carrboy19

On the eve of the 2013 World Junior Hockey Championship, and with some questions popping up about the Canadian roster, let’s take a look at the player’s team Canada left behind. Let’s start by saying, this is not an indictment on the team hockey Canada chose to send to the World Junior championship this year, rather, it is a statement that many Canadians feel deep down; we could send two teams to any tournament and wind up playing each other in the finals. For a nation who doesn’t consider silver as success, any time Canada selects a best of team, there will be players that you think should have been selected and players you can’t believe made the team. Here’s a look at what could have been.


Goal

Laurent Brossoit- Edmonton
Zachary Fucale- Halifax
Francois Brassard- Quebec


Defense

Matt Dumba- Red Deer
Frank Corrado- Sudbury
Matt Finn- Guelph
Adam Pelech- Erie
Derrick Pouliot- Portland
Ryan Pulock- Brandon
Nikolas Brouillard- Drummondville


Forwards


Mark McNeill- Prince Albert (has been called up to take the spot of the injured Charles Hudon but makes the list as he was not part of the original selection)
Hunter Shinkaruk- Medicine Hat
Michael St. Croix- Edmonton
Brendan Leipsic- Portland
Andreas Athanasiou- Barrie
Seth Griffith- London
Daniel Catenacci- Owen Sound
Tom Wilson- Plymouth
Matt Puempel- Kitchener
Jean-Sebastian Dea- Rouyn-Noranda
Anthony Mantha- Val-d’Or
Francis Beauvillier- Rimouski
Raphael Bussieres- Baie-Comeau

While this roster lacks the big name, star power associated with the “A” teams Canada sends to these tournaments, consider these stats at the time this article was written:
Team Canada goalie wins: 44 Team Canada 2.0 goalie wins: 52
Team Canada defensemen points: 163 Team Canada 2.0 defensemen points: 178
Team Canada forward points: 596 Team Canada 2.0 forward points: 553

As you can see, the teams aren’t that far apart offensively and the goaltending is at least equal or arguably better. Secondary stats such as plus/minus, goals-against-average and save percentage are overwhelmingly on the side of team Canada.

Despite injuries to Hudon and Jonathan Drouin and the three game suspension handed out to Boone Jenner, when the puck drops on December 26 against Germany, no matter what the name on the back of the jersey says, team Canada will be the team to beat.



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