Shallow Frozen Water

MY Team Canada

I respect the hell out of dobberhockey.com’s Jeff Angus when it comes to talent evaluations, possibly because it seems like we’re on the same page so often. Of course, it’s sometimes tough to figure out if I’m just going along with whatever he writes, or whether I had those opinions before… so for the fun of it, I’m going to pre-empt him on the subject of the recently announced Canadian WJC camp selections and who I think should/could make the team officically.

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Starting with what I know the least about, the goaltenders:

Jake Allen (STL 08, 34th)
Matt Hackett (MIN 09, 77th)
Martin Jones (LA FA)
Olivier Roy (EDM 09, 133)

No returnees from last year’s tournament here, and I’ll be surprised if anyone thinks one of these guys is a lock. Frankly, the only one I’ve seen play much is Martin Jones because he plays for my hometown Hitmen. Jones has good size and decent technique, although you can’t trust his stats as gospel because the Hitmen teams he played with this year and last have been pretty strong. Still, he’s the oldest of the bunch and has steadily improved over his 4 year WHL career.

I’ve caught Jake Allen play a bit in prospect games and he is always impressive. I thought he had fairly convincingly outplayed the older and (much) larger Ben Bishop in those games. Olivier Roy garnered lots of attention around these parts last year but surprisingly fell all the way to Edmonton in the 5th round in June. He’s the smallest guy here but plays a smooth style like Jonathan Bernier, and as we saw last year with Tokarski vs Pickard, size doesn’t mean a whole lot.

The last guy here is the one I am most in the dark about, having never seen him play, but he happens to be having the best season of the group statistically. Worth noting too is that Minnesota has a decent history in evaluating and snagging goaltender talent (Backstrom, Harding, Khudobin) and it looks like they have another gem in Matt Hackett.

My best guess? It will be Hackett and Allen making the team, although I think Jones has a good chance too if he plays well when it counts in December.

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Moving north up the rink, the list of Canadian defensemen for this 2010 team is as solid as we’re used to:

Jared Cowen (OTT 09, 9th)
Calvin de Haan (NYI 09, 12th)
Nicholas Deslauriers (LA 09, 84th)
Ryan Ellis (NSH 09, 11th)
Brandon Gormley (2010)
Travis Hamonic (NYI 08, 53rd)
Shawn Lalonde (CHI 08, 68th)
Dylan Olsen (CHI 09, 28th)
Alex Pietrangelo (STL 08, 4th)
Marco Scandlla (MIN 08, 55th)
Colten Teubert (LA 08, 13th)
Patrick Wiercioch (OTT 08, 42nd)

First, what we know about Canadian teams and defenses: size is good, physicality is good, experience is good. Also, the head coach this go-around is Willie Desjardins from the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, so it is possible he will prefer the WHL’s physical brand of defenseman. Or not. The only player on this list whose coach is on the staff of the 2010 WJC team is Rouyn-Noranda’s Nicholas Deslauriers. Last year’s team featured only two returnees (Hickey and Subban), two powerplay specialists (Subban and Ellis), two giants (Myers and Aulie), and a few surprise choices (Aulie, Goloubef).

To my amateur mind, Alex Pietrangelo (who has been allowed to play by his NHL team) is a lock to play on one of the top pairings. His wingspan, skating, puckhandling, and Team Canada experience make him automatic, I think. Likewise, Ryan Ellis will follow up on his standout 2009 play and be Canada’s chief powerplay general. After this, it gets a little sketchy.

I’m not high on Wiercioch making this team. He had a hell of a college debut last year with Denver but his skating and phsyicality don’t quite make the bar and his primary skill, running the powerplay, places him in Ryan Ellis’ shadow. I think Pietrangelo and Ellis make him redundant.

Jared Cowen is big, mean, is a leader, and has recovered from last season’s knee injury just fine. He makes this team as one of the shutdown guys.

Based on experience and meanness, that should mean that the other shutdown defender would be Colten Teubert, who was on last year’s version. Teubert has seemingly discovered his offensive touch this year, if his 21 points in 27 WHL games are to be believed… however, I remember all too well thinking that he and Thomas Hickey were Canada’s weak links defensively last year. Then again… the BC grown wrecking ball did knock Boston property Jordan Caron into next year during the summer selection camp. I’ll put him on the team, if only to make those Russians keep their heads up.

The other big, phsyical guy I like on this list is Dylan Olsen. Junior A players are rare on these teams but Olsen can play tough hockey with the best of them, and you don’t get picked by Chicago if you can’t skate (go away, Dustin Byfuglien!). Something I did not know before is that Olsen’s WHL rights are owned by none other than Coach Desjardins’ Tigers, so that could influence the decision. The alternative pick here is Travis Hamonic, who is another multi-tool guy who takes care of his own end. I haven’t ever seen Hamonic play and have no other reason to exclude him, so I’ll cop out on this decision and make it Olsen/Hamonic.

A guy I really like the look of in video clips I see is Shawn Lalonde. He’s great at using his point shot to pick apart defenses and would look great as a puckmover on the powerplay, either opposite Ellis or on a second unit. He’s also taken a big leadership role with his Bellville Bulls this year which I think is like catnip for Team Canada bosses.

That leaves one more spot likely, unless the team copies 2009’s unusual decision to carry 8 defensemen instead of an extra forward. Again.. I’ll have to say that neither Deslauriers (despite the coach connection) nor Scandella make the cut, while admitting that I say this out of ignorance and either could become a Goloubef-like surprise selection. Nope, to me this last spot comes down to Calvin de Haan, who really carried the Oshawa Generals after they traded John Tavares last year, and Brandon Gormley. Underage blueliners aren’t exactly rare on Canadian teams (see Ellis last year and Doughty the year before), but then again, the dice aren’t exactly weighted in their favour either. The surprise 12th overall pick by the Islanders this past June wins this spot, I think.

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Which brings us to the toughest decisions: the forwards.

Luke Adam (BUF 08, 44th)
Gabriel Bourque (NSH 09, 132nd)
Jordan Caron (BOS 09, 25th)
Patrice Cormier (NJ 08, 54th)
Philippe Cornet (EDM 08, 133rd)
Stefan Della Rovere (WAS 08, 204th)
Cody Eakin (WAS 09, 85th)
Jordan Eberle (EDM 08, 22nd)
Scott Glennie (DAL 09, 8th)
Taylor Hall (2010)
Adam Henrique (NJ 08, 82nd)
Cody Hodgson (VAN 08, 10th)
Nazem Kadri (TOR 09, 7th)
Brandon Kozun (LA 09, 179th)
Louis Leblanc (MTL 09, 18th)
John McFarland (2010)
Brandon McMillan (ANA 08, 95th)
Greg Nemisz (CGY 08, 25th)
Brayden Schenn (LA 09, 5th)
Tyler Seguin (2010)

Now, if it was all about picking the players fantasy GMs most wanted to see, this would be a lot easier. But as we all know, picking a Team Canada roster is more about fulfilling roles rather than assembling a list of 1st round draft picks. We also know that it will again be tough for some of the 2010 eligible kids to push their way onto the team… after all, Evander Kane only made last year’s team because of an injury, and Matt Duchene easily could have been on the 2009 team as well but was left out.

Thats why the first cut is the easiest for me. Taylor Hall WILL make this team after arguably being a legitimate option last year as a young 17 year old. That means that John McFarland won’t likely get his chance this year, and it makes things tough on the other standout 2010 eligible name currently ripping apart the OHL: Tyler Seguin.

The only way I see Seguin making the team is if Cody Hodgson isn’t fit to play. Hodgson is supposed to be returning to OHL action any day now and if he can get right back to playing at a high level, he is not only a lock but is the leading candidate to captain this team. I have the feeling Hodgson will do everything in his power to be ready for this tournament.

There are two other obvious locks: 2009 King of Clutch, Jordan Eberle, and 2009 checking monster, Patrice Cormier, who will pilot the team’s 3rd or 4th line.

Another choice I feel pretty confident about is current Wheat King and LA draft pick, Brayden Schenn. He brings all the qualities we know Canada craves; grit, leadership, competiveness. He would make a great 2nd line center if Hodgson plays, or 1st if he can’t. I can’t say the same about Scott Glennie, who hasn’t had the greatest start to this year’s season in Brandon, although his ability to play the wing with Schenn certainly stands in his favour.

If Glennie impresses enough to convince the coaching staff to play him on Schenn’s left wing, then I think the perfect guy for the RW on that scoring line would be Brandon Kozun. Calgary residents will be torn between wanting him or Flames draft pick Greg Nemisz there, but I’m not sure Nemisz brings the speed for this role. It is possible that he plays the role that sniping battleship Jamie Benn owned last year on the 3rd line, but he’ll really have to bring the effort, intensity, and phsyicality to bump other names.

I’m a big fan of Kozun, getting to watch him on a semi-regular basis in Calgary. He may be Fleury or Gionta sized, but he plays like no one’s ever explained the meaning of the word, “fear”. He loves having the puck on his stick, and his speed and agility are deadly weapons. His game is all about being a torpedo… winning puck battles and distributing apples to his laughing teammates. If he was just a little bit bigger, you would think you were watching Marty St. Louis back in his Junior days. Kozy may never make it in the big leagues, but he absolutley shreds at this level. Place him on a line with goalscorers and watch the twine bulge. Oh yeah, and because he is a dual citizen, he didn’t just turn down an invite to a team USA camp… he flat-out refused a guaranteed spot with the stars and stripes for a chance to don the red and white. Wasn’t that also true of Tyler Myers last year? Either way, I love it.

Jordan Caron, despite getting put on ice this summer by potential teammate Colten Teubert, has rebounded well and will be in a dogfigght with fellow bigman Nemisz for a 3rd line bang & score role. I was originally going to wuss out on this selection again and use my backslash key, but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of the aggressive Caron winning this battle.

A dangerous option as a 3rd line center would be Nazem Kadri. Many of us were impressed by his preseason play with Toronto against big NHL bodies, and his selection here would also supply a backup option in case Hodgson either doesn’t make the team or re-aggravates his back injury. Kadri will have to learn from last year’s feel-good story, Angelo Esposito: you’d better be willing to muck it up, son.

On the remaining wing of that 3rd line, I think the speedy and hard working Cody Eakin would be a great choice. Eakin’s Swift Current Broncoes play against Coach Willie Desjardins’ Tigers often so there would be an extra element of familiarity there. I’ve always felt that Eakin is underrated and I always come away impressed after seeing him play, even in settings such as last year’s CHL Top Prospect Game where he was overshadowed by more hyped attractions.

If it were me, I wouldn’t invite Stefan Della Rovere back. When under control, he is a great weapon of mass destruction, but I remember too many stupid decisions last year from the Barrie Colt. This may just be personal preference, though… I happen to feel that the fewer penalty magnets you have on your team, the better off you’ll be. This kid may be great for fantasy owners someday, but not on this stage.

However, as much as I hate to say it, I must be mindful of the political ramifications of the team I have outlined so far… that is, there isn’t a whole lot of QMJHL flavour present. If I stick to my gun ons Della Rovere, that leaves Patrice Cormier as the only “Q” player I have so far. Remaining are forwards Philippe Cornet, Gabriel Bourque, Luke Adam, and Louis Leblanc as possibles for Eakin’s 3rd line spot and the two remaining 4th line winger roles. At 5′9, Bourque is too small for me, especially if I select the 5′7 Kozun. Leblanc doesn’t fit this mold, and to be quite honest, his chances of making this team while playing Harvards’ light early season schedule (similar to Cornell forward Riley Nash last year) weren’t excellent to start with. Leblanc’s speed, vision, and smarts make him an attractive package but I don’t think he can bump off some of the more battle-hardened CHL products on the top 2 lines here.

That leaves Cornet and Adam to battle McMillan and Henrique for the final spots. All four of these guys are fully capable of playing in the dirty areas, but whether politics plays any role in the decision is likely irrelevent. I’ll pick 2009 Memorial Cup standout Henrique because of his leadership and strong 2-way skills, and Luke Adam because of his size and boardplay, but its real close.

With all that settled, my extra forward would depend on Hodgson’s status. If he looks like he will be able to play like he did last year and his back is strong, I would take offensive dynamo Tyler Seguin along for the experience and to supply some powerplay creativity if needed. If Hodgson is looking sketchy, I would opt for the forechecking energy of Brandon McMillan. This would allow me to shift Schenn and Kadri up to my top 6 center roles, move Henrique to his natural center position on the 3rd or 4th line, and insert McMillan’s feistiness in the vacated wing position.

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So, after what seems like a novel, here is my 2010 Canadian WJC team:

Taylor Hall - Cody Hodgson - Jordan Eberle
Scott Glennie - Brayden Schenn - Brandon Kozun
Cody Eakin - Nazem Kadri - Jordan Caron
Luke Adam - Patrice Cormier - Adam Henrique
extra: Tyler Seguin or Brandon McMillan

Alex Pietrangelo - Jared Cowen
Colten Teubert - Shawn Lalonde
Ryan Ellis - Dylan Olsen / Travis Hamonic
extra: Calvin de Haan

Matt Hackett
Jake Allen

Agree? Disagree? By all means, have at ‘er in the comments.