While the rest of the league is focused on the current NHL playoffs and the battle for the Stanley Cup, Oilers fans eyes are usually glued to see which players will be playing for their respective countries in the World Hockey Championships.
The roster for Team Canada was just announced this morning, and there will only be one Edmonton Oiler playing for the red and white. That player is Darnell Nurse. This will be Nurse’s second appearance in the World Championships, as he played with the team last year and put up one point in ten games.
🇨🇦 #IIHFWorlds Roster:
T. Bertuzzi
M. Blackwood
T. Chabot
A. Cirelli
S. Couturier
D. Fabbro
C. Hart
A. Henrique
M. Joseph
A. Mantha
J. Marchessault
B. Montour
M. Murray
D. Nurse
S. Reinhart
D. Severson
T. Stecher
M. Stone
D. Strome
J. Tavares
S. Theodore
K. Turris https://t.co/HMgfWntgBZ— Team Canada Men (@HC_Men) April 29, 2019
Canada’s got a fairly strong roster this year with John Tavares and Mark Stone leading the push for the gold medal. Last year they lost to the United States in the Bronze medal game, with Sweden beating Switzerland in the Final. My guess is that we’ll see the same teams finish in the top of the tournament, however, I’m hoping for a Team Canada Gold medal.
Leon Draisaitl will also be suiting up for Germany this tournament, and Adam Larsson is locked in for Team Sweden. We’re expecting to hear Sekera will play for Slovakia and MAYBE Mikko Koskinen for Finland. Some notable Oilers that aren’t in the tournament this season are Connor McDavid, who is rehabbing his knee injury, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is getting married this summer so I’m assuming that had an input on his decision to not play.
Who’s your pick to win the tournament? Let me know in the comments.
Canada could have ice a more stronger team…many of the big name name players only care about big tournaments like Olympics or World Cup…fame before the country…
*iced
inexperienced D…predicting another Q_final exit..
I think these days most of the players do choose to go unless they are nursing injuries (most that were in the playoffs are) or have other legit reasons (i.e. getting married). In recent years, the likes of Hall, Crosby, McDavid, etc. have gone – its not like Iginla who was the one “star” that snubbed the tournament, year after year.