Canada’s selection camp starts tomorrow with 31 prospective players trying to crack the 22-man roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic.
As always, this camp could have easily been expanded to 40-plus players — with Connor Zary, Kaedan Korczak, Brayden Tracey and Jett Woo among the notable omissions from the WHL as well as Jamieson Rees from the OHL and Samuel Poulin from the QMJHL, among others — but the Hunter brothers, general manager Mark and head coach Dale, obviously wanted to limit that number with much of their roster makeup already in mind.
This promises to be a competitive camp regardless, and that total isn’t counting a few ringers that Canada could be receiving from the pro ranks. Canada’s brass will be evaluating and experimenting over the next couple weeks with exhibition games against the U Sports All-Stars (Dec. 11-12), then pre-tournament tuneups against Switzerland (Dec. 19) and Finland (Dec. 23).
There will be difficult decisions between now and the Boxing Day opener against the rival United States. Canada won’t be getting Kirby Dach on loan from Chicago, but Joe Veleno is expected back from AHL Grand Rapids as one of four returnees from the 2019 tourney in Vancouver — along with Alexis Lafreniere, Ty Smith and Jared McIsaac — and don’t rule out Noah Dobson (New York Islanders) and Barrett Hayton (Arizona) from the NHL, which would bring that total to six.
Spoiler alert, my projected lineup does feature those three pros — Veleno, Dobson and Hayton — but my cuts are listed from most likely to make it to least, so my replacements are evident should those reinforcements not be made available.
Without further ado, here is who would make my roster for Team Canada as of today.
Forwards
Q & A Line
Alexis Lafreniere-Joe Veleno-Raphael Lavoie
ANALYSIS: Lafreniere and Lavoie are from the Q and Veleno would be coming from the A — thus the Q & A line. Veleno was formerly from the Q too, making this an all-QMJHL top line for Canada. Veleno should be a step ahead of the competition as a pro, while Lafreniere is the projected first overall pick for 2020 and Lavoie is scoring and shooting at an impressive pace in outperforming his draft position as a 2019 second-rounder. This trio could really light it up.
ON Line
Connor McMichael-Barrett Hayton-Ty Dellandrea
ANALYSIS: McMichael and Dellandrea are from the OHL, with Hayton an OHL alum now in the NHL — thus the ON line. This all-OHL trio is comprised of three natural centres, with two bigger-bodied power forwards in Hayton and Dellandrea alongside an offensive catalyst in McMichael. This line would play a terrific 200-foot game and could be deployed in a shutdown or matchup role. They could definitely go head-to-head with the other nations’ top lines.
Worth noting, my final forward decision was between Dellandrea and Liam Foudy — McMichael’s linemate in London for the Hunter brothers — but I went with Dellandrea because he’s a right shot whereas Foudy would have resulted in three left shots on this line. That said, Foudy’s speed could be a welcome addition on the bigger ice overseas.
Dub Line
Nolan Foote-Peyton Krebs-Dylan Cozens
ANALYSIS: Foote, Krebs and Cozens are all 2019 first-rounders from the WHL — also known as the Dub. Foote was the best WHL player in the Canada-Russia Series — scoring the shootout winner and standing out in both games after previously making a positive impression at the WJC Summer Showcase and even going back to last year’s Canada-Russia Series — while Krebs has been improving by the game since returning from an Achilles injury and Cozens has been an offensive force as the WHL’s leading scorer this season. Krebs is a playmaker, Foote and Cozens are both finishers, so this trio appears perfect on paper.
Kid Line
Dylan Holloway-Quinton Byfield-Cole Perfetti
ANALYSIS: Byfield, Perfetti and Holloway are all draft-eligibles for 2020 and could all become top-10 picks, with Byfield expected to challenge Lafreniere for first overall. Perfetti is a consensus top-10 prospect and Holloway is commonly ranked in the 10-15 range right now. Making Team Canada and making an impact could push Holloway into the top 10 too. Holloway is an older prospect for 2020 — only missing the cutoff for the 2019 draft class by a week, eight days to be exact — and he’s already playing against young men in college. He’s a mature talent and a complete player capable of playing any role. Perfetti is a sniper and Byfield is more of a passer, so those two could form a dynamic duo.
The World Juniors are typically a 19-year-old tournament and therefore it’s unlikely that Canada would roster four draft-eligibles up front — Lafreniere, Byfield, Perfetti and Holloway — but I’m an advocate of taking the best players regardless of age and these are the best players in my opinion. The Hunters and their helpers may not see it that way.
Extra Forward
Alex Newhook
ANALYSIS: Newhook is another NCAA kid who can play centre or wing. He’s got elite speed — arguably even faster than Foudy — and has the hands to keep up, with a real high-end skill-set. Newhook was cut from the Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster last summer but took that snub in stride and made the under-18 team in April en route to starring at the worlds — tying Krebs for the team lead in scoring. That performance should have put Newhook in the good graces with Hockey Canada and his skating should put him on the under-20 team.
Defencemen
Returning Pairing
Ty Smith-Noah Dobson
ANALYSIS: This is the obvious top pairing, providing Dobson is loaned back. He’s hardly playing with the Islanders and only staying in the NHL because he has nothing more to prove in the QMJHL coming off consecutive Memorial Cups, but a second trip to the World Juniors would be another wonderful experience for him. Especially as the go-to guy this time around. Smith’s role grew during the 2019 tournament, even replacing Evan Bouchard on the top power-play unit at times, so he’ll be counted on in a leadership role — and in all situations — with or without Dobson. Together, they should make a strong case as the tournament’s best pairing. And individually, they should take a run at the top defenceman award.
Top Prospect Pairing
Bowen Byram-Jamie Drysdale
ANALYSIS: Byram was the top defenceman in the 2019 draft class, taken fourth overall, and Drysdale is the clear top defenceman for 2020, with the potential to also be selected in the top five — especially with an impressive showing at the World Juniors. These two have a lot of similarities in their playing styles but should be able to complement each other quite well. Both of them could be in the NHL next season and become future Norris contenders.
Shutdown Pairing
Jared McIsaac-Braden Schneider
ANALYSIS: Those top two pairings will both generate offence from the back end, but Canada also needs a shutdown pairing to kill penalties and take on more of the defensive-zone starts. That is where McIsaac and Schneider could shine. McIsaac is likely a lock as a returnee and Schneider has also performed well for Hockey Canada at past events, including the WJC Summer Showcase.
Schneider is another draft-eligible prospect but a late birthday like Holloway, with Schneider born just five days shy of that 2019 cutoff. Still, with Drysdale and Schneider on defence, plus the aforementioned forwards, that would be six draft-eligibles on my roster. That would have to be a record for Team Canada if it comes to fruition. Again, age is only a number for me, and my selections are strictly on merit at every position. Those six should all be first-rounders in 2020 and potentially all top-20 picks. Justin Barron would have been in the mix too — for the same spot as Schneider, as a fellow top-20 prospect for 2020 — had he not been sidelined by a blood clot.
Extra Defender
Thomas Harley
ANALYSIS: Harley gets the extra spot on my defence and could get into the rotation — replacing McIsaac — when Canada is trailing and needing more of an offensive push. Harley could also help the power play if need be, but my top four should handle those duties for the most part.
That may explain the omission of Ryan Merkley, who surprisingly wasn’t invited to the selection camp despite seemingly improving his all-around game under the Hunters in London. Merkley still would have been more of a power-play specialist for Canada, reminiscent of Ryan Murphy back in his junior days. That isn’t a need on this year’s team.
Goaltenders
Starter
Olivier Rodrigue
ANALYSIS: Rodrigue has a history with Hockey Canada — more so than the other three auditioning netminders — so that should give him the upper hand heading into camp. Rodrigue should be the favourite to emerge as Canada’s starter. He has been solid and steady on the bigger stages, so that also bodes well for Canada. Rodrigue should be confident from the outset, but goaltending could be the weakness for this team.
Backup
Joel Hofer
ANALYSIS: Hofer will have his work cut out for him in the selection process, competing for the backup role with two OHL goalies that are more familiar to the Hunters. Hofer will have to win this spot, but he’s been winning a lot of games for WHL Portland and doing so despite seeing plenty of shots. Hofer is an underrated and unheralded St. Louis prospect, but he has grown to 6-foot-5 and has posted some of the best numbers in the country to date this season.
I’m more familiar with Hofer than the two OHLers and thus may be a bit biased, but I like his chances of winning over Hockey Canada’s decision-makers. Hofer would be on my Team Canada and that’s what this is all about — more so than predicting the actual roster.
Fisher’s Cuts
Forwards — Liam Foudy, Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Jakob Pelletier, Aidan Dudas, Akil Thomas, Dawson Mercer
Defencemen — Calen Addison, Kevin Bahl, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Peter Diliberatore
Goaltenders — Hunter Jones, Nico Daws
ANALYSIS: Foudy is the next man up for me if Hayton isn’t loaned to Canada. It sounds like Veleno will be back, but if he isn’t for whatever reason — such as injury — then Bo Groulx would get that spot. If a winger were to get hurt, Pelletier would be ahead of Dudas, Thomas and Mercer for me.
Addison comes close to making my Team Canada. If they prefer a right-handed extra instead of a lefty, then Addison gets the nod over Harley. That would allow for a third pairing of McIsaac and Addison instead of Harley and Schneider for when Canada is chasing in games. Bahl wasn’t far off either, bringing a different dimension as a big body and physical presence on the back end. Even Bernard-Docker was given serious consideration, with those final two defence spots to be fiercely contested throughout selection camp. Bernard-Docker and Addison will definitely be pushing for Schneider’s spot as well as the extra. Diliberatore could surprise and exceed my expectations.
In goal, Jones and Daws are very much in the mix. Daws opened a lot of eyes in the Canada-Russia Series and scouts are watching him closely as an overager for the 2020 draft, while Jones is already drafted — a 2019 second-rounder for Minnesota — and has more experience with Hockey Canada than Daws and Hofer. For that reason, many are anticipating a Rodrigue-Jones tandem, but I’m sticking with Hofer.
Fisher’s Lineup With NHLers
Forwards
Alexis Lafreniere-Joe Veleno-Raphael Lavoie
Connor McMichael-Barrett Hayton-Ty Dellandrea
Nolan Foote-Peyton Krebs-Dylan Cozens
Dylan Holloway-Quinton Byfield-Cole Perfetti
Alex Newhook
Defencemen
Ty Smith-Noah Dobson
Bowen Byram-Jamie Drysdale
Jared McIsaac-Braden Schneider
Thomas Harley
Goaltenders
Olivier Rodrigue
Joel Hofer
Fisher’s Lineup Without NHLers
Forwards
Alexis Lafreniere-Joe Veleno-Raphael Lavoie
Liam Foudy-Connor McMichael-Ty Dellandrea
Nolan Foote-Peyton Krebs-Dylan Cozens
Dylan Holloway-Quinton Byfield-Cole Perfetti
Alex Newhook
Defencemen
Ty Smith-Calen Addison
Bowen Byram-Jamie Drysdale
Jared McIsaac-Braden Schneider
Thomas Harley
Goaltenders
Olivier Rodrigue
Joel Hofer
Well, what do you think — do you like my roster for Team Canada? What changes would you make? Feel free to weigh in by leaving a comment below.