It's just a thought but.. what I wonder if Team Canada has any concerns that Scheif without Connor wouldn't be the same Scheif. I mean they've played together forever, and at this point they're basically telepathically linked. It's crazy how much of the time in this season and the last they have been tied for goals scored. They just work SO well together.

Don't get me wrong, I think Scheif has elevated his game in recent years and personally would love to cheer him on w/ the rest of the team in Milan. Do you guys think he'll make the team, and if not do you think this could be one of the reasons?

17 comments

  1. I don’t think he’ll make it honestly, and I believe it’s more to do with his defensive game than anything else.

    I thought he had a good shot but then guys like celebrini, bedard, and even Tom Wilson have been popping off and I think they’ll get those fringe spots.

    Suzuki as well likely has the leg up with his defensive game, although there’s some issues with him and team Canada that may keep him off too.

  3. Don’t know if that would play into the decision much. Not like he’d be playing with scrubs on Team Canada.

    For me personally? I’d love to see CSV split up for a significant time just to spread out the scoring and get Scheif shooting more.

  4. I think Connor is great but let’s be real here, if Scheifele makes the team he’s playing top-6 RW alongside McDavid or MacKinnon. Regardless of how linked he is with Connor, those guys are a tier above.

  5. Scheif has been one of the lone bright spots on the Jets this year. He should be in the mix for Team Canada regardless of KC telepathy

  6. Friedman has said on the last 2 or 3 episodes of 32 thoughts that he believes Scheifele, Suzuki, Horvat, Celebrini, Bedard and Wilson are all fighting for 1, maybe 2 spots on Team Canada

    Also, if anything, Connor away from Scheifele should be the concern, not the other way around. Scheifs has driven play and been an offensive force himself his entire career, where as Connor has never shown the ability to drive a line himself

  7. I think because he doesn’t regularly kill penalties and Lowry takes the tough 5v5 matchups he’s gonna be in a tough spot. Lots of guys in the league can do what he can on offence, he can’t do what a lot of those guys do without the puck. 

  8. As a Canadian and a Jets fan, I don’t think Scheifele makes it based on the potential for him to be a defensive liability in comparison to other choices.

  9. Nah he clearly is a great player on his own and deserves to be on the team. Put him with any goal scorer and they’ll play great together.

    It will be an absolute joke if he’s not on the team.

  10. Scheif makes the players around him better. Wheels, Patty, Nik and now KC and Gabe. I think KC would have a harder time without Scheif tbh.

    Having said that if he does make team Canada, I would assume he’d be playing as a winger and that’s where the difficulties lie. He won’t be the main driver of his line and he might take a bit to adjust. We’ve seen him as a winger on a line with McDavid and Matthews so it shouldn’t be too much of an adjustment. Plus we obviously know he can score.

    I think Scheif has enough in him to contribute though. He’s big, reads plays well and definitely better defensively compared to the past couple seasons. So if he doesn’t contribute as much offensively, he can still contribute in other ways.

  11. Regarding the Jets: If Schief can’t play without Connor, or Connor can’t play without Schief, then that only leaves moving Vilardi to change things up line-wise.

    So that would mean that the whole Schief/Connor dynamic is even more limiting for the Jets, considering the lack of depth.

    I’d be okay with moving Schief off the top line to see if both he and Connor can lead a line, but it would probably mean a drop in points for both of them.

    Now is the year to do it? Next year Connor will cost 12M and if his point totals go down fans won’t be happy.

    If the 2 best players are ‘telepathically linked’, can’t play apart, and cost the team 20.5M a year, and we can’t attract any other star players….doesn’t look good.

    At some point these two need to each lead a line, or the Jets have no depth.

  12. I think Bill Guerin’s comments were partially directed at Connor, and the sentiment would be the same with Canada. The GM’s want two way players, those two have improved so much, but a lot of it has been how the team around them has been. and this year hasn’t been as fantastic as last

  13. Scheif is 8th in points in the entire NHL. Playing on a shit team. If he doesn’t make team Canada it’s because Canada brain trust have over thought their roster and took a bunch of role players instead of the best team possible. You do not need grinders at the Olympics, you need speed, skill and scoring. 4 1st lines is what Canada should have. He most definitely makes the team.

  15. Unpopular opinion likely but here it goes. Yes many players whine, bitch and complain at the refs but just based on my casual observation it appears to me that 55 consistently has this aspect of his game in overdrive. He doesn’t appear to have particularly sophisticated skills in building social capital with those around him. And honestly that is OK…but someone needs to tell him when to stop complaining and get focussed back on the game. If he doesn’t make team Canada I suspect it sure won’t be for reasons related to skill and hockey smarts because he’s right up there with the best of them in those departments.

  16. I don’t think he’s going, and I feel kinda bad for the guy. I know it would mean a lot to him.

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