Canada’s group of forwards bring versatility and will leave us guessing who will play on which line.
This year's Canadian world junior team may have a lot in common with a legendary comedic skit by Abbott and Costello.
Although there won't be any confusion over the players' names, the question may be the same: who's on first? As in, first line. And for that matter, the second, third and fourth lines.
Canada's group of forwards is a junior hockey who's who. Each player is a star on his club team, but each also brings a more valuable trait: versatility.
It's not a stretch to say each of the 13 forwards named to Hockey Canada's world junior squad Wednesday has the wherewithal to play multiple roles. After all, the roster is always a work-in-progress each year. Some players step up while others drop in the depth chart. It's just the nature of the tournament.
Just look at John Tavares in the 2008 world juniors. After being cut the year before, a 17-year-old Tavares was given a reduced role at the start of the tournament. Soon after, as he began filling the net, his role and ice time increased. He finished the tournament tied for fifth in team scoring with five points in seven games.
Perhaps in no other year will a defined role going into the tournament mean so little by the end.
The forwards bring a dynamic blend of two-way ability and hard-nosed grinding. The offensive roles will most likely be filled by the likes of Brett Connolly, Louis Leblanc, Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier and Jaden Schwartz.
The depth, however, indicates several others could come to the forefront with a solid start, as Tavares did three years earlier. It also means a player whose role could decrease still has the ability to take on a different role and make for a seamless transition.
The same can also be said of the seven defencemen. The top four will most likely include Ryan Ellis, Erik Gudbranson, Jared Cowen and Calvin de Haan. Injuries and inconsistency derailed Canada's defence at last year's tournament. This group, seemingly, is well-positioned to overcome similar adversity.
If nothing else, the Canadian defensive corps could feature a more fleet of foot group. The Americans, in particular, made good use of the saying 'speed kills' in last year's tournament.
Canadian head coach Dave Cameron noted the players' speed when the team's selection camp roster was named a couple weeks earlier.
"Obviously speed is a component of any good team and I think realistically if your team is going to have a chance to win a tournament of this magnitude, speed has to be a part of it," Cameron said. "One of the criteria when we judged all the players and evaluated them… we discussed their ability to skate."
It's obvious Cameron and his staff followed through in that judgment with the group of seven that will comprise the team's defence.
The goaltending situation could be similar to the forward group in that roles could change through the progression of the tournament. The smart money is on Olivier Roy earning the starter's job over Mark Visentin, but Roy's play, at times this season, has left something to be desired.
Consistency has been his biggest foe and by all accounts, consistency plagued him during the camp. Visentin is rising quickly through the ranks and brings a quiet confidence to his game.
Another recent trend is emerging among Canadian teams in this tournament. Last year's team was the first in 11 tournaments where the Canadians did not carry at least one 17-year-old.
The three Ryan's -- Nugent-Hopkins, Murphy and Murray -- each survived the first night of cuts, but weren't named to the final roster. Tyler Seguin, John McFarland and Brandon Gormley didn't survive the purge at last year's camp, either.
The last 17-year-old to make the Canadian world junior team will anchor the defence at this year's tournament in the three-timer Ellis. There's no doubt he'll wear a letter.
As is the case every year, much has been made of the pro players not available for the tournament. Sure, Hockey Canada would have loved to have seen the likes of Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, Matt Duchene, Evander Kane and Ryan O'Reilly at this year's camp.
The reality is that one -- Schenn, sent back from Los Angeles -- is better than none. As a returning player, who watched the Americans not only take gold in his home country, but also in his hometown, there shouldn't be any letdown from the perceived demotion back to junior.
This year's group may not feature the most recognizable junior-aged stars, but its versatility leaves one wondering: who's on first?
