[GDT] 2026 Olympics Game #4: Quarterfinals - Canada vs. Czechia

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I’m not sure what non-role players are missing? Who are the offensive players who should be there?

Scheifele.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I for one can't wait for the third period when we're down by 1-2 and Cooper has to put McDavid, Celebrini and MacKinnon back on the same line to generate any dangerous chances at even strength because we have all these "role players" on the squad.

Eh the only real "offensive" guys they left at home were Scheifele and Bedard. And then Bouchard on defense.

Bedard should have been the injury replacement instead of Jarvis but that's not a huge deal. Personally not a huge fan of Scheifele, so not that concerned with him not being there.

Originally Posted by bluejays

Not to fault anyone when they're losing but the least impressive player has to be Suzuki. The guy hasn't done much in any game.

Suzuki is playing out of position in a role that doesn't suit him IMO.

Reinhart is the one that I'm always wondering what he brings. He was not good at the 4 Nations and it seems to have carried over here.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Canada just hasn't had enough possession.

Too easy on the Czechs all period though. Like it or not, some hits need to get thrown and Canada needs to get on the them down low way harder and quicker.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Eh the only real "offensive" guys they left at home were Scheifele and Bedard. And then Bouchard on defense.

Bedard should have been the injury replacement instead of Jarvis but that's not a huge deal. Personally not a huge fan of Scheifele, so not that concerned with him not being there.



Reinhart too. He was not good at the 4 Nations and it seems to have carried over here.

Schaefer is the other noteworthy one,

[Manhattanboy]

40 year old dude with points on both goals v mighty Team Canada.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

Scheifele.

1-2 different players on Canada is not the reason or won't be the reason they don't win gold. It's want and determination. You aren't going sleepwalk through the event the rest of the way.

[FlamesAreOne]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

They haven't really put Suzuki in a particularly good position. He should be the 4th line centre.

Celebrini McDavid Marner
Horvat MacKinnon Reinhart
Marchand Crosby Stone
Hagel Suzuki Wilson

Problem solved.

I still like the idea of Crosby and Mac together, but yeah those lines look better to me.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Reinhart too. He was not good at the 4 Nations and it seems to have carried over here.

He looked lost on that PP, was more in the way than helping create traffic in front of Dostal.

[SuperMatt18]

Cervenka would have been a good NHLer if he didn't miss training camp, and then miss part of the shortened season with blood clots.

With a full training camp and a full season to adjust to NHL pace he would have been a good NHLer.

Kind of a shame it didn't work out.

[Beninho]

I feel like an Oilers fan wanting McDavid to play every shift. Gross

[DomeFoam]

Yeah this is part of the reason I wanted Bedard on the team, cause it seems like many of these older guys devolve into what looks like role players instead of players capable of a big individual effort when the checking gets tight. The 4nations team clearly needed an injection of youth and skill. They added that in Celebrini but having Bedard on line 2 would be cumbersome for teams.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

Scheifele.

He’s not a difference maker. Also a dirtbag.

[EVERLAST]

We're sitting back and dumping and chasing?

No way cooper allows this in thd 2nd. We keep the puck . Our D has to be better faster getting it out of our zone and up ice

Time to forecheck. Missing Bennett bigtime in this gsme . Thr human missile forechecking hard helps.

Hope they absolutely dominate from here on . Limit shots and hit hit hit or it'll be time to go home.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Eh the only real "offensive" guys they left at home were Scheifele and Bedard. And then Bouchard on defense.

OK first of all I am in no way a proponent of bringing Bouchard. I think he is hugely overrated.

Second, though, Bedard and Scheifele are just the "controversial" offensive snubs, and I'm obviously on record as saying not taking Bedard was idiocy of exactly the same type as Canada demonstrated leaving Crosby at home in 2006 and leaving Stamkos at home in 2010 - the latter proving that you can still win while making these mistakes.

But there are other guys who are not obvious snubs who you could easily have taken if you wanted to prioritize running teams out of the building over balance and role playing and solid 3-1 wins. It's not popular this year because he hasn't been his best and the Blues have been terrible (and he ended up getting injured after selections were made so it's a moot point), but Robert Thomas is basically the perfect winger for Nathan MacKinnon. Wyatt Johnston and Dylan Guenther are better offensive players than half of the guys on this team. If they took that approach you'd have a lot less of the "when is our big line going to get back out there" feeling that you get late in close games.

I'm not delusional enough to think that they're ever going to try to build a team like that, though, so I'm mostly just harping on Bedard.

[3rd liner]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

40 year old dude with points on both goals v mighty Team Canada.

That's flame legend Roman Cervenka to you lol

[Bonded]

This game is rough so far

[CalgaryFan1988]

CBC likes creating drama.

[3rd liner]

Czechs obviously have plenty of NHLers, but they are playing them a lot. I've heard the two idiots Hronek and Gudas name a lot, they've barely left the ice. Canada's NHL depth should win it, but they better tighten up. We are still getting out-hit. Czechs with plenty of interference as well.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

OK first of all I am in no way a proponent of bringing Bouchard. I think he is hugely overrated.

Second, though, Bedard and Scheifele are just the "controversial" offensive snubs, and I'm obviously on record as saying not taking Bedard was idiocy of exactly the same type as Canada demonstrated leaving Crosby at home in 2006 and leaving Stamkos at home in 2010 - the latter proving that you can still win while making these mistakes.

But there are other guys who are not obvious snubs who you could easily have taken if you wanted to prioritize running teams out of the building over balance and role playing and solid 3-1 wins. It's not popular this year because he hasn't been his best and the Blues have been terrible, but Robert Thomas is basically the perfect winger for Nathan MacKinnon. Wyatt Johnston and Dylan Guenther are better offensive players than half of the guys on this team. If they took that approach you'd have a lot less of the "when is our big line going to get back out there" feeling that you get late in close games.

I'm not delusional enough to think that they're ever going to try to build a team like that, though, so I'm mostly just harping on Bedard.

Bedard is the one because with the injuries they had an extra opportunity and still went Jarvis.

Otherwise though I think it's a bit of a toss up. You take 14 forwards and Canada took most of the top point producers.

The top Canadian forwards by P/GP over the last season and a bit are McDavid, Mackinnon, Stone, Marner, Celebrini, Scheifele, Suzuki, Crosby, Hagel, Thomas, Reinhart, Point, Bedard, Konecny,

So 10 of the 14 were named to the team, but point missed with injury.

Those 5 were replaced with Jarvis, Wilson, Marchand, Bennett, and Horvat.

So I do think you could have probably taken a couple more guys, but this team should have more than enough offensive talent here to score with 8/10 top players by P/GP among canadians.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

OK first of all I am in no way a proponent of bringing Bouchard. I think he is hugely overrated.

Second, though, Bedard and Scheifele are just the "controversial" offensive snubs, and I'm obviously on record as saying not taking Bedard was idiocy of exactly the same type as Canada demonstrated leaving Crosby at home in 2006 and leaving Stamkos at home in 2010 - the latter proving that you can still win while making these mistakes.

But there are other guys who are not obvious snubs who you could easily have taken if you wanted to prioritize running teams out of the building over balance and role playing and solid 3-1 wins. It's not popular this year because he hasn't been his best and the Blues have been terrible (and he ended up getting injured after selections were made so it's a moot point), but Robert Thomas is basically the perfect winger for Nathan MacKinnon. Wyatt Johnston and Dylan Guenther are better offensive players than half of the guys on this team. If they took that approach you'd have a lot less of the "when is our big line going to get back out there" feeling that you get late in close games.

I'm not delusional enough to think that they're ever going to try to build a team like that, though, so I'm mostly just harping on Bedard.

Smartest guy in the room syndrome. It's only 1 period, maybe step off the ledge?