The Hockey PDOcast - Breaking Down the Olympic Rosters for Team Canada, Team USA, and Team Sweden

Episode Date: January 5, 2026

Dimitri Filipovic is joined by Thomas Drance to go through the Olympic rosters that were announced for Team Canada, Team USA, and Team Sweden this week. If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Regressing to the mean since 2015, it's the Hockey P.D.O.cast with your host, Dmitri Filippovich. Welcome to the Hockey PEDEOCast. My name is Dmitra Filipovich. And joining me, as always, on a Sunday, my good buddy, Thomas Trans. Tom, what's going on, man? Dmitri, not much. You know, I watched a lot of Canucks hockey. this week, and the Canucks do not have the most fascinating schedule at the moment. A lot of Seattle and Boston, Macklin Celebrini. So that was nice. At least I got some Celebrini in my life. But overall, I thought a pretty interesting week, Buffalo Sabres win streak came to an end.

And more than anything, I think, what the Buffalo Sabres really told us with this 10-game win streak, first of all, that at the very least, this team still has high highs in them, which is good because we haven't seen it in a bit. I am buying them more than I thought I might have when this win streak started just because of how many good players they have. But more than that, you win 10 in a row the way that they did. And it gets you to the fringes of the wild card. If you don't start fast, right, that's the lesson.

More than anything, the first six weeks can really set you behind the eight ball where you need the sort of win streak that Buffalo was able to put together, just to get back to the fringes of it. And I do think that that's worth bearing in mind. More in the West than in the East where it's still extremely compressed. But if you're in that boat sub 40 points, it looks like you're only six or seven points back, you're a world away. It's a canyon. It's a canyon.

You need to win and win and win and win again times 10 just to get back to the point where you have a credible shot. the sort of credible shot that you would have if you just, you know, had sort of limped along at a 550 win percentage for the first six weeks. And the team that really I think this matters for in terms of our thinking is the Winnipeg Jets, right? Where this run of losses just feels like that, that's the team that shocking to me, because I don't think they're like a contender in the tank battle. And that's obviously a tank battle that I'm paying close attention to, given my preoccupation with the Vancouver Canucks. Like, I think Winnipeg's already at a point where,

not that we're crossing them off, but where they're in trouble. Like real trouble, probably not a playoff team, given the amount of juice they have in the lineup, even with Hellebuck, even with the amount of sort of winning tactical noose within that organization and on that roster, I think that hole might be too big. Let's put a pin in that.

I'm glad I had to give you the runaway for your, vintage opening monologue, but we've got a jam-pack show today. It's a special edition of the Sunday special because, of course, this week we got the official announcement of the roster for the upcoming Olympics, which are about a month away now. And so we've had a couple days digest it. We're going to start off with Team Canada's roster, breaking that down, going through the stuff we like, the stuff we're excited to watch, some nitpicks we have, some questions we have, maybe putting together some preemptive lineups or at least like combinations that we'd like to see experimented with. And then we're going to jump to Team

USA, and then at the end, we're going to get into Team Sweden a little bit as well. So let's dive right now. Let's start with Team Canada. Sorry, Winnipeg. We'll definitely have plenty of time to circle back that. Don't you worry. I'll give you the floor here. Team Canada's roster. Where do you want to start with? Because we can go through forwards and defensemen and then goalies at the end. We can just mix it up, mix and match. What do you want to do? So let's go big picture, because I think there's, you know, an element to which I thought,

months ago. Let's say five to six months ago, I thought, man, Canada's really going to need to prioritize skill up and down their lineup because at the Four Nations tournament, the USA was without their best defenseman in Quinn Hughes. And they beat Canada once in regulation and lost in an overtime game in which they were frankly the better team, despite having serious roster construction issues, especially roster selection issues going into that last game, down a top winger and Matthew Kachuk throughout that game, eight forwards that could hang with the pace that Canada had, and they had the preponderance of chances. They were the team that only lost because Jordan Biddington improbably turned in a prime Vladislav Trechak at just the right

moments for Team Canada. And then over the course of this season, especially with what Baudard did, Sellebrini did, and then Matthew Schaefer did, it felt like the stakes from a U.S. perspective amplified because this is a real window now that team Canada seems to have three guys under the age of 21 who look like real like needle moving dudes guys with a chance to be one of the 25 dudes that really matter in this league all coming in quick succession to replace what you know the retirement of Crosby and on and on will sort of put aside and I was really curious to see which of how many of those players team Canada would begin to blood now right obviously it's just Celebrini. And yet, I do think when you look through and think about, for example,

Bo Horvatt over Sam Bennett, the inclusion of Nick Suzuki, I do think there was actually a fair bit more prioritization on skill from Canada than I think the public reaction indicates. I think on the back end, because it was really just returning the same crew, and because that crew gave us some concerns in their injury diminished state that we saw them in a especially in that four nations final with that Sanheim-Pereco pair that felt shaky, I felt like there was some reaction that, like, Canada had done the 2006 turn thing again. But I think there's a fair bit of prioritization on skill up and down this lineup, more especially with the forwards that's commendable.

I sort of come away from looking over this team Canada roster with quibbles more than serious concerns in terms of how they've selected it. I mean, third goaltender, like, I would have preferred to see them take Blackwood to Darcy Kemper, but I would have had Bennington on it. Defense, do I think Dobson and Schaefer could have maybe been there? Like, do I think they need all of Sanheim Pereko or Dowdy, or do I think they could have gotten away with one and brought a couple guys who are more mobile? Sure, like, did they need McCar insurance for PowerPlay 1?

I kind of don't think so because of the rise of Marner. And then up front, you know, I thought they avoided a fair number of traps. I think they mostly brought the right lineup in terms of forwards. I guess, you know, again, badard over Suzuki or badard over Sorrelli. I mean, I'm open to those discussions, but I also totally get why they wanted a penalty killer that Cooper clearly feels, based on his deployment of the lightning, is an elite four-on-five player, especially at a single-game elimination tournament. So I think I come away from Team Canada's roster a little bit relieved.

I feel like skill was prioritized, off puck skill, in particular with Tom Wilson, Suzuki and Bo Horvatt, all being players that can be dangerous without the puck on their stick. And I think that is sharp overall. So I like what Team Canada did, generally speaking, even if, you know, there were a few selections that if I was in Dark Armstrong's seat, I might have made differently. Yeah, I think the most interesting element of what you mentioned in this roster's composition in terms of the New Blood and Macklin Celebrity and probably the most consequential in terms of, of the impact on these games and the likelihood Canada wins this tournament like they did to Four Nations is finding a way, especially earlier on, to maximize the Connor McDavid-Mitts, because obviously he scored the golden goal to wind up winning that Four Nations tournament, but I don't think anyone would watch those games and say, especially in that final,

where he was uncharacteristically off and out of rhythm, not really kind of tilting the game on its head the way he was accustomed to, of course, bobbling. Pucks kind of just looking out of rhythm, I'd say, puts the best. And so finding a way to, in a short tournament where you don't have the benefit of a lot of reps in time to kind of figure out and build that or manufacture that chemistry that it takes, who's going to be that guy? And I keep coming back to McLan Celebrini's role in this team where I think

we enter the year considering him to certainly have a very valid case if he built off his impressive rookie season as an 18 year old, but probably figuring in as an extra forward with them bringing 14 guys or potentially someone who, if there's an injury or if there's struggle offensively, you can kind of put him in a pinch and maybe you can give you a little bit of a shot in the arm.

All of a sudden now I feel like he's elevated himself to the spot where I view him as probably the most intriguing and high upside running mate for Connor McDavid, especially over these past couple weeks. We've been talking a lot about our guy, Igor Chernyshov and the splash he's made coming into NHL and producing the way he has. What he's done is he's freed up McCloughlin-Cellibriene a little bit to play off the puck, to find those soft pockets of ice in the offensive zone, to catch and shoot opportunities and luxuries that weren't really afforded to him

early in his career because he has to do all the heavy lifting and creation and all of a sudden now you just see how devastating and lethal he is in that particular element obviously playing with mac david is going to afford you a lot of those he's one of the best guys in creating additional opportunities in terms of scoring chances off the forecheck and i feel like you know partly we've had this big conversation in the hockey analytics world recently about defensive metrics for young players and how a guy like celibriene compared to bard has a reputation for already being more refined as a two-way guy but the on-ice metrics defensively not really reflecting that i think part of that is he has to kind of create these chaotic environments where he's just throwing the puck

around and hoping it bounces a certain way and then he's able to wrangle it and do something creative and all of a sudden kind of benefit from that chaos. That's exactly what Connor McDavid does. He causes the opposing defensive structure to scramble, to crumble, to just feel that chaos, and I feel like he would be able to benefit from that. He's not going to play it and skate at the pace McDavid does, but he's certainly equipped to play within that pace and make stuff happen as a result of it. And so I keep coming away thinking that he's probably the best linemate right off the top. I'm not sure they're going to start that way. But I think as the tournament progresses, especially if McDavid's not necessarily playing the way he has here in December and early in January where he's scoring two points every single game, I wonder if John Cooper goes to that pretty quickly.

Yeah, and I think we're going to see Braden Point play with McDavid at least to open the tournament. Braden Point hasn't necessarily been at his best, but I do think there's a feeling within that Hockey Canada structure that his play complimented McDavid best. at the Four Nations, which is, you know, also, I think, a recognition that they didn't really find the answer, right? But point was the closest that they came. The other thing I do think Celebrini brings to this lineup is he kind of gives them a fourth guy who can realistically drive as a puck carrier through the neutral zone. And, you know, obviously McDavid is, and McKinnon are the alpha versions of that. I think Marner is another version of that. And then Celebrini would sort of be a fourth. I think, I guess you could say Braden Point two,

but I don't know that I'm comfortable including him there, just given his form over the course of this year. So I do think there's some versatility there. There are some slower, some less pacey options that Team Canada has brought in Tom Wilson, Mark Stone, Cindy Crosby. I think being really thoughtful about scattering those guys throughout the lineup so that there's, you know, maybe even a guy who can move the puck on each line. I think would be a sensible sort of approach to take in terms of integrating Celebrini. I also think, you know, if you want to start him on a fourth line with one of Suzuki or Horvatt and Tom Wilson and just sort of let his play and let the flow of the tournament dictate

moving him up the lineup from there, I'd imagine that's got to be an attractive option from a Canadian perspective as well. Obviously, just as a hockey fan and watching, most recently here on Saturday night, we're recording on Sunday, you watch what Matthew Shaver's capable of and just how exactly. accelerating it is and how what a scintillating offensive talent is, the multi-goal game against the leaves, capping it off with the overtime winner. I think those were 11th and 12th goals of the season. On the one hand, as a hockey fan, I'm just disappointed not to see him in this environment, because I feel like he could certainly flourish and not only look the part, but

excel in it already. It would have been nice regardless just to have them, especially since you're bringing eight defensemen, I think, as like a long-term project of obviously having him as a break in case of emergency option if there's an injury or if something happens to one of your top guys, but also just to build up some of that experience and those valuable reps of just being around what isn't essentially an all-star team of the best players in the world and just getting to hang out with them for two weeks and soak up little tricks of the trade that you can bring back to the NHL level. I think ultimately, though, he's what played the 13th most minutes of any player in the league this season. As a teenage rookie doing this for the first time, his club,

the New York Islanders, are in the thick of a playoff race in the East. I think they're 10th in the league and points percentage at this point. And so ultimately, I think for both him and the Islanders, while it's disappointing, getting a couple weeks off to, like, rest, recharge a little bit, recover, and then come back for the stretch run and potentially take your game to an even greater level, I think is a fascinating proposition that I imagine will happen. But it is disappointing because I do feel like he could have provided a nice element to this team and just would have been so much more fun to watch from entertainment perspective. I saw what was probably Matthew Schaefer's worst single game of the season live.

When the Canucks were in town. And he got, you know, Siegeled by Kiefer Sherwood. First, Kiefer Sherwood hit him, too, right? Like, it was Kiefer Sherwood through the extra hit, and then he was looking behind, shoulder checking, knowing exactly who was chasing him down and that he was going to take contact, and Sherwood was able to use that threat to steal the puck from him.

It was right before Christmas, and I feel like it was just brutal timing for him. This is not to say that it's like what impacted his decision, but right at the moment where you're making final cuts, he had put on tape, a very 18-year-old game. And it's only a very 18-year-old game, but the point is that, you know,

you can't afford to have a guy who has an 18-year-old's game in that moment. I don't think Schaefer would have, but I can understand why... Especially for an organization that's so risk-averse, right? Especially, like, in light of conversations

about Evan Bouchard and whether he should be on the scene, like, they obviously, it's something that in the short tournament, they just, like, cannot stomach. Well, and fair enough. I mean, the structure of single-game elimination tournaments kind of puts you in a spot where that's the case.

I just think at the end of the day, the reason I would have had Schaefer 7 is if you end up without McCar, you know, God forbid, in a critical game, who do you have that has that level of like, oh, wow, we didn't expect that this guy would be the best player in the game, but here we are, we've arrived. Like Alex Pietrangelo felt like he would have been that for Team Canada in the previous generation where, you know, he's not McCar, but if on one day he looks like it, you know, you're not shocked. he had that level of upside, that level of sort of ability to dominate,

even if he wasn't going to be at that level on an every single game basis. I just feel like there's no one else on this Canadian defense corps with that sort of sealing case. And that's why I would have liked to see them bring Schaefer, even if he was the eighth guy who needed an injury to get in. Well, we just saw the importance of that at the Four Nations. Think about the impact Thomas Harley and his efficiency in terms of move in the puck and making slick little plays to extend stuff, go defense the offense,

made already just immediately he arrives and was immediately one of Canada's most important players and he's taken a bit of a step back through injury and, you know, subpar partner options that are playing with him. So I'm not necessarily sure that he can't be that yet again, but it'd be nice to have another option. Maybe Shay Theodore can play that part because he was obviously on that team and got hurt essentially immediately. We never really saw him factor into it. He's banged up yet again, but he's been having probably the best year of his career so far prior to that. And so either him or Morrissey, you're going to have to take on a big role because you look at the structure of the right side, and you mention Dowdy and Pareko beyond McCar, and I think it does leave

a lot to desire against, especially a Team USA, that is just going to be able to throw waves of exhausting forechecking at you, and it's going to punish you off of any careless little player, trying to kind of go off a glass and out, and so having guys who can break through that structure is going to be essential if they're going to win that game. And, of course, Team USA is going to have more mobility on the back end. I mean, there's not an easy, put it in that guy's corner against Team USA. I mean, far from it, right? All of those guys can move like the wind. And Canada doesn't really have that, right? So, I mean, I do think that's definitely the weak point of Team Canada's lineup is, well, sorry, the weak point of Team Canada's lineups in goal. But in terms of the skaters,

I think there's an argument to be made that this is going to be as talented, a forward group as Canada's had an international tournament since, you know, the Gretzky through the legs to Lemieux, with that Gretzky-Lamue, Howard Chuck line in the mid-80s. But on defense, it does feel like, you know, there's not a ton of mobility, and Macar, beyond Macar, there's not a superstar-level Canadian defender on this team. And arguably not even a guy who could get to that level for a small stretch if you really needed it. And that to me is sort of the argument for Schaefer, the reason I'm a little bit disappointed, he's not there. Even if I understand that at the age of 18, you know, some of the,

some of the qualms or concerns that Hockey Canada would have had are probably valid. Like I find, again, quibbles, not criticism. Like, I understand it, even if I worry a little bit that they weren't mindful enough of the upside case that Schaefer could present. Well, and reflecting on those games and you and I watched them live together and then did post-game shows after everything, we kept coming back to who was marveling at the pace. Those games were played at how few and far between the opportunities were for an actual chunk of open ice to skate freely without someone badgering you and having a stick in the lane, the shot volume being lower,

the opportunities in the high-danger areas being so important in terms of you have to capitalize on it, and we saw that Team USA got a couple in overtime. Jordan didn't stop them, and that was ultimately the difference in that game. It probably the margin will come down to that again for the most part. And that's why one of my things that I'm nitpicking is I would have liked to see maybe another couple shot makers, as we call them, whether it's Bedard. I'd add Jacob Chikrin as an extra defenseman on the back end because we've seen his ability to do that for the capitals. Mark Sheifley potentially now I think they view not only Celebrini's emergence as that, but Nick Suzuki as well. And then Bo Horvatt, who since he kind of leveled up and became a consistent 30 plus goal score has been around a 15% shooter, one of the better catch and shoot guys from the slot in the least.

league to go on top of being a 58% face-off guy, and that's why they obviously value that. So they do have elements of that, but I would have liked to have a couple more options just in case you get into a game script where you're down with 3-1 late in the first period and all of a sudden you need kind of throw caution to the wind, go with your nuclear option, and try to just load up and create offense that you weren't having access to previously, and I'm not sure what that look is ultimately going to look like for this roster. It seems like one that you're going to need to hopefully just manage the game much more so right from the jump, and they're equipped to do so because they have a full lineable grade players.

But some of these games can be weird sometimes. And if the other team sneaks a couple soft ones past your goaltending and all of a sudden you're playing from behind, I think the dynamic changes a little bit. Yeah, fair. And I think the, like, I wonder if, I mean, this is where, this is where, if you fall behind 3-1 is Team Canada, this is where it's going to be load up Marner with one of McKinnon, McDavid, right? And whoever else is going, you know, I mean, you should have enough skill up front, right? It is something that I'm always a little skeptical. I sort of roll my eyes

when national team programs think this way and sort of fill roles, the old Chris Draper, Rob Zamner of it all. And yet, I do think for Canada, I mean, what's the answer if you have to go balls to the wall, right? It's just, you know, tick down your third pair's minutes, if that's Sandheim Pereco, so be it. You know, hopefully you're looking at something more like Morrissey Pereco, right? And it's more between Morrissey, Theodore, Taves, McCar, you know, you're riding those guys. That's, that should be enough playmaking, if not shotmaking, although McCarr is the best shotmaker from the point since Shea Weber. You know, that you can sort of support an attack that features McDavid-Celebrini, McKinnon, Crosby, Marner, and Celebrini.

I mean, that's got to be enough if you find yourself needing goals. And so I do think they're like there's an element to which it almost feels like Team Canada has the look and feel of some of those Russian teams that used to come to the Olympics where it felt like they had more artists. Like Team Canada had Jerome McGinlin, Cindy Crosby, but Russia was coming to the tournament with Kovilchuk and Ovechkin. And, like, it just felt like Russia had the artists, the offensive nuclear options required, you know, without the defense. Like, in some ways, doesn't this feel almost like a Russian team? Like, from, from, you know, 2004, that's almost what it feels like. And so I do think this is fundamentally a tournament where we all think, going into this tournament, that Canada will have, what, the two best players in the tournament on their team in McKinnon and McDavid. and, you know, do they have enough for McKinnon and McDavid to matter?

And I think with the choices that they've made, I feel pretty good about that bet. It helps a lot that, you know, I saw some pushback on BrainPoint's inclusion of his team, obviously, was named to it previously, I think, I believe, but considering the connection of not only the chemistry with Hagel and Sorelli, but obviously John Cooper as his coach as well, since coming back from injury, I think he's been, looks much more like Brainpoint and has been, the stats reflect that in terms of his productivity so i think that's huge because he's is one of those guys who can bump down to the wing and play with one of your top centers and certainly keep up with that pace i guess should we talk about anthony sirelli a little bit because that seems like the most obvious one especially

people that wanted to see badar or shifley or bennett or whoever the forward that was the key omission was for you you kind of looking at that anthony sly slot i get the logic of a pk a i think jakemins is the only canadian skater that's played more per game short-handed than he has this year taking some draws, obviously the connection with the other members of this team. I get all that. I would have ideally preferred if I'm nitpicking a little more offensive juice from that slot, especially as a potentially extra 14th forward in terms of either like utility or functionality in different areas beyond just being so refined to that one spot,

especially since you've got guys on this team, not necessarily down the middle as much, but especially in the wing who are very prolific penalty killers and I think can eat up those minutes when called upon. Not to mention that we've seen at times, McDavid on the Oilers kill penalties here, there. I think guys in this tournament are going to fill a role and step in and provide value there. So I don't think they necessarily needed to be that reliant on it and kind of just pigeonhole him for that spot, but that's the way they chose to go ultimately. So I think if you're Cooper, though, right? The key is, is he believes that Anthony Sorrelli is the best penalty killing option in the league. He believes that his 85.3% penalty kill that he has in Tampa

Bay that every time one of his players is headed to the box, he has this comfort blanket, this confidence that, you know, not only am I going to be able to kill this off or have the best possible chance to kill this off, but I'm going to have Sorrelli and Gensel on the ice together, and there's a real chance that if you don't manage the puck, we're coming back against you and scoring. And I can imagine if you have that game in game out in the National Hockey League, and you feel like it's a key reason why your team's so difficult to beat, you can't even fathom the idea of not bringing that element to a single game elimination tournament, you know, a series of games in which your legacy will be defined as much as it would be

in the Stanley Cup final, and sort of entering those games without that weapon. And with Sorrelli and Marner, I mean, that's as close to what Tampa Bay has. Honestly, it's probably, and it's probably the only possible way to upgrade on. it in Cooper's mind. And I think that penalty killing angle here is so essential to why, you know, the Lightning coach fought hard to have Sorrelli on this team. I think he wants that element in his lineup. And honestly, given sort of the margins in single game elimination, again, I think you can quibble with it, but I don't disagree that strongly with it. Before we take a break, And before I forget to do so, I did want to quickly plug, I was co-hosting on your show, Knoch's talk for a good chunk of last week.

And in particular, if people want to listen to more of us and more breakdowns of these rosters, go check out that in the archives, but especially the New Year's Eve episode where we were on together for two hours. We had an all-star crew of guests. We had Jason Bucle on. We had Chris Pronger joined us, and we were talking about all this stuff. And it was incredibly fun. I loved just asking Pronger about Tom Wilson, and you were kind of framing it as like the dark art. of the game, especially in IHF, kind of managing that and knowing where the line is and not costing your team. And I love Bronger's response to that. You're mentioning, like, back in your

days when you were playing, like, you manage this really well, kind of taken a pound of flesh, put the game within the game, and he just had this, like, villainous laugh in the background, which was so good and so on brand. I'm not really worried about that at all. I think Tom Wilson can, people are still stuck in their evaluations of him for five years ago. Like, he's totally turned his game around also picks his spots way better at seeing a bunch of interviews with him as well where he's talking about like obviously fighting is not as up for discussion at this tournament but just like at the NHL level where he has to pick his spots because he knows how valuable he is offensively to his own team and it's like I'm not going to sit in the box for five minutes if I don't have to because

the guy taking me out of the box and fighting me in that instance is probably trying to do that to help their team in terms of value because he's not as good as I am and not as valuable to their team as I am and so I think he's already kind of turned a corner in his career to where that's not is big of a concern for me. Yeah. The other part of this that I do think matters is between Wilson, Horvatt, you mentioned Celebranian, I think that's a good shout. And then Suzuki, too. I do think there's an element to which Canada wanted to make sure that they had some options that excel at being dangerous off puck. And I think that's really where Tom Wilson's value is most significant as an offensive player. And obviously, in people's mind's eye, they'll think about him going to the net and playing at the

net front and that's part of it. But Tom Wilson's intelligence getting open, his skill at complimenting more skilled guys, superstar level guys, I think his passing is underrated. Obviously, his work on power play is underrated, in my opinion, although maybe it's not because I think people understand how important he is to what Washington does there. You know, he's there on merit. There is no argument in my mind that he's not one of the, on the basis of true talent for getting his unique style of pugilism, end-game within a game, brilliance. There's no doubt that on a true talent basis, just as a two-way player, he's one of the eight best Canadian wingers in the NHL at the moment.

My last thing on this, and then we're going to go to break, I'm very excited for what we got about each team's playing 12-ish, 12 to 15 games between now and the start of the Olympics, and I'm so fascinated to see how certain guys react to this, whether it's ones who were maybe playing with a bit more pressure in terms of trying to prove themselves to kind of push themselves across the finish line and then relief that they made it. thinking of a guy like Nick Suzuki, for example, where offensively his game had dried up a little bit. And then as soon as he gets the call, he played two incredible games, I thought, on the road. One in Florida, where he kind of put the team on his back, scores in overtime, and then in Carolina later on.

And then guys, you potentially didn't make it and kind of view it as an opportunity to, you know, make a statement in terms of this is what you're missing out on. And so that's going to be a really fun thing to track as well. You got anything else on Team Canada, or do you want to take a break here? I think I want to see Bo Horvette play on the wing. I don't know if people are ready for that but he can still take draws if he plays on the wing but I think I want to see

Beau Horvatt speed used on the wing five on five and I wouldn't be stunned if he ends up playing higher up the lineup again you know it wasn't just that they struggled to find chemistry for McDavid they struggled to find chemistry for McKinnon they used Horvatt at left wing with McKinnon at the Worlds

I wonder if that's something we might see here and yeah I mean more than anything I'm just so excited I think this team Canada's especially up front. I mean, on a skill basis, player by player one through 14 in the forward ranks, I think this is probably the best assembly of Team Canada, like, talent in my lifetime. And I'm 38, so it's been a while since. Just don't look at the blue line.

Just don't, well, don't let, or the goaltending, because that's something we didn't even talk about. Yeah, I think everyone gets at this point. I'm with you. I know Blackwood's back on IR now, but I just think his athleticism and upside in terms of when he's on his game. If you need someone who can potentially, they're not going to call up on their goalie and necessarily steal one, although we talked about how Bennington kind of stole that Four Nations final. But I feel like I'd be intrigued by that as having it, especially as a third goalie. I do like Logan Thompson in terms of having a goalie who can just make the saves that they need to

and not necessarily cost you or create an immediate hole for you. And so I think that stability is going to be very important. and it's awesome to see that they rectified their mistake from last year and brought him. And so that's kind of all I had on the goaltending. Yeah. All right, let's take our break here. And then when we come back, we're going to jump to Team USA. You're listening to the HockeyPedioCast streaming on the Sportsnet Radio Network.

All right, we're back here in the HockeyPedioCast. Join by Tom's Transfer Sunday special. We're breaking down the rosters for this year's Olympics. Tom, we did. Team Canada before the break. We're going to jump to Team USA now. A lot to unpack here, certainly. I still love the skating ability of this team, the transitional work that I think they're going to be capable of, and that I think is going to be their route to success in a victory. I share the commonly held sentiment that it's disappointing that guys like Jason Roberts and Adam Fox,

certainly were not included amongst this list because they think their play warranted and it felt like in Robertson's case in particular it had nothing to do with him either like it seemed like a predetermined outcome but regardless of how he played this year or what he looked like after coming off of that kind of by his standards less effective season where he was banged up coming off the foot surgery and not moving as well as he had previously it didn't matter what he did they felt like he wasn't a team USA player and wasn't going to fit into the mix and I think that's obviously disappointing because he's a hell of a player and I think could have provided a lot of value to this team. Where do you want to start with the conversation about the guys who did make

it and kind of what this is going to look like for Team USA? Yeah. And, you know, I wonder, too, how much the fact that Robertson's had a few quiet playoff runs, you know, I wonder how much that's played into it as well. The idea that, you know, we, this is a single game elimination and you need to elevate. I'd add Cole Cawfield. I think Cole Cawfield is a snub on the scale of Robertson, maybe even a greater snub than Adam Fox for me, just because Fox would have been for sure 7-8, but I totally understand if he's not among the six that they want, just given the pace that a guy like Jake Sanderson has, the way that he fits into that sort of defensive identity that we think is going to be so imposing for this team.

And I think that's present, right? Like I think the overall pace of this team, the overall two-way ability, the amount of players that they have that fit what defense looks like in the contemporary game, right? Just how oppressive those Jack Eichael Jacob Slavin minutes felt during the Four Nations and how players like Sanderson, Boldie, just the length and speed that this team USA is going to have up and down the lineup. I'd add Austin Matthews. Austin Matthews hasn't necessarily been blowing us away with the Ovechkin-like goal scoring,

which is its own concern, and I think we can get into that further in the context of the Kauffield Robertson snubs. but I think this Team USA looks to me like the best two-way team at this tournament, the most complete two-way team. I think they're going to be just about impossible to forecheck, and I think they're going to be wildly difficult to break out against. And in terms of just building a team that feels like a machine, you know, like I said, Team Canada almost feels like a 2005 Russian team,

this feels like a Babcock-era team Canada, but maybe without the offensive top end. Certainly. I think to your point about the range, reach, skating ability, both with and without the puck, ability to disrupt up the ice off the forecheck, this team is going to be a nightmare to try to create against. I wonder if, especially as you reflect on guys like J.T. Miller or

Vincent Trochek, and those are the obvious ones to kind of push back on here that don't really make sense within the context of this team, it almost reflects like a misunderstanding of what the top guys a top of depth chart on this team brings it a table defensively because they aren't the types of players who you generally equate to like shut down stoppers

in the conventional way but in the 2026 modern game that's exactly what they are and that's what made them so good at the Four Nations in particular I thought the Matthews Jack Hughes combination just gave Canada no space to move around

and we're constantly kind of stripping them of poxing keeping them on the wrong end of the ice and you've got that you've got Larkin and Boldie of course Eichol certainly in terms of what he's capable of as a two-way force they have enough of that defensive infrastructure and i feel like that raises the floor of this team to such a high level which is why i would have loved to see them compliment those guys with the final couple spots in terms of shooting for the stars with ceiling and kind of those shot makers we talked about for team canada that can turn a transition opportunity

that one of those top centers creates into a goal coming down the wing whether it's robertson whether it's Caulfield, and I share your sentiment that that one is just as big of an omission, in my opinion, and we can talk more about that a little bit if you want, can throw in Cutter Goce, you know, go on down the line, Alex the Brinket, like they had a lot of these guys at their disposal and they ultimately chose not to bring them because I think they felt like they needed more stable defensive pop, and I just don't think that's the case. I think this team has more than they can handle already to that of that to begin with. Yeah, it's an interesting idea. the idea that, yeah, like, Dylan Larkin, I think, is a really interesting name to bring up because in some ways he was a revelation at the Four Nations being one of Team USA's six or seven best forwards for sure. And this year, with the way that they've used him in Detroit, how frequently he's been buried in the defensive zone, his faceoff win rate, the difficulty of the matchups that he's playing. I mean, he's basically used like Chandler Stevenson, but he's really good. And there's an element to which, yeah, I think the,

it's almost like what the U.S. needed in role players was some game-breaking pop, like some sort of microwaved offense in the event that they find themselves trailing to one facing a steady diet of Yol L. Ericksonek and Gustav Forsling against Sweden, for example, right? Like that feels like the one nitpick that you can point to on this U.S. roster. and so it's sort of interesting that the definition of a role player, right? It's almost as if they maybe went traditional in that area without recognizing just how sick their position to be defensively at the top of the lineup. Yeah, I mean, when you need a goal, Colcalfield is terrifying.

And we've seen it time and time again, not only the clutch goals, but I don't know if you saw the one he scored against Florida, where he instantly dragged them back into that game, just weaving through that defense, embarrassing I to lose. Serena, and you know how highly I think of his defensive acumen. Some of the stuff he's done down low, scoring from bad angles, catching goal he's leading. You think about if Jordan Bennington's in there, he's kind of swimming around his ability to stick handle around him and kind of tuck it in, short side.

He's got all of that in his bag, and I think he would have been a great addition to this team, not to mention, and we can talk about this now, you look at the handedness of this team, and it kind of permeates throughout the entire forward group, but especially on the wing, everyone is a left shot. The only right shot is Tage Thompson and he's a natural center but he's going to play a wing on his team and it's great to see him on this club

but I think having more versatility in terms of handedness and goal scoring chops I think would have been a very valuable addition to this team so I think that is a negative trocheck I get it, a right shot center who can kill penalties. Sure. If you're going to go that route

I probably would just prefer a Shane Pinto for example and just bring a bit more youth Yeah, a bit more offensive juice in that side of the game. I think this is where I want to push back on that, though, because I've seen Brock Nelson lumped in with these guys because of what happened to the Four Nations. And watching the abs this year, and I get it, the abs are an entirely different animal

than all 31 other NHL teams, and everyone looks good in that system. After a slow start, the past, like, 25 games or so, he's been a top 10 goal score, a top 20 point getter, and is moving around phenomenally. And so I think it's unfair to lump him in with the former New York connection

between this triangle of players and be like these are the guys they shouldn't have brought like i thought brock nelson has earned it based on merit and i think is a very interesting option for this team he also stayed playing top nine throughout the four nations i mean he you know it was uh chuk on the bench right and then they really stopped playing trocheck and crider and j t miller played a bit but brock nelson kept taking a regular shift right like he he stayed playing now i i didn't think he had the strongest game in the final. I did feel as a viewer when he was on the ice that Team Canada had had something of an edge to attack, but that doesn't, that's, it's still a different than him being, you know, like they brought Kyle Connor who they scratched. They brought Vincent Trocheck

who they didn't play in that four nation final, even, even as the game went to overtime and they shortened their bench. He wasn't in their plans. Nelson was. He kept playing. And so that still matters to me, even if that wasn't his night. Do you want to talk about a defenseman? I want nothing more than to talk about this team USA defense. I love it. A phenomenal combination. Do you think people are waking up to Quinn Hughes now that he's playing in Minnesota a little bit?

Yeah, I mean, I think people get it for the most part. Yeah. I think people were down on him a little bit because of this year in particular, because of the state of the Canucks. But I think, like, in terms of this past three or four-year window or everything, I think people get it. Although I do think it is pretty easy in examining the first. Four Nations to forget that he just wasn't playing when they needed him.

And now he will. And it's just an entirely different element you're throwing into this mix. So I think that is an important shout. If it was already impossible to get the puck against this team USA, now they've got the guy who's going to hold it for three and a half minutes per game, you know, and just be like untouchable, while also sort of bopping and weaving and flipping the ice and, you know, working the puck to the most optimal options on the team and shooting locations.

You know, the impact that Hughes is going to have, who do you think they play him with is sort of one of the things that I'll be curious to see? I imagine it'll be Brock Faber, especially the reps they're getting in Minnesota now. I think that would make a lot of sense. I mean... But that Faber-Slaven pair was so nasty. It was because of Jacob Slavin. You think so?

I think you go back and you look at the tape of some of that. I think it was a lot of Brock Faber being there and Slaven making stuff happen. So you play Slavin with Sanderson? Yeah, that would be... That sounds so... annoying. Especially with Sanderson's like retrieval ability and some of the stuff that you can do to get the puck out of the zone. How are you getting to the inside on those guys? Yeah, that would be a nightmare. I would, I mean, it's a small quibble. I just, I don't understand why throughout this entire process. I feel like everyone is just sort of, I feel like I'm being gaslit about Bowdenola Hanifin a little bit. And this going on for years dating back to when the flames were going to trade him at the deadline and the way everyone talked about him as this like core game breaking piece that is such a luxury item. And it's like every team. And he's a good point. He's a good. player and I get it he can move especially at that size like I think he has especially especially

some goal scoring ability from that position as well if you can get him moving downhill but I think he's ultimately fine and I would have preferred if you're talking upside whether it's a jackson lecombe certainly yeah on the left side or potentially I get why you don't want to bring lane hudson because you feel like you've already got enough with with hues and orensky there on the left side and you're like all right it's a you know the overlap there is a bit too much but for an extra defenseman, especially if there's an injury or someone struggles, I feel like that'd be a nice luxury to have. So that's the one guy on this roster beyond some of the forwards you mentioned, where I'm not in line with necessarily the way people talk about it is kind of like a foregone

conclusion of like, of course he's going to be on this roster. Right. I think the, I mean, I've always actually quite liked Tannafin as a player, but I do think he's sort of the, like, perfect traits, neutral impact can hang at the top of the lineup. Yeah, I don't think he creates the environment in any way, but he can hang at the top of the lineup, and he's got every trait you could ever want. I get the idea of him. He's just one of those players ultimately,

like he coming back to him, like, if he does all these things so well, I would like to see it matter, reflected in the results a little bit more than it has. Oh, that's so reasonable. I just don't think he's, I don't think he's a guy who impacts environment, but I think he's a guy who can play minutes

and not hurt you against any caliber of competition, and more than not hurt you, like hold up, plus, you know, still be a physical presence, still move the puck as a sort of secondary option on a pair, still be intelligent with a shot selection. And I'd say that's sort of one of the things I like best about Hannafin is he's a good shooter from the point, but he doesn't go to it too much. He does still play within himself in terms of like, oh, just put it back down low. You know, if I put it back behind the net, I bet it'll go back to Jack. Like, I feel like he's pretty disciplined about that side of it. So I don't know. I'm a fan of his as a, you know,

two, three guy on a championship team in the NHL more than as the seventh defender for Team USA when, you know, you could have had Adam Fox. I think ultimately, despite all my nitpicks, as we talked about, this is an incredible roster. And, you know, I think the odds heading into this tournament reflected where Canada is a slight favorite, but it really is kind of a two horse race. And we're going to talk more about Team Sweden here to close out. they're a bit of a distant third for the most part yeah i do feel like this team was constructed under the vision of like trying to slow down and beat team canada as opposed to just being team canada or even potentially a better version based on the options they had available to

them yeah and i think that's kind of my frustration with it where i feel like the ceiling case for this team could have been so high if you brought a lot of the guys we talked about even on the margins whether it was like just just bring either coffield or cut or goche and just have a guy who doesn't have to do that much necessarily, but can come down the wing and have Jack Eichael dish it off to him and just rip one by whatever goal he's facing. I feel like that would have been such a nice

option for them to have that they chose not to, and that's my kind of one big lament when I'm looking at this roster. I just think that lament is galactic because, again, Team Canada's got Schaefer and Bedard not even on this team that in four years are coming, and there's no U.S. answer to it. I mean, this run of first overall guys coming in the league,

and then you've got Celebrini drawing Sidney Crosby comps that none of us are laughing at. You've got, you know, I mean, we've seen the difference that Chicago is with and without him, right? And I mean, he's one of the best perimeter finishers we've ever seen. And then Matthew Schaefer's come in and looked like the best 18-year-old defenseman since Raymond Bork. Right? I mean, that's what's coming for team candidates. It's like this is the moment where the gap in talent feels as narrow as it's ever been. This is the tournament.

This is their chance. And it feels like a little bit wasteful to not necessarily be bringing the most dangerous, to not have more dangerous offensive options in the event that you get unlucky, just like they did in the Four Nations final, because they got unlucky in the Four Nations final, but Team Canada has the guys that you just, you know, Mitch Marner hangs out backdoor for two seconds, McCar is fast enough to get to the weak side puck,

you know, McDavid gets open for a split second because of an iffy read, and boom, like, you know, that can happen to you. This is hockey, and it just feels like Team USA is going to be impossible to break down, but has maybe ceded more of the ability to generate the next scoring chance against Canada, it than they had to. And that to me is not just frustrating in terms of my biases towards skilled hockey or, you know, the central importance of generating that next shot, generating that next

look in terms of how I evaluate team quality. But it just feels like there's at least some chance that this is a unique opportunity to be the best team in the world, true talent, that not that they've missed, but that they've sort of like they've looked at the pitch. They haven't swung at it. to me is disappointing because I would have liked to see it. You know, just as like a hockey curious person, I would have liked to see it. The way we're talking about this team and the way I think about it, it is essentially the Carolina Hurricanes with elite goaltending. Now, we've seen that be successful, and that's an awesome team.

Yeah. But some of the issues the hurricanes have bumped into, I feel like, are a realistic outcome here for this team as well, and I think that's why we're harping on this. Well, especially because the logic of the construction. instruction at the top, too. The logic of the gap is as narrow as it's ever been requires us to live in a time 18 months ago when, if you asked me who are the best three players in the NHL, I would have said McDavid won, tier break, McKinnon and Matthews. And now I feel like there's not the tier break between McDavid and McKinnon, and I'm absolutely not putting Matthews in that next tier. You know,

like that's, he just hasn't been at that level in 18 months now. So they're sort of cutting edge offensively at the top of the lineup is still impressive, but it's not as sharp. The other part of it is Matthew Kachuk, down low playmaker, one of the most dangerous when the space is gone from the game, who's going to be able to create an incredible scoring chance for his teammate. You know, Matthew Kachuk's number one or number two on your list, right? And yet, we haven't seen him play. You know, like I don't know what they're getting from Matthew Kach in terms of being that

apex game-breaking playmaking power forward that he's been as he's powered the you know Florida Panthers to consecutive Stanley Cup wins so two of the things that the two of them two of the elite attacking threats that team USA had in my mind's eye when I was sort of previewing or when we were previewing and watching the four nations tournament are diminished in my estimation versus team Canada who's added another player of that caliber in celebrini and McKinnon's taking another step to a level where, you know, I don't think there's the same perceived gap even between him and McDavid. Like he's, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's one A1B now. It's not one gap two. And that's, I just feel like that shifts the balance of probability.

And so to not take your best shot with some downline up game breakers feels additionally wasteful or like additionally risky given the construction of this roster. Yeah, I'd love to know how serious the consideration for including Logan Cooley on this roster was before he got hurt and obviously he hasn't played since December 5th and maybe that factored into it but I feel like he's probably the Utah Mammoth forward that I'd be most intrigued in seeing in this setting in terms of desiccating ability and pace

we've talked about this should be the ultimate puck possession team though right like holding you to 22 shots that are very very hard or a lot on the outside and having a 65% expected goal share what the actual goal share is I'll be interested to see But, no, I think it's going to be incredible. You got any other notes on Team USA that we didn't get to here? No, just, I mean, just that I think they're, for all of the quibbles and for all that I worry that they've missed a historic opportunity to really bring the best team to a best-on-best

international tournament, which I don't think they've ever been able to do. I think they were close to it this year. I mean, we would have quibbled with it even if they did have both of Robertson. And, you know, it would have been on a knife's edge to sort of say. so. But despite all of that, I just think this team is going to be an absolute wagon, especially in terms of their two-way ability, the pace. I think some of what they're going to be able to do in terms of limiting shots and chances is going to be absolutely remarkable. And you definitely don't want to be, you know, facing a deficit of any kind late in a third period. And

then you're dealing with just that steady diet of Slaven, Eichl and Hellebuck. I mean, that's an absolute nightmare. Yeah, I feel like some combination of just kind of pairs going like Eichael Gensel, Matthews Hughes, and then Larkin Boldie. Yeah, nasty. Incredibly exciting. To your point, I forgot, I was going to jump in when you were talking about Matthew Kuchuk. I mean, last time we saw him miss an extended period of time heading into last year's playoffs, it really took him until like late conference final, actually even Stanley Cup final to like really become Matthew Kichuk again. And that's a good six weeks or so of playing himself back into whether it's shape or rhythm or just feeling healthier as he went along.

And so that timeline he is expected to come back to when he's practicing the team. But that runaway is, you know, shrinking at this point because the Olympics are starting in, what, five weeks or so? Yeah. So, all right, do I just, I mean, I hope we get Apex, Matthew Kachuk. I just think that it's at this point not something that I'm necessarily putting in the bank as I sort of wait Team USA versus Canada. all right do you want to close out with team sweden yeah let's do it um i think my main takeaway from

this roster is obviously a great kind of well-rounded group of players is the centers yeah because we talked about this heading into four nations where because of the individual trajectory of alias peterson's struggles because of benedad not looking like himself physically and then having like the joel erics and neck michael backlin kind of like defensive center but not guy who's going to trade punches with McDavid McKinnon or I go Matthews. I feel like Leo Carlson and the Ducks as a team have taken a bit of a step back here over the past couple weeks or so and his numbers have come down a little bit in terms of driving play yet still we've seen what he's capable of this year.

And so I feel like him playing at that level gives them a shot at achieving that. And then Zabinajad has looked a lot better this year as well. And I feel like there are paths for them to match those teams. I'm very fascinated to see whether they give the net to Yesper Walsstead. and whether they're going to do so and feel comfortable doing so or whether it's going to be Philip Gustus in the start and then eventually they get there because obviously we've seen what he's capable of this year

and that's going to be their path as well, right? Like they've got nasty wingers on this team. I mean, you talk about juice. Yeah. It's a lot of poster children of exactly that, right? Nealander, Brad, Kempay, Forsberg, like all the juice you can handle, but they're going to need that defensive acumen and then the goal suppression, so that's where it's going to factor in.

Yeah, I still feel like Wild Bill, too, is a big loss for them. You know, because just as a, you know, if you're going wild bill as your fourth line center, right, or bumping Elias Pedersen to the wing and going Carlson, Wild Bill, Carlson, and Joel Erick, I just, we've seen an international hockey that be an imposing combination. So it's regrettable, I think, that we're not going to get hit. I think he's a really, he would have been a really key piece for this team. But yeah, I mean, I think this top nine is clearly the third best at the tournament. I think this defense, you could argue, is can go toe to toe with the Americans as the best defense.

And then the Walsstead factor gives them a high upside out where there is a potential game breaker that, you know, if they get November Walshstead in this tournament, that's going to be a massive leg up for them. So, yeah, look, I think this team Sweden's a really live dark horse. I really do. I don't want to forget Lucas Raymond in terms of the list of Wingers with Jews that I absolutely love. I do wish, speaking of Red Wings. For sure, that Simon Edvinson was on this team. I get that like the options they have in terms of either their time with representing team Sweden or just their longevity and kind of way they're regarded in NHL circles. I get it.

At the same time, what a free key is physically how he moves around, how much ground he covers, that reach we've talked about for Team USA. I would have loved to see that in this tournament as well. but I think ultimately the options they have are fine. So that's really kind of my one nitpick that I take issue with. I mean, I would have just loved to see, and I hope we get to see it at some future point. But can you imagine they put Foresling with Edvinson and just like, good luck getting anything off the rush against them?

Yeah, no one's moving around anywhere. Don't even try to carry the buck. So, but, you know, and that's really where this sort of comes to, too. I mean, headman, Forsling. Like, that defensive group is insane. So I get why Edmondson wouldn't crack it, especially, you know, with them deciding to bring Ekman Larson, who has 25 points already this season, as, you know, the veteran know-how, the guy with some weight.

And, you know, they need that. I mean, we talked about the forwards, but, like, in terms of veteran players who've really been around a lot with the Swedish national team, I mean, Lucas Raymond, Yesper Brat, you know, are, like, relatively young still. you know, in comparison, certainly with some of the players on the American side or the Canadian side, you know, the Crosbys of the world. Like, I get why they wanted as much sort of of that veteran weight as they could afford to bring. Because Lindholm, Zabandajad, Ekman Larson, and Hedman is kind of like the guys who eight years ago, you know, at the World Cup of hockey in Toronto would have been representing Sweden. So I guess they needed that, or they felt they needed that connective tissue.

That, to me, is on the scale of quibble as opposed to criticism. Yeah, and we saw what the Four Nations provided in terms of providing a stage or environment for some of these guys who haven't necessarily gotten these reps at the NHL level in terms of competing in the Stanley Cup, whether it's, you know, you kept mentioning Sanderson and Brady Kachuk for the senators, Dylan Larkin, certainly it's going to provide that for guys like Tage Thompson at this tournament, some of these other young guys that we just have to see. Yeah, so I think that'll be good call, good show. That'll be really fun. I'm excited about that. All right. Any closing thoughts? Well, just, I think they do, this is going to hinge pretty significantly on whether or not they get credible second line center play in at best on best level of competition from Elias Pedersen. I've been watching them a lot. The underlying numbers are starting to turn around in terms of him driving good defensive results, but the offensive juice, the deception, the unpredictability that we would end the precision finishing that we've seen from Pedersen when he's at his best. that's still not there. Like, it's, I'm not being cynical Canucks reporter.

That's still not there. And so, you know, they're going to need at least some level of it. I think to be seriously capitalizing off of, you know, the potential of this roster. And he's only got a month to find that part of his game. All right, buddy. Well, I echo your thoughts on how excited I am about this tournament once it starts in a month or so. Now we're going to be bringing back the live post game shows for some of the big ones. and so it's going to be really fun to watch these games with you

and then break them down here on the PDOCast. What do you want to promote on the way out? Yeah, I mean, lots of coverage of the Canucks at the Athletic and Canucks Talks SportsNet 650 or wherever you find your podcasts. Give that a listen. All right, buddy, good stuff. If you joined today's show, give us a five-star review where you listen. Subscribe to the PDO-Cast Patreon as well.

On the heels of last week's discussion, you and I had about Sam Malinski, his dad was quick to subscribe to the PDOCs Patreon. And that rule is so hard. So if you haven't joined us there, yet please do so for two extra episodes each week that's all for another edition of the sunday special we'll be back dranson i'll be back next sunday of course we'll get back to our usual programming talking about everything that happened around the league in the previous week i'll be back i believe on wednesday with the next show uh so see you back here then thank you for listening to the hockey pdio cast

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