Team Canada's initial practice forward lines balance elite skill with gritty "snot" on every forward line.
Canada's men's hockey team gave fans something to chew on in terms of their forward lines as they began practising in Italy.
It's clear Canadian coach Jon Cooper has a method he's sticking to in terms of the balance of his team's skill and snot.
Every one of Canada's four lines has one player who gives the team edge and physical play to complement their linemates' elite skill.
At Sunday's practice, TSN's Mark Masters reported the first Canadian line had superstar Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid between San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini and physical Washington Capitals right winger Tom Wilson. The second line featured Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon at center, with Florida Panthers pest Brad Marchand and Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki.
Canada's third line had Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby between Vegas Golden Knights power forward Mark Stone and slick Vegas right winger Mitch Marner. And the fourth line had New York Islanders center Bo Horvat centering Sam Reinhart of the Panthers and Brandon Hagel of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Wilson, Marchand, Stone and Hagel all give Canada the snarl they want to play with, and spreading them out over the four lines rather than putting all of them on the third or fourth line speaks to the balance Cooper can use to gain an advantage over opponents.
Indeed, when co-favorite Team USA is employing players with an edge to their game, it's important for the Canadians to balance their forward group.
American GM Bill Guerin has chosen many players with a snotty style of play, including New York Rangers centers Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, to join no-brainer choices, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and Panthers left winger Mathew Tkachuk. So it isn't only Canada that's employing rugged players.
The U.S. did something a little different than Canada, putting the Tkachuk Bros. on a line with Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, and Trocheck and Miller on the fourth line, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. But as we all know, once the Games begin, there will very likely be changes to the lines of all teams.
Countering the skills of edgy opponents with Marchand, Stone, Wilson and Hagel is crucial for the Canadians. And if a forward gets injured, they have another physical player in Panthers center Sam Bennett.
Ultimately, Canada's high-end talent, including McDavid, MacKinnon, Celebrini and Crosby, will drive the team. But Cooper is showing with his practice lines that if they stick in game action, opponents will pay a physical price.
And if Canada and the U.S. face off in the knockout stage, time will tell which approach works out the best.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.