If the Olympics were in a week, how many Flames would participate?

[TheScorpion]

With no best-on-best international tournaments on the horizon, it seems we'll have to make do with hypotheticals for now.

Back in 2016, Johnny Gaudreau played for team North America at the World Cup of Hockey. Sean Monahan was also selected for that team, but had to pull out due to injury.

That same year, Mikael Backlund was selected for the Swedish team and then-Flame Michael Frolik played for the Czechs.

In a hypothetical 2020 tournament, I think it's likely that we'd see a lot more Calgary representatives.

My bets:

Mark Giordano would easily make the team as the country's top left-handed defenseman. Forever overlooked for these sorts of teams, Giordano would be a key player for the Canadians.

TJ Brodie would have an outside chance of making team Canada if considered as a left-handed defenseman, or of potential GM Sean Burke liked his chemistry with Giordano. But it's unlikely. Canada has dozens of elite RHD and Brodie is at his best on that side. But the country has far fewer LHD. Still, it doesn't seem likely.

Johnny Gaudreau would be a shoo-in for the Americans and would probably play beside Auston Matthews and Patrick Kane on the top line.

Elias Lindholm would be another lock. He'd almost certainly play in Sweden's top-six.

Matthew Tkachuk would be a very safe bet to represent the Americans on the left wing. He could even supplant Gaudreau's top line spot in the right matchup.

David Rittich would fight Petr Mrazek and Pavel Francouz for the Czech starting job in net, and he'd probably win.

Tobias Rieder is one of seven active German skaters in the NHL. He's making team Germany, perhaps even on its top line.

Sean Monahan would be right on the bubble of team Canada. From a country that has historically favoured shifting centres to the wing if necessary, Monahan stands a pretty good shot of being the 13th/14th forward.

Rasmus Andersson would have an outside shot at making team Sweden. Only Erik Karlsson, Anton Stralman, and John Klingberg average more ice time per night among right-handed Swedish defensemen, and Andersson is easily the youngest of the group. If he didn't make the team today, he would in two or three years.

Mikael Backlund is having a brutally snakebitten year, but he's still got the Swedish 4C position on lockdown. He's a very safe bet.

Noah Hanifin would be a long shot for team USA. With enough injuries, he'd be on the bubble. Same with Derek Ryan, who ranks in a tie for 30th among American forwards in even-strength points. But neither player is likely by any stretch of the imagination.

Dube, Lucic, Mangiapane, Hamonic, Stone, Bennett, Jankowski, Kylington, Rinaldo, and Talbot are not likely to make their national teams.

So that puts the possible count as follows:

Canada: 2 (Giordano and Monahan)
USA: 2 (Gaudreau and Tkachuk)
Sweden: 3 (Andersson?, Backlund, and Lindholm)
Germany: 1 (Rieder)
Czech: 1 (Rittich)

Nine players representing the Flames would be quite something. Think it's realistic?

[ForeverFlameFan]

Brodie, Monahan, Andersson, and Hanifin wouldn't even sniff the Olympics.

Giordano would range from either the #4-#7. Backlund is a maybe... 4C, or a press box player.

Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Lindholm, and Rittich as the 1B (if Mrazek falters) are the only 5 I see having a shot.

[TheScorpion]

I don't know if I agree with your assessment of Monahan. Very few players score more than he does. I don't see how he doesn't even sniff the Olympics.

Rieder is a lock as long as Germany goes.

And Giordano is almost a lock for the top pair IMO. Who's playing ahead of him on the left side, Morgan Rielly?

[mikephoen]

I'm sceptical about Monahan and Andersson making it, but the rest seem realistic. Last year, Monahan would have probably made it, and next year Andersson would probably make it if he keeps progressing, but right now I think it's just the other 7.

[dino7c]

Backlund would be there...he was their captain and one of their better players at the worlds when they won in 2018. Invited again last year and was also on the world cup team

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I don't know if I agree with your assessment of Monahan. Very few players score more than he does. I don't see how he doesn't even sniff the Olympics.

Rieder is a lock as long as Germany goes.

And Giordano is almost a lock for the top pair IMO. Who's playing ahead of him on the left side, Morgan Rielly?

Monahan can score goals, I just think Canada has better options at C assuming the C's don't want to move to a winger position.

You're right about Rieder, forgot to mention him. He's definitely a top 6 lock.

I'd have Parayko and Pietrangelo as Canada's top pairing.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Monahan can score goals, I just think Canada has better options at C assuming the C's don't want to move to a winger position.

You're right about Rieder, forgot to mention him. He's definitely a top 6 lock.

I'd have Parayko and Pietrangelo as Canada's top pairing.

Those are two righties... Canada has historically favoured L-R pairings. Those two don't even play together in St. Loo

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Those are two righties... Canada has historically favoured L-R pairings. Those two don't even play together in St. Loo

Parayko has still played LD though.

[GioforPM]

Monahan is underrated everywhere, but even without that I doubt he makes it. You have to just count 13 forwards down and he’s in really tough. Plus, he’s a scorer and if they are picking guys down the lineup for 2 way play, that’s not him (despite his improvement in that area).

McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, Tavares, Matthews, Bergeron, Scheifele, Stone, Marchand, Stamkos, ROR, Marner for a start. Then it’s tight between Monahan, Point, Boeser, Perron, Connor, Staal...

[Magnum PEI]

^
Boeser and Connor are Americain
I don't even know if Monahan cracks the B team. There's also guys like Couture, Giroux, Duchene, Coutourier, Horvat.

[TheScorpion]

Ok let's not underrate Monahan here, he easily makes the B team without breaking much of a sweat IMO.

[FanIn80]

Zero. Well... Lindholm would. Possibly Andersson. Other than that, zero. Oh and Tkachuk would make it too, but other than that, zero.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Zero. Well... Lindholm would. Possibly Andersson. Other than that, zero. Oh and Tkachuk would make it too, but other than that, zero.

Edit: Whoops. Gaudreau would make it too. Other than that, zero.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Those are two righties... Canada has historically favoured L-R pairings. Those two don't even play together in St. Loo

Babcock has favoured L-R pairings. I do not think he will be coaching an Olympic team any time soon. Rode that singular Stanley cup as far as he could I think.

[djsFlames]

Damn, I miss NHL Olympics.

Bettman and co. are thieves of joy.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Monahan is underrated everywhere, but even without that I doubt he makes it. You have to just count 13 forwards down and he’s in really tough. Plus, he’s a scorer and if they are picking guys down the lineup for 2 way play, that’s not him (despite his improvement in that area).

McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, Tavares, Matthews, Bergeron, Scheifele, Stone, Marchand, Stamkos, ROR, Marner for a start. Then it’s tight between Monahan, Point, Boeser, Perron, Connor, Staal...

Except no Matthews

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Except no Matthews

Yeah, I f’d up him and a couple others.

[djsFlames]

Yeah, today team Canada might actually be even more ridiculously stacked than in 2010.

Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid, Matthews as your center depth? Holy sweet ####.

[Scroopy Noopers]

MacKinnon - Crosby - Stone
Marchand - Bergeron - McDavid
Stamkos - Tavares - Marner
Schiefele - ROR - Point

Huberdeau
Konecky
Couturier
Monahan
Hall

[rohara66]

Matthews on everyone team Canada... maybe he’d be our captain.