Well, that didn’t take very long.
About an hour or two after word surfaced that Jeff Carter won’t be able to suit up for Team Canada at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, we got word that Corey Perry will take his place.
When it comes to a hockey power like Canada, sometimes injury replacements almost feel like logical corrections. More than a few people probably wondered why Perry wasn’t on the roster in the first place.
(He’s a member of the Triple-Gold Club, after all.)
Corey Perry replaces Carter on Canada's World Cup roster. For much of last season it was thought Perry would be picked ahead of Getzlaf.
— Curtis Zupke (@curtiszupke) September 2, 2016
We’ve seen an early rush of players asking out or being knocked out of the competition; Carter joins David Krejci and probably Frederik Andersen as names who have been crossed off their respective countries’ lists as of Friday.
Perry and Carter are big bodies who can provide rare goal-scoring ability, so while they each have certain strengths and weaknesses in comparison to each other, it feels like a wash in the big picture.
This weekend may or may not inspire other injury announcements, as teams are likely getting into gear soon:
Hockey Canada announces that Perry is replacing Carter on Canada's World Cup team. First practice is Monday here in Ottawa.
— Steve Lloyd (@TSNSteveLloyd) September 2, 2016
Naturally, injury updates are provoking the usual grumbling:
Interesting how so many players are suddenly coming up with injuries preventing them from playing in the World Cash Grab of Hockey.
— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) September 2, 2016