The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Canada's Olympic Roster Reveal ft. Brian Burke & Matt Larkin

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

Today on The Sheet, Jeff Marek closes out 2025 with a packed New Year’s Eve episode. The guys tee up tonight’s massive Canada vs. Finland World Juniors showdown, looking at key matchups, standout performers, and what Team Canada needs to clean up to punch their ticket to the medal round.They also break down everything that went down in last night’s Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers game — including the heated fallout from Brad Marchand’s hit on Mike Matheson, how the officials handled it, and why there's no supplemental discipline.Then, Brian Burke joins the show to react in real time to Team Canada’s Olympic roster announcement. The crew runs through every name that made the cut, who surprised them, and which omissions will stir the biggest debates across the hockey world as the countdown to the Olympics ramps up.Ring in the new year with an episode full of analysis, storylines, and strong opinions from Jeff and the panel.SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Bauer: https://www.bauer.com/👍🏼Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/caReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@FNBarnBurner🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So here's the question. Oh, by the way, third time wasn't a charm. Flight canceled again yesterday. We're not in Minnesota. More on that later. So here's the question I wonder about. This is one for the chat. Who are you happiest for?

Who are you most disappointed for? We're talking about the Team Canada roster as revealed today in a press conference with Doug Armstrong, Catherine Henderson, and Scott Salmon from Hockey Canada. Who are you happiest for and who are you most disappointed for in all of this? For me, I'm really happy for Bo Horvatt, Nick Suzuki as well, like a couple of the first timers here I'm really happy about. It's pretty easy to be happy for someone like Macklin Celebrini as well.

Bummed for Connor Bedard, really bummed. for Mark Sheifley, just knowing how much of a 24-7 hockey guy he is and how great he's been in the last couple of seasons as well. We'll get into a lot of this and sort of break down, you know, who got chosen why and why this fits. We got a little glimpse into what Hockey Canada was thinking and what Doug Armstrong was thinking in the press conference afterwards, where he essentially said this isn't this isn't just the best possible players but this is the best team and that's interesting because you know going into sochi for team Canada the motto sort of changed from build a team to skill adapts right like this was this was the motto it's no longer well this is what our fourth line is going to do this is what a third line is

going to do. This is what our first pair is going to do. This is what our bottom pair is going to do. There was none of that. It was, we're just going to take the best possible players and their skill will allow them to adapt to all the different positions. And it worked.

But slowly, but surely, Hockey Canada has gotten away from that. And now we find ourselves in a position where we're talking about building the best team, not just bring in a collection of great hockey players and hoping that they can adapt to the situation.

Let's let you know what's going up on the show today. It's a big one, and it's going to be a lot on Team Canada and that press conference. So bear with us. We're going to do the same thing when the USA rosters announced, too. The blueprint is powered by Fandual. Download the app today and play your game on Fanduel. Coming up on the show in a couple of moments, someone who's no stranger to making tough decisions and big decisions,

as with us every Wednesday here on the sheet. And that is, of course, Brian Burke. Matt Larkin from Daily Faceoff and DailyFaceoff.com will stop by, get his thoughts on what Team Canada looks like. If we get time, we'll really try to get to the Brad Marchand situation. Oh, he's on Team Canada too. And Rick Tockett makes his return to Vancouver yesterday. Just so we're all on the same page and we're standing by for Brian Burke.

Zach, you let me know when we have Berkey aboard. The thing about it that you initially notice is a couple of new goaltenders. Aidan Hill, who's been bothered by injury, is out. Sam Montembo hasn't had the best of all possible seasons. That's a soft landing I'll give them there. And I'll put my hand out, Mayacolpa, I thought that Sam Montembo going into this season and going into the Olympics, based on some of the underlying numbers that we've seen for the past couple of seasons,

would end up actually being the number one goaltender for Team Canada. that will not happen. Sam Montembow not on. Jordan Bennington, no surprise there. I want to mention him in a couple of seconds. Darcy Kemper and Logan Thompson, who's been the best of the bunch all season long. And we were wondering whether Logan Thompson was going to be named here.

Should he have been on last year? So he gets in, Darcy Kemper, Stanley Cup champion, he gets in as well. And Jordan Bennington. Now, Bennington is a fascinating name. and in some corners is a really polarizing guy when it comes to playing internationally for Team Canada. And that is, we've seen great Jordan Bennington. You look at the Stanley Cup run where he was phenomenal,

like the whole run, not just the playoff, the whole run. Like after he got called up, fantastic. So we've seen that Jordan Bennington. We've seen the Jordan Bennington that was outstanding in the Four Nations final game. Let's not forget. getting to the final there was always that one moment in the game or there was that one goal where you kind of went oh that one that that can't go in if it's a final game you know you can't have that one there's always that one moment but then full credit to jordan bittington because in that final game he looked down the ice and looked at conor halibuck and said i'm going to make more saves than you're going to make and binnington was outstanding and that's a great goaltending Canada is going to need.

So we've seen that Jordan Bennington, and we've also seen the Jordan Bennington that, you know, we really wonder about. And that Jordan Bennington, we've seen a lot of this year playing with the St. Louis Blues. Now, I still maintain with St. Louis. A lot of it is because of the blue line, but nonetheless. Personally, we'll see how it all plays out. I think out of courtesy and out of respect for what he did at Four Nations, Jordan Bennington gets the first start.

he gets the first start and then after that all bets are off he gets the first start as the courtesy and then after that keeps playing well stays in otherwise it's over to logan thompson it's over to darcy camper um the blue line remains the same okay and i know that there's uh some noise and there should be around jacob chickren and i kind of thought that maybe chickwin would would squeeze in here. Just again, having another outstanding season for the Washington Capitals. But the blue line stays the same. It is Drew Doughty.

It is Thomas Harley. It is Kail McCar. It is Josh Morrissey, Colton Perrako, Travis Sanheim, Che Theodore, and Devon Taves. That is your Four Nations blue line following the motto, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. We shall see. I did wonder about Checkwin.

I think some people wondered about Evan Boucher. and I know about the turnovers. We all know about the turnovers. But, you know, you can, if you follow the,

the philosophy, you can never have enough elite offensive defensemen on your, on your roster for a tournament like the Olympics,

then Evan Bouchard, not in the lineup, maybe raises your eyebrow. Matthew Schaefer is interesting. And Doug Armstrong talked about the Islanders, you know, standout defenseman

and essentially said, like, look, this guy wasn't on my radar until this year and what he's done has been nothing short of incredible but generally at tournaments like this and I'm going to get to Celebrini in a second at tournaments like this like Hockey Canada

doesn't bring young players they just they just don't and that brings us to Macklin Celebrini so Macklin Celebrini is going to the Olympics for Team Canada and he will be the youngest player

that oh Berkey's ready he is the youngest player that Hockey Canada has ever brought to an Olympics in the NHL era. Let's get right to Brian Burke. joins us every Wednesday here, former NHL general manager, someone who's no stranger to making tough international decisions. Brian Burke joins me on the sheet.

Berkey, how are you today? And any surprises in today's Doug Armstrong press conference for you? Good, thanks, Jeff. Thanks for having me on. I would say the one surprise I have is Sam Bennett. I'm shocked at Sam Bennett not being on. I only don't pick up. part teams.

When team rosters that are announced, I generally respect the process and the people involved Doug Armstrong and his staff. But to me, Ben Ben, it should have been on that team.

You know, it is into, I don't know many cons smite trophy winners that get left off Olympic rosters the following season, but it kind of,

and maybe, listen, maybe I'm just making this up in my head, but as we look at players that aren't on the, that aren't part

of the forward group this time around for Team Canada, that we're at the Four Nations, I wonder if the swap out was a direct one. No to Bennett, yes to Tom Wilson. Does it feel that way to you? Well, first off, this is not a final roster.

You know that, Jeff. Yeah, no, I know. Yep. Brea McEnne will be on this team because there's going to be injuries. Yep. So let's focus on whether he's on and next. I think he will get on this team.

I don't think it was a direct substitution, but there's no question And a lot of the elements that Sam provides are provided by Tom. The name I was talking about before you joined me here, Berkey, was Mackleine Sellebrini. And before today, the youngest player to suit up for Team Canada in the NHL era, Drew Dowdy in 2010, he was 20 years old. Macklin Sellebrini's got him beat by a year. They're bringing a 19-year-old.

And I can't help but thinking, like the offensive numbers are tremendous. You know, he's a top five score in the NHL, and he's been there all season long. But it sounds very much and feels very much that it's not just the offense that got him there. It's the 200-foot play. It's the defense. It's minding his own knitting in his own zone.

Is that for you the reason that Celebrini's on this team? Well, they're named 25 players. So there's no guarantee he's going to wear the uniform right away. Yep. A broad depth of experience, even though he's young. I don't confuse youth with age or experience with ability. I think you can be a young player and still make a huge difference. This player does everything.

Celebrating, he does everything well. I'm convinced he'll penalties even though he does not very often. I'm convinced he could do that. To me, he's a thinking player, cerebral player, can play any position up front. I love them. I think it's a good addition. Before I ask you about a couple of the questions, I'm curious because you've been part of a process like this before. Scott Salmon talked about, you know, this is a process for Doug Armstrong that didn't just start, you know, this year or last year. You know, he referenced 2010 and being part of Steve Eiserman's group that all of it led into what we saw today at that press conference.

with Hockey Canada. What goes in, take us behind the scenes here and some of the conversations that he would have with Julian Brisebois, with Jim Nill, with Don Sweeney. Like, how does this work? Well, first off, you sit down and say, all right, who's going to be our coach? That would be your first question.

And how do we assemble this team go position? Fill holes. We need penalty killers. We need shorthanded guys. need power play bags, we need physical, we need to play with the goalie out. You start filling the positions by style, by type of player, like Doug Armstrong said afterwards, the player gets hurt. And I can say, okay, he's that in. So this guy's, he's out, this guy's in. Say, what type of player got hurt? If Tom Wilson gets injured, you're not going to replace

him with Carter Bernard. You're replace him with a different type of player. So player types, player characteristics that you want on your team, maturity level, age level, and start focusing on the players. It's got to be an interesting process here. And like there's a couple of players, like there's, it's twofold. There's players that I'm really happy for.

Like I'm really happy for Bo Horvatt. I know that he was disappointed that he wasn't on the Four Nations team and sort of part of his dedication ever since not getting selected for that team was to make it to the Olympic team. And Bo Horvatt is having a fantastic season with the Islanders, and he's earned his way on the spot. I'm really happy for Nick Suzuki

as well. He's always modeled his game after Patrice Bergeron. That's the kind of guy that he wants to be, and that's the kind of guy that he wants to play like, and that's got him a birth on Team Canada here. I feel bad for a guy like Mark Schifley, you know, who's amongst the top

forwards in the NHL consistently and it's just not happening for him at the Olympics, didn't happen at the four nations. I feel bad for Shafe. Should I feel bad for Mark Shafley? Yeah, you should. He's a good player. He's a good guy.

But that's the problem with Team Canada. You're picking royalty. You're picking among top players. You're picking among all-stars, possible Hall of Famers that were not picked for Olympic teams. So that's the beauty and the curse of being of Team Canada is you've got lots to choose. all right we got burkey frozen we're going to get that that makes the choice a really good pile we're going to get I think we're having some video and audio issues

we're going to get you to reconnect here and get you back on we'll pick up the conversation with Mark Shifley and other players that perhaps raise some eyebrows by by being on this team I suppose but I thought it was interesting that you know one of the things that Doug Armstrong pointed out. Well, a couple things. One, he said it's not just a collection of the best players. This is we're trying to construct a team. But he also, and this was at the obvious, you know,

do you make the team to beat the Americans? Because that is like the rivalry in international hockey. And he said like, look, we can't make a team just to beat one other country. We've got to make a team that's versatile enough to beat all these other countries. We've got Brian back. Berkey, one of the things that I was just mentioning there, one of the things that Doug Armstrong talked about, which was really interesting,

as much as everybody wants to see Canada and the U.S. Like, that is the rivalry in international hockey. Doug Armstrong brought up a great point where he said, we can't construct a roster just to beat one team. We need to construct a roster that can beat, you know, Finland and Sweden and Czechia and Slovakian, go right down the list and also the United States. Do you have a thought on that?

I think they're designed their roster to beat the U.S., but by doing so, encompass their ability to beat anyone else. I think if you can beat the U.S. or beat Canada, you can beat anyone else. You might have to play a little differently. I might have to play a little different people. But the top two teams right now

going into this tournament are U.S. and Canada. No question about it in my mind. It was an interesting couple of comments by Doug Armstrong too, where, and I brought this up at the start of the show, the Sochi model for Team Canada, the philosophy was skill adapts. We're just going to go get the best collection of hockey players we can, regardless of position.

And they're all going to assume, most of them are going to assume new roles. But because of the best players, they're going to adapt to those new roles. But Doug Armstrong talked a lot about something that you talk a lot about, and that is team. And that is team building. Like you talked about stars and you've talked about, you know,

pick and shovel guys. Do you have a thought on creating a team here as opposed to just we're going to go out and grab all the best players? Well, the beauty is Team Canada has always, its players have always adapted to roles. Going back to the Summit series, they had 35 goals scores checking people. And Canada always said whatever the task is, and I will get it done. It's admirable about their ability to do that. It's amazing what our country has produced in Canada for these players, so what they do. But they've adapted.

But I don't think, I think Army's being a little humble. I think they put together a great team in Sochi, I was there, I was with the U.S. team. I mean, I thought they had a really complete team beating back then with birds around and guys like that. They had checkers, they had penalty killers. And they had other guys that said, okay, in this tournament, you might be a 35-goal score, but in this tournament, you're checking, you're killing penalties. And if I was the doubt to that,

I always said great. I want to give your thoughts on Connor McDavid in this tournament. Like, Conna McDavid's, you know, come up short the last two seasons in the Stanley Cup final, okay? Conne McDavid scored the game, the tournament. What's that?

His team came up short. His team came up short. Cona McDavid and his team came up short. Cona McDavid's Iriotter's team came up short in the O.H. His Marley's team, the one with Sam Bennett on it, U-16, in the OHL Cup final, lost to Robbie Fabry's Mississauga Rebels. When you're someone like Sidney Crosby, you've checked all the boxes.

When you're Nathan McKinnon, you've checked all the boxes here. What's riding on this tournament for Connor McDavid specifically? Again, I know it's a team game. I get it. But when Crosby retires, part of the portfolio of Canada wins this year is three gold medals for Sidney Crosby. How much does this mean for McDavid? Well, I think it means a lot to Connor McDavid because he's a great player. He wants to be recognized and remember that way. But the fact is, Jerome McGillan never won a cup either.

And he pranced into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Ray Bork almost never won a cup. He pranced into the Hockey Hall of Fame. It's become with 32 teams and soon to go to 34 in my estimation to be harder and harder to get a ring out of it. Joe Thornt retired without a ring. He's in the Hockey Hall of Fame. they all belong there. So that notion that Connor McDavid needs to have a ring, you got one in the Four Nations, by the way, but he needs an Olympic ring to have greatness or Stanley Cup ring.

I don't buy that. Now with 32 teams going to 34, 38. I always laugh when you talk about the Vesna Trophy and why do they have managers voting on the Vesna Trophy. It's the position we mess up on the regular. Why do they make us vote on this thing? but I'm going to ask you about goaltenders. I'm of the belief that Jordan Bennington does and probably should get the first start for Canada in this tournament based on what he did in that final game at the Four Nations.

After that, all bets are off. If he stumbles, if it's not a good game for him opening, then it's either Kemper or it's Logan Thompson. Do you feel the same way that the courtesy has to be he gets the first game? He gets the first game. No question of my mind. but he's not on a short leash either. I don't think. People have to realize Jordan Bennington might have had some struggles this year.

He's been a solid goaltender. He's got a ring. He's been a, he won a four-nation ceremony. He's a quality goaltender who was stood the pressure of a high test, a really difficult test in the Four Nations. Stanley Cup. He's a winner. I wouldn't worry about Jordan Biddington one bit if I were in Canada.

You know, the premium that has really been put here on the four nations, specifically on the blue line, there are two new goaltenders here, but Jordan Bennington was one of the big stories. You know, he remains. I want to focus on a couple of the new guys. Like, Berkey, I'm really happy for Bo Horvatt. I'm really happy that Bo Horvatt, you know, got the call. I'm happy for Nick Suzuki. that he's on this team.

Again, I said I felt sorry for Mark Schifley and I do. I feel sorry for, you know, I feel bad for Seth Jarvis, et cetera. Do you ever thought, oh, I know, Macklin Celebrini at 19 becomes the youngest team Canada player at the Olympics. You ever thought on Celebrini

and how he got in? I think he walked in. I think he was out of the team at the start of the year. He's played this way on to certainty. I think he's a really gifted player who does everything. well, I think it's a lock.

But I also think there's 25 players' name. I'm not sure he'll dress opening night. It is interesting. A quick thought on Horvatt and Suzuki, and then we'll move on this momentous day here. But a thought on Suzuki and a thought on Bo Horvatt making this team. Well, I'm happy for both when. Bo Horvatt was a good captain.

He's leading the league in faceoffs, I believe, this year. He's got a bunch of goals. He's a quality player. He's a dynamite player, and it's good for him. I feel badly for Mark Schifley, too, but someone's got to make it and someone has to set. And the rosters are not final. Good for Bo Horvatt.

He's earned it. Good for Nick Suzuki, even more so to me, because he's a guy that's regarded on the bubble wasn't even talked about for the foreign nations. He's played his way into a role. He's a good two-way player, Swiss Army Knife, 200-foot player, all the cliches. he's a legit he's a good guy I'm glad for him uh I'm waiting for John Cooper speaking of

200 foot players I'm waiting for John Cooper to say we're looking for 197 feet players we don't have 200 of this I'm just not because you know that John Cooper can do it like nobody else he's you know Mark Stone's a good 197 foot player that's that's the kind of guy we're looking for yeah to do it too uh Cooperly is um a couple of things from uh from around the NHL quickly here. Brian, I don't know how it's happened, but the Buffalo Sabres are a completely different team now. Now, we have seen winning streaks like this than the Sabres before. They've had two, 10 gamers. They've had a couple of nine gamers. Now they've had three, nine gamers. Normally, and the winning streak did start while Kevin Adams was there. Normally when

there's a change in the general manager's office in season, you don't see the result right away on the ice. is this in any way, shape, or form a reflection of the change in the GM's office, or was this trending this way anyhow? Well, first off, I was talking to Shelman Keith and his staff about this yesterday. Big drinks after a change are not good for us in our business. If you're a new GM and you're going to reel off, they fire the gym and they reel off nine in a row, you're like, oh, my God, it's all because they've changed the GM. We don't like streaks like that.

So I was joking with Shelton Keefe and his staff about that. But the fact of the matter is, all these players are players that Kevin Adams put in place. He deserves the credit for those pieces being in place. Now, when he's put it together, on a good run, let's have fun with it. Because it's going to come back to crashing down to normal, not like it was, but it would be back to regular hockey and not like this gifted streak they're on. And let's enjoy it while we have it. Buffalo is a great market.

They deserve a good team. You know, I've made the point, too, about Buffalo. Like, I grew up in southwestern Ontario. So I grew up with the voice of Ted Darling. I grew up with the French connection. I grew up with all of this. And I've always looked at Buffalo and said, you know, as a market, it's the one market that is both American and Canadian.

I mean, you know how many Canadian fans in that corridor from St. Catharines to Hamilton considers the Buffalo Sabres their team and makes the trip over the border on a consistent basis to go watch the Buffalo Savers. To me, it's that perfect coming together of the two countries that make up the NHL. Do you have a reason why you like the Buffalo Sabres or the Buffalo Market?

Just what you said, 3,500 season tickets from Southwestern Ontario and Buffalo. At least that's number when I was at the league. So they've had great support. You watch the bridge crossing, go over the Peace Bridge on a game night. A lot of Ontario plays coming over for the game. It's a great hockey market.

Buffalo follows the teams that are in the playoffs, even when the savers get eliminated or don't make the playoffs. They get strong TV audiences no matter what. It's a great hockey market, great fans. I love going to games there. It's the coldest rink I've ever been in, I think, but it's a great rink. Well, they're hanging lamb up in the corner, Berkey. You've got to keep it chilled.

Final thought, I wanted to get, I had Don Waddell on the show yesterday, and we're reminiscing about 1977, Berkey. He was on that USA team in the very first I-IHF recognized U-20 tournament. That's 1977, USA finished, you know, 7th, the Soviet Union, you know, ran over everybody in the tournament as they did in that era. From then to now, it's night and day. Now it's a really slick TV product. You know, it's a big television event. It's a big live event. We get a chance to see kids before they join the NHL.

Do you have a thought on where you've seen this junior hockey tournament go from the earliest routes in 1977 to now USA being two-time defending U-20 champions? Well, I think it's amazing. My first exposure to it was in 1987, 88, when I was... went to Moscow to watch the World Juniors. Roanick was there, Medano was there. My first exposure to the tournament, I was awed by the players,

how good they were, and it just gotten better since. TSN's been a great partner. They've helped elevate this thing. It's part of our Christmas traditions now on TSN and TV. You watch the games. You watch the Canada, the U.S. is a big one. And listen to Gordon Miller and Mike Johnson.

It's awesome. To me, I think it's great the way they've grown the product. They've got to be careful now. It doesn't become a two-worst race. Well, but the thing is, like, everybody just wants to see that Canada-U-S-Sk game. Like, that's it. I know that, you know, it's an international event and Sweden, Slovakia, et cetera, Czechia, but it seems like, and we've heard this for the longest time.

I remember years ago, the future of international hockey is Canada versus the United States. And it's here. And now that's the one Berkia at every single level, four nations, Olympics, U-20 World Juniors, that's the matchup that everybody wants to see. Yeah, but that's worth the detriment of the women's game, for example. So we've got to be careful. Sweden has great traditions of excellence in international competition. They won in Turin, the Czechs won in Nagano.

Let's keep this around a little bit. Let's not get to a two-horse race. Perfect. Berkey, always appreciate it. You'd be well. Thanks for taking us a little behind the scenes there, too, on the selection process and how these things

all come together with the Hockey Canada announcement today. Thanks, bud. We'll talk in seven days. Thanks. Happy New Year, folks. To you as well. Brian Burke,

joining us every Wednesday here on the sheet. What do we got here? We got Matt Larkin. For more on the big story of the day, Matt Larkin joins us now from Daily Faceoff and DailyFaceoff.com. So amongst press conferences and, man, you look erudite.

I was always taught in show business if you want to make someone look smarter, put glasses on them and put books behind them. And that's what I do, but I'm faking the funk. You're legit smart. As far as press conferences go and announcements go, how would you rank and rate that one from Hockey Canada? I don't think it was a huge surprise based on just whispers I heard in the hours leading up that this group was going to largely be running it back.

there were a few interesting kind of read between the line moments though from Doug Armstrong I think the one that stood out was what he said about Connor Bedard right so I was doing a show so I was trying to keep track of two things at the same time but from what I understand correct me if I'm wrong Jeff Doug Armstrong said that butard's injury did not factor in correct and that's consistent with what I heard for months leading up and that was that Canada hockey Canada was not happy with Connor Bradard for turning down the world championship two years in a row

when he wasn't playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs and you know who did step up for his country last year as a teenager on Celebrini and I think that put him ahead of Budard in the pecking order

and after that it never changed once Celebrini caught fire this year of course You know what I on the one hand I do understand the loyalty to the program

but I've also and you have to seen hockey Canada you know step on rakes when it comes to decision making like that not just at you know this level but at the world junior level as well you know oh we'll show this kid he didn't want to go

to the u 18 he didn't want to go to the line oh we'll show we'll show this kid and i always would say like i get you know you want the loyalty to the program but you're shooting yourself from the foot like what good what good is that doing i i i the thing that i wondered about with with badard and i've heard the the same whispers that you have about the world championships um i just wonder that First of all, they don't like taking young players. And now Macklin Celebrini is going to be the youngest they've ever brought. Drew Dowdy went in Vancouver. He was 20.

Celebrini's 19. I wondered if it was just because, like, look, this team has enough scores. They have enough players that can score here. I just wondered if it was Connor Bedard's lack of defensive acumen where Macklin Celebrini still shines in his own zone. That got Celebrini the nod. and got badar the no. Does that make sense?

Absolutely, and I do think that's exactly what happened. When you have a team full of future Hall of Famers and Art Ross Trove winners, you already have the top three scores, bang, bang, bang, in the NHL, you don't need to have a lot full of sports cars. You have to have some variety. You have to have a couple ATVs back there, and I guess Tom Wilson will be the prime example.

But even Bill Horvett, that's a pick I was saying earlier today. I didn't have on my radar as much as I should have. because Beau Horvatt, for a guy who is a two-way center, a leader, he can score goals, but also he's very good in the face-off dog. That's a perfect example of a player in a fourth-line role, perhaps, that's going to help you a lot more than Connor Bredard. If there isn't a spot for Bader in the top six, I don't think it actually fits to put him on the team.

And it's funny, Jeff, I'm curious if you think this too, if we're talking about young first overall picks that got snubbed today, Bard is not the first guy I'm thinking of. It's Matthew friggin Schaefer. He is one of the best people in Canada, period. I know. I just wonder, too, like I said, with Salabrina, like Hockey Canada doesn't bring young players to these events. And if they do, they're only going to bring one. Like, I'm with you about Matthew Schaefer.

He's one of the best defenders in the NHL, full stop, last call, period. But, okay, one point that I love making recently about Matthew Schaefer, did you see the comments from his dad? Not that long ago. What you Schaefer's dad said? Oh, honestly, like it warms my heart. He said, and I'm going to paraphrase here, but something along the lines of, there's going to be a lot of tournaments for Matthew Schaefer.

Does he have to do every single one of them? Can he not just go home for a couple of weeks and be an 18-year-old? I'm like, wow, like what a revel in a parent who's like, you know what, just he doesn't have to do all of these. Just go be an 18-year-old for a couple of weeks. When have you ever, Matt Lark and heard a hockey dad say that? That's very impressive. So it's kind of the opposite of Lane Hudson's dad, I guess, right?

So very fascinating. And it's a good point. You know, Matthew Schaefer, you think about how little hockey he played last year because of the injury he suffered at the world juniors. This is quite an uptick in workload, especially because he's playing so much. He's been thrust in such a big role with the New York Islanders and a team that's actually in the playoff hunt. For the Islanders, I think it's a win that he's not going, a little bit less wear on the tires

of a kid that just has a lot on his shoulders and maybe even more than we expected just because of the fact he's playing so many minutes on a competitive team that actually has a lot to lose. Yeah. You know, I wonder to, and you know, Nick Suzuki might be the obvious one here. If this is the sort of beginning

of a little bit of a changing of the guard amongst team Canada here, and this is like, you know, this is the prime of someone like Nick Suzuki's career. We just talked about Bohore about a second ago, So do you feel this is the beginning of a change or still not there yet? I mean, Celebrini comes into, does it feel that way to you, Matt?

I think we're getting there. I think a team that still has Sidney Crosby and Drew Dowdy on it and Brad Marshall as well. I think it's still holding on to the previous era. But I do think Suzuki, to me, he represents a certain degree of evolution, a generation of players that maybe wasn't quite ready the last time the best on best team was picked last year. but they're evolving their games to become more versatile players which is what Canada wants, especially if you want to crack that bottom six.

And to me, what stood out this year with Nick Suzuki, he was great after the Four Nations break last year on the score sheet. But this year, he's bringing the two-way play. He's someone that I've heard mentioned in Selky discussions. So he sort of made it possible

to leave him off the team because he's playing well in so many areas. So I think we're seeing an evolution there. I would like to see Jeff more of a changing of the guard on defense, though. Canada was pretty uninspired with those picks. I think that's what I was not very happy with today. Jacob Chikrin?

Yes. Evan Bouchard? Yes. Matthew Schaefer. Yes. I think three of the five or three of the eight picks were around in my opinion. Interesting. Sam Bennett,

Travis Kineckney, Seth Jarvis, Aden Hill, Sam Montembow. Those are the ones not coming back from the Four Nations. We'll throw Mark Schiafley into this and Connor Bardard into this question as well. Who do you feel the worst for today? Seth Jarvis, because I think he did not play his way off the team.

I think he's an excellent two-way forward. He can score goals. He's got a good attitude. He's a very coachable player. He's everything you want in a fourth-liner, in my opinion. He was really breaking out this year right near the top of the league in terms of chance generation as well at 5-on-5. I just love Seth Jarvis as a player, and I think Canada does as well.

And I think the injury for him just came at the raw time. When there was just such an elite talent pool to choose from, any injury that really risk bumping up against the Olympics, that's going to break a tie. So I feel for Seth Jarvis the most. Interesting. I don't know many cons might trophy winners that get left off their nation's team the next year. But here it is with Sam Bennett. I don't know that, again, I might just be reaching for something that's not there.

But it feels that Tom Wilson in Sam Bennett out, that was the swap. Does it feel that way to you? Yes, 100%. I've been saying that all along. my running joke is you can only bring one blunt instrument to the tournament especially with IHF rules and yes there are NHL officials but not all NHL officials from what I understand it's a mix of both right and I think you're just I was joking imagine a line of a fourth line of Bad Marshawn and Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson they'd be thrown out of

the tournament together in a minute so would they last period that's right and I just think Tom Wilson, the way he's played this year, he's just, it's not just about bringing the biggest, toughest, meanest guy to battle the kuchucks that Canada has to play USA. He's just being the best power forward in the league, period, right? He leads the Washington Capitals and goals. He leads a team with Al-Sovetchkin on it in goals. And Sam Bennett, I feel bad in the sense of it's a bit of a what have you done for me lately, and he can say, come on, cons my trophy winner, two Stanley Cups in a row, big role on the

Four Nations team, but I think just this year, maybe it was just because Bennett had too much on his shoulders with Barkov out in Florida. I think it's been a down year for him. He said that about his own game this year, too. And that's what I think broke the tie between those two tough customers. Is there someone you are most curious about on Team Canada? Like I was making the point with Berkey, like to me, this is a lot of pressure again on Connor McDavid, who hasn't, Listen, Oilers went back-to-back Stanley Cup finals, didn't close it. In minor hockey, you know, his youth 16-year

didn't go according to plan. Robbie Fabry wrecked with the rebels. With the Erie Otters, never able to get there either. There hasn't been a lot of team winning around Connor McDavid. He was great at the Four Nations, capitalized by that tournament winning goal, which was spectacular.

To me, the answer is Connor McDavid. Who are you most intrigued by on this Canadian roster? Great question. Great all-round questions today, Jeff. Oh, yeah, bring in the heat, Maddie. Bring in the heat, bud. Yeah, love it. You do this all day.

I have two for you. Okay, so one is Malcolm Cellegrini, just in the sense of wondering where he's going to play. Because if you look at Canada's lines, the Four Nations, they found the right top six by Vienne, which was Stone McDavid-Pointe, Crosby, McKin, and Reinhard. So do you want to break up that group because Salabrini clips so well with Cindy Crosby

at the World Championship. I'm kind of curious that they put them together or if you put Cellebrini lower in the lineup, you keep Crosby on the same line that worked well at the Four Nations. So I'm just curious with Cellebrini in terms of his deployment. And the other one for me is Logan Thompson. I said earlier today to our buddy Tyler Rumschuk, you know, we've seen historically

there's this unwritten rule by the hockey gods that whoever starts for Canada at the Olympics will be usurped, right? as we saw it, 2002, it was Cujo, Marty Broder. 2010, it was Marty Broder, Roberto Luongo. And I could see Logan Thompson being the great usurper of Jordan Bennington at the tournament this year. I'm happy to see Thompson on the team. I wasn't sure because of all the reports, right, the friction with Bruce Cassidy, Pete DeBore,

going back to Vegas, a team that traded Logan Thompson when he was in the building signing autographs. And that's why he wasn't supposedly, right, he wasn't invited to the camp. all that kind of stuff. But I think Doug Armstrongstall realized this is the best goalie in Canada right now. So very curious to see if he gets a look as the Star Trek. All right. Let me ask you a big picture question here before we let you go. The future of international hockey vis-a-vis the NHL.

Now, the NHL this year kind of quietly opened up an office in Switzerland. I don't think it's just there to sell a couple of jerseys and a couple of global series tickets. It seems as if, and this has always been, you know, a bill daily file, it seems as if now finally, even though we're promised this coming out of the 05 lockout, now finally the NHL is taking seriously the potential of the European market and maybe into Asia as well. A robust international schedule, whether it's Olympics and World Cups, et cetera, is going to be part of all of this, as we all know. How does this work in your mind? Like the NHL seems like finally, I mean, I remember getting, you know, pro forma's in 1993. Okay, this is right before Gary Bettman took over. I'm going to probably so John Ziegler would have been the then president

because they never had commissioners of the NHL at that point. And seeing like all these different, look at London and Lisbon and like all these different areas that they were looking at, I don't know if it was expansion, but just like analyzing the markets and seeing if there was anything there. This goes back to 93. Like, this has always been out there for the NHL. Players have been coming for decades from all these European countries as well. How does this all come together in your mind? And before you answer that one,

I had an interesting conversation when something at the end of the season and said if the NHL wanted to show that they're serious about Europe is they would have all 32 teams open up in Europe at the same time. That's very interesting. Okay. Well, I have two theories, Jeff. Okay. One, and at least from what I've heard, this is the one that's been shot down,

the idea that the NHL wants to expand the actual league and have franchises in Europe. So you can have, you know, a conference that's based in Europe. Pretty cool, but difficult for travel, especially during the playoffs. So that's the one theory that I've heard has been shot down. My theory, my tinfoil hat theory, and this is not so much both. Okay, this is just my picturing someone doing the Dr. Evil. We know the players love going to the Olympics, but the NHL does not. They look for every excuse they can get every year to back out because they are not the ones profiting from this tournament, right?

That's why they are pushing their World Cups every chance they get. So imagine a true World Cup that, I don't know, is, I want to say truly global, but just with more teams. I don't think you could do as many teams as you have in soccer, but maybe it's a much larger field. Maybe it's 16 teams. And I think I could see down the road, you know, maybe it's, again, 12 years, 16 years, the NHL backing away from the Olympics and sort of trying to turn the small World Cup into a giant global event, the same stakes as the soccer one. Because then all the profits, not going to the NHL.

Control all the revenue, control all the rules, control all the play, like all of it, right? Because essentially what the offer is, lowness your best players. in exchange for a big stage for them right there's no big check for everybody and i mean whether it was dominic hashic john tavarro's like it the the the the amount of teams that have had their playoff hopes dashed by the olympics i remember ottawa just like like begging hashtag to go on the i can practice like anything right it's uh it's a reality it's a sort of sidebar story that you'll unfortunately look for in all of this, but there will be injuries. Like, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, uh, it's, uh, the nature of the game.

And it's a nature of a tournament like this, especially a physical one now. And especially if you're going to bring the Tom Wilson's and Brad Marchands, be curious to see how the United States responds, but I'll go back to something that Doug Armstrong said, which I thought was pretty interesting too. He said, we're not just building a team to beat one other country. Now, he didn't say USA. But we're all thinking, okay, you're building a team to beat the United States. Berkey says, before he came on, Matt, Berkey said they did build a team to beat the United States.

And by extension, they built a team to beat everybody else. Do you agree with that? Because Doug Armstrong did not want to go there. I think that they mostly did, with the exception of that blue line. I just think they left too much skill behind and too much puck-moving ability. I'm not, if there's one spot in the lineup where I do feel like they're thinking about USA, I think that's it, because you're bringing your Sannheims and your Perecos over your Evan Bouchards and your Matthew Schaefer's, right?

So I think they're still keeping it in the back of their minds. I'm really curious, though, about the American side of that coin, just based on the whispers we've been hearing about certain players that are not going to be on the team, that players who rhyme with Jason Jobbertson. And I know, that was a better reach, I know. but that's good just based on some of the picks that seem to be retained

from last year's four nation squad for the Americans they sound a lot like they're trying to stick with a lunch pail mentality and to me that says Canada isn't you can you can make the argument that listen USA only made one mistake in that tournament and that was dressing

Matthew Kachuk over CalConnor in a game where you needed one more shot you need one more goal the guy that can give you that goal is wearing a suit and wasn't wearing skates. All right, this is really good. Listen, it's a big day for everybody in Canada, certainly. A big day in hockey.

NHL schedule is back after the weekend. What's the big story you're looking as a calendar flips here? As we get into 2026, Olympics is certainly one of them. Let me close on this, Matt. From your editorial desk, you always do a great job sort of laying out like what's coming up in the future this week, this month. What do you have your eyes on? 26, NHL.

Well, to me, I mean, obviously, international hockey is taking quite center stage right now. That's what we have lots of Olympic coverage. And, of course, we have the great Stephen Ellis with the World Juniors. But in terms of what is kind of persisting in my mind is a fascinating storyline in the NHL. It's the follow savers. They're suddenly invincible since General Kekelein got there. And I'm just really fascinated to see if they can do it.

If they can finally end the drought of 14 years. And I just think I've said it before. but we're supposed to be impartial, but how can you not root a little bit for the Buffalo Sabres just in terms of how much this fan base deserves it. And I've been standing outside Keybank and when a truck goes drives by, they honk at the arena, let's go Buffalo, right?

These are assaulted the earth people that deserve a winner and they just really want to see winning hockey back in Buffalo. I grew up with the French connection, man. I used to go so many games at the old odds. So I'm with you on that one, Maddie. I'm with you on that one. Listen, a busy day for you. for parking some time for the program today.

Much appreciate it. You'd be good. Thank you, buddy. Excellent questions, as always. I tried. And you said that just as I wrote it. I appreciate that. You can see him. You can read him. He's the best. I haven't got your thoughts yet on any of today's big announcements, Zach, I've sort of thrown out my nickel and dime observations on them. What did you make of today's big announcement from Doug Armstrong? I was surprised about Sam Bennett, not being on it.

I didn't really think he had played his way off. I know he had a tough start to this season, but played really well at Four Nations was a big piece of the, do you call it the gold medal game? I don't know. The final of Four Nations. He was a big piece in that one. I just was a little bit surprised, I think, because being around you so much, I've started to think in wrestling terms or ideologies when it comes to the NHL.

So if I were to propose anything here, it would be TNT before the Olympic break, needs to find a way to get a Tampa TNT game. Biz needs to ask John Cooper if this was the ultimate get back at Sam Bennett. I don't think that was the case, obviously, but, like, I need him to ask John Cooper that because if there's anybody who will ask it, it's biz, and if there's anybody who could give you an answer that would be entertaining, it's John Cooper. But that's just the one that I was surprised about. And I feel the worst four of anybody, Mark Shifley. I know the Seth Jarvis thing, but I think Seth Jarvis has a lot of time left in his career. He's got more kicks at it.

I know. Who knows how much Mark Sheifley has in terms of being at the top of his game like he is right now, how many more opportunities he'll have. So that's the guy that I feel the worst, like the worst for here coming out of this announcement today. It's like Stamcoast. Stamcoast was the same way, whether it was like by cancellation or by injury or like whatever. It's just like it never happened for Stephen Samcoast. And you feel absolutely awful about it.

Okay, it is your segment now. It's your shine time, Zacharoo. By the way, we're supposed to be in Minnesota. I don't know if we mentioned that. Three days, three canceled flights. A lot of time at the airport. A lot of time making a quiet drive home. A lot of time getting texts from five, six digit numbers with updates.

Updates, updates, updates, updates. Yeah, we're going home. All right. The sheet is powered by Fanduel. Play your game with Fanduel. It's the NHL season, and Fanduel is your home for all the action on the ice. From Blue Line to Betslip, we've got you covered all season with unique promos, live offerings, and more features to let you play your game.

Missed puck drop, no sweat. With the live, same game parlay, you can build up your bets until the final buzzer. Download Fandual Sportsbook today and play your game. Please play responsibly 19 plus and physically located in Ontario. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or the gambling of someone close, to you, please contact Connects Ontario at 1-866-531-2,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. Zach? This one, I'm going more in the theme of the Canada announcement today.

It was a little unfortunate that the Washington game is already underway because I would have liked to be able to pull from that one for this, but this one I'm calling, you made the right choice. There was a lot of conversation about whether Thomas Harley or Colton Pariko could be on their way out for the likes of Matthew Schaefer or Evan Bouchard, but they do make the team. They run it back at the same eight defensemen, so I'm going with

Thomas Harley and Colton Pariko to score tonight, and then Macklin Sellebrini first time being a part of Team Canada at the Olympic level at the I was going to say men's national level, but I guess he was on the World Championship team, so that would be false.

But for the Olympic and for Macklin Celebrini. So those three to score tonight will be a nice send-off of the year 2025 because $5 will pay you $1,457.5. I love you. Swinging for the fences. Celebrini, yeah, that's a, that's a layup. Paraco, Harley. But you're going to go home with $1,400 bucks.

That's the way you do it, Zach. Do you want to hear Vicks, by the way, this is, he just, he sent me one before. I decided not to use it. He just texted me after seeing this, and he said, my parlay was better. So I'll throw this out to you, and the chat can let us know as well. He says, this is the end of the road parlay, because New Year's is coming.

So Buffalo loses tonight and ends their nine-game winning streak. Colorado loses and ends their eight-game winning streak, and Boston wins to snap their six-game losing streak. So that would be Dallas Money-Line, St. Louis Money-Line, and Boston Money-Line. I like that one. It's not as adventurous as yours. Kind of a downer, too.

Like, I don't want the Buffalo story to end. I mean, Colorado, like, they lose. They're just going to go on, like, another eight-game rep. Who cares? It's just the avalanche. So a couple of downers there, but I like it. I like it. But I like the way you swing for the fences.

You got Colton Perrako and Thomas Harley scoring goals tonight. Why not? Why not? Why not us? Life, man. It's life. Just life. Just life.

You want to hear this comment in the chat? This one made me laugh. Jay Grebby. Any chance Robert Thomas pulls a Marty St. Louis and requests a trade out of St. Louis due to being left off of the team. Not the biggest snub, but surely he's playing better than Point in Sirelli, Jay says.

I just laughed at that one. Robert walks in the office. Are you kidding me? You didn't take me. Get me out of here. Trade me right fucking now. Oh, pulls a Danny Lemieux. Yeah.

Call of Detroit. Now hang up. Yeah, I feel bad for Robert Thomas. I really, really do. That's another one. There's a few. There's going to always be ones. But listen, there's like Berkey said off the top of the show.

It's like you're picking royalty, right? Yeah. There's going to be like a lot of guys that could be like first line players on other countries. Not wanted on the voyage with Team Canada. But with injuries being a reality in hockey, what are the odds that this is the actual team that goes to Italy? in February. Well, especially the way the NHL is going right now. Holy, every day.

Dude, it's the story, man. It's the rap sheet of injuries. Holy geez. Just do them. We could do like the start of each show. We could do like 15 minutes on the NHL mash unit. Yeah. Guys, like every single day, every single night.

We could build an Olympic team that would be legitimately competitive of guys who are just injured right now. Based on injured guys. Yeah, you're not wrong. Yeah. You're not wrong. All right, listen, thanks for joining us. Big day for Team Canada. A big day for the Olympics.

A big day for the program. Thanks for spending part of your day with us. Thanks to Brian Burke, who stops by on Wednesdays here. And thanks to Matt Larkin from Daily Faceoff and Daily Faceoff.com for parking some time on a very big news day. As a 25-man roster has been named

by Hockey Canada and General Manager Doug Armstrong. But will it look the exact same way when we get to February and Italy? No chance. Nonetheless. Thanks for joining us here today. Thanks for watching. listening, thanks for interacting, thanks for subscribing, all of it. We thank you, we thank you,

we thank you, and no, we're not even going to try to get to Minnesota now. The dream is over. Stephen Ellis, the Airbnb is officially all yours. Eyes on Edmondson and Red Deer next Christmas. And we're getting there early this time. Enjoy the rest of your day. We'll talk tomorrow, 1 o'clock Eastern for more on the show. I spent 16 hours last night every day this week, every day this month. I can't get up my head, lost all ambitions day to day, because you can call it all right. I went to the dark man trying to give me a little medicine. I'm like, no, and that's fine.

I'm not against those methods, but new. It's me and myself. It's going to be fixing my mind I do on the bracket I turned on the music I do on the music I turn on the music It's turned up,

hell, down, I don't get you sometimes losing I have been on the days that we're wrong In the dead dark night