Team Canada's designated 4 line system has been flawed for years at the junior level. At a best on best tournament, you don't bring role players. You use your best players, identify those among them that have great two way play, and get them to take on a role they normally wouldn't for their club team.
At the Olympics, we use Toews and Bergeron to shut teams down. Rick Nash gets used similarly to grind opponents down. Because we have players like this, that are capable of playing D while still be highly skilled and able to score, it allows to bring more skilled players.
Last year, Canada's grinding line with Gauthier, Anderson and Leier was terrible. How much better could that squad have been if Team Canada had followed what the Olympic team does and cast Horvat and Lazar in two way grinding line roles...and brought 3 talented players to form another scoring line rather than the 3 I mentioned.
For a nation that is as deep in prospects at this age level as we are, we don't use that to our advantage. Bringing 4 top lines of players (with guys like Lazar cast to check) would have the other teams worrying about defending against us rather than us hoping our top two lines can click and provide enough offense for the team.
