Transcript of Did Team Canada Select The Right Roster For 4-Nations Face-Off? | SDP

Hey, so I want to ask you guys about something that's been bothering me, and it has to do with Four Nations. And I will admit that my anxiety is up because of Hockey Canada's decisions during the World Juniors. And I understand that this managerial group for Hockey Canada representing Canada at the Four Nations is made up of NHL general managers. But I was promised, and they did say this, that the best players who were performing the best around the time the roster was announced would go. Okay? Now, I just want to run you through the fact that John Tavares is not in that lineup, and I'm upset about that. But the thing that upsets me more is a young man named Logan Thompson. Logan Thompson was traded for a third-round pick during an autograph session at the draft floor last year.

Two third-round pick. Oh, sorry.

Two third-round picks. How dare you. Washington stole Logan Thompson because Aiden Hill, who is the starter in Vegas, is not as good this year. And Logan Thompson, who has 17 wins in 21 games and a 919 save percentage. Holy shit. Is not He's doing. Let me compare and contrast. It's not just Aiden Hill. Let's talk about Jordan Binnington. Eleven wins in 30 games this year. He has an 896 save percentage.

He played for Hockey Canada.

Sam Montembeau, 32 games this year, 898 save percentage. Here's the thing that really, to me, is the most stinging indictment of all this is Montebo's played 176 games. I didn't realize it was that many. It's a lot of games. He played for Florida. 898 is his career save percentage. He's coming up on 200 games, which is where you get your pension. This is who this player is. Bam. Everybody's like, Man, you don't even know about Montebo. He's crazy.

He has good games. He has very good games.

And he has 898 games more than that, more often. Jordan Bennington, career save percentage. He's played 310 games, 907. But he's not really hitting that very often anymore. He hit it last year, but the year before was pretty bad, and the year before that was pretty bad. And this year is pretty bad.

As long as we're having the conversation, what do you know about December third?

Hang on. Last one. Aiden Hill. Okay. He's been on a steady decline since the Vegas Golden Nights won the Cup. 9:15, 9:09, now 9:03.

Now, I will say for Aiden Hill, he He started the season dog shift, and he leveled off.

If you take out his first four games of the year, the safe percentage goes to the roof. Okay.

Yeah. He's been good. So Aiden Hill belongs. He's the starter. I'll give you Jordan Bennington because Doug Armstrong is the general manager, and he's won a cup. That's how they look at it. Or he's the assistant general manager, or is he the lead guy? I think he's the lead. It's him and Dubas and some other people. Logan Thompson not being there was bad in December is way worse now.

Yeah. Don Sweeney is the GM, by the way.

Oh, that's your biggest problem.

Maybe- That is the problem.

I would fire Sweeney.

Well, you know what? The final is in Boston if Canadian The Bruins want to join Bostonians in that chance.

We might have to. We might not be there. We might not need to go. Yo.

What if the Bruins completely freefall before the Four Nation Face-off and he's fired before the tournament, and then he has to go back to Boston. It's not going to happen, but fuck.

What a story. It'd be awesome. It's Sweeney, and then his assistants are Jim Nill and Julian Breeswell. Doug Armstrong is the management group lead, and Kyle Dubas is Director of player personnel.

Which means they're all GMs.

That sounds like a lot of, Here's a title for you. Yeah.

No, if you get the smartest people in the room and you give them their titles, But you got to have some hierarchy there. So I understand the roles. That's okay. But they got a good collection of dudes.

They do. Except for they left the best of the collection of dudes at home. Oh, you mean the general?

I mean the management. Or maybe Don Sweeney, we can split hairs about that.

I'm calling that into question.

Yes. We can split hairs about Don Sweeney having the GM title on this team based on what he's been doing lately.

But when he was named that, they had come off a record-breaking season. Sure. And I get that. Totally. I'll give them that. Yeah.

And then now look at the roster.

Listen, Team Canada could win. They should be able to win any tournament they're in. That's the thing. But my whole thing about Team Canada and cheering for it, and this is what I got from a bunch of people that push back on some of our World Junior stuff. People were like, well, it shouldn't matter what players Canada brings because the pool is so deep that they should win anyway.

That is a legitimate argument. Listen, I want to have a respectful conversation. What the fuck are you talking about? Yeah, I know. What are you talking about? My thing- What does that mean?

This is a crazy idea. My thing is to give us, despite the deep talent pool, the best chance, the best chance to win. And what I see here is some guys who did not follow through on their promise to bring the best performing players. Tavares, I think, was robbed. He should be on that team.

Mark Shifley?

I'd make an argument for Chris Tanef. I understand why he was left off. Monster season. But just to prove I'm not leaf bias, how do you not have a goalie who's 17 wins in 21 games?

How about this? What is significant about December third?

It's the RFA deadline.

Is it?

It's like December second.

No, it's December first. No, it is the last time Sam Bennett got a goal. I think 15 games ago.

Wow. But how many people has he injured since? That's the key. Probably four or five. The injuries per 60 are very key. Yeah, probably four or five.

That guy's on Team Canada. Deserved it.

Absolutely.

Honestly, we had a discussion earlier this season about It's like, Did she look great on the leaves? How much money is he going to get this summer?

Holy shit. He's spending it now.

He's spending a shitload. Now he makes his money-In the playouts.in the playouts. But as the regular season counts, and they tend to look at that thing.

And they said that's how they were going to judge.

Dude, here, wait.

Let me- Listen, guys, if I... Jesse. Yeah. Steve. Sure. If I had said to you guys before this season started, Guys, Tom Wilson is a lot to make Team Canada.

I would have been surprised.

You'd have laughed me out of the room. But you know what Tom Wilson did? He came out and he played great.

With a bubble on.

With a bubble on. But he played great, and And there's not a lot of Tom Wilson's in the league. And Team Canada is like, You know what? We promised that we would pick the best performing forward, so we're bringing Tom Wilson. But they just didn't follow through on it with the rest of the roster. Or you could have a guy-Specifically in goal.

You could have a guy who doesn't have a goal since December third or an assist since December 16th. He doesn't have a point for... Okay. Against St. Louis, no. Against Tampa, no. Against Tampa, again, no. Against Montreal, no. Against the Rangers, no. Against the Hurricanes, no. Against the Peng, no. Against Colorado, no. Against Utah, no.

Wait, Tom Wilson is not on the team.

On Team Canada?

Yeah. I thought he was. No, Tom Wilson didn't make the team. He maybe should be.

Well, maybe he should be, Dan Wilson. I thought he was.

No. All right. Tom Wilson didn't make the team. No, okay.

You know, the rest of it is pretty good. The rest of it, I don't mind. But the goal tending was the biggest issue, and that's the part that bothers me.

How about Sam Bennett hasn't been a plus since December seventh?

Wow.

Dude, this guy's been brutal.

He's putting up Josh Anderson numbers. That's crazy.

This is such a good player, and he's such an important part of Florida's team. Could be injured. Yeah, he could be because he's been awful.

Of the forward group, are there any names that stand out to you that you would relitigate, like Connect me? Sam Bennett. I love Connect me. Yeah, I think he makes the team. It's like, okay, if we want somebody like Tavares on, I guess Bennett's your guy, you're taking off. Probably now.

Tavares was playing well enough at the time that I know he had a bad couple of weeks in October, but then he was on a monster streak. So I don't feel like this is some late bloomer thing.

Anybody else in your eyes? Do you take off for the swap?

I understand why Anthony Cirelli is there, and I think he's a great player.

Wasn't John Cooper the coach? Yes.

I understand why Anthony Cirelli is there, and he plays a role, and John Cooper needs him to play that role. I get it, but that's the name that sticks out the most to me. Because after that, you have legitimate Bennett Cirelli, and then it's Crosby, Brandon Hagle, who is criminally still underrated. Seth Jarvis is He's amazing, although had a bit of a funny start. Connect me, underrated. Nathan McKinnon, Brad Marshan has fallen off a little bit. Mitch Marner, Connor McDavid, Braden Point, Sam Reinhardt, Mark Stone. Of course, Brad Marshan is going because Don Sweeney is his general manager. He's going. Of course, he's going. And you know what? Do you want Brad Marshan not to be there?

Because I don't- No, Brad Marshan should be there. Absolutely.

Now on defense, this is where I can't really... Macar, Morrissey, Pareco, Petrangelo, Sanhime, Theodortes. Pretty hard to get mad at that.

It's wild that Canada could be sending a goalie trio of Aiden Hill, Logan Thompson, and who the hell's buddy in Seattle? Why am I blanking? Decord. Thank you. Joey DeCord.

But he couldn't get his passport.

I know.

I know, but God, that looks way better than what they...

He doesn't qualify. Doesn't he not qualify for the Olympics based on their criteria?

He's like Tom Hanks in the Terminal. He has no country. It's really weird. He's from Crococia. You can play hockey for Crococia. He's a Canadian American from Switzerland? From everywhere, from Australia. He's Australian. I don't know. I'm just saying, yes, you pick the guys who are the hottest right now, and a few of these guys got named a Team Canada and immediately fell off.

Yeah, and that happens. It does happen. Here's what's great. They'll play the tournament and they might play great.

Yeah, this isn't like a dump on Sam Bennett Fest for me. No.

I'm not even dumping on the goalies they picked. I just think I thought Montembeau was weird when his name was brought up at the beginning of the season. I was like, This is weird. Then they were like, We're sticking to it despite the evidence. Logan Thompson was good in Vegas, too, man. It wasn't like this came out of nowhere. And what's It's weird to me is Vegas could have had Aiden Hill and Logan Thompson.

But I think Charlie Lingeren was so good last year, and Thompson got traded out of Vegas. I think the thinking was, okay, so we're going to bring Washington's back up. Meh.

Right.

We didn't know he was going to then take a very good goal tender's job, which is what he did. Charlie Lingeren is good.

He is very good.

And he freaking stole that job right from-Well, I don't even know.

Maybe they're just a tandem, right? That happens in the NHL. Charlie Lundgren has played 10 games or 20 games.

Well, one of them is basically undefeated. Yeah.

Do you know who leads the NHL and save percentage among Amongst Canadian goal tenders?

That's a really good question.

Amongst Canadian- Are we counting Joey DeCourt?

No.

Okay.

Let's not.

Because he's an American and Canadian. It's not Logan Thompson?

Yeah. Yeah, it's not.

Marc-andre Fleury.

No.

I believe is the correct... Let me triple that.

And the Wilder on a tear.

Oh, no. It's sorting by single season. Oh, boo-hiss. Individual season. You stink. You stink. Here we go. Mckenzie Blackwood. Wow.

Another guy who could definitely be on the- There you go.

In nine games played. He's got a 919. Louis Doming, technically is the first in one game played, a 926. Knock it off. Blackwood has a 9-19. Logan Thompson also had a 9-19, but in less games. And then Darcy Kemper, 9-18.

Well, Blackwood, because I'm a noted avalanche truther. He had a 9-11 save percentage in San Jose in 19 games. In 10 games with the avalanche, he has 8, 1, and 1 with a 940. Man. 940. Yeah, he should probably be on the team.

Darcy Kemper should probably be on this team, too. 11, 2, 2.

Holy hot shit.

9:18, 2.23 GAA.

Jesse's only saying that because he's wearing a King's jersey.

Yeah, let's go. That's fair. So they have an unbelievable season so far.

They just pick names out of a hat, huh?

Like ask to do this.

No, they picked their guy. They didn't pick guy who was performing. They picked their guy. Doug. Doug. We've met. I like you. Doug Armstrong. I like you. You're awesome. You're great. You've won a cup. You're smart.

Come on. Do you get to call him Doug?

Mr. Armstrong. You could argue. You could argue- I liked him a lot, by the way. He seemed like a great guy, but this is very clearly a-There's an argument none of the three goal tenders Canada pick should be going. Yeah, I think Aiden Hill deserves to.

Aiden Hill. I would bring Aiden Hill, but you You could. You could make the argument.

You can make your argument.

It'd be Kempher, Logan Thompson. You can't. There you go. Kempher, Logan Thompson, and who? Mark Andre Fleury. He's got a 903.

Kam Talbot.

Oh, Matt Murray. Matt Murray. That'd be nice. That'd be nice.

The collection of management and coaching is pretty cool to look at just to see all of these guys who are amongst the best in their position around the NHL together in a room. Matt, if you want to bring up the... Oh, the list of people who work for the Four Nations Canada team. It's GM, Dawn Sweeni, Jim Nill, Associate General Manager, Julian Breswa, Assistant General Manager, Ryan Getzlaff, Player Relations Advisor, Dubis, player personnel, Doug Armstrong, Management Group lead, John Cooper, Head Coach, Bruce Cassidy, Assistant, Peter DeBore, Assistant. I don't know this individual.

Misha- Misha Donzkoff?

Where do they work?

I don't know. No idea. Rick Tauket, Assistant Coach.

Scarborough, Ontario.

Yeah, it's a great collection of some of the best talent in the league.

Rick Tucket, being from Scarborough explains so much about him.

Absolutely. But I assume most of the Four Nations teams look like this.

Ryan Getzlaff being on the team is interesting because he works for the league now.

That makes even more sense.

Oh, yeah.

That makes sense. Oh, you work for the league. You want a job. You can have it.

Hey, why don't you just come over here and be a consultant? You want a couple of hundred thousand a year?

Do nothing? Don't you wish you were part of that club a little bit?

Oh, my God. I mean, Because then I would have to be that type of person.

Yeah, but they don't think about it that way.

They go home and look at their bank account and go, I'm that type of guy. You know what? I am that type of guy.

Damn, where do I sign up to be that type of guy?

Damn, I'm okay. Listen, I'll be honest with you. I don't know. I could fake being that type of guy for that money. I'll fake it all day.

Ryan gets laughing all the way to the bank.

By the way, whenever I see Kyle Dubas' name come up in anything, I just automatically assume that Jason Spetz is there as an intern. I just assume that Jason Spetz did have a hand in this, even if he didn't officially.

Jason Spetz, randomly being Kyle Dubas's Dwight Schrute is the funniest thing. Right? Yeah, it's great. Following him around with a duotang. It's great. I like it. God, I miss you, Jason..