I don’t want to freak anybody out, but there is going to be hockey played today by some of the best players in the world, and it’s on TV. Despite needing to pack and prepare for an upcoming trip, I will almost assuredly be ignoring all of my otherwise important obligations to watch Team North America play Team Europe tonight.
These are the pre-tournament games, which makes them the exhibition games of an exhibition tournament that takes place before the exhibition season BUT I DON’T CARE. I hate summer and it is dead to me anyway since on September 1st the warmth of the Sun abandoned Edmonton. School is back, it isn’t hot anymore, Fall is here, and I am ready for Hockey.
There are four Edmonton Oilers featured in this game and the forwards make up the newfound strength of the Oiler lineup. Edmonton has not had three centers with their combined ability in a very, very long time. Of course these are Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton has a chance to use a backbone of three young, talented centers as its core on offense and this is the year they need it to become a reality.
Team North America is the team everybody wants to watch. With so many 1st overall picks in the lineup and a bevy of young talent up front, this team has the skill to upset a lot of teams. The biggest questions are in net and on the blueline. Aside from Ekblad, I don’t think anyone on the squad is knocking on the door to play for their National clubs (but I think Jones might get there soon if he has a big year). That said, even if this group on the blueline is weaker than their counterparts, they don’t have to be the difference makers. If they can play steady minutes and get the puck up to McDavid, Eichel, and MacKinnon then this team has a chance to win games.
In net is where I’m most afraid, but Matt Murray was brilliant for the Penguins during the regular season (only 13 games though) and the playoffs. If he still has a little magic left in that gangly 6’4…, 178 pound body then North America has a fighting chance.
Draisaitl looks like he will be heading up the 3rd line with Gaborik and Niederreiter on his wings. That’s a solid line of men all over 200 pounds and at least 6’1… in height and a fair amount of offense. Draisaitl had 51 points in 72 games last season. Niederreiter had 43 points in 82 games. Gaborik is the straggler limping in at 22 points in 54 games, but he’s still a potential one-shot scorer even at 34 years old. It’s a line made up entirely of left shots, so that’s something to keep an eye on with regards to chemistry. I think this is a line that could be underestimated and that’s a good thing for Europe.
Andrej Sekera rounds out as the 4th Oiler taking part in this game. The steady defense of Sekera will be depended on to keep the depth of Europe’s blueline from being overwhelmed at the tournament. I am expecting Chara and Josi to do the heavy lifting with this team, but after that team Europe will need people to step up. I see Sekera, Streit, and Seidenberg as the blueliners who need to do exactly that.
Puck drops tonight at 6PM Mountain Time on Sportsnet. Game on!
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