Matthew Tkachuk believes Canada is better off with Bennett instead of Cirelli

DansLesCoulisses.com
Matthew Tkachuk believes Canada is better off with Bennett instead of Cirelli
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About a week ago, we learned that Sam Bennett had been called up to replace Anthony Cirelli with Canada at the Olympics.

A defensive forward, Cirelli would have had a specific role with Canada in the depth lines. However, the addition of Sam Bennett is far from a step backward for Canada.

At least that's the opinion of his Panthers teammate, Matthew Tkachuk, who told the media on Monday that replacing Cirelli with Bennett is a good “upgrade” and makes Canada better.

We understand that Tkachuk has a lot of respect for his teammate and wants to say nice things about him, but reading between the lines, we understand that this is a jab at Cirelli.

One of the biggest rivalries in the NHL this season is the Battle of Florida. This is clearly illustrated by their last matchup before the Olympics, which ended in a brawl.

As one of the Panthers' leaders, Tkachuk isn't afraid to take shots at his rivals.

There's a reason Cirelli was named to the Canadian team instead of Bennett, but for Tkachuk, the choice between the two players is obvious.

But the rivalry between these two teams is clouding the American's judgment a bit. These two teams dislike each other so much that they have racked up 905 penalty minutes against each other, including preseason games this season.

However, we understand Tkachuk's point. If Cole Caufield were to take the place of a Maple Leafs player on the US team, people would be happy to hear Nick Suzuki say that it would make the United States stronger.

This story is still classic Tkachuk. Always there to add fuel to the fire of the rivalries he's involved in.


Overtime

– We can't wait to see who gets the first start.

– The beauty of hockey.

– That's what happens when you win the championship.

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