas Harley, Zach Werenski, Jaccob Slavin, Brady Skjei

Once again, a wealth of riches to pick from, including high-end established offensive talents such as Hughes, Fox, McAvoy and Werenski, terrific two-way blue-liners such as Slavin and Skjei, and two of the brightest emerging defencemen in the game in Faber and Harley (Jets fans should get used to seeing this pair a ton in the coming years).

Beyond this loaded group are numerous other viable candidates which include proven performers (John Carlson, Justin Faulk, Brett Pesce, Jacob Trouba, Cam Fowler, Noah Hanifin and Seth Jones among them) and rising stars such as Luke Hughes, K’Andre Miller and Jake Sanderson.

Forwards: (14): Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, Kyle Connor, Jack Eichel, Dylan Larkin, Jake Guentzel, Alex DeBrincat, Clayton Keller, Johnny Gaudreau, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Brady Tkachuk, Cole Caufield

See a theme emerging here? Too many good players. Not enough spots.

Some of the above are slam-dunks, while others are going to have to battle to make the talented team.

Consider that the likes of Jason Robertson, Tage Thompson, Vincent Trocheck, Chris Kreider, Troy Terry, Brock Nelson and Alex Tuch — who are all having solid to outstanding seasons — haven’t made the cut. Nor have established but aging stars such as Patrik Kane and Joe Pavelski, or young guns like Matty Beniers, Matt Boldy and Trevor Zegras.

Good problems to have, no doubt.

It will be fun to watch how this shakes out.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @wiebesworld

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg

Ken Wiebe
Reporter

Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer.

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Mike McIntyre
Reporter

Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.

   Read full biography