Five Canadian forwards making their case for the Olympics after 4 Nations snubs

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Team Canada’s braintrust met at the NHL GM meetings in Florida last month to debrief from the 4 Nations Face-Off and begin the look ahead to the Olympics.

Rosters expand from 23 players at 4 Nations to 25 players (14 forwards, eight defensemen, three goalies) for the Olympics, and each country needs to name its first six players by June 15.

For Canada, the first four are no-brainers in Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. I would still include Brayden Point in the first six, as well — just as he was ahead of 4 Nations. But Brad Marchand, the other first-six player for 4 Nations, won’t be in contention again at this stage of his career. My pick for the final spot in the first six? Mitch Marner. His play at 4 Nations warrants it, just as his excellent regular season does.

But like all Canadian Olympic hopefuls, the Stanley Cup playoffs are around the corner for Marner — and postseason play will be major criteria for Team Canada Olympic general manager Doug Armstrong and his staff when further adding intel in their roster-shaping.

The IIHF World Championships are huge in that process, as well. Any Canadian hopeful would be wise to accept an invite from Hockey Canada to the spring tournament if he doesn’t qualify for the postseason. That’s why, barring health issues, Philadelphia Flyers teammates Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim are good bets to be at the worlds; both would like to keep their best-on-best roster spot intact from 4 Nations.

I would say Sanheim is one of the players who has already risen in management’s ranks, thanks to his play at 4 Nations. Konecny didn’t do anything to hurt himself, but the competition at forward will be incredibly competitive.

Here are some Canadian forwards who were left off the 4 Nations roster that I believe have improved their Olympic stock the most since 4 Nations:

1. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens: He’s at the heart of the Habs’ playoff drive and playing the best hockey of his career when the pressure has been at its highest. He hasn’t helped himself with Team Canada by turning down World Championship invites the past few years, but his performance over the past two months will have absolutely raised his stock within Team Canada management’s group. As of Monday morning, only MacKinnon, Marner, McDavid and Crosby had more points this season than Suzuki among Canadian forwards.

Nick Suzuki has elevated himself into elite company this season. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)

2. Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues: Just like his team, Thomas kept his best hockey for the second half of the season. He’s got 18 points in his past seven games alone — and an NHL-high 34 points since 4 Nations. (Suzuki is second with 32.) Let’s see what the Stanley Cup playoffs might do to further strengthen Thomas’ Olympic case. But he’s very much in the conversation right now, in my mind. It probably doesn’t hurt that Canada’s GM, Armstrong, is also the Blues’ GM.

3. Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars: Johnston didn’t hide how disappointed he was not to make the 4 Nations roster when we chatted earlier this season, but in that same conversation, he talked about the bigger carrot in trying to make the Olympic roster. I loved his game last year in the playoffs, and after a slow start this season, which cost him a 4 Nations opportunity, he’s back playing at the level most were expecting. A deep run by the Stars with Johnston front and center could propel his Olympic case.

4. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets: He was probably the biggest snub from the 4 Nations roster based on performance at the time. I don’t have him ranked higher for no other reason than it’s not been about a second-half surge for Scheifele — because he’s been excellent right from the get-go and consistent all season. His stock remains where it was before. The Stanley Cup playoffs on a Jets team that can win it all will be his best opportunity to put himself higher up the list with Team Canada management.

5. Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals: I know this will be a controversial pick. It’s funny how many people texted me after the three fights in nine seconds to open the first U.S.-Canada game at 4 Nations saying Team Canada should have taken Wilson. There will not be three fights in nine seconds at the Olympics. In fact, there will not be a single fight. But it will be an Olympic tournament played on NHL-sized ice, not international ice. Wilson is having a career season, and his toolbox is different from most players at this level. Having said that, if we learned anything from what we saw at 4 Nations, our first taste of best-on-best hockey in eight and a half years, it’s that the pace was ridiculous. Team Canada management would have to be confident that Wilson could hang at that kind of pace in Italy.

Honorable mentions: Jordan Kyrou, John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois.

I didn’t mention Connor Bedard nor Macklin Celebrini, but for sure both young superstars have a chance to get higher up the Olympic radar, depending on potential World Championship performances for Team Canada this spring and depending on how they start next season in the NHL.

In my books right now, Suzuki and Thomas are the two Canadian forwards that have helped their stock the most since 4 Nations.

(Top photos of Tom Wilson and Robert Thomas: Patrick Smith and Elsa / Getty Images)

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