Doug Armstrong prioritizes strong, hard defense that can play in front of the net and get inside, seeking big, determined players who can play in hard areas. Management wants players who 'arrive with ill will' and pair physicality with skill and determination. Tom Wilson's playing style fits those criteria and earned him an invitation to Hockey Canada's Orientation Camp among 42 invitees. Wilson would return to national-team action after being left off last February's 4 Nations Face-Off roster. A prior Canada–USA matchup featured early fights and intense physicality that influenced roster thinking, and Wilson expressed enthusiasm for that game environment.
We want strong, hard [defense] that can play in front of our net and we want to be able to play and get inside,
We want big, strong players that can play in hard areas. As Brian Burke said, 'arrive with ill will.' That's the type of player that we want to have.
Everyone has great skill; we just want to play with great determination.
I think it was one of the best hockey games to watch in a long time. It was two countries that don't l
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