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Projecting Canada's World Cup roster

Projecting Canada's roster for the return of the World Cup of Hockey in 2016
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Team Canada poses for their team photo after defeating Sweden during third period finals hockey action at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Sochi

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.