Addressing the media Wednesday, Team Canada coach Mike Babcock announced that Claude Giroux and Jake Muzzin will draw into the lineup for Canada’s final group stage game on Wednesday. Both Giroux and Muzzin were scratches in Canada’s first two games.
Coming out of the lineup will be Shea Weber and Ryan Getzlaf. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun notes that Babcock hinted that both players were not at 100 percent. While he probably wanted to get everyone into a game before the semifinals start, being banged up may have played a part in determining the team’s lineup against Team Europe Wednesday.
Giroux also shared during his French scrum that Babcock has been really good, honest and constant dialogue about what's going on.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 21, 2016
Babcock also said that if Wednesday’s game was the semifinals, both Weber and Getzlaf would be in the lineup.
He also announced after Tuesday’s win against Team USA that Corey Crawford would get the start Wednesday. That’s likely an effort to give Carey Price a rest and not throw him into game action on back-to-back nights before Canada starts playing meaningful hockey again.
Canada clinched a berth in the semifinals with Tuesday’s win over the Americans.
