MONTREAL - Jack Eichel and Mark Stone were both within earshot when I was asked who I would be cheering for in the 4Nations Face-Off when Canada and Team USA met up. Both men looked up and waited for my answer.
I’m Canadian. Born and raised on Canadian hockey. But since moving to the U.S. and spending parts of eight seasons working for the Vegas Golden Knights my allegiances in this best-on-best tournament are about people as much as they are about country.
My answer was genuine. “I’ll be cheering for all the players from the Golden Knights to have great tournaments.”
Eichel smiled and said, “Good answer, Gary.” Stone nodded in agreement.
It’s true. I want Stone, Eichel, Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin and Adin Hill to all have personal success. I can’t lose. My country of birth and the country I live in will likely meet in the final. There will be a Golden Knights angle to smile about.
Gordon Weigers, VGK Director of Content and co-author of It Hurts To Win, is writing today why Team USA will win the tournament and I’m posing arguments for Canada.
The elephant in the room is that we’re calling this tournament best-on-best but the Russians and Czechs to name just two hockey nations aren’t here. Alex Ovechkin is the biggest story in hockey this season but he’s on a beach somewhere. The political reasons may be valid but from a hockey perspective it’s a miss.
The great Michael Farber dropped this pearl over dinner the other night.
“It’s a tournament without a past or a future,” said Farber.
Indeed, as soon as the NHL and NHLPA can resurrect the World Cup they will. But what happens here will be recorded and remembered.
Those with boots on the ground have seen the gleam in the eye of the competitors. The players care. The hockey will be excellent and fierce. It may be an appetizer for NHL participation at next winter’s Olympics but it still matters.
As with all predictions, these columns are mostly worthless but for entertainment value.
The Lawless Case for Canada
By Gary Lawless
It’s not often that Canada is an underdog at a hockey tournament but that’s the situation here on opening day. Lots can change over the next seven games but as of this writing Team USA is the favorite. Canada is looser and playing with house money. It feels like there is a bit of extra weight on Team USA. In the end, Canada has a psychological edge and that will be the difference.
Both rosters are elite and there is little to pick between the two. Canada has the two best offensive players in the tournament, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. Team USA has the top goalie in Connor Hellebuyck and Eichel is the most complete two-way center on these two squads. Jack can check and score. He’s unique and all about winning. The hockey world is about to see how dominant he is in big games.
Canada’s perceived weakness going into the tournament is in net. Head coach Jon Cooper named Jordan Binnington as his starter and he’s packing an .897 save percentage this season. There is reason for concern.
While Canada boasts McDavid and MacKinnon down the middle of its top two lines, it’ll be Eichel and Auston Matthews for the U.S.A. Slight edge to Canada in terms of offense but what Eichel has done defensively chews away at that advantage.
Canada’s Cale Makar and USA’s Quinn Hughes are the best defensemen in the world. Makar is here while Hughes is dealing with an injury.
Both bluelines are deep and USA’s Jacob Slavin is the best two-way D in the bunch. But Canada has an intangible in veteran Drew Doughty.
Doughty was the best player at the Olympics in Sochi. Canada played keep away for the entire tournament and Doughty led the band. While he’s 11 years older and there’s gray in his beard there’s still tons of juice in his game.
Coming off a broken ankle he was a late addition to Team Canada but if one checked the summary for his last game with the LA Kings before the break they would see he logged over 31 minutes.
Doughty is a pure competitor and he desperately wanted to play in this event. He’ll be a surprise.
Cooper made sure his team included Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, who all play for him in the NHL. They’re spread across his bottom six forwards but that’s a trick. They’re winners who will have impact.
Finally, we come to Sidney Crosby. This is his Stanley Cup. When this event is over he’s going back to his Pittsburgh Penguins and likely facing a spring without playoffs. If he’s to have any joy this season derived from competition – it needs to come in the next week.
The best player in the world for a lot of his career, Crosby now finds himself in prison walled by loyalty and the NHL’s salary cap. He can’t bring himself to leave Pittsburgh and the Penguins can’t perform a magic trick and be contenders once again.
Crosby is still a fantastic player and he’s still driven. It’s hard to imagine betting against him with a proper cast surrounding him. He’s got that here.
Some might argue Canada should move on from veterans such as Crosby, Doughty and Mark Stone. We say the opposite. They’ll hold the torch high for Canada and lead their nation to victory.
A Case for the States
By Gordon Weigers
Team USA’s roster is fun. It’s skilled from top to bottom and has players with intangibles to make a difference at any point in a game.
Eichel’s abilities are well-documented. Matthews is a game-breaker down the middle. J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck are expected to center the bottom six. Both players have jam and will be flanked by wingers who can fill the net. Of course, lines will change throughout the event. That’s one of the most exciting things about this tournament. The best players in the world can be shuffled around to create line combinations that make you giggle at how skilled they are.
Jack Hughes is an interesting player to watch at this event. The mega-talented center for the New Jersey Devils is slated to play the wing alongside Matthews and opposite Jake Guentzel. His older brother, Quinn, was expected to be the star on the blueline for the U.S. but he’ll miss the entire tournament due to injury. This tournament has Jack Hughes written all over it. He plays with confidence, skill and swagger. He’s a smaller player, but his quickness makes up for it. Hughes had at least a point in seven of his last eight games with the Devils before the break.
Hellebuyck is the X-factor. The United States has arguably the best goalie in the world, and he has the ability to win the tournament. Hot goalies have a history of success in best-on-best tournaments. If Hellebuyck can get hot and the Americans can find enough offense in front of him, the 4Nations Face-Off trophy will stay in Boston next Thursday.
