Here's how we predict Team Canada's World Cup of Hockey squad will look:
Forwards
No wonder Steve Yzerman stepped down, even after going a perfect two-for-two in Olympic gold medals! I don't envy new Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong one iota for I spent a long time agonizing over these choices.
It absolutely ate at me having to leave out the likes of Taylor Hall, Rick Nash, Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen, in particular. Remember that Nash has been unbelievable every time he puts on the Team Canada uniform in international tournaments. So I wouldn't be surprised to see him make this team if he had a good year with the Rangers. But given that the tournament is a year from now, I tried here to inject a bit of new blood. So really, it's O'Reilly that I replaced Nash with on this version of my Team Canada roster. That could certainly change next time I do it, but I think O'Reilly on the NHL-size ice of the Air Canada Centre is a good fit on this team as long as he doesn't regress in Buffalo this season.
Perhaps the name that will pop out the most to people is that of Schwartz. I just feel that he's an emerging star whose high IQ and two-way game fits well with Crosby. I kept the Big Boy line of Benn-Getzlaf-Perry together from Sochi. Why would you mess with that?
Some people may not want Carter on this team but, like Nash, he's a Team Canada gem in the big events and you can't get rid of every veteran.
Seguin and Giroux are out of position but they are just so talented I just forced the issue. But certainly I think Duchene, Hall, Johansen and Nash are right in this mix.
Other names to consider: Patrick Sharp, Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Andrew Ladd, Tyler Toffoli, Milan Lucic, James Neal, Eric Staal, Jordan Staal and Jason Spezza (he was terrific at world championships this past spring).
And, as most people know, the likes of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are ineligible for this roster because they're Team North America-bound.
Defensemen
A bit of turnover here from the Sochi roster as I dumped Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Jay Bouwmeester and Dan Hamhuis from the squad, although of those three Vlasic certainly has the best chance to make it. Subban played only once in Sochi but should certainly be a major player come next September.
Where I agonized here is leaving off Brent Seabrook, who demonstrated again in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season that he's a clutch performer, especially since the World Cup will be on NHL-sized ice. But when it comes to right-handed blueliners and Team Canada, the choice is impossible. I mean, I left out Kris Letang, too.
On the left side, Jake Muzzin was a guy I considered but went with Marc Staal instead for now. Muzzin played well for Canada at the world championships in Prague, so he's very much in contention.
Other defensemen in the mix: Brent Burns, Dougie Hamilton, Dion Phaneuf, T.J. Brodie, Tyler Myers, Marc Methot and Tyson Barrie.
Goaltenders
All we're arguing about here is who gets to watch Price play next September. I think Holtby deserves to be the top backup. After that, the No. 3 job is pretty wide open. I went with Crawford after he won his second Cup but can certainly see Dubnyk in the mix if he has another outstanding season with the Wild.
Don't forget Mike Smith, Marc-Andre Fleury or Steve Mason. The old goat Roberto Luongo might still be heard from as well. And there are young starters who could have big years to make it interesting, the likes of Cam Talbot, Jonathan Bernier and Martin Jones.