World Cup of Hockey 2016: All-Snub Team
Defensemen
NOTE: Hampus Lindholm would have been on this list, but Lindholm reportedly turned down a roster spot. He chose willingly not to go, so he’s not a snub.
P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens was an outrageous snub from Team Canada. Not only is he one of the best defensemen in the world and a recent Norris Trophy winner, he’s also arguably the NHL’s most marketable star. Not having a star like Subban on such a grand stage is inexcusable at best.
Mark Giordano of the Calgary Flames was a surprising omission from Team Canada, who should have been named to Team Canada over Jake Muzzin. One could even argue that he should be on the team over Shea Weber as well. Had it not been for injuries, there’s a good chance Giordano would have won two consecutive Norris Trophies and he likely would have won at least one. Choosing Muzzin over Giordano simply because of his chemistry with Doughty is questionable. And handedness didn’t play a part in the decision – both Giordano and Muzzin are left-handed.
Kris Letang of the Penguins being left off Canada’s roster is baffling. How did Canada decide that there are seven better Canadian defensemen than Letang? There probably aren’t seven better defensemen in the world than him. Is having three left-handed defensemen more important than having the best defenseman? If nothing else, he should have been added to Team Canada solely for his power play expertise. Canada cared a ton about handedness when picking their team, and if it bites them in the butt, leaving Letang off the team won’t look good at all.
Keith Yandle was an omission from Team USA once again after being overlooked for the 2014 Olympics. He isn’t without his faults, but he’s arguably one of the best puck movers in the world. Pair him with someone more defensively responsible and he would flourish. Yandle should have been named to Team USA over both Erik Johnson and Jack Johnson.
Kevin Shattenkirk of the Blues was another questionable omission from the USA’s blue line. Much like Yandle, Shattenkirk is an elite puck mover who gets an unfair reputation for not being a very good defenseman — which he absolutely is. It’s baffling how his teammate Alex Pietrangelo gets more credit than Shattenkirk when Pietrangelo is similar to Shattenkirk but with less offense.
John Klingberg of the Dallas Stars was omitted from a very impressive Team Sweden blue line group. As great as Mattias Ekholm is, the logic for including him over Klingberg does not seem like it’s very sound. Just like Letang, if nothing else, Sweden should have included Klingberg on the roster just for his impeccable work on the power play. It is disappointing that he won’t get to showcase his jaw dropping skills at the World Cup.
Justin Faulk of the Carolina Hurricanes was left off of Team USA’s final roster. Not sure how Team USA found a way to include both of the Johnsons and not Faulk. Faulk has quickly become one of the best young defensemen in the world. His work on the power play has been especially amazing. Faulk plays huge minutes for the Carolina Hurricanes and is the biggest reason that their future looks so bright. He’s more than just a power play specialist, he’s also a legitimate top pairing defenseman.
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