The Olympics are around the corner, and the rosters are starting to take shape. Canada released their roster, and the other nations have followed suit, so it’s starting to look like the Winter Games are becoming a reality (assuming the Italian Ice holds up).
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The Olympics will be fun once the puck drops and things get going. That said, there are a lot of questions involving the teams and the players that will define the tournament. Call them the five burning questions but the way they play out will determine who thrives and potentially wins medals.
Who Can Become a Household Name?
The better way of asking this is, who can have their TJ Oshie moment? 12 years ago, Oshie went from a lesser-known forward on the St. Louis Blues to a household name with his performance in the shootout against the Russians, leading the USA to a win. The Olympics are when the stars step up but it’s also a great time for an under-the-radar player to make waves on the biggest stage.
The Four Nations did that for Jaccob Slavin, the stay-at-home defenseman who many hockey experts knew was elite but few fans ever saw firsthand just how good he was. It’s easy to envision him putting together another great tournament and being the standout player, along with some of the other USA defensemen.
The players to watch this time around are the forwards, notably, the ones who can score a big goal in a big game. Dylan Larkin is having a great season with the Detroit Red Wings and has the speed to make a difference on the international level, making him a prime candidate to make a mark in the Olympics. Likewise, Tage Thompson was snubbed from the team last year but is one of those elite talents on a terrible team (at least for the past 14 years). Thompson has all the skills needed to take over a game at the Olympics and can do just that to become a household name.
On the Sweden team, the player who can take over is Leo Carlsson, who is already becoming a household name for hockey fans of his home country. He’s the young star who is entering his prime and will be given the opportunity to stand out. Centering the top line for Sweden, he might do just that.
What does Canada’s Go-To Close Out Line Look Like?
Historically, Canada has always had a close-out forward line in their back pocket. The 1987 Canada Cup against the Russians was where Mike Keenan moved Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Dale Hawerchuk to the same line late in the series when Canada needed a big goal. It caught the Russians by surprise and led to the iconic Gretzky to Lemieux goal.
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If Jon Cooper needs a big goal, he’ll mix up the lines to get the best of the best on the ice, especially in a tied game in the elimination rounds. Presumably, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, who will center separate lines throughout the Olympics, will play together in this situation. But who rounds out this line?
Sidney Crosby is the obvious name that comes to mind. If Canada needs a goal, they should turn to the player who scored the Golden Goal. At the same time, Cooper might want a Selke Trophy-type of skater to round out a McDavid-MacKinnon line, and someone like Anthony Cirelli or Sam Reinhart works with this in mind.
Who Can Have an Olympics Cinderella Run?
Everyone looks at Finland and Sweden as the party crashers, the two nations that have the talent to make a run. Even without Aleksander Barkov, Finland has plenty of matchup nightmares from Mikko Rantanen to Sebastian Aho. Likewise, Sweden has difference-makers throughout the lineup, and the blue line has a mix of experience and players entering their primes.
That said, Czechia is the nation to watch, a dark horse that can go on a run. They have the goaltending with Lukas Dostal, Karel Vejmelka, and Dan Vladar, any of whom can lead them throughout the tournament. More importantly, they can roll out a top line of David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha, and Martin Necas to go up against any top line and hold its own.
The other nation everyone will pick as a sleeper is Germany. With Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle, and Moritz Seider, it’s easy to see why. The problem is their depth and goaltending, which isn’t too promising with Philipp Grubauer as their projected starter.
What is the Doomsday Scenario for Canada?
It starts with a bad game from Jordan Binnington. He’ll get the starting net after leading Canada in a strong Four Nations performance, and it’s his net until he struggles. The problem is that Canada’s first game comes against Czechia, and there’s a good chance he allows a few rough ones while the goaltender on the other end is lights out.
That will force Canada to pull Binnington and replace him with Logan Thompson, who has been the better goaltender all season and a Vezina Trophy-caliber one at that. Thompson can cave the day but all the pressure will be on him to do so, and one bad game from him can come in an elimination game to send Canada home early.
Canada is built to win the Gold Medal and have the most talented roster. That said, the goaltending issues can be their undoing, especially if they face a nation with an elite goaltender. For the first time since the Olympics began, Canada doesn’t have an elite goaltender or the best goaltender in the tournament, and it’s why there’s plenty of concern about how far they can go.
It’s worth adding that their defense hinges on Cale Makar playing and operating the offense as the point. The other defensemen, while good, don’t have the elite playmaking skill that Makar has. So, if he gets injured or is overworked early in the Olympics, Canada doesn’t win Gold.
Where Does The USA Have a Distinct Advantage
It’s easy to look at the goaltending as a strength with Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman as their trio. Their strength and edge over the other nations is their defensive unit. Even without Adam Fox, this group checks off every box for what is needed from the blue line at the Olympics.
Quinn Hughes wasn’t at the Four Nations but will lead the power play, and his ability to do so is unquestioned. Slavin and Brock Faber are the shutdown pair for Mike Sullivan to lean on. Then there are the underrated players who can do it all, including Jake Sanderson, Zach Werenski, and the hard-hitting Charlie McAvoy, while Seth Jones and Noah Hanifin are the replacements.
If the USA wins the Gold, it’s because of their defense. They shut down the best skaters in the defensive zone while finding a clutch goal from the point. The USA defense is versatile enough to play in all types of games and lead the way in the tournament.
