Will Kuemper and Doughty Even Get to Play for Canada at the Olympics?

With the Olympics set to start in just over a week, NHL players are preparing to represent their countries for the first time since 2014. The Kings are sending 5 players to the Olympics: Adrian Kempe for Sweden, Kevin Fiala for Switzerland, Joel Armia for Finland, and Drew Doughty and Darcy Kuemper for Canada.  

With Drew Doughty and Darcy Kuemper making Team Canada, the question is how much we will see them in a Canadian Jersey. With the Olympics being the best of the best, some players who get lots of ice time on their NHL teams may not see as much ice on the big Olympic stage. 

Doughty was one of the few players on the 2014 Olympic team, where he played a strong role on Canada's defence, helping them capture gold against Sweden. But with Doughty being much older and now on a team with guys such as Cale Makar and Josh Morrissey, Doughty's role may look much different than it did back in 2014. Doughty this season has played 42 games, scoring 3 times and recording 10 assists for 13 points, which, by his standards, isn't good. 

What this means for Doughty is that his playing time could be limited because the other guys are having much better seasons. Overall, Doughty's role will be more of a depth defenseman, as the first defensive pairing seems to be Makar and Toews. While Doughty isn't playing his best hockey, his role as a depth defenseman could be what Canada needs, as he also brings Olympic experience and leadership to the team. Doughty's role for the Olympics will differ from 2014, but his leadership can give the defence the utmost confidence to play at the highest level against the best players from each nation. 

Darcy Kuemper is the 2nd King on Team Canada and is 1 of 3 goalies named to the roster, with the other 2 being Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson. Overall, Kuemper has played well so far this season, posting 13 wins in 33 games, 2 shutouts, a 2.56 GAA, and a .902 save percentage. Kuemper has been the Kings' number 1 goalie this season, and he has proven he can be a reliable starter capable of stealing games for his team. 

When comparing his stats to Thompson and Binnington, it almost gives you an idea of the order Canada could use for goalies in the Olympics. The starter seems to be Logan Thompson, who has 18 wins in 37 games, 2 shutouts, a 2.39 GAA, and a .914 save percentage. While Binnington was a huge reason Canada won the 4-Nations tournament this season, this season has not been his strongest: in 29 games played, he has 8 wins, 1 shutout, a 3.57 GAA, and a .868 save percentage. 

The way goaltending depth could go for Canada is Logan Thompson as the starter, Darcy Kuemper as the backup, and Jordan Binnington as the 3rd option. Overall, the Kings players on Team Canada will play a more depth role, but their impact can help Team Canada try to capture gold.