Team Canada Could Use More Oilers at 4 Nations Face-off – The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

After watching the emotionally charged 3-1 loss Team Canada experienced at the hands of Team USA on Feb. 15, it became clear that at least three current Canadian-born players on the Edmonton Oilers could’ve helped Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. I’m referring to Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse. Team Canada was picked back in November when Hyman was in a goal scoring drought, and when Bouchard and especially Nurse were just starting to find their game. Too bad for Team Canada, because Connor McDavid could really use a winger like Hyman who knows how to play with his skill set. And, they could’ve used Bouchard’s shot on the power play and Nurse’s toughness against an American team that was hitting everything that moved.

Time will tell if this current Canadian roster put together by Doug Armstrong and Don Sweeney can overcome the obstacles they have before them. First, they have to beat Team Finland on Feb. 17 to have any shot at a rematch with the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final on Feb. 22 in Boston.

Team Canada Roster Not Built for North American Sized Rink

If you’re a fan of Team Canada, you have to hope that both Armstrong and Sweeney may have miscalculated the kind of players needed to play on the smaller North American ice surface. The USA has it right, they stacked their team with skill and a lot of grit. Team Canada on the other hand, might have a roster more suited for the bigger ice surface of the Olympic Winter Games. Big tough skilled players such as Nurse, Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals and Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets should’ve been considered for the team.

This of course is all reactionary to the way Team USA has used skill and toughness to beat their opponents in the 4-Nations Face-Off. Team Canada could still win this thing, but the path is steep. It seems logical to Canadian hockey fans that the roster should be carefully constructed, putting Canada’s best players on the ice, and this includes their team at future World Junior Championships. Canada isn’t falling behind skill-wise, especially with players such as Bouchard, Scheifele, MacKenzie Weegar of the Calgary Flames, and the best Canadian goaltender in the NHL this season, Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals, all sitting at home. Canadian brass needs to stop outthinking themselves and construct rosters that showcase the skill that Canada continues to produce with the right amount of grit and heart.

Hyman, Bouchard and Possibly Nurse Should Be Considered for Canada’s Olympic Team

Winning the 4 Nations Face-Off is important, but the ultimate prize really is the Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey. Win or lose in this tournament, Canada needs to re-evaluate how they select their players. With the skating skills of Bouchard and Nurse and the hockey smarts of Hyman, they should all be seriously considered to join McDavid on the Canadian Olympic team roster in 2026. In the back of my mind, as an Oilers fan, I’d love to see Stuart Skinner pick up his game to the point where he could be mentioned as a possibility for Team Canada’s National Team. But he has a long way to go. If he can turn his game around before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7, and take the Oilers far into the playoffs, then it would be fair to put him in the conversation. However, with his inconsistent play this season, and glove hand that in my mind needs work, Skinner will need to improve his game noticeably in order to receive any consideration at all.

McDavid Needs Players With Specific Skills to Play With

It’s become evident in this short two-week tournament that McDavid has the right supporting cast around him in Edmonton. Players like Leon Draisaitl, Hyman, and Ryan Nugent Hopkins all know the best way to support his incredible speed and quickness.

Related: Connor McDavid Will Benefit Down the Stretch From His 4 Nations Face-Off Experience

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner looked like he would be a good fit for McDavid on paper, but they haven’t found the right chemistry to do any damage in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Finding McDavid the right linemates will be paramount for any future games that Team Canada plays. Depending on what happens at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canadian general managers and coaches need to find McDavid the kind of players who understand where to be on the ice. That can be more difficult than you think, especially to find players who can make the adjustments to their game to enhance his incredible skill.

It’s going to be interesting to see what adjustments are made going into Team Canada’s next game against Team Finland on Feb. 17. Win or lose in the 4 Nations Face-Off, I hope the roster for Canada’s Olympic team has a few more Oilers, especially Hyman and possibly Bouchard and Nurse. It’s evident that Team Canada could use them all now.