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4 Nations Thread

jeffbear said:
Canada runs their program differently. They value people who have paid their dues with prior service and sometimes overlook guys like Thompson that develop late and don't play internationally in the age groups. I'm not even sure Thompson has played for Canada at the Worlds because he's usually been on playoff teams, which is a bit of a lower bar. It's a blind spot, but it serves them in normal circumstances where they have 4 or 5 qualified guys from each position group left home.
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There is an article on The Athletic about the decline of goaltending in Canada.

www.nytimes.com

Canada’s ‘mind-boggling’ goalie crisis has been a decades-long descent

A return to the dominance Canada once enjoyed seems unlikely, but the search is on for the right path to train Canada's future goalies.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Conversely, Connor Hellebuyck never played higher than AA hockey, which he played until he started high school. Then he played public high school hockey in his hometown in Michigan for 4 years before finally joining a NAHL team for 1 year. He never played in the National Team Decelopment Program either.

www.sportsnet.ca

How Hellebuyck's path to NHL prepared him for new challenge at 4 Nations Face-Off

If Connor Hellebuyck comes out and shines at the 4 Nations Face-Off, his playoff struggles will be far in the rearview mirror. It's a challenge he can't wait to embrace, just as he's done his whole life.
www.sportsnet.ca www.sportsnet.ca
 
HeyKurtz said:
Great news…the NHL and NHLPA formally announced that the World Cup of Hockey will return as an in-season tournament in 2028.
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They’re basically moving to an international tournament every other year. 4 Nations this year, Olympics in 2026, World Cup in 2028, Olympics in 2030, etc. Makes the World Championship more of an afterthought than usual in those years.
 
Good on Sweden for playing themselves back into that game. The first period was all Canada and could have been worse than 2-0 had the Canadians been less picky about letting shots fly. Even just looking for pretty plays, they got that 2 goal lead and looked like rolling. Sweden finally dug in and got some possession going, which exposed Canada's sketchy D zone play. That seemed to encourage them and they eventually leveled it out. Classic international game ... cagey, big swings in momentum, two completely different approaches to the game. Fun. You love to see it.
 
Fun game and nice comeback. I wish it was being played on bigger sheets of ice, though that likely favors the European players. I really enjoy the skating and players having more room to make passes & create plays. You can't always get what you want.

Jim
 
Canada lost Shea Theodore for the rest of the tournament, so they’re down to 6 dmen. Travis Sanheim steps in. Under the roster rules, injury additions aren’t allowed unless the team falls below 18 skaters. So no roster changes unless they lose another player.
 
Pucking Lamplighter said:
Fun game and nice comeback. I wish it was being played on bigger sheets of ice, though that likely favors the European players. I really enjoy the skating and players having more room to make passes & create plays. You can't always get what you want.

Jim
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I mean, I guess, but these are NHL players and they're playing on NHL rinks in the middle of the NHL season. I fail to see the big disadvantage.
 
After watching Canada's D get all gappy and disconnected last night, I'm interested to see how the US defense holds up against Finland ... who have the speed and overall discipline to cherry pick a bit if they want to pick their spots.
 
Depends on how Vegas feels about playing for seeding. They're in with a shout of the division and might not want to play it fast and loose if they can get the division crown. No way they catch Winnipeg for first in the West though, so maybe not ... presuming they see the right kind of deadline addition. They won't do it for Brock Nelson or whatever. It might come down to whatever is actually ailing Pietrangelo. If that's real and actually limiting him, then they'll want Theodore back ASAP. If he just bowed out because he's old and tired as most suspect, then maybe not.
 
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