Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly in action during overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, on Nov. 13, in Washington.Nick Wass/The Associated Press
When it comes to international hockey tournaments, one of the narratives that frequently accompanies roster-selection day is that Canada – which provides more than 40 per cent of the NHL’s on-ice talent – could easily field a second team with little to no drop off in skill level.
While that provides a feel-good factor for those who cherish Canada’s place as the spiritual home of all things puck, it does little to salve the disappointment for the squad of all-stars who are dealing with rejection after Canada selected its 23-man roster for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off on Wednesday.
From reigning Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard to Zach Hyman, who had 54 goals in the regular season last year before adding 16 more in helping the Edmonton Oilers to within one win of the Stanley Cup, the list of snubs was long and distinguished.
While Hyman may still get his chance to join Oilers linemate Connor McDavid on Team Canada – the winger is reportedly at the top of the list of injury replacements, along with Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele and Calgary Flames defenceman MacKenzie Weegar – Bedard will likely have to wait.
“You kind of sleep in the bed you make,” Bedard told TNT on Wednesday after the rosters were announced. “And I obviously haven’t been too happy with the start of the year.
“You can kind of use this as a sort of motivation and keep going, keep working hard, keep trying to get better. That’s what I’m going to do.”
He’s not alone in that department. Toronto Maple Leafs centre John Tavares is having something of a renaissance after relinquishing the team captaincy last summer. The 34-year-old has been productive this season under new head coach Craig Berube, posting 11 goals and 11 assists in 24 games before Friday night’s game against Washington.
Having won gold at the 2014 Olympics and the 2016 World Cup, Tavares is no stranger to best-on-best tournaments, but that didn’t make missing out this time any easier.
“Yeah, it’s disappointing,” he said Friday. “Obviously, I would have loved to have been a part of it. Playing in best-on-best tournaments internationally and playing for the Stanley Cup is the pinnacle of our sport. So to have those opportunities, competing in those events [is] really, really special and unique.”
Tavares said he got a phone call from Hockey Canada last weekend to inform him that he wouldn’t be part of the squad, adding that he wasn’t asked to stay ready in case of injury. He plans to spend the time off with his family, resting up for what he hopes is “a long spring.”
He’s also not refusing to rule out an Olympic return in 2026, by which time he will be 35.
“If you play really well, you play at a high level, and you can show that you can be part of a group that can help win, you put yourself in the mix,” he said. “So hopefully those opportunities will still be there down the road.”
Meanwhile, TSN hockey analyst Craig Button questioned the decision to leave off Montreal Canadiens captain and leading scorer Nick Suzuki, who as of Friday morning had put up better scoring stats than Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand and Brayden Point (all of whom were selected last June as part of the original six selected for the roster).
Button pointed to the inclusion of players such as Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis, as well as Tampa Bay Lightning pair Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel – who both play for Tampa bench boss Jon Cooper, who will also be the head coach for Team Canada – as questionable picks over the Montreal centre.
“Really? You’re picking Seth Jarvis over Nick Suzuki?” he said on Tony Marinaro’s podcast earlier this week. “There is not a person on this planet that’s going to convince me that that is a choice that should’ve been made.”
Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly is another who some may have felt unlucky not to earn a nod, with the 30-year-old having put up 15 points through 25 games in Berube’s defence-first system. That is the same point total as Philadelphia’s Travis Sanheim and Vegas Golden Knight Alex Pietrangelo, who will both take their place on Canada’s blueline at the tournament.
But Rielly, who became a father for the first time in August, chose to look at the silver lining of being able to rest up while spending time with his young family.
“It is what it is,” he said. “They have a great team, and we’re all going to be cheering for them.”