World Cup of Hockey: One player to watch on each team
Here is a player to watch from each team at the World Cup of Hockey.
For most fans, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey might seem a bit pointless. With players dropping out, it appears players view the preseason tournament in the same way that pets view a trip to the vet. Part of that is understandable. Why, after all, risk injuring yourself in some silly preseason tournament and potentially cost yourself money?
But that’s not the case for everyone. Indeed, some players have something to play for at the World Cup, which should make watching them a lot of fun. Whether it’s pride or trying to get more attention, certain players will be playing for something meaningful at the World Cup, while others will be getting back on the ice for the first time in a while.
Here’s a player to watch on each team at the World Cup.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images
Team Czech Republic: Vladimir Sobotka
It’s been a while since NHL fans have seen Vladimir Sobotka. The 29-year-old forward has not been seen in North America since the end of the 2013-14 season. He has been in the KHL for the past two seasons but is looking to rejoin the St. Louis Blues during the 2016-17 season.
Sobotka has a lot to play for during the World Cup. He must prove himself to the Blues in order to guarantee himself a spot on their opening night roster. Sobotka will certainly have a chance to grab a spot thanks to the departure of David Backes, but a strong performance at the World Cup would help him solidify a spot on the Blues roster.
When fans last saw Sobotka, he set career highs with nine goals, 24 assists, and 33 points. Sobotka was primarily utilized as the Blues’ third line center, winning over 60 percent of his faceoffs in 2013-14. Sobotka should see a lot of ice time for the Czech Republic.
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Team Europe: Jaroslav Halak
The New York Islanders have a surplus of goaltenders. Both Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss deserve a shot at the starting role. They will most likely form a tandem, but who will get the most starts? That question could be answered during the World Cup of Hockey. Halak and Greiss will both be playing for Team Europe, and whoever performs best could be the Islanders’ number one goaltender.
Halak is the one who has the most to gain. He has to prove that he is back from a devastating injury that he suffered back in March. Greiss took over Halak’s starting role after his injury and took the Islanders to the second round of the playoffs. Recency bias is quite relevant in the NHL, so Greiss likely has the upper hand in the goaltending battle.
With a strong performance at the World Cup, Halak could remind the Islanders why he was the starter before his injury. If he doesn’t do well, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Islanders trade Halak. Halak had a .919 percent save percentage last season, allowing 2.30 goals against per game in 36 appearances.
Greiss has a lot to prove as well. He needs to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke. But he can’t do that during the World Cup of Hockey. Halak can do a lot to help his cause during the preseason tournament, though.
Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Team USA: James van Riemsdyk
Toronto Maple Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk was on pace to challenge his career highs in goals, assists, and points before an injury cut his season short. In 40 games, van Riemsdyk’s goals per game, assists per game, and points per game were each very close to his career high. His injury put a wet blanket over what should have been an excellent season for him.
Now healthy, van Riemsdyk will be playing for more than just his country at the World Cup of Hockey. His objective at the World Cup will not be limited to helping his country; he’ll also be getting himself back into hockey shape and he’ll be doing it by playing against some of the best players in the world.
The Maple Leafs forward is extremely underrated — a consistent scorer who can do a lot of things on offense. Unfortunately, he’s never been given a huge stage on which to showcase his talents. With a strong performance at the World Cup of Hockey, van Riemsdyk could finally introduce himself to the casual NHL fan.
JVR could also prove himself to the Maple Leafs at the World Cup. The Leafs are rebuilding and Mike Babcock likely still doesn’t know if van Riemsdyk will be a significant piece for the Leafs moving forward. A strong performance at the World Cup of Hockey could help solidify his future in Toronto.
Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Team Russia: Sergei Bobrovsky
The 2015-16 season for Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky followed Murphy’s Law — anything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. He had a poor start that was followed by a multitude of injuries. His .908 save percentage was his lowest since the 2011-12 season. As such, Bobrovsky has a lot to prove during the World Cup of Hockey.
Despite his struggles last season, Bobrovsky isn’t that far removed from winning the Vezina Trophy during the lockout shortened 2012-13 season. When he’s healthy, he has the talent necessary to be an elite goaltender. But one has to question if his confidence is still there after the past two seasons.
That’s why the World Cup could be an excellent thing for Bobrovsky. He can regain his confidence playing against some of the best players in the world. Bobrovsky has not been on a huge stage many times in his career, but when he has, he’s performed well.
The Russian goaltender could also be playing for his job. Columbus has a number of young goaltenders, including Joonas Korpisalo, who had a .920 save percentage last season. Bobrovsky will have Korpisalo breathing down his neck.
For better or for worse, Bobrovsky has his back against the wall. It’s time for him to make a move.
Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Team Finland: Pekka Rinne
The Nashville Predators are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders after trading for P.K. Subban. Last season, the Predators came within one game of upsetting the Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks. Rinne had a terrible game seven as the Sharks beat the Predators 5-0, so it’s up to him to improve from a down year and help his team potentially reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
Rinne will not be asked to do much with arguably the best core of defensemen in the NHL in front of him. The Predators have always catered their defense to Rinne, encouraging teams to test his quick glove rather than his slow blocker.
At the World Cup of Hockey, Rinne can get a strong start to his season. He’ll be tested, as Finland does not have the skill of other countries. That could be beneficial for Rinne. Tuukka Rask and Rinne will likely split starts for Finland.
Rinne must get a strong start to his season after a disappointing 2015-16 season. His .908 save percentage was the lowest of his career in a full season. That said, Rinne is but one year removed from being a Vezina Trophy Finalist with a .923 save percentage. A rebound season is quite plausible and a strong performance at the World Cup of Hockey would be a great way to start it off.
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Team Sweden: Hampus Lindholm
Team Sweden recently replaced Niklas Kronwall with Anaheim Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm, an underrated defenseman who is also one of the best in the NHL. He flourished last season while playing big minutes for the Ducks and was a huge part of their playoff run. Lindholm has a lot to gain through playing at the World Cup of Hockey.
His greatest incentive? A strong performance could help him get a new contract with the Ducks. Contract negotiations have not been going well between Ducks and their defenseman, who is still a restricted free agent. It will be tough to stand out among a group of defensemen that includes Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but Lindholm has what it takes to do it. He had 28 points last season and set a career high with 10 goals while playing 22 minutes a night.
With a strong performance at the World Cup, Lindholm could remove his “underrated” label. Because Lindholm often plays at 10:00 PM EST, many fans rarely get to see him play. This is a rare opportunity for Lindholm to grab the attention of the casual fan. If Lindholm plays as well at the World Cup as he did last season, his name will quickly disappear off the underrated players list.
Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Team North America: Auston Matthews
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of reasons to be optimistic. Perhaps their biggest one is 2016 No. 1 pick Auston Matthews. Matthews has the skill and work ethic necessary to be one of the top centers in the NHL. Despite having zero NHL games on his resume, he will get the opportunity to prove himself against the best players in the world at the World Cup of Hockey.
Many teenagers take a little while to gain their confidence in the NHL. Matthews will get a jump start on those rookies by playing against them in a friendly tournament. It should help him gain confidence in his game and make his transition into the NHL easier.
Should Matthews dominate during the World Cup, it should not be surprising. Matthews has already proven that he can dominate against professional competition by playing overseas in Switzerland. In 36 games, Matthews had 46 points (24 goals and 22 assists). He also joined Team USA for the World Championships with nine points in 10 games.
Matthews has drawn comparisons to Patrick Kane because of what he brings to the table on offense. He’s an extremely fun player to watch, so keep an eye on him during the World Cup of Hockey.
Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
Team Canada: Carey Price
Team Canada will have the attention of everyone at the World Cup of Hockey because of who will be starting in goal for them. They have last year’s Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby, but he will likely be the backup for Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price. The 2014-15 Hart Trophy winner will be making his return to the ice and will be facing meaningful competition for the first time since his November injury.
Price has proven that he is an elite goaltender. He has lofty expectations to live up to, but his numbers last season (.934 save percentage) were better than his numbers in 2014-15 (.933 save percentage). Price’s main objective at the World Cup will be to get himself ready for the regular season. There’s no better way to do that than by playing against the best in the world.
It should be fun to see Price go against Russia’s high octane offense that features Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov, Vladimir Tarasenko, Evgeni Malkin, and Evgeny Kuznetsov. If Price and Henrik Lundqvist square off when Canada takes on Sweden, that will be must see television. Everybody from fans to the Canadiens front office will be keeping a very close eye on Price during the World Cup of Hockey. It could be the start of a very special season for Price.
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