Scooter2 said:
I believe that there will be a cople of 86's playing as role players this year to prepare them for next year, Wolski & Bolland both have a good chance of being 4th line players being used in a PK role and 4th line role.
This is all dependent on what NHL players are available to play.
I highly doubt that. Wolski and Bolland are in very, very tough to even get an invite to the December camp. Team Canada officials are not worried about next year and getting '86 born players experience, it's this tourament that is important, especially when you haven't won gold in like 7 years or so. Plus, being in the USA, it's almost like being at home, there will be alot of Canadian fans in North Dakota for the tourney.
As far as next year's tourney in Vancouver goes it will be heavy in 1987 born flavour as the 1986 grouping isn't very strong! It's the same as last WJC, where Canada went heavy in '85 talent, skipping lots of 1984 talent, although some exceptional talent was in the NHL(Nash, Bouchard, etc.) If the NHL lockout continues into next Xmas, Canada will be led by Sidney Crosby and followed by guys like Brule, Latendresse, Durand, Cogliano, Bertram, Setoguchi, Little and of course obvious '86's like Chipchura, Barker, Wolski, Pouliot, McGrath, Bourret, Dubnyk, Shantz, etc. If the NHL lockout ends by next season then Canada will lose several players from the above listed.