Canada placed the tough guy Connor McDavid in the lineup - "If there had been a fight in practice"

MILANO. Canada’s men’s ice hockey team is one of the most followed at the Olympics.

The team held closed practices from the media on Monday, but on Sunday the team managed to skate openly. The line combinations were already hinted at then, and according to fresh information, they were not changed on Monday.

Thus: tough guy Tom Wilson is primarily playing on the first line with Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini. Wilson has dozens of fights and several suspensions for dirty plays in the NHL.

READ ALSO: This is how Canada practiced with these lines

Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper had to immediately respond to the media about why Wilson was elevated to the first line alongside McDavid and Celebrini.

– If there were to be a fight [in practice], he [McDavid] is protected, Cooper entertained the media right away.

– Everyone is here for a reason. There has been a lot of talk about who plays with whom. No one here says they want to play with this or that player. But here we look at what helps each player.

– The team has hitters and those who want to hold the puck. In the 4 Nations, the line combinations with which the tournament started were not the same as those with which it ended. You always have to start with some combinations.

– The physical speed and game speed in the 4 Nations were at such a high level that the first two lines are not enough. If the speed here is at all at the same level or higher than in the 4 Nations, all four lines are needed here.

McDavid also commented on what it was like to play on the same line with Celebrini and Wilson.

– It was fun. They are certainly quite different players from each other, but great players in their own way. Macklin has had an amazing season in San Jose, while Tom Wilson brings size, speed, and physicality. A good mix of different things, McDavid said.

Canada will start the tournament on Thursday against the Czech Republic. The match will be played at 17:40 Finnish time.

Jaakko Perttilä
X: @JaakkoPerttila