It’s been known for months that superstar Connor McDavid is on the Canadian roster for the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off. The no-brainer decision was announced during the Stanley Cup Final in June.
We’re about to find out which of his teammates will join him at the tournament as rosters for the respective teams are due Monday before they’re revealed on Wednesday.
The Oilers have a few players in the running for the Canadian and Swedish squads.
Despite scoring just three goals in 20 games and being injured for the two weeks before rosters are chosen, Hyman stands a good chance to join McDavid, his regular linemate.
“It would be a huge, huge honour to be on that team and represent Canada,” Hyman said. “The nice thing about being from Canada and watching those games is you realize how many unbelievable players are from Canada and play in the National Hockey League. It’s a very hard team to make. There are so many people who should be on it, but there’s only so many spots.”
If Hyman does earn one of those spots, it’ll be because he has exceptional chemistry with McDavid and provides a different dimension as a worker with skill. Oh, and those 70 goals in 105 games between the regular season and playoffs last season will surely factor in.
But the main reason for leaving Hyman off the Canadian roster could be that he’s not capitalizing on his chances at a higher rate. He’s doing a lot of the things that made him successful last season, though. Hyman has 9.14 individual expected goals in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick.
“There’s a lot of luck and a lot of circumstances that dictate if you’re going to score goals or not,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said.
Ekholm has been one of the best all-around defencemen in the NHL since the Oilers acquired him from Nashville on Feb. 28, 2023. The Oilers have a 64 goals-for percentage with him on the ice at five-on-five over that span. They have a 53 goals-for percentage under the same scenario this season.
Ekholm played for Sweden at the 2016 World Cup, but playing in the 4 Nations tournament would be even more meaningful to him.
“It’s countries, it’s actual teams, and it’s not a made-up Team Europe — as fun as that was,” he said. “It should be countries. It holds a little bit more weight.”
The one thing potentially working against Ekholm is that spots are limited. Three blueliners — Gustav Forsling, Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson — were named to Sweden’s initial roster in June.
He’s hopeful he’ll get the call.
“It’s something that I missed out on a lot in my career, and it’s been out of my control,” Ekholm said. “Knowing that I’m 34 now, I still hold myself to a decently high standard. That would mean a lot.
“We all know what’s coming next year. It would be great to be part of this thing as a warmup, or whatever you want to call it, for the Olympics.”
Ekholm probably doesn’t need to fret too much. His all-around game and ability to kill penalties should give him an inside track for inclusion.
“You’ve seen what he’s done for the Oilers ever since we’ve brought him in here,” Bouchard said. “He’s been a top defenceman on the team and in the league, complementing forwards, complementing me, helping me out big-time.”
“I feel like I can complement one of those offensive guys pretty good like I do today with Bouch,” Ekholm said. “We’ve found really good chemistry there. I’ve done that in the past, too, whether it’s playing with P.K. Subban or Ryan Ellis.”
Evan Bouchard’s impressive playoff track record should make him a consideration for Team Canada. (Christopher Creveling / Imagn Images)
Theoretically, a player coming off a fifth-place finish in Norris Trophy voting and who appeared on a couple of Conn Smythe Trophy ballots — including this reporter’s — should be a shoo-in to make any international team.
That doesn’t appear to be the case for Bouchard regarding Team Canada.
For one thing, Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar has already been named to the roster, and he’s had a start worthy of Hart Trophy consideration. He’s bound to quarterback the Canadian power play, which just so happens to be Bouchard’s ideal role.
Bouchard can kill penalties but seldom does for the Oilers, so there’s little proof of concept for Canada’s decision-makers.
Bouchard had 82 points in 81 games last season. His numbers are down with 18 points through the first 24 games — largely because of an underperforming power play — and he’s had some defensive lapses, too.
“This season has not gone necessarily as I thought it would, but things are getting better. Things are going to get better,” Bouchard said. “It’s just a matter of sticking with it and being consistent. I don’t think anything’s been missing. It’s more just about being consistent.”
Still, there remain several reasons Bouchard should be on the Canadian roster.
Chief among them is his performance over the last three postseasons. He had 32 points in 25 games during the playoff run and might have been Edmonton’s best player through the first two rounds.
“I feel like those moments, I really want to be there and thrive for my team,” Bouchard said.
“He has showed in high-pressure moments that he brings his game to another level,” Ekholm said. “I know it’s really hard to make Team Canada, but his vision, his offensive-minded game is second to none. I think it’s top of the league, or at least up there with some of these guys.
“I hope that he makes it. He’s earned his spot on there, but I know there’s probably 15 other defencemen from Canada that have also earned it.”
That Nurse had his best NHL season to date in the truncated 2021 campaign put him on many lists for Canada’s 2022 Olympic roster. Then COVID-19 caused the NHL to back out of the Games.
After some up-and-down play since then, Nurse now believes his level is back to what it was roughly three years ago.
“(There’ve) been some highs and lows. It’s been a roller coaster, for sure,” he said. “The last time we came around to a tournament like this — it didn’t go through — but my game was in a really good spot. I was getting lots of opportunity and I was playing well.
“Sometimes, it just takes a little while to find your game and find yourself again. I’m back at a point where I feel really confident in what I’m doing on the ice and who I am each and every day.”
Nurse has been excellent for more than a month now and has anchored a second pair with a revolving partner. He’s shown little or no difference in his play since returning from missing three games with a head injury, the result of an illegal check by Toronto winger Ryan Reaves.
“A big focus coming into the summer and into the season was making sure my game was in order,” Nurse said. “When I’m at my best, I’m aggressive. I’m skating. I’m on my toes. I’m not afraid to make a mistake and, if so, working my way out of it.
“You go through long stretches where you’re trying to be perfect. Trying to be perfect is not the strength of my game.”
The 29-year-old skates well, can bring a physical element and kills penalties. He’s at least in contention for a Team Canada gig.
He’ll be in tough to crack the roster on the left side, especially since the Philadelphia Flyers’ Travis Sanheim is having a monster season. However, he could be a candidate as an injury replacement if he’s left off.
Perhaps the front-runner for Canada’s No. 1 goaltending position entering the season after getting to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Skinner’s numbers aren’t worthy of that distinction now. He’s got an .887 save percentage and has allowed 5.69 more goals than expected in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick.
To be sure, Skinner has had a few solid starts this season, most recently Saturday’s 27-save effort in Denver. But really, he remains in the mix because of the dearth of other netminding options.
“I haven’t thought too much about it,” Skinner said. “I know there’s some things going on on TV, and I’m sure everyone’s been able to see stuff on social media, but I’m not really a part of that. I don’t watch too much TV. I’m just watching ‘Survivor’ right now.”
Tuning out the noise is part of Skinner’s M.O. He said he deleted his social media accounts five years ago.
“I block it out,” he said. “I tell everyone around me that I don’t like talking about it, either. It can be all your fault and the world’s ending or you’re the greatest goalie in the entire world. Riding that roller coaster can be a very dangerous thing as a goalie. Your ego can get in the way when you’re hearing those things.”
Skinner said he would love to play for Canada for the first time in a top-level competition. He never made a World Junior team, after all.
But there’s a silver lining if he isn’t selected. Skinner and his wife, Chloe, are expecting their second son on Feb. 1 — a little more than a week before the tournament begins.
“There’s always positives and negatives with everything,” Skinner said. “You make the team and it’s such an incredible feat … but then I’d miss time with the baby.
“Then, if I don’t make the team, it sucks. It’s a terrible, terrible thing. But I get to spend time with my newborn.”
Not every player can be an offensive dynamo. With a goal and 10 points in 24 games, Janmark certainly isn’t that.
But the teams in this tournament will also need strong defensive acumen and penalty-killing prowess. Janmark fits that description. He’s believed to be in the running for a spot on the Swedish team because of his skill set.
“I don’t think I was anywhere near (being in contention) before the playoffs,” Janmark said. “I probably put my name out there a little bit at least.”
Knoblauch has praised Janmark’s work and believes he’s been an important contributor for most of the season.
There’s no mistaking where Janmark would fit on Team Sweden. He’ll be a fourth-line winger, or he won’t make it. That simplifies the equation in a way.
“There are better or different types of players that have more points, but it depends on how they build their team out,” Janmark said. “It would be an honour to play for the national team. To play in a best-on-best tournament, you can put that on your resume and be really proud of it.”
(Top photo of Mattias Ekholm and Zach Hyman: Joe Nicholson / Imagn Images)
