Team Canada lineup vs. Team Czechia: Jon Cooper scratches three key players
![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) lifts the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy after winning against Team USA in overtime during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden.](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/i/photo/641620.webp "Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) lifts the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy after winning against Team USA in overtime during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden.")
Photo credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Team Canada is starting its Olympic dream today as the men take on Team Czechia in what should prove to be a solid test to see if this team has what it takes.
If you are a fan of Team Canada, then you are certainly excited for today's game against Team Czechia, which is their first of the preliminary round.
It only gets easier from here on out for Canada, as they will also play against Team France and Team Switzerland in the final two games of the round-robin tournament.
From there, teams like Sweden, Finland, and the United States will be on their radar as they attempt to win Gold in the first true best-on-best Olympics since 2014.
Team Canada unveils blistering lineup
Just moments ago, Team Canada unveiled its lineup for today's game. There are three healthy scratches here, including goaltender Darcy Kuemper, defenseman Travis Sanheim, and forward Seth Jarvis.
Meanwhile, the first line is going to be Connor McDavid, Tom Wilson, and Macklin Celebrini. The second line is Brandon Hagel, Sam Reinhart, and Nathan MacKinnon.
Centering the third line is Sidney Crosby, with Mitch Marner and Mark Stone on his wing. From there, Bo Horvat, Nick Suzuki, and Brad Marchand make up the fourth line.
Celebrini - McDavid - Wilson
Hagel - MacKinnon - Suzuki
Marner - Crosby - Stone
Marchand - Horvat - Reinhart
Bennett
Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Parayko
Harley - Doughty
Theodore
Binnington starts
Thompson
Hagel - MacKinnon - Suzuki
Marner - Crosby - Stone
Marchand - Horvat - Reinhart
Bennett
Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Parayko
Harley - Doughty
Theodore
Binnington starts
Thompson
Ultimately, this is going to be an interesting game for Team Canada, who are heavily favored to win. While they are favorites, you never know what might happen.
Czechia is motivated to prove some of the detractors wrong, and a win against Canada would absolutely turn some heads.
However, Canada has all of the firepower in the world, and they will be ready to show that they mean business.
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