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Reports: Canada's Olympic hockey long list taking shape

We have some new names to consider for Canada now that the NHL has officially pulled out of Olympic participation.

Scott Wheeler of the The Athletic shared a series of tweets Tuesday with the names of those reported to be on Canada's long list as the nation's governing body prepares to unearth talent outside the world's top division.

Most notably, Wheeler named five players from Canada's 2022 World Juniors roster, which had its bid for U20 supremacy interrupted after positive COVID-19 cases cancelled the tournament in Edmonton and Red Deer three days into competition. That group includes captain Kaiden Guhle, No. 1 overall draft selection Owen Power, and former lottery choices Kent Johnson, Mason McTavish and Cole Perfetti.

 Mason McTavish #23 and Owen Power #25 could be suiting up for Canada on the Olympic stage. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
Mason McTavish #23 and Owen Power #25 could be suiting up for Canada on the Olympic stage. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

There are also a few recent NHL draft picks and former juniors currently playing in the American Hockey League, including Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn and Devon Levi.

Beyond that, it's an assortment of former NHL players or prospects who are either toiling in the minor leagues, have since moved on to other opportunities in Europe, or remain free agents. Former Olympian Eric Staal leads a list that also includes Cody Franson, Devan Dubnyk, Michael Del Zotto, Adam Cracknell, Josh Ho-Sang, Daniel Carr, Daniel Winnik, Jason Demers, Brendan Leipsic, and Jake Virtanen as some of the more familiar names.

Here's the full thread from Wheeler:

TSN's Darren Dreger has also been the beat, confirming the likes of Power, McTavish and Dubnyk on the current long list, while also adding netminder Edward Pasquale to the mix. Dreger, however, did pour cold water on the notion that Krebs, Quinn and Perfetti, among others, were eligible due to the fact that all three are signed to NHL contracts despite playing in the minor leagues.

One interesting name is Ho-Sang, who signed a minor-league contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs before the season. Without an NHL deal, it's likely that Ho-Sang would have the eligibility Krebs, Quinn and Perfetti are without despite competing in the same league.

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