Nothing official, but I’ve been told Avalanche forwards Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly and Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Tyson Barrie are expected to play for Canada at the Czech Republic-hosted World Championship beginning May 1 in Prague and Ostrava. Avs/Lake Erie goalie Calvin Pickard, , is being considered along with full-time NHLers Cam Ward and James Reimer.
Sportnet’s projected roster does not include Duchene and MacKinnon, but instead has Jarome Iginla. I’m told Duchene and MacKinnon — who returned to the ice Friday after playing his last game March 4, when he was diagnosed with a fractured foot — will be on the team and Iginla will not. Duchene, a 2014 Canadian Olympian, represented his country at Worlds in 2010, 2011 and 2013; O’Reilly was on the 2012 and 2013 squads.
MacKinnon is undoubtedly hungry to play again before the 2015-16 NHL season and get in front of Hockey Canada decision-makers for the 2018 Olympics.
Avs captain Gabe Landeskog, meanwhile, told me he will play for Sweden pending his exit meeting/physical with Colorado. A Swedish journalist on Sunday published a news nugget saying Landeskog has a broken wrist. But 92 had no problem with our end-of-season handshake Saturday night with the very right hand that has been taped for the past two seasons. Landeskog might have a wrist injury but hockey players cannot play hockey with a broken wrist. Perhaps it’s a stress fracture or a ligament/tendon issue. Bottom line: the Avs could demand he doesn’t play at Worlds and let the injury heal.
Moving on, the NHL released the draft-lottery percentages of the 14 non-playoff teams with a chance to get the No. 1 pick and select Connor McDavid:
has a 3.5 percent chance of winning NHL draft lottery, 88.0 percent to stay at 10th and 8.5 percent to fall deeper
— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers)
The Denver Pioneers watched Providence upset Boston University 4-3 on Saturday night to win the NCAA championship at Boston’s TD Garden. Providence was the LAST team to get a at-large berth to the 16-team tournament and went on to upset No. 1-seed Miami and No. 2 Denver at the East Regional, as the No. 4 seed. It’s a good Cinderella story … but unfortunately folks like me don’t like the fact the East Regional was played in Providence, R.I., and the No. 4 seed got home-ice advantage. Still, congratulations to former DU associate head coach Steve Miller, who now holds the same position at Providence. He now has three NCAA titles, including the first two with the Pioneers in 2003 and 2004.
Speaking of college hockey, here’s a tweet from DU coach Jim Montgomery on one of his former junior players — Calgary Flames rookie Johnny Gaudreau, the former Boston College star who lost a bet with former DU standout and Calgary teammate Joe Colborne when the Pioneers downed BC in the East Regional opener. Gaudreau is donning Colborne’s DU sweater.
Fast pay makes fast friends ! Put this picture right by your Hobey
— Jim Montgomery (@DUCoachMonty)
