Insider names 7 NHLers who may play for Canada at the World Championship.

Once again this year players in the National Hockey League were forced to forgo participating in the Winter Olympic Games, depriving many of them of the very rare opportunities that they get to play true international hockey on the world stage. Although there are no doubt some among the players who are perfectly fine with missing the Olympics, there have also been those who have been vocal about their desire to represent their home country.

Perhaps it is for that reason that we are now hearing rumblings that we can expect to see significant participation from NHL players at the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation's World Championship of Hockey, one of the few international events that remain on the calendar for NHL players. In fact on a recent episode of TSN's Insider Trading, NHL insider Darren Dreger rattled off a laundry list of names that he believes will represent Canada at the upcoming tournament set to take place in May of this year.

"There is still some uncertainty because the NHL regular season hasn’t wrapped up just yet, but if you look at the Montreal Canadiens, there’s a strong chance you’ll see Nick Suzuki, maybe Josh Anderson representing Team Canada. Cole Caufield representing Team USA," said Dreger on the latest episode of Insider Trading. "If you look at the Winnipeg Jets, Pierre-Luc Dubois has expressed some interest in playing for Team Canada and the Ottawa Senators have been perhaps the most vocal in acknowledging their interest – that’s Thomas Chabot, Drake Batherson, Connor Brown and maybe… maybe Matt Murray in goal. So, all being sorted out, but Team Canada, Team USA should be strong."

I'm sure you've noticed that the names mentioned by Dreger are all of players from teams that have already been eliminated from playoff contention this season in the NHL. Given that the NHL playoffs will kick off at the beginning of the month of May, I wonder if any early first round exits could lead to more Canadian NHL players expressing their desire to represent their country at an international tournament in the very near future.

We will have to wait and see.