Team Canada 4 Nations roster breakdown: Lines we'd love to see

Let’s talk about a few of the decisions that some might find surprising when it comes to Canada’s 4 Nations roster, shall we? And then I’ll draw up my first look at how I’d like to see them deployed.

Seth Jarvis: He’s just 22, and five-foot-10, and there was a ton of competition for what most assume to be the final spot. But he fits the bill of what they’re looking for, in that he can play up and down the lineup, he spends two minutes per game killing penalties, he scored 33 times last year, and he’s competitive as hell. That pretty well encapsulates what has been considered “Canadian hockey” in the past, doesn’t it? 

Sam Bennett: He was having a great offensive season at the perfect time. A guy like him is picked because when you play against him, you’re so aware of how he shifts the tone and energy of games because half your team is worrying about where he is and what’s he going to do next, while Bennett himself seems utterly unafraid. Jon Cooper will love to have Bennett on his side for a change. 

Travis Konecny: The one common thread amongst the guys Canada picked at the fringes is that they’re fiercely competitive. Konecny is another “not afraid of anyone” guy, despite being smaller. But beyond that, if you go back and combine this season and last, only Sam Reinhart, Brayden Point, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon have more goals than Konecny among guys named to Team Canada. In points, he’s ninth among the guys on the team. He’s playing extremely well right now.

And on defence…

Colton Parayko: I wrote about how I saw him making the team in my projections Tuesday, though listed Drew Doughty ahead of him because I believe Canada does want the Kings captain there if he’s able. In the end, Parayko will be there for the reasons I listed. He handles top competition with his reach and poise, he can manage heavy D-zone starts, he’s big, he skates well, has won the Cup, and of course, has a relationship with Doug Armstrong, who helped pick the team. They trust him, which matters.

Travis Sanheim: As written in my projection as well, this one feels like a true miss by people like myself in earlier versions of my roster analysis. Sanheim has been stellar for a while now, he’s huge, he gets points, he kills penalties, he really is exactly what Canada would want on their third pair. His name may not have been as revered as some of the others in consideration, but I’m willing to bet that after this pick, it will be. 

And finally, the goalies…

Sam Montembeault: The Canadiens goalie was the only real surprise pick, but I’m less surprised about his selection and more surprised they snubbed Logan Thompson, who’s having just about the best season of any Canadian goalie (Cam Talbot has a case there, too). Thompson is way up there in save percentage and goals saved above expected. But in the end, it’s what I said about Parayko in reverse: I’m told the trust just isn’t there from some of the decision-makers. And with Montembeault, they’ve clearly tried to divorce the players from their context, as in, would the Habs goalie have better numbers behind Washington’s defence (yes), and how would Thompson look on Montreal (worse)? Montembeault at 28 years old could well be Canada’s top option by the time we get to the Olympics in 2026.

Now, how do you want to see these players deployed? Below is my two cents.

THE LINES WE'D LIKE TO SEE

Sam Reinhart - Connor McDavid - Brayden Point

To build a roster I believe you work off the best guys you have and construct super lines around them. So starting with McDavid, I want guys who can finish any of the myriad chances he creates for his linemates, and both of Reinhart and Point can. I want cerebral players, experienced guys who can think at McDavid’s elite level. Check and check here.

Brandon Hagel - Nathan MacKinnon - Mitch Marner

I like the idea of Marner with MacKinnon in that it kind of gives you a fastball and an off-speed pitch from the same release point, like those crazy baseball GIFs. You get two totally different players in one line, yet they’re both elite in their own ways. 

MacKinnon just punches holes in the defence with his skating and size, and with Marner using his brain to take advantage of those breakdowns, I think they’d create a ton of offence. I like Hagel here because his speed and tenacity will get him up the ice and on pucks at the same speed as MacKinnon, which makes this trio a load to handle. You’d hope Hagel would be at the paint to clean up rebounds and cause general chaos.

Mark Stone - Sidney Crosby - Brad Marchand

Here you’ve got three players who are absolute gamers with nearly unparalleled hockey IQs, have won Cups, and know where to be -- and when -- on the ice. This is the “work smarter not harder” group. I think the early parts of these games are going to be frenetic, which these three can handle mentally without getting overwhelmed. As the games settle in, I can see them being reliable and coming up with some big goals. 

Sam Bennett - Anthony Cirelli - Travis Konecny (extra: Seth Jarvis)

Here you’ve got a line that just sucks to be on the ice against. They’ll contest every puck, finish every check, and fall on your goalie. Oh, and they’ve all got double digit goals in 25 or fewer games, so they can make it count on the scoreboard too. It’s a great energy line. 

THE DEFENCE PAIRS WE'D LIKE TO SEE

Devon Toews - Cale Makar

Let’s not overthink this, because we’ve seen what they can do in Colorado. Makar is on a 101-point pace and should quarterback PP1.

Josh Morrissey - Alex Pietrangelo

I trust these two together, as they’re both a nice mix of all-around skill-sets. They’re smart, skate well, can make a breakout pass, and create offence. I like the odds of them getting the puck up the rink and into the hands of some of Canada’s potent forward groups, away from their goaltending. 

Shea Theodore - Colton Parayko

I have Theodore there over Sanheim for now, as I think skating is going to be at a premium in this event, and Theodore should excel going back on pucks and getting them going the other way. But truth be told, I’d be open to a few different options with this blue line, including flipping Theodore and Morrissey above, as well as putting Sanheim into the bottom pair for either guy. A lot here will depend on how Cooper wants to deploy his guys. If he’s looking for a pure shutdown and PK group, Sanheim-Parayko could handle those minutes.

THE GOALIE ROTATION

Adin Hill

He's 10th in goals saved above expected per game (amongst goalies who’ve played 10 games) and recently won a Stanley Cup. He’s the guy to start, for now.

Jordan Binnington

Another Cup winner who, some early struggles aside, is known for his competitive nature and doesn't fear big moments. He’s posted four straight games above a .900 save percentage, is on the right side of the “goals saved above expected” ledger, and has the belief of his manager. If he’s hotter come February, he could yet be the starter.

Sam Montembeault

Will likely get the baton third if he gets it at all, but Montembeault is a quality keeper unaccustomed to playing behind excellent defence. He may thrive in that spot, and if he’s the hottest of the group come February, I think they’d be happy to have him get out there and prove himself.

All told, there are a lot of ways to make this cake. But the good news is, Canada has all the right ingredients for success, and that’s a great place to start.