The Good: Canada’s Offense is Scary Good
There was a lot of discourse about the Canadian team, like a lot…..I was rapidly moving between Instagram, Tik Tok and X the moment the roster dropped to get everyone’s opinion, and the consensus was that a lot of people were confused about some of the players that were selected.
Starting with the good, the great actually! So this is common sense but Canada’s offense is elite, like 2010 Vancouver Olympics elite. Just a mess of 100 point pace players, who are also known as being two-way players.The top three centers? McDavid, Crosby, and MacKinnon. Need I say more? And again can I emphasize, this is giving me the 2010 Vancouver Olympics giddy feeling.
The Controversial picks: Hagel and Cirelli
Picture: Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, Connor Bedard, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mark Schiefle
Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room. Hagel and Cirelli got roasted when their names hit the roster. They are points per game kinds of players, but they don’t have the same name recognition as players like Schiefle, Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins and Bedard. Honestly though, let’s get our heads out of our asses. Please smarten up if you genuinely thought a baby-faced, fresh-to-the-league Bedard was going to make the roster. Yeah, I saw those comments, get it together, please. He’s not the first teenager to be left off a world stage roster; let’s not forget a teenage Crosby in the 2006 Turin Olympics.
The Snubs: Montour and Weegar Deserved Better
With that being said, I will not validate the, well I’ll say it, rather odd choices regarding some of the player picks for Canada, but all I can offer is a thought process, maybe? Cirelli realistically was probably picked with the mindset that Canada has to defend against Matthews and Eichel, whilst Hagel is good at playing on special teams, and can be widely considered as an above-average defender. Now here’s where it gets weird, all of the insanely talented Canadian players that got snubbed. Let’s discuss. Brandon Montour and MacKenzie Weegar, HEAVY on Mackenzie Weegar who is integral to Calgary’s backbone, with 4 goals and 12 assists so far this season, being crucial got power play kills, highlighting his role as an extremely important two way defenceman.
Canadian Goalies: Uh, HUH?
Picture: Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, Sam Montembeault, Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger
But another hot topic was our goalies. If you’ve been wondering, “What the fuck happened to Canadian goalies?”, trust me you’re not alone. Social media is riddled with nostalgia for Price, Luongo, Brodeur, and Fleury. It’s not that Binnington, Hill, or Montembeault are bad, it’s just that the USA’s Hellebuyck, Oettinger, and Swayman are an absurdly stacked trio. That said, Binnington is a Stanley Cup champion with the Blues and has really hit his stride in recent years. Hill has proven he can handle high-pressure situations like a pro. As for Montembeault? Honestly, I’m not sure what to expect, but this feels like his shot to step up and leave a mark for Canadian goalies. Snubbed? Logan Thompson. A lot of people argue he’s the best Canadian goalie right now, but hey, there’s gotta be some strategy behind these choices…right?
Snubs Across the Board
Feeling salty about Canada’s roster? Don’t worry—every team is facing snub drama. For the USA, names like Caufield and Tage Thompson caused uproar. Finland’s Armia and Sweden’s Eklund and Zetterlund are also missing from their respective rosters. Misery loves company, folks.
Let’s See How it Plays Out
Roster debates are fun, but the real story will unfold on the ice. Will the “questionable” picks prove everyone wrong? Will the snubbed players fuel our post-tournament what ifs? Buckle up, it’s probably going to be a wild ride.
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