After 12 long years, NHLers are back at the Olympics, and no one could be more excited than Team Canada players and Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
On Thursday morning, the men’s squad will hit the ice for their first tilt of the tournament — a preliminary matchup against Czechia — a good test out of the gate.
Team Canada has a solid line-up with heavyweights like Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Cale Makar and 19-year-old Vancouver native Macklin Celebrini.
Sportsnet 650 Host Mike Halford says Celebrini will be on the “top line” with McDavid and Tom Wilson.
“Which is an amazing line because Wilson was a really polarizing choice because he plays such a reckless style,” explained Halford.
“I love Celebrini’s game. I think he’s going to add that youthful, ‘I’m not really sure what I’m doing here but that might actually benefit me because I’m naive and I might just go and play the way I’ve always played,’ we’ve seen it at tournaments past. Like in 2010, Jonathan Toews was that kid on the team who played beyond his years.”
Given Celebrini’s age, Halford is a bit taken aback that the teen is playing such a prominent role early on.
“I’m a little surprised they’re putting him in such a front-facing, front-line role to start, but why not? He’s got the talent to do it, and he’s one of the MVP candidates in the NHL this year, so he’s earned the spot for sure.”
Halford points out that Celebrini has done a remarkable job leading the San Jose Sharks so far this season.
“He’s doing everything for the Sharks this year. If he’s not played at the level that he has, on both sides of the puck, they’re not even close to being in a playoff spot. He’s handled the responsibility of literally carrying an NHL team this season. I think that will serve him well for the responsibility and the obligations that go with what he’s got to do for Canada. I’m not too concerned about being up for the challenge. He’s been phenomenal.”
Halford has some concerns about the depth of Canada’s blueline, especially when compared to the U.S. — which viewers can expect will rely heavily on former Vancouver Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes.
“Hughes will have a gigantic chip on his shoulder, having not played in the 4 Nations [Face-Off] and expressing repeatedly how big a disappointment that was to him. Not only is he playing phenomenal hockey right now, he’s been reinvigorated and revitalized by the trade to Minnesota. He’s going to be playing a ton, and he’s got maybe as much to prove as anybody in this tournament, and that’s a real factor for me for the U.S.”
Meanwhile, Canada’s defence is led by Makar — who is considered the best in the game right now.
“The third pair, if it stays the same with Drew Doughty and Thomas Harley, I don’t love. Doughty has had a really tough time this year, especially in January. If you look at his numbers, they’ve been pretty ghastly. Harley is an interesting one, because when he got pulled into the 4 Nations team, he was kind of an unknown and played above his head. He had some of that youthful naivety and exuberance where he just went out and played and didn’t think about it. And now that he has a profile and people have recognized him, he’s struggled a bit with the Dallas Stars. If that’s your third pair, and they struggle, suddenly you’re looking at it and thinking, ‘Do we really only have two pairs to run out against the elite teams?’”
Halford’s also concerned with who is in net for both the U.S and Canada. Specifically, he’s focused on Jordan Binnington, who backstopped Canada to help win the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“The form that Binnington has had, quite frankly, since the 4 Nations has been really poor, and there hasn’t been any sign when he’s playing with St. Louis that it’s going to turn around. He’s had opportunities multiple times this year to win back the net… and it’s been very middling. The only thing that I would give him a pass for is the Blues team has been horrific in front of him all season long. They’re the second-worst team in the NHL. The General Manager for Team Canada and for St. Louis, Doug Armstrong, has said as much. So, does Binnington find another level with better players in front of him, with the familiarity, having won before? Maybe, but I’m still pretty skeptical. I wouldn’t be surprised if Logan Thompson is the starting goalie by the end of this tournament for Canada.”
Halford thinks this it will be a two-horse race for gold between Canada and the U.S., and doesn’t think that would have been affected had Russia been allowed to participate.
The men’s hockey tournament at the Olympics rules three points for a 60-minute win, two points for an overtime/shootout win, and one point for an overtime/shootout loss.
“The tournament is a little more complex than just a straight hard bracket. They re-seed in the semi-finals, so it’s not like either Canada or the U.S. can afford a slip-up in the group stage. They’re going to have to win and win-out and finish the top seeds to get the final that we all want.”
The matchup would be a final played against the backdrop of a trade war started by the American president, hefty tariffs and ongoing, empty threats of turning Canada into the 51st State.
If Canada wins it all, Crosby and Doughty will create history for each, capturing three Olympic golds, having previously won in Vancouver in 2010 and in Sochi in 2014.
Team Canada will play Switzerland at 12:10 p.m. PT on Friday and will face France at 7:40 a.m. PT on Sunday.
Listen live to Halford & Brough in the Morning Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sportsnet 650, or subscribe on your favourite podcast app.
