A Few Key Players Left out of Team Canada's Practice
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
As Team Canada gears up for its quarter-final game against either Team Denmark or Team Czechia, Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett were not on the ice for Tuesday's practice in preparation for the game.
MacKinnon fell victim to a hit to the head against Team France, but his absence at practice was simply a maintenance day.
Team Canada prepares for quarter-final without Nathan MacKinnon.
Kyle Bukauskas provided the news on X that the pair of players were not participating at practice, but stresses it was just for some rest.
MacKinnon is obviously one of Team Canada's most important players, one of the favourites to win the Hart Trophy this year alongside countrymen Conor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini.
Their dominance was on full display when head coach Jon Cooper put the trio on the same line in their second game against Team Switzerland.
"Per Team Canada:
Maintenance day for MacKinnon and Bennett
Maintenance day for MacKinnon and Bennett
Brad Marchand will also likely make his return to game action tomorrow for the quarter-finals as he was held out of the last two contests.
The lines reshuffled without the absentees at practice were provided by Mark Masters on X.
Lines at 🇨🇦 practice
Celebrini - McDavid - Wilson
Marner - Crosby - Stone
Hagel - Suzuki - Reinhart
Marchand - Horvat - Jarvis
Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Parayko
Harley - Doughty
Sanheim - Theodore
Binnington
Thompson
Kuemper
Absent: MacKinnon, Bennett
Celebrini - McDavid - Wilson
Marner - Crosby - Stone
Hagel - Suzuki - Reinhart
Marchand - Horvat - Jarvis
Toews - Makar
Morrissey - Parayko
Harley - Doughty
Sanheim - Theodore
Binnington
Thompson
Kuemper
Absent: MacKinnon, Bennett
Team Canada needs MacKinnon at his best if they want to win Gold, so giving him a maintenance day after his altercation against France is a good idea.
Also read on Blade of steel :
Team France Speaks Out After Olympic Ban
Team France Speaks Out After Olympic Ban
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 17|335 ANSWERS A Few Key Players Left out of Team Canada's Practice Is Nathan MacKinnon's absence from Team Canada's practice concerning? | ||
| Yes | 141 | 42.1 % |
| No | 194 | 57.9 % |
| List of polls | ||