I can't believe Carter was already named. I'm not really against him being on the team, but it's just surprising they had him as a lock right off the bat.
Players in bold weren't in the first 16:
Benn-Crosby-Seguin: I have no idea if this combo would work, but you have to at least try it. Two players that are very comfortable playing the wing and who can both put the puck in the net. The big knock on Crosby playing for Canada was not being able to develop chemistry with anyone. Now that he has two players very familiar with playing together, maybe it'll make that transition easier.
Tavares-Getzlaf-Perry: Getzlaf-Perry should be a lock, I was shocked Perry wasn't included but I definitely think he'll be there in September. Tavares is kind of an outcast. I didn't really know where to put him. He can play the cycle game very well though, so he should be able to fit with those two.
O'Reilly-Toews-Carter: I would have put Giroux here over Carter if it was up to me. Carter is fine though, and this should be his spot if he's in the top 12. O'Reilly is too versatile and multi-faceted to leave off, and his ability to play the wing very naturally will certainly help.
Marchand-Bergeron-Stamkos: For God's sake, please give Bergeron a center spot. It's just crazy to me that he's been relegated to the wing in past tournaments considering you lose out on a ton of things he brings to the table if you don't give him more defensive responsibility at center. It might be wishful thinking, but we all know how good the Bergeron-Marchand combo is. If you give him Marchand as well, that duo could simply work like it usually does, leaving Stamkos to do the old, "Hey, I'm open!" to wrap things up with a bow.
Giroux - I didn't object to him being left off last time, but I think he's rounded out his game too much to be left off again. I would definitely have him as the last forward.
Vlasic-Doughty - I feel like these are the two most reliable d-men in the NHL, and they complement each other extremely well. Vlasic allows Doughty to jump up in the play a bit more.
Keith-Weber - Even though I feel like Weber gets overrated, he's still a really good D-man. Keith is Keith. This has worked in the past and you have to go back to it.
Giordano-Pietrangelo - I know some have soured on Pietrangelo, but he should still be on the team. He's still a workhorse that brings absolutely amazing PK skills to the table (this is such an underrated aspect of his game). I'm not the biggest Giordano fan, but I couldn't think of a deserving LD at this point. Hopefully someone emerges.
Burns - He can be an absolute monster and just a really tough player to handle for the other team. There's certainly some flaws in his game, but I definitely think he's worth having somewhere.
Holtby
Price
Crawford - This is the best goaltending Canada has had in a long time. I'm still a bit, "Is he really that good?" with Crawford, although I shouldn't be. I'd give Holtby the start as he seems to handle pressure better.
