Team Canada forwards

[VoluntaryDom]

I don't care which "line" they are, but Marchand, Crosby and Bergeron need to be together.

i agree, thats why i put them there. idc what you call it in terms of number, but those three have shown the ability to dominate together internationally.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Bergeron's pretty well a lock for several reasons, his faceoff and defensive excellence not to mention the chemistry he has with Crosby and Marchand while playing RW.

He'll be too old IMO

 

[NyQuil]

He'll be too old IMO

Next winter?

He's tied for 4th in NHL scoring right now.

 

[AvroArrow]

No chance in hell Bergeron plays the wing. He's the best 2 way C, Bergy and ROR centering lines 3/4 and Crosby line 2, one of McDavid/Mackinnon on the top line C, the other on wing. Marner is a lock, elite winger who plays both ends of the ice and can PK and plays on the PP. Scheifele should be somewhere in the lineup as well.

 

[Regal]

He'll be too old IMO

He's currently still playing at a really high level though and it's only a year away. It's possible to decline that quickly (see Giordano no longer on most lineups a year and a half removed from a Norris), but I wouldn't bank on it.

 

[NyQuil]

No chance in hell Bergeron plays the wing. He's the best 2 way C, Bergy and ROR centering lines 3/4 and Crosby line 2, one of McDavid/Mackinnon on the top line C, the other on wing.

I mean, there's a chance.

That line has played together before on a number of occasions and Bergeron played on Crosby's wing.

 

[Critical13]

Mackinnon - McDavid - Marner
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Scheifele - ROR - Stone
Huberdeau - Couturier - Point

Stamkos, Horvat

PP1

Mackinnon - McDavid - Marchand
Huberdeau - Dman

PP2

Schiefele - Crosby - Marner
Point - Dman

Pk1

Marchand - Bergeron (based on @danpantz 's correction)

PK2

ROR - Couturier

Alright, shred me boys.

 

[NyQuil]

I'm seeing a lot of MacKinnon-McDavid-(my team's player) lines being proposed.

I'm thinking that they need the kind of cerebral defensive presence that a Mark Stone could provide.

 

[Critical13]

I'm seeing a lot of MacKinnon-McDavid-(my team's player) lines being proposed.

I'm thinking that they need the kind of cerebral defensive presence that a Mark Stone could provide.

But I really want my player to get more points

 

[SPLBRUIN]

He'll be too old IMO

Dream on, he is playing better then ever this year and is a proven commodity unlike many others mentioned here.

 

[Critical13]

Dream on, he is playing better then ever this year and is a proven commodity unlike many others mentioned here.

Out of curiosity, who are the unproven commodities listed so far? lol. This is a team full of superstars.

 

[NyQuil]

But I really want my player to get more points

I so look forward to the WJC type discussions at the Olympics including:

1. "Man, Canada really messed up leaving (insert my team's player) at home instead of putting him on a line with McDavid and MacKinnon."

OR

2. "Why is (insert my team's player) on the 4th line when he should be on the 1st line with McDavid and MacKinnon? I'm thinking about the good of the country."

Of course, it's entirely possible that McDavid and MacKinnon don't play well together.

 

[Critical13]

I so look forward to the WJC type discussions at the Olympics including:

1. "Man, Canada really messed up leaving (insert my team's player) at home instead of putting him on a line with McDavid and MacKinnon."

OR

2. "Why is (insert my team's player) on the 4th line when he should be on the 1st line with McDavid and MacKinnon?"

It will be relentless. Whoever is on that line (if it's a line) with those 2 will be the most harshly judged player in the whole tournament. Every puck bobble will be "get this clown off that line they need some REAL talent".

 

[NyQuil]

It will be relentless. Whoever is on that line (if it's a line) with those 2 will be the most harshly judged player in the whole tournament. Every puck bobble will be "get this clown off that line they need some REAL talent".

Rob Zamuner will be like "HA! NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE!!!"

 

[snipes]

Marner and McDavid would be just fun watch together.

McDavid likes the puck on his stick as the driver of the bus on his line much like Marner.

McDavid plays his best hockey with big, strong forechecking wingers with some skill who can create havoc, he thrives in havoc type situations in the offensive zone when he’s not attacking off the rush.

Wingers that come to mind for me would be Schiefele, Courturier, Huberdeau, Stone.

If they really wanted to load up the top like I’d go MacKinnon-McDavid-Schiefele. I’d prefer to run McDavid-MacKinnon-Crosby-RoR/Point down the middle.

 

[Zenos]

No chance in hell Bergeron plays the wing.

New to international hockey? Bergeron has played on the wing for Canada before. A ton in fact: At World Championships, at the Olympic games, and during the world cup in 2016.
Doesn't mean he can't continue to take draws.

 

[Kranix]

Why is Stamkos a sentimental pick but inferior players are locks?

Alright put Stammer on there

 

[Critical13]

Why is Stamkos a sentimental pick but inferior players are locks?

Tavares is inferior, but I disagree fully with Marner and Scheifele, and I think a couple more years will only widen that gap.

 

[Regal]

Tavares is inferior, but I disagree fully with Marner and Scheifele, and I think a couple more years will only widen that gap.

I think Marner is debatable but I disagree on Scheifele. He produces quite a bit less 5v5 and has poor defensive metrics. Like Tavares, Scheifele is better on the cycle in the offensive zone, and is probably more noticeable shift to shift, but Stamkos just finds ways to putting the puck in the net and always seems to have a high influence on actual goals for even if he doesn't have strong possession numbers. I think he's gotten a bit underrated here. His numbers the last two seasons into this year as fantastic. I think for Team Canada, having elite players who don't need the puck on their stick is also valuable as a lot of the best offensive players tend to thrive as puck carriers.

 

[canucklover123]

Couturier has to be a lock no? Only way he doesn't make it is if Canada decides to go with one pure D centre with experience and goes with O'reilly over him. They both have to be ahead of Mark Scheifele IMO

O'reilly - Couts - Stone

good luck lol

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

No chance in hell Bergeron plays the wing. He's the best 2 way C, Bergy and ROR centering lines 3/4 and Crosby line 2, one of McDavid/Mackinnon on the top line C, the other on wing. Marner is a lock, elite winger who plays both ends of the ice and can PK and plays on the PP. Scheifele should be somewhere in the lineup as well.

Bergeron has played on the wing every time him and Crosby have been played together. They were dominant as a line at the World Hockey whatever it was called when Crosby centered Bergeron and Marchand.

Why would that change?

 

[BruinsBtn]

FYI, of players who have 150 mins TOI on the PK in the past 2 seasons, only 1 Team Canada potential forward has a better xGA/60 - ROR.

View attachment 392977

Under the same filters, zero players that are Team Canada potential forwards have a better xGF% - meaning Marner is one of the best in terms of both defending and creating chances on the PK:

View attachment 392979


The reason I bother to point this out, is that if Mitch ends up lower on the food chain 5v5, which is what I expect, I imagine he will get PK time and PP time.

In the last 2 years + 2021, he's 5th in pts/gp among Canadians (McDavid, Mackinnon, Marchand, Crosby, Stamkos all ahead).

I could see our PK forward units being:

O'Reilly - Marner

Point - Marchand

I don't know where you got these numbers but they're garbage. Bergeron is + on the PK in the past 60 games or so.

Then again, if the fancy numbers guys were right, the Leafs would have won a playoff round by now.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

McDavid likes the puck on his stick as the driver of the bus on his line much like Marner.

McDavid plays his best hockey with big, strong forechecking wingers with some skill who can create havoc, he thrives in havoc type situations in the offensive zone when he’s not attacking off the rush.

Wingers that come to mind for me would be Schiefele, Courturier, Huberdeau, Stone.

If they really wanted to load up the top like I’d go MacKinnon-McDavid-Schiefele. I’d prefer to run McDavid-MacKinnon-Crosby-RoR/Point down the middle.

Yeah, not sure Marner and McDavid would be the best mix because both guys thrive with the puck on their stick. Not sure how effective either would be if their role was to just get open and wait for the puck carrier to get them the puck.

Scheifele or Stamkos would probably work best with McDavid. Neither guy necessarily has to be the puck carrier, and both are good at finding openings in coverage for their line's playmaker to get them the puck.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

You serious?? Couturier is a bottom 6 forward on team Canada

Tavares is having a brutal start so far. So not sure he makes the team at this rate

how is PPG a brutal start?

 

[Tripod]

Couturier has to be a lock no? Only way he doesn't make it is if Canada decides to go with one pure D centre with experience and goes with O'reilly over him. They both have to be ahead of Mark Scheifele IMO

O'reilly - Couts - Stone

good luck lol

Yeah no kidding.

How do you leave off a C who can get you 75 points all while playing Selke level defense?

Then add in, he does a TON of his damage at ES. He is 9th in ES points the last 3 years(17/18-19/20). For CANADIANS, he is 4th in EN scoring the last 3 years. He is also top15 in ES goals during that time.

He will help Canada dominate at ES then PK while other "stars" get the PP minutes and points. And he is also 5th in FO% at 56.5% for anyone who has a chance to be an Olympian. He will help Canada win by doing all the little things that often get overseen.