While you can never count out Team USA based on their dynamic goaltending trio, Team Canada is rocking and rolling with a ton of talent upfront. Well, you can make the case that Canada will have a tough team no matter how you look at it.
With the 4 Nations Face-Off on the horizon, now is a good time to break down Canada’s roster, and it won’t take you long before you’ll learn why they have the potential to be so lethal. If anyone’s got generational talent, it’s them, and you’ll see Canada rocking and rolling on full display in mid-February.
Team Canada’s forwards may be the best in the 4 Nations Face-Off
- Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
- Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
- Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
- Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
- Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
- Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
- Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
- Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights
All eyes are on Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sam Reinhart, Sidney Crosby, and Mitch Marner. Yeah, the rest of the forwards lineup looks like one lethal bunch, but as I mentioned, there’s no shortage of generational talent here. Throw in hitters like Brad Marchand to add some edge to the team, and you have a complete group with few, if any, weaknesses.
The blueliners
- Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
- Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
- Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
- Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
- Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
- Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
- Withdrew: Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights
Cale Makar is basically another forward who has a ‘defenseman label’ attached to his name, and you can say the same for Shea Theodore. Colton Parayko’s also found his rhythm this season, as has Travis Sanheim. Josh Morrissey is playing for one of the best defensive teams in the league, and Devon Toews has also more than carved out his spot. Losing Pietrangelo hurts, but once again, Team Canada’s stacked with some of the best of the best.
Goaltenders
- Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
- Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights
- Sam Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens
While some may scoff at this trio, I’m not. Sam Montembeault has helped a fringe hockey team overachieve this season with some unforgettable performances. Adin Hill may have proven he’s not a true No. 1 goaltender, but he’s still an effective player nonetheless. Meanwhile, Jordan Binnington’s taken a lot of heat over the past two seasons, but he’s also kept a team that has no idea what to do when they have the puck sometimes in games.