With the final roster finally set, I think it's officially time to "get hyped" for the World Junior Championships. This is always one of my favourite times of the year. I get to sit back, have a few cold ones...and more recently get trolled out of existence since Russia seems to be punking Canada every bloody year. Nothing worse than being at a bar at 10am (yes that's allowed here, don't act surprised) and Kuznetsov to Panarin...lots of pointing in my general direction and people screaming the national anthem as a 5 goal third period erased a 3-0 lead. Man...having Vietnam style flashbacks.
This year though is a very important year for Canadian hockey. Not only is the tournament being held in Canada, but Canada has been a large disappointment for several years now at this level. The Americans in particular have really upped their game, not only with more talent being churned out, but with their development system integrating a sense of cohesion and familiarity that most other nations don't have. It's hard to believe that Canada didn't even medal last time around.
Now we can all sit around and pat ourselves on the back and make excuses. My favourite is that all the best young players aren't available since they are in the NHL...whilst simultaneously pounding their chests saying that they could field two Gold level teams. This season that could also be the case, since players like Aaron Ekblad, Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Bo Horvat are all eligible but will not feature this year. However making this excuse also allows other nations to do so like Russia who are missing Zadorov and Nichushkin, Finland missing Barkov and Sweden missing Burakovsky. Obviously the Canadian tier is higher, but the excuse is still valid for all.
Where am I going with this? A look at the final roster, where I think players fit in and who was left off.
Official Roster
GOALTENDERS: Eric Comrie, Tri-City, WHL (Winnipeg Jets); Zachary Fucale, Halifax, QMJHL (Montreal Canadiens)
DEFENSEMEN: Madison Bowey, Kelowna, WHL (Washington Capitals); Dillon Heatherington, Swift Current, WHL (Columbus Blue Jackets); Joe Hicketts, Victoria, WHL (Detroit Red Wings); Samuel Morin, Rimouski, QMJHL (Philadelphia Flyers); Joshua Morrissey, Kelowna, WHL (Winnipeg Jets); Darnell Nurse, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL (Edmonton Oilers), Shea Theodore, Seattle, WHL (Anaheim Ducks)
FORWARDS: Lawson Crouse, Kingston, OHL (2015 draft eligible); Max Domi, London, OHL (Arizona Coyotes); Anthony Duclair, New York Rangers; Robby Fabbri, Guelph, OHL (St. Louis Blues); Frederik Gauthier, Rimouski, QMJHL (Toronto Maple Leafs); Curtis Lazar, Ottawa Senators; Connor McDavid, Erie, OHL (2015 draft eligible); Nicholas Paul, North Bay, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Nicolas Petan, Portland, WHL (Winnipeg Jets); Brayden Point, Moose Jaw, WHL (Tampa Bay Lightning); Sam Reinhart, Kootenay, WHL (Buffalo Sabres); Nick Ritchie, Peterborough, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); Jake Virtanen, Calgary, WHL (Vancouver Canucks)
Bolded are returnees.
Non-returnees: Chris Bigras (Avalanche)
Notable Omissions:
Michael Dal Colle (Islanders), Haydn Fleury (Hurricanes), Travis Sanheim (Flyers), Dylan Strome (2015), Mitch Marner (2015), Tyler Bertuzzi (Wings), Mitchell Vande Sompel (2015), Jared McCann (Canucks), Nick Merkley (2015), Laurent Dauphin (Coyotes) and Anthony Beauvillier (2015)
At first glance, this is an older team. Canada has had a recent history of staying away from younger players at this tournament. They haven't quite reached Russian levels of icing a team of the oldest 19 year olds they can find in the MHL and the few odd star level players. A good example of that was last years Bronze winning team whose youngest player was then draft eligible Ivan Barbashev who was 18. For Canada to select you at 17 or 18 (draft eligible) you really need to be something else...or Lawson Crouse. I'll get into that one in a bit more detail later.
Of the players that missed the cut, Travis Sanheim was probably the biggest shocker. Sanheim's skating ability is simply elite and he's having a fantastic year. It reminds me a bit of how Darnell Nurse was left off the squad last year despite having a great year and likely deserving a spot. I get the whole "too many cooks," but it seemed off. Sanheim is built for a tournament like this where skating is at a premium. Though I guess they wanted to go with the feel good story of Joe Hicketts...whose place I don't quite see on a team with Shea Theodore and Josh Morrissey on the team soaking up the majority of PP time. Regardless it's a fairly stacked blueline (on paper) and he'll get his shot next year.
Other than him, I suppose a lot of Islanders fans are shocked that Michael Dal Colle was cut. I could go either way on this one, with Duclair being sent back to play the decision isn't as odd. Better offensive players than him were left off like Marner and Merkley, so aside from the 'shock" of a top-5 pick not making it, there isn't much surprise. Especially the way Canada likes to build their teams, they simply won't roll four lines. I'm more annoyed at the lack of respect Marner is receiving, he's playing at an elite level and can't even get a sniff. I know he's 17, but I'd love to see Hockey Canada have the guts to ice a younger more dynamic team once in a while. It's not like they're winning Gold every year or anything. The formula has to change at some point.
Thoughts of Interest:
The potential pairing of Bowey-Morrissey. Morrissey was recently traded to Kelowna as they gear up for contention. This continues the tradition of frightening Kelowna defense cores. Bowey is in the midst of another amazing season and went unappreciated last year. The captain of the Rockets is a real game changer at both ends of the ice. With Morrissey arriving on his team, I wonder if they try the experiment during the WJC's since it seems obvious they will be paired together when they return to junior. I really like the pairing in theory. It has the potential to be extremely dynamic.
Size on the backend is another interesting move. Aside from Hicketts, no player is under 6'0 and most are 6'2+. Morin as the obligatory big guy sort of skews it slightly at 6'7, but by and large this is a big defense. I think a potential shutdown pair of Morin-Heatherington is pretty daunting. Also before somebody points out that both shoot left, don't worry my friend! They all shoot left! Other than Bowey. I guess they aren't as anal about the whole L-R pairing thing. Wonder how that will work out.
Things of Worry:
A glacial fourth line. This might be the slowest fourth line I've seen in a long time by Canada. I don't like it. Not for this tournament. Ritchie, Gauthier and Crouse were brought in for their "jam" and their size. That's an average of 6'4 220lbs on that potential line. The problem I see is speed. None of them are Jason Allison, but you look at the American lineup and you see speed, speed, speed. Also, I get that the world really wants the next Lucic on the team...but did we learn nothing from Zack Kassian? That kind of "power forward" was a disaster and frankly embarrassing. All we can do is wait though. Also, I know why they picked Gauthier, but I can't help but think McCann brings similar qualities, but with more speed and ability. Both are very good on face-offs, both excel at penalty killing, yet only one knows how to do things in the offensive zone. They went with size and in the end he shouldn't make/break the team. However I still feel he has been a disappointment for a second straight year and was completely forgettable last tournament. I would understand if it was the old tradition of returnees being favoured, but ask Bigras because he'll tell you it isn't.
Potential Lines:
Max Domi - Curtis Lazar - Anthony Duclair (The "NHL" line. Duclair and Lazar both have had their moments in the NHL and Domi probably would be in the NHL if it wasn't a Dave Tippett team. A lot is expected from all of them and I think it has the right mix of dynamic offensive ability and Lazar's never stop attitude.
Robby Fabbri - Connor McDavid - Sam Reinhart (...ya...give them some offensive zone starts and teams better pray they have a second pairing up to snuff)
Nic Petan - Brayden Point - Jake Virtanen (A bit undersized as a line, but the speed they can all generate is scary. A natural goal scorer like Virtanen beside a playmaker like Petan and a shift disturber with skill like Point could be a great mix)
Nick Ritchie - Frédérik Gauthier - Nick Paul (Likely the "shutdown line." Gauthier and Paul are noted penalty killers, Ritchie provides functional toughness.
Lawson Crouse (Will likely see time against teams like America and Russia who they like to play rough against)
Joshua Morrissey - Madison Bowey (Morrissey's speed and puck moving ability with Bowey's own should be a dream to see)
Darnell Nurse - Shea Théodore (Nurse's physicality and defensive prowess helps Théodore's erratic offensive tendencies)
Samuel Morin - Dillon Heatherington (Two very good shutdown defenders)
Joe Hicketts (PP Specialist)
Zach Fucale (He's the starter. Deal with it)
Eric Comrie
All in all this team looks good on paper. Yet we've seen that before. Personally, I think the Americans should be the favourites going in.
Thanks for reading.
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