Elliotte Friedman Drops Major Roster Update for Team Canada & USA Ahead of 4 Nations Final Clash
NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman dropped a bit of a bombshell when he said that the 4 Nations Finals between Canada and the USA should have some roster tweaks.
The highly-anticipated Finals between Canada and the United States for the 4 Nations Faceoff Championship is going to be one for the ages, and is sure to bring the fireworks even more than their previous encounter.
But with teams dealing with injuries, and the roster being such a contentious issue, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman has a solution: Let everyone play.
4 Nations Finals Should Have No Restrictions: Elliotte Friedman
In a recent blog published for Sportsnet, Friedman went into his feelings towards how this game in particular should allow for the best of the best to play:
I understand the idea going into this event: no additions unless there's an emergency.
No issues with this, in theory, but this incredible tournament - wildly exceeding expectations - shows this to be an impossible standard.
The players proved this is not a glorified All-Star Game, but a fierce, nasty, intense, competitive fight for hockey supremacy.
The toll is real and I suspect we don't have a full picture of who is dealing with what.
While like Friedman, we all understand why the NHL would want to ensure that the tournament doesn't have too many issues where teams can willingly swap out players.
But this isn't some rinky-dink competition. We've seen how intense these teams take this, and those who were hurt and were eligible to play should be able to.
Yet, so should those who replaced them according to Friedman:
If circumstances align to bring him back, he should not be penalized for getting legitimately hurt during NHL action.
Whether the U.S. goes with your standard 12-6 or 11-7 due to anything up front, Hughes should be a go. A freebird, I guess you'd say.
Friedman also touched on Thomas Harley and how because he gave up his break to help Canada, he shouldn't just sit in the press box either:
That's what players are supposed to do, right? Put personal aside for country. Why be held back for doing exactly that?
This is why it's important for the NHL to implement some type of reserve system or a contingency plan in place considering injuries are expected with such fierce competition.
But I agree with Friedman, as this tournament shows that a best-on-best format can lead to some of the most exciting in hockey.
Injuries happen, but this game is the most monumental game in over 15 years for both teams.
Friedman's words couldn't have said it better:
