Craig Button's projected Team Canada WJC roster

[sureLoss]

has Klimchuk as the 13th forward

http://www.tsn.ca/button-projecting-...ember-1.124839

Domi-McDavid-Reinhart
Dal Colle-Petan-Virtanen
Dickinson-Fabbri-Nastasiuk
Ritchie-Gauthier-Chase
Klimchuk

could be available: Duclair, Horvat
not available: Bennett

Fleury-Morrissey
Morin-Bowey
Sanheim-Theodore
Nurse

Fucale
Desrosiers


other candidadtes
Paul-Point-Hawrlyuk
Bertuzzi-Dauphin-Baptiste
Lemieux

Hicketts-McKeown
Heatheringon-Bigras
Harpur

Jarry
Comrie

[Rick M.]

I hope Klimchuk makes the roster. I'm very sad that Bennett will not be ready to play.

[FlamesAddiction]

I think Bennett would have been a shoe in for that 2nd line centre spot had he not been injured.

It looks like a really strong team this year, especially among the forwards.

[Vulcan]

Also, keep an eye on Joe Hicketts of the Victoria Royals, who went undrafted last June. He went to the Detroit Red Wings' training camp on a tryout and ultimately signed an NHL contract. Hicketts has been a force on the blue line in the WHL and has been a very good player for Team Canada in previous international events.

When I read something like this, I wonder what is going on so I look him up,

Height 5.08 -- Weight 186 [173 cm/84 kg]

and understand why his NHL future isn't so bright. Still under the right circumstances and with the right team, he could be a player.

[RyZ]

Gauthier has been the worst player on the Canadian roster in each of the past 2 tournaments. 3rd time is a charm, I guess? Yeesh.

[waner]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Gauthier has been the worst player on the Canadian roster in each of the past 2 tournaments. 3rd time is a charm, I guess? Yeesh.

Pretty impressive feat since he wasn't even on the team 2 years ago.

[Northendzone]

I hope for point as I know his dad, and it would be fun to hear about the experience first hand

[GreenLantern]

This makes me sad, poor Bennett.... but go Klimchuk!!

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Nice to see the WHL so well represented on that blueline. Honestly, as much as we all rag on the Oilers, I'd be pretty disappointed if Nurse wasn't a staple on defense. Every time I've seen him, he's left a big impression. The kid is going to be a very good player (unless the Oilers ruin him like usual).

I'd like to see Lemieux make the team as a fourth liner, just for the entertainment factor of him getting opponents off their games.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Nice to see the WHL so well represented on that blueline. Honestly, as much as we all rag on the Oilers, I'd be pretty disappointed if Nurse wasn't a staple on defense. Every time I've seen him, he's left a big impression. The kid is going to be a very good player (unless the Oilers ruin him like usual).

I'd like to see Lemieux make the team as a fourth liner, just for the entertainment factor of him getting opponents off their games.

I think it is tough to bring guys like Lemieux to international tournaments. Refs are a bit quick at times to call penalties on agitating players, and in a short tournament it can really backfire. I think he is a very good player, however.

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by waner

Pretty impressive feat since he wasn't even on the team 2 years ago.

Fair enough, my mistake, let me rephrase that.

Gauthier was the worst forward on the Canadian team last year (by a long shot) and is still less than a point-per-game forward in the QMJHL in the 2nd season after his draft year.

If he wasn't a Maple Leafs pick he wouldn't even be getting looked at.

Tyler Biggs 2.0

[waner]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Fair enough, my mistake, let me rephrase that.

Gauthier was the worst forward on the Canadian team last year (by a long shot) and is still less than a point-per-game forward in the QMJHL in the 2nd season after his draft year.

If he wasn't a Maple Leafs pick he wouldn't even be getting looked at.

Tyler Biggs 2.0

You really think that people from Hockey Canada that have no affiliation to the Maple Leafs are going to risk their reputation on putting him on the team because he is a Maple Leafs prospect? Despite the fact they get 0 benefit from it at all?

You don't think it could be because he wasn't the worst player by far, won a lot of key face-offs for the team for them last year and was a top player for Canada at the U-18's when he played there?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by waner

You really think that people from Hockey Canada that have no affiliation to the Maple Leafs are going to risk their reputation on putting him on the team because he is a Maple Leafs prospect? Despite the fact they get 0 benefit from it at all?

You don't think it could be because he wasn't the worst player by far, won a lot of key face-offs for the team for them last year and was a top player for Canada at the U-18's when he played there?

I would think that his U18 experience had a lot to do with him being on the team.

And I agree 100% that being a Leaf prospect is completely irrelevant.

But yeah, he was horrible for them last year. Easily their worst player - and there were several strong candidates.

[waner]

I think Amderson and Rychel were equally ineffective and Leier didn't provide much either.

[codynw]

I seem to recall Dumba being pretty bad at times last year too.

Honestly, the whole team was pretty awful.