HFBoards Team Canada 2020: 1LW

[Dominance]

Funny business, you say? I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about. Anyhow, we have two strong pairs in McDavid-MacKinnon and Crosby-Bergeron. Who is the best player to compliment McMac on the top line?

This series of polls is an exercise to collectively put together the best roster Canada could field if they were to play an international game on New Year’s Day.

The process for filling out the team as follows:

1. Fill the forwards, moving from centre to wing to wing, with remaining centres also eligible. A guy like Giroux might be best deployed higher up in the lineup on the wing; it is up to the voters to decide.
2. Fill the defense. All defenders will be available for each side. Up to the voters to determine the importance of correct handed-ness.
3. Fill the goaltenders.

If we receive a good amount of participation, I may continue to make a 2020 Team Canada B, Team USA, Team Scandinavia, Team Rest of World, and so on as demanded.

Here is the pool of players I will be working with. Open to suggestions (i.e. shifting Giroux to a winger group).

C: Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon, Bergeron, Tavares, Seguin, Duchene, O’Rielly, Point, Scheifele, Couturier, Giroux, Monahan, Couture, Stamkos, Johansen, Toews, Strome, Dubois, Barzal, Domi, Horvat, Nugent-Hopkins, Kadri, Schenn, Getzlaf, Athanasiou, E. Staal

LW: Marchand, Hall, Huberdeau, Benn, Skinner, Debrusk, Hoffman, Drouin, Kane, Schwartz

RW: Stone, Marner, Reinhart, Marchesseault, Mantha, Anderson, Gallagher, Bailey, Konecny, Smith, Wilson

LD: Giordano, Chabot, Morrissey, Keith, Girard, Theodore, Murray, Nurse, Matheson, Vlasic, Brodie, Chychrun, Sanheim, Dunn, Muzzin

RD: Burns, Doughty, Rielly, Spurgeon, Dumba, Letang, Pietrangelo, Pulock, Parayko, Weber, Subban, Ellis, Barrie, Ekblad, Hamilton, Montour, Makar, Savard, Severson

G: Price, Fleury, Murray, Holtby, Dubnyk, Hart, Binnington, Jones, Smith, Crawford, Blackwood

With that out of the way...who should be Canada’s first line left wing?

x - McDavid - MacKinnon
x - Crosby - Bergeron
x - x - x
x - x - x

x - x
x - x
x - x

x
x​

Click to read more...

 

[Dominance]

My vote went to Hall. Hart trophy winner just a couple seasons ago and has the blistering speed to keep up to the ridiculously fast pair of McDavid and MacKinnon. Marchand may very well be the best player remaining, but I’d rather see him play with Crosby and Bergeron. That line has had so much success in the past and has known chemistry.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron was a pretty good line last time around.

 

[Dominance]

Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron was a pretty good line last time around.

Yes, but you’re voting for him to play with McDavid and MacKinnon in this poll.

Not attacking you directly, but I REALLY wish people would read and understand the premise of the poll before voting.

 

[Skolman]

Marchand is the perfect linemate for McDavid, not Hall imo.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I think Hall on that line is just kind of overkill. All 3 players are similar to some degree, I'd rather have someone who's more well rounded like Scheifele, even if it's not his natural position.

 

[jetsforever]

I feel like Giroux could be good there.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Marchand is the perfect linemate for McDavid, not Hall imo.

There's built in chemistry with both Bergeron and Crosby, it'd be insane to change that up.

 

[Dominance]

I think Hall on that line is just kind of overkill. All 3 players are similar to some degree, I'd rather have someone who's more well rounded like Scheifele, even if it's not his natural position.

While I see where you’re coming from and agree that Scheifele should have a spot on the team, is “overkill” in this situation really a bad thing? It’s not as though Hall is particularly needed elsewhere, with our depth. That line’s speed alone - all three would be likely top-10 skaters in the NHL - would have an effect on the morale of the opposing defence.

 

[Trap Jesus]

While I see where you’re coming from and agree that Scheifele should have a spot on the team, is “overkill” in this situation really a bad thing? It’s not as though Hall is particularly needed elsewhere, with our depth. That line’s speed alone - all three would be likely top-10 skaters in the NHL - would have an effect on the morale of the opposing defence.

It's just so much of the same, I don't think it's necessary. Different skills can balance well off each other.

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

Voted Hall

 

[Regal]

Hall and McDavid weren't very good together. Don't see why the line needs another puck carrier. Went Stamkos here. McDavid-MacK could use a shooter who doesn't need to puck. Stammer's also decent defensively now and a solid face off guy. I think Scheifele could work here for similar reasons. Either would probably play kind of a hybrid center-wing style with McDavid similar to Crosby-Bergeron where McDavid takes the center role on offense but Stamkos takes faceoffs and plays the center defensive role.

 

[Sky04]

Went with Marchand, jack of all trades winger who helps any center. He forechecks, backchecks, pots goals and makes plays. Alternatively Scheifele is a good pick for the same reasons.

 

[tony d]

Marchand

 

[Dominance]

To all those saying Marchand, who would you guys ideally have play with Crosby and Bergeron, then?

 

[DesertPenguin]

Would love to see Hall and McDavid tear it up, just for the Oilers fan reactions

 

[Ctrain2k]

Why are people voting for Hall, that’s just not a good fit at all.

 

[The Nuge]

Stamkos. Marchand needs to go next with Crosby, and Hall is better than either of them, but he’s a horrible fit with McDavid. Hall can carry the 3rd line. McDavid just needs a right shot trigger man who can get in the right spot and hammer the puck into the net when it comes to him. You won’t find a better fit than Stamkos

 

[CH]

There is a problem when polls get too nuanced. The question is not who is the best left wing in the group. The question is which player best fits on this line on a Team Canada. The answer may be somebody who is not predominantly used as a left winger in the NHL. The answer may not be the best player of the choices, if the best player better fits elsewhere.

I think this method of picking a team is failing because it expects too much of voters who won't understand the nuance and because other voters may over think that if they don't pick MacKinnon and Bergeron as the #3 and #4 centers then they could be left off the team entirely (as they are not wingers) and that would be worse than picking them for a sub-optimal role.

My conclusion. These polls aren't working unfortunately.

 

[ProspectsSTC]

Point, easily. He would be absolutely filthy with McMac

 

[Halla]

Why is Barzal an option? extreme longshot to even make team Canada, let alone be a 1st liner

 

[Dominance]

There is a problem when polls get too nuanced. The question is not who is the best left wing in the group. The question is which player best fits on this line on a Team Canada. The answer may be somebody who is not predominantly used as a left winger in the NHL. The answer may not be the best player of the choices, if the best player better fits elsewhere.

I think this method of picking a team is failing because it expects too much of voters who won't understand the nuance and because other voters may over think that if they don't pick MacKinnon and Bergeron as the #3 and #4 centers then they could be left off the team entirely (as they are not wingers) and that would be worse than picking them for a sub-optimal role.

My conclusion. These polls aren't working unfortunately.

Well, if you actually read the OP and the question of the poll, you’ll see that it’s exactly as you say. I specify SHOULD and BEST FIT. And if you look at the existing lineup, MacKinnon and Bergeron are already thrown on the wing.

Either way, it’s just a poll. If people make what you see as dumb decisions, so be it.

 

[snipes]

Scheifele has looked good with McDavid before at the WHC for Canada.

 

[Fugazy]

Hall.

 

[MackAttack26]

Hall isn't that good of a fit. Marchand needs to complete the Crosby line.

Leaves the 3 best options as Giroux, Scheifele and Stamkos. I prefer G here.

Gimme a top-9 of

Giroux - McDavid - MacKinnon
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Hall - Tavares - Marner

And stack that 4th line defensively.