Notebook: Canada not shaping Olympic roster based on 4 Nations hostility

CALGARY – Doug Armstrong is determined not to let the 4 Nations Face-off’s fightfest with the Americans shape Team Canada’s roster construction for the Olympics.

Asked if the trio of bouts that opened the USA-Canada round robin game had him contemplating adding a nuclear deterrent, the Canadian GM balked.

“I’ve thought quite a bit about that tournament as a whole, and I think the Olympics are going to be played very similar to that, minus (nine) seconds,” said Armstrong at a Calgary hotel where 42 Olympic hopefuls gathered for an orientation camp with the women’s and Paralympic teams.

“If you win the front of your net, and the front of their net, you have a chance to win the game. We’re going to build a team that can win in those areas, but we’re not going to build a team that can participate in those (nine) seconds.”

It’s a fair question, given the hostility at 4 Nations and the addition of Tom Wilson to the list of camp invites.

The reality is, neither Tkachuk brother will likely feel compelled to initiate a dust-up at the Olympics, where IIHF rules would prompt a match penalty for anyone who drops their mitts.

“Is there gonna be a bunch of fights? I don’t know, it’s hard to say,” smiled Canadian coach Jon Cooper of an obvious talking point. 

“The two teams played in the (4 Nations) final, and that didn’t happen. I’m not saying it wouldn’t, but if people are lining up to see nine seconds they saw in Montreal, I can’t sit here and say that’s gonna happen.”

It sure makes for an interesting debate, as the hatred exhibited in the most recent two games against the U.S. will have everyone tuning in when they face off in Milano-Cortina, Italy, this February.

As fond as Armstrong is of Jordan Binnington for backstopping his Blues to a Cup win in 2019, not to mention his heroics en route to 4 Nations gold in February, he admitted the goalie gig is very much up for grabs. 

“That’s probably the most open competition in our group right now,” said Armstrong, who also brought 4 Nations backups Adin Hill and Sam Montembault to Calgary this week.

“I’ve reached out to the other goalies that we believe have a legitimate chance, and told them the thought process behind bringing the three. They all understood that, and I gave them the vision of scouting, what we’re going to do, and that we’re going to take the guys that give us the best chance to win. They’re going to have that opportunity from October 7 to January 1 to prove who should be on the team.”

In other words, lads like Logan Thompson, Darcy Kuemper and MacKenzie Blackwood have been put on notice.  

Cooper joked that theoretically they could bring back 23 members of Canada’s 4 Nations team, and simply add two newbies to fill out their Olympic roster.

Clearly, it won’t be that simple, as injuries will play as much a part as how well every player performs the first three months of the season.

And while the incentive is there for all 42 invitees to get off to great starts, Armstrong revealed he also has a list of 50 other Canadian players around the league he’ll be keeping a close eye on as possibilities.

“We’re going to pick the best team at that time, with the understanding that experience does play a part of it,” he said.

“We understand how to build teams. You want to try to build a team, not an all-star team, so you want to get as much information as you can on how these guys operate in the room. Ultimately, players have to make sacrifices, and you have to be able to compete.”

Asked what the hardest part of coaching Team Canada is, Cooper smiled. 

“There’s only so much ice that can go around,” he said.

“Guys that are used to playing 20 minutes a night, power play, penalty kill, they may come in here and play 10. A big part of us winning the 4 Nations was that we had a whole group of guys that checked their egos at the door.”

Armstrong has had a front row seat to watch Sidney Crosby’s greatness since 2010, when he first got involved with the Olympic program. Over the course of the last three days, he’s watched in awe at how Crosby continues to operate.

“I saw him yesterday at the golf tournament we had with the other two Canadian national teams (at Kananaskis), and his ability to make everyone feel comfortable, his ability to honestly look at himself as no different when everyone else looks at him as different, it’s an amazing treat,” said Armstrong of his 38-year-old Canadian captain.

“Unbelievable admiration for how he performs, how he plays, the level he’s playing at in the NHL right now, and you don’t do that unless you’re a determined, consistent athlete. He’s a freak of nature, and all the great ones are freaks of nature, not only on the ice, but how he carries himself.”

Connor Bedard, 20, and Macklin Celebrini, 19, are the youngest players at camp in Calgary, but Armstrong wanted it known they aren’t just here to gain experience for future Olympics.

“They’re here first and foremost because their skill on the ice should put them at this event,” said Armstrong, who will name his final roster Jan. 1.

“I think being at these events helps them greatly, but they’re not only here to gain experience, they’re here to make the team. They’ve been told that Oct. 7 to Jan. 1 is massive for them, like it is for everybody else. 

You don’t have to be a certain age to make this team. If you’re good enough and you can help us compete to win, then you’ll make this team.”