NHL: New York Islanders at Montreal Canadiens - Source: Imagn

NHL insider claims political intent behind Team Canada's selection of 0.906 SV% goalie

Modified Dec 06, 2024 16:28 GMT

Team Canada's recently announced roster for the upcoming Four Nations Face-Off tournament has sparked controversy. Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault's inclusion in the 23-member squad has led to accusations of political influence in the team's selection process.

The final roster announced on Wednesday features some of the country's 23 finest NHL players. The team, consisting of 13 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies, was met with immediate criticism from fans and observers. Notably, Montembeault being named on the team didn't sit well with a lot of fans.

Montembeault made the squad despite his relatively lower save percentage of .906 in 20 games in comparison to other netminders like the Detroit Red Wings' Cam Talbot (SV% .915), the Washington Capitals' Logan Thompson (SV% .913) and the San Jose Sharks' Mackenzie Blackwood (SV% .907).

The move has sparked controversy, with various fans and experts accusing Hockey Canada of regionalism and favoritism toward Quebec-born players. Most notable criticism came from NHL insider John Shanon, who on the Bob Stauffer podcast "Oilers NOW" on Wednesday said:

“And I know it’s not a topic that gets brought up a lot in the province of Alberta, but if you look at the ratio of French-Canadian players to Anglos on the Canadian team, I don’t think they had any choice but to pick Samuel Montembeault for this roster.”

In response to Stauffer's question about whether Sam Montembeault's selection was influenced by his French-Canadian heritage rather than his hockey credentials alone, Shannon said:

“I think everything with Hockey Canada is partly political. That’s not a knock at Sam Montembeault. He’s a good goaltender. But the reality is that I’m looking down this list and I’m looking at how many kids from Ontario, how many kids from the Maritimes, how many kids from the West. And really I only see one player from the province of Quebec.”

However, some fans have come to his support, stating that four out of the seven games of Team Canada in the Four Nation Face-Off are scheduled to be played in Montreal; therefore, having a local player like Sam Montembeault is a good strategic decision.

Moreover, Montembeault's impressive .939 save percentage, along with a 1.42 goals-against average in the 2023 World Championship, further strengthened his case for inclusion in the Team Canada squad.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid to lead Team Canada

NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche - Source: Imagn

Edmonton Oilers star center and captain Connor McDavid is set to lead Team Canada in the Four Nations Face-Off played between the USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden.

Here's the complete Team Canada roster:

Forwards

Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins (2010, 2014 Olympian)
Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights

Defensemen

Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights (2014 Olympian)
Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche

Goaltenders

Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights
Sam Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens

Team Canada will start its Four Nations Face-Off campaign against Sweden in Montreal on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The game begins at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TNT.