By Stephen Whyno, The Canadian Press
TORONTO - Canada's roster for the return of the World Cup of Hockey in the fall of 2016 will be similar to the one that won gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but there will be some noticeable changes. Here is The Canadian Press projection for Canada's World Cup team:
GOALTENDERS
Carey Price
Team: Montreal Canadiens
Age: 29
Height: 6-3
Weight: 216
Hometown: Anahim Lake, B.C.
Skinny: Canada's Sochi Olympic starter and reigning Vezina and Hart Trophy winner is the undisputed No. 1 goaltender.
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Braden Holtby
Team: Washington Capitals
Age: 26
Height: 6-2
Weight: 203
Hometown: Lloydminster, Sask.
Skinny: Holtby was at Canada's 2014 Olympic orientation camp, and now he's the clear-cut No. 2 behind Price.
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Devan Dubnyk
Team: Minnesota Wild
Age: 30
Height: 6-6
Weight: 210
Hometown: Regina, Sask.
Skinny: If Dubnyk keeps up what he did last season, he'll be right in the mix to be Canada's third goalie.
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DEFENCEMEN
DUNCAN KEITH
Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 33
Height: 6-1
Weight: 192
Hometown: Winnipeg, Man.
Skinny: Canada's best left-handed defender can play 30 minutes a night and dominate a fall tournament.
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Drew Doughty
Team: Los Angeles Kings
Age: 26
Height: 6-1
Weight: 213
Hometown: London, Ont.
Skinny: Doughty was arguably Canada's best skater in Sochi and will still be very much in his prime in a year.
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Shea Weber
Team: Nashville Predators
Age: 31
Height: 6-4
Weight: 233
Hometown: Sicamous, B.C.
Skinny: Weber's rocket shot on the power play and his penalty killing makes him a top-four player again.
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Mark Giordano
Team: Calgary Flames
Age: 32
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Hometown: Toronto
Skinny: Canada's plethora of righties and lack of lefties opens the door for Giordano, who is a Norris-calibre blue-liner in the NHL.
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P.K. Subban
Team: Montreal Canadiens
Age: 27
Height: 6-0
Weight: 214
Hometown: Toronto
Skinny: The eighth defenceman in Sochi, Subban has improved and should be a regular playing in his hometown.
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Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Team: San Jose Sharks
Age: 29
Height: 6-1
Weight: 205
Hometown: Montreal
Skinny: Vlasic emerged to be a reliable lefty in Sochi, and there's no reason to think he won't be back.
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Alex Pietrangelo
Team: St. Louis Blues
Age: 26
Height: 6-3
Weight: 201
Hometown: King City, Ont.
Skinny: A glut of right-handed defencemen could push Pietrangelo to being seventh, but he's an upper-echelon player.
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TJ Brodie
Team: Calgary Flames
Age: 26
Height: 6-1
Weight: 182
Hometown: Chatham, Ont.
Skinny: Unless Canada goes back to Dan Hamhuis as an extra defenceman, Brodie is a good, younger option.
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FORWARDS
Sidney Crosby
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 29
Height: 5-11
Weight: 200
Hometown: Cole Harbour, N.S.
Skinny: The world's best player should return as the captain after wearing the C in Sochi and winning a second Olympic gold medal.
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Jonathan Toews
Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 28
Height: 6-0
Weight: 201
Hometown: Winnipeg
Skinny: A three-time Stanley Cup-winner and two-time Olympic gold medallist, Toews is again the best No. 2 centre in a tournament.
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John Tavares
Team: New York Islanders
Age: 25
Height: 6-1
Weight: 209
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
Skinny: Injured in Sochi, Tavares could be an even bigger piece of Canada's offence at the World Cup.
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Steven Stamkos
Team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Age: 26
Height: 6-1
Weight: 194
Hometown: Markham, Ont.
Skinny: A broken leg kept him out of Sochi, but Stamkos should be a Team Canada staple for a decade in international play.
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Jamie Benn
Team: Dallas Stars
Age: 27
Height: 6-2
Weight: 210
Hometown: Victoria, B.C.
Skinny: Benn came off the pace to make the team in Sochi, but his dominating size and skill makes him a no-doubt pick here.
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Claude Giroux
Team: Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 28
Height: 5-11
Weight: 172
Hometown: Hearst, Ont.
Skinny: Left off the Olympic team, Giroux is out to prove he belongs now and should replace someone like Patrick Marleau.
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Tyler Seguin
Team: Dallas Stars
Age: 24
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Hometown: Brampton, Ont.
Skinny: Seguin has emerged as one of the NHL's best playmakers, and that skill should earn him a spot.
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Ryan Getzlaf
Team: Anaheim Ducks
Age: 31
Height: 6-4
Weight: 218
Hometown: Regina, Sask.
Skinny: Getzlaf might be a role player or a fourth-line centre, but no other country can boast that kind of depth down the middle.
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Corey Perry
Team: Anaheim Ducks
Age: 31
Height: 6-3
Weight: 213
Hometown: Peterborough, Ont.
Skinny: Canada's so stacked with centres that a natural scoring winger like Perry is a necessity.
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Patrice Bergeron
Team: Boston Bruins
Age: 31
Height: 6-2
Weight: 194
Hometown: Ancienne-Lorette, Que.
Skinny: Bergeron can play the wing or centre and be a faceoff and penalty-killing specialist with skill.
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Jeff Carter
Team: Los Angeles Kings
Age: 31
Height: 6-4
Weight: 212
Hometown: London, Ont.
Skinny: If offence is ever hard to come by, Canada has a sharpshooter in Carter who has shown he can score big goals.
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Logan Couture
Team: San Jose Sharks
Age: 27
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Hometown: Guelph, Ont.
Skinny: A hand injury hurt Couture's chances for Sochi, but if he's healthy he's one of Canada's best choices for new blood.
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Matt Duchene
Team: Colorado Avalanche
Age: 25
Height: 5-11
Weight: 200
Hometown: Haliburton, Ont.
Skinny: Duchene was a small piece of Canada's 2014 Olympic team but is the perfect kind of role player.