"Canada who are arguably the best team heading into the Olympic games on merit have some of the worlds best players, and if anything have too many to choose from. It is crazy to see how many players they have to choose from, and it won't be easy for Cooper to choose his team, however one thing is clear and that is how poor some of his 4 Nations champions have been,"
"In a season in which players will have had to play their best games possible, players like Sam Bennett, Drew Doughty, and Travis Konecny really aren't making a good impression, and at this rate, they are not close to being names on the team sheet. It isn't completely down to the fact that they haven't been playing well, but just haven't been playing well enough to make the team, simply just being beaten out by others who deserve it more."
"Take Sam Bennett for example. Ever since signing his new deal with Florida, his game hasn't exactly improved, and hasn't really been reflecting the dollar amount. Through his first 14 games of the season, a +/- of -7, and only five points isn't what is going to be so appealing to Jon Cooper, and it looks like his all around compete level and standard isn't one which is going to meet Team Canada's standards."
National teams must finalize Olympic rosters soon, and Canada enters the selection process with an abundance of elite players. The depth of talent creates difficult choices for head coach Jon Cooper as several Four Nations champions have underwhelmed this season. Sam Bennett, Drew Doughty, and Travis Konecny have struggled to make strong cases for selection. Bennett has recorded just five points and a -7 rating in his first 14 games, raising concerns about his compete level. Competing hard-hitters such as Tom Wilson are providing stronger arguments with 16 points and a +6 rating in 14 games. Several notable names now risk missing the Olympic roster.
Read at Puck Prose
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