Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand attributes his arrival as an NHL superstar to the confidence he gained from skating alongside some of the most talented players with Team Canada at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

"Obviously I think winning a (Stanley) Cup will always be the top thing, but one of the things I'm most proud of is being part of the World Cup team with Canada," Marchand said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "It kind of put me on a different level, a different caliber of player."

Marchand played alongside Sidney Crosby and Bruins teammate Patrice Bergeron on the top line throughout the tournament. The trio combined for 25 points over six games en route to leading Canada to the championship. The pesky winger contributed five goals and eight points, including the tournament-clinching tally in the final minute against Team Europe.

"Before that, I never really thought I could play with guys that were on that team," Marchand said. "I never put myself in the same category as anybody on that team. Coming out of that, I felt a lot more confident about my abilities and my game and where I could play in the league, and it just kind of elevated from there.”

That NHL season, Marchand erupted for a career-best 39 goals and 85 points with Boston. In 2018-19, he became the first Bruins player since 2002-03 to record a 100-point season and finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting.

Since the beginning of the 2016-17 campaign, Marchand ranks fifth in both assists (220) and points (357) and sits 10th in goals (137) among all NHL skaters.

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It remains unclear whether or not the NHL will allow its players to participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics after they missed out in 2018. If they do, the Americans will be in a great position to put forward perhaps their strongest team yet.

When the IIHF unveiled the groups for the 2022 Games in April, we looked back at some of the best lineups Team Canada has ever assembled. In this edition, we look south of the border and focus our attention on the United States.

Though we considered the raw talent on each roster, we also prioritized how each team performed and where it finished in the tournament.

5. 1998 Nagano

GM: Lou Lamoriello
Coach: Ron Wilson
Finish: Sixth place
Record (W-L-T): 1-3-0
GF-GA: 9-14

Forwards

Defense

Goalies

It's rather remarkable that this American roster only managed to muster nine goals through four games.

The team featured the NHL's leading goal scorer in Tkachuk and four of the top 11 scorers from the previous season. Brett Hull and Mike Modano ended up netting two goals apiece, while only two other American forwards scored during the tournament.

After opening with a 4-2 loss to Sweden, Team USA scored five of its nine goals in its sole victory over Belarus. It was all downhill from there, as the club suffered a 4-1 loss to Canada before being eliminated by the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.

Unfortunately, this group is best remembered for its antics off the ice. After being eliminated, the players were reprimanded for trashing their hotel rooms at the Olympic Village, causing about $1,000 in damages.

4. Turin 2006

GM: Don Wadell
Coach: Peter Laviolette
Finish: Eighth place
Record (W-L-T): 1-4-1
GF-GA: 16-17

Forwards

Defense

Goalies

After coming so close to capturing gold at the previous Olympic Games in 2002, Turin was a nightmare for Team USA.

The team bolstered an experienced lineup with a handful of Hall of Famers and Stanley Cup champions, but that winning pedigree failed to translate during the Olympic tournament. This American roster missed the presence of offensive spark plugs like Hull and Jeremy Roenick, as five forwards failed to contribute a single goal.

The alarm bells rang early for Team USA following a tie against Latvia in its opening contest. A 4-1 win over Kazakhstan didn't exactly jolt the club with confidence, and any momentum it generated was quickly halted by three consecutive one-goal losses to Slovakia, Sweden, and Russia.

After finishing fourth in their group, the Americans drew a Finnish team in the quarterfinals that had yet to lose a game and had conceded only two goals. Despite a valiant effort, Team USA fell short with a 4-3 loss and finished a nation-worst eighth for just the second time.

3. 2014 Sochi

GM: David Poile
Coach: Dan Bylsma
Finish: Fourth place
Record (W-OTW-OTL-L): 3-1-0-2
GF-GA: 20-12

Forwards

Defense

Goaltending

With 13 holdovers from the club that earned silver at the 2010 Vancouver Games, Team USA produced a commendable effort in Sochi but ultimately failed to meet expectations.

The biggest change to the team's roster construction came on the blue line. General manager David Poile favored younger, more mobile defensemen, which worked to the Americans' advantage throughout most of the tournament. It was the offense, however, that would eventually thwart their chances at a gold medal.

The Americans dominated both Slovakia and Slovenia while picking up a shootout victory against Russia to secure a spot in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic. After winning that game 5-2, Team USA ran into the most dominant Canadian team assembled in quite some time and was blanked 1-0 in a nail-biting semifinal contest.

What overshadowed this particular group's strong tournament was the way it ended. With a chance at the bronze medal, the Americans were shut out for the second consecutive contest in an embarrassing 5-0 loss to Finland.

2. Salt Lake City 2002

GM: Craig Patrick
Coach: Herb Brooks
Finish: Silver
Record (W-L-T): 4-1-1
GF-GA: 26-10

Forwards

Defense

Goalie

With three Hall of Fame talents on the blue line, the 2002 Americans formed arguably the best defensive team the nation has ever assembled. The club also rostered seven of the top 80 NHL point scorers in history, giving it plenty of offensive firepower.

John LeClair led the tournament with six goals in eight games while Brett Hull finished second in points with eight. Netminder Mike Richter was sensational between the pipes, authoring .932 save percentage in 240 minutes of action.

Team USA flexed its muscles throughout the preliminary round, thumping Finland 6-0 and Belarus 8-1 en route to claiming the top spot in Group D. After tying Russia earlier in the tournament, the Americans took the rematch in the semifinals by a score of 3-2 to set up the gold medal game against Canada.

The final coincidentally fell on the anniversary (Feb. 24) of each nation's last gold medal in men's Olympic hockey. Team USA had allowed only five goals to that point in the tournament but doubled the number with a 5-2 loss to the Canadians. In the end, the Americans were forced to settle for silver despite dominating much of the event.

1. Vancouver 2010

GM: Brian Burke
Coach: Ron Wilson
Finish: Silver
Record (W-OTW-OTL-L): 5-0-0-1
GF-GA: 24-9

Forwards

Defense

Goalies

This American club featured several players who were in their prime, as well as a few wily veterans on the blue line. The team dominated the round-robin and ultimately came one goal shy of finishing the tournament with a perfect record and capturing the nation's first gold medal in men's hockey since the "Miracle on Ice" at the 1980 Games in Lake Placid.

Team USA suffered a tough blow just weeks before the tournament when it lost defensemen Mike Komisarek and Paul Martin to injuries. They were replaced by Ryan Whitney and Tim Gleason, which left the club with only two right-shooting rearguards in Brian Rafalski and Erik Johnson.

The Americans adapted well thanks to their well-rounded offense and elite play in goal from netminder Ryan Miller, who owned a tournament-best .945 save percentage. The club outscored its opponents 14-5 during round-robin play, which included an impressive 5-3 win over Canada.

After throttling Finland 6-1 in the semifinals, Team USA owned a perfect record heading into the final game - a rematch against Canada with the gold medal on the line. Despite carrying all that momentum into the contest, the Americans were halted by Sidney Crosby's overtime heroics and were forced to settle for a silver medal.

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Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is incredibly optimistic about the NHL's chances of completing the 2019-20 season during the coronavirus pandemic.

Melnyk said he's "100%" confident that the Stanley Cup will be awarded this season and that the 2020-21 campaign will be played in full, according to TSN's Bruce Garrioch.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said earlier this week that canceling the remainder of the 2019-20 season and playoffs is "not something I'm even contemplating."

The league is reportedly leaning toward jumping straight into the postseason upon its potential return. However, the NHL and NHLPA are also reportedly progressing toward a 24-team playoff format that would involve games being played beforehand in some manner.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has already made it clear that the league intends to avoid a scenario that would prevent a full season from taking place in 2020-21.

Some players, including Los Angeles Kings star Drew Doughty, have voiced their pessimism about the 2019-20 campaign resuming this summer.

While players and staff remain in self-quarantine, the league hopes to initiate Phase 2 of its return plan by late May. At that point, players would be permitted to return to club facilities to work out in small groups.

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After looking at each NHL team's biggest busts, theScore's hockey editors are examining the league's best draft steals. Our final post of the series focuses on the Atlantic Division.

Central | Metropolitan | Pacific

Boston Bruins

The pick: Brad Marchand (No. 71, 2006)
GM responsible: Jeff Gorton (interim 2006)
Honorable mentions: Patrice Bergeron (No. 45, 2003), Andrew Raycroft (No. 135, 1998), Don Sweeney (No. 166, 1984)

A strong argument could also be made for Bergeron, but the Bruins' ultimate pest gets a slight leg up since he was selected 26 spots later and had a superior offensive peak. The 2003 draft was also one of the deepest in league history, so although Bergeron fell to 45th overall, he would have likely been scooped up far earlier in other years.

Marchand was arguably Boston's most valuable skater during its 2010-11 Stanley Cup run, racking up 11 goals - including five in the finals - and 19 points over 25 postseason contests. Since then, he's developed into a well-rounded first-line talent who can be called upon in all situations.

In 2018-19, Marchand became the 10th Bruin in franchise history and first since 2002-03 to record a 100-point season. He was also on pace to become the first Bruin since Adam Oates in the early '90s to produce back-to-back 100-point campaigns before play was suspended in March.

Among all third-round selections since 1999-2000, Marchand ranks second in both goals and points per game.

Buffalo Sabres

The pick: Alex Mogilny (No. 89, 1988)
GM responsible: Gerry Meehan (1986-93)
Honorable mentions: Jason Pominville (No. 55, 2001), Ryan Miller (No. 138, 1999), Brian Campbell (No. 156, 1997)

It's a close call between Mogilny and Miller as the Sabres' biggest draft gem, but the Russian superstar ultimately gets the edge.

The 5-foot-11 winger holds the Sabres' single-season record and the fifth-best mark all time with 76 goals during the 1992-93 campaign. His 127 points that season is also the second-highest total in franchise history. Over his six campaigns in Buffalo, Mogilny tallied 444 points in 381 outings and ranked 11th in the NHL in goals per game during that span.

Mogilny's impact on the Sabres also lasted longer than his tenure. Buffalo fetched future captain and 1996-97 Selke Trophy-winner Michael Peca from Vancouver in exchange for Mogilny.

His excellence is truly rare considering his draft position. Ranking 78th all time with 1,032 career points, only five players in the top 77 were selected with a later pick than Mogilny.

Detroit Red Wings

The pick: Pavel Datsyuk (No. 171, 1998)
GM responsible: Ken Holland (1997-2019)
Honorable mentions: Henrik Zetterberg (No. 210, 1999), Tomas Holmstrom (No. 257, 1994), Sergei Fedorov (No. 74, 1989), Niklas Lidstrom (No. 53, 1989)

There's no doubting Lidstrom's status as one of the greatest defensemen to ever grace an NHL blue line, but for the Red Wings to nab a franchise-altering center who would also leave a lasting impact on the game at No. 171 is incredible.

Datsyuk's legacy stretches far beyond his two Stanley Cups, three Selke Trophies, and four Lady Byng Trophies. With his advanced hockey acumen and electrifying skill set, the Russian superstar was somewhat of an icon for the sport. Datsyuk brought jaw-dropping, never-before-seen moves to the NHL, inspiring an entire generation of players to push the boundaries for what's possible on the ice.

His level of production is rarely seen from a player selected so deep in the draft. Datsyuk ranks third in points among all players selected in the sixth round or beyond since the 1999-2000 season. Among all Red Wings, he ranks eighth in goals (314), sixth in assists (604), and seventh in points (918).

Florida Panthers

The pick: Vincent Trocheck, (No. 64, 2011)
GM responsible: Dale Tallon (2010-16, '17-present)
Honorable mentions: Jaroslav Spacek (No. 117, 1998) Kristian Huselius (No. 47, 1997), Filip Kuba (No. 192, 1995)

The Panthers have traded away the few draft steals they've managed to acquire before they reached their primes. Though Trocheck was also moved by Florida, the 26-year-old at least had time to make an impact with the club.

Trocheck ranks third on the Panthers in both goals (111) and points (282) since entering the league in 2013-14 and mustered a career-best 31 tallies and 75 points during the 2017-18 campaign. He also sits 10th in points per game among all skaters selected in the 2011 draft.

The Panthers also hauled in a decent return when they dealt Trocheck to the Carolina Hurricanes this season. Florida received depth forwards Erik Haula and Lucas Wallmark, as well as prospect Eetu Luostarinen and forward Chase Priskie.

Montreal Canadiens

The pick: Andrei Markov (No. 162, 1998)
GM responsible: Rejean Houle (1995-2000)
Honorable mentions: Brendan Gallagher (No. 147, 2010), Jaroslav Halak (No. 271, 2003), Tomas Plekanec (No. 71, 2001)

There's certainly a case to be made for Halak after what he did for the Canadiens during the 2010 playoffs, but Markov's body of work over 17 seasons left a much more significant mark on the club's record books.

Markov ranks sixth in both games played (990) and assists (453) in Canadiens franchise history. Among Montreal defensemen, he sits second in both assists and points (572) behind Hall of Famer Larry Robinson and third in goals with 119.

The 6-foot Russian panned out to be the most productive defenseman by far out of the '98 draft. Markov registered 218 more points than the next closest rearguard and ranks 11th in scoring among all skaters selected.

In addition to adding Markov in the 1998 draft, Houle was able to nab forwards Mike Ribeiro and Michael Ryder with the 45th and 216th overall picks, respectively. The general manager also selected defenseman Francois Beauchemin with the 75th pick, though the Quebec native played only one game with the Canadiens.

Ottawa Senators

The pick: Daniel Alfredsson (No. 133, 1994)
GM responsible: Randy Sexton (1993-95)
Honorable mentions: Mark Stone (No. 178, 2010), Mike Hoffman (No. 130, 2009), Pavol Demitra (No. 227, 1993)

With the third overall pick in the 1994 draft, the Senators selected Radek Bonk, a skilled center who'd go on to have a successful NHL career. Little did Ottawa know that 130 picks later, the franchise would nab the greatest player to ever wear a Senators uniform.

Sexton and his staff can thank the late John Ferguson Sr. - the then-Senators director of player personnel - for finding Alfredsson and pushing management to draft him. Ferguson went to Sweden on multiple occasions to watch Alfredsson play and knew immediately that the 5-foot-11 winger had something special to offer.

Alfredsson earned the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in 1995-96 and helped accelerate the Senators' growth. The Swedish superstar departed Ottawa 17 seasons later as the franchise's longest-serving captain and leader in every offensive statistical category. Alfredsson also paces all players in the 1994 draft in career goals (444), assists (713), and points (1,157).

Tampa Bay Lightning

The pick: Brad Richards (No. 64, 1998)
GM responsible: Phil Esposito (1991-98)
Honorable mentions: Brayden Point (No. 79, 2014), Nikita Kucherov (No. 58, 2011), Pavel Kubina (No. 179, 1996)

The Lightning have done a sensational job constructing their current roster by finding plenty of steals in recent drafts, but Richards accomplished things during his career that Point and Kucherov have yet to achieve.

Richards is the franchise's only Conn Smythe Trophy winner thanks to his dominant play during the Lightning's Stanley Cup run in 2004. As a 23-year-old, Richards notched 26 points in 23 games, which remains a franchise record for most points in a single postseason.

Esposito and his staff turned out to be major winners during the '98 draft. Richards finished second in career points (932) among all players selected in that class behind teammate Vincent Lecavalier, who was taken by Tampa Bay with the first overall pick.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The pick: Tomas Kaberle (No. 204, 1996)
GM responsible: Cliff Fletcher (1991-97)
Honorable mentions: Andreas Johnsson (No. 202, 2013), Alexei Ponikarovsky (No. 87, 1998), Sergei Berezin (No. 256, 1994)

It's doubtful Fletcher and his staff believed they had landed the Maple Leafs' defensive anchor for the coming 12 seasons when they selected Kaberle, the rosy-cheeked blue-liner.

A total of 203 players were selected before Kaberle in 1996, but none ended their careers with more assists (476) than him, and only four finished with more than his 563 points. Since the '96 draft, only two defensemen selected in the sixth round or beyond have recorded more career points than the Czech rearguard.

Kaberle ranks second among Maple Leafs defensemen in career points and assists while sitting fourth in goals. His 58-assist campaign in 2005-06 remains the third-highest single-season total by a defenseman in franchise history.

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Former Edmonton Oilers forward Ales Hemsky has retired from pro hockey after 15 seasons, the team announced Friday.

Hemsky played 11 seasons with the Oilers from 2002-2014 and ranks eighth in franchise history with 477 points recorded in 652 games. He posted a career-high 77 points during the 2005-06 campaign and added six goals and 17 points in 24 playoff games during the Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup Final that spring.

The Czech winger is also responsible for scoring one of the most memorable regular-season goals in NHL history when he took advantage of Dallas Stars forward Patrik Stefan's infamous empty-net blunder in 2007.

After leaving Edmonton, Hemsky spent half of a season with the Ottawa Senators and three with the Dallas Stars before playing his final seven games as a member of the Montreal Canadiens in 2017-18.

He finishes his NHL career with 174 goals and 572 points in 845 games.

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The 2010s could have looked much different for the Chicago Blackhawks had the club gone through with a supposed deal that would have sent perennial star defenseman Duncan Keith to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Although he called it a "grapevine thing," former Blackhawks general manager Mike Smith, who drafted Keith with the 54th overall selection in 2002, said his successor, Bob Pulford, came "this close" to trading the then-prospect to the Flyers, according to The Athletic's Mark Lazerus. The deal apparently would've seen Keith and three other players going to Philadelphia in exchange for forwards Jeremy Roenick and Tony Amonte.

The only reason the deal didn't come to fruition, according to Smith, was because of the 2004-05 lockout, as the trade market was frozen for that entire season. Keith starred for the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League during that campaign and went on to make the Blackhawks' roster the following training camp.

Amonte and Roenick were each 34 years old at the time and were nearing the end of their careers. By the time Chicago won the Stanley Cup in 2010 - the team's first of three last decade - both veterans were out of the league.

In addition to those championships, Keith owns a pair of Norris Trophies and also earned the Conn Smythe Trophy for his dominant postseason in 2015. The 6-foot-1 blue-liner ranks second in franchise history in games played (1,138), seventh in assists (509), and 10th in points (610).

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Dominik Simon will be out six-to-seven months after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder on April 29, general manager Jim Rutherford announced Thursday.

Simon, 25, suffered the injury Feb. 29 during a game against the San Jose Sharks and missed the team's five contests before the season was suspended March 12.

The 5-foot-11 pivot has recorded seven goals and 22 points while logging 14:24 of average ice time through 64 games. He's set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

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Arizona Coyotes president and CEO Ahron Cohen is no longer with the organization, multiple sources told The Athletic's Craig Morgan.

The team hired Cohen as its chief operating officer and chief legal officer in August 2015 under previous majority owner Andrew Barroway. Cohen replaced Steve Patterson as the club's president and CEO in July 2018.

Arizona enjoyed improvements in several key areas under Cohen's headship, including ticket sales, attendance, sponsorship sales, and TV ratings.

It remains unclear who will succeed Cohen.

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The Montreal Canadiens signed forward Cameron Hillis to a three-year, entry-level contract, general manager Marc Bergevin announced Tuesday.

Hillis, 19, ranked 13th in OHL scoring this season with 24 goals and 83 points in 62 games while serving as captain of the Guelph Storm.

The 5-foot-10 center amassed 54 goals and 164 points through 155 career games in three seasons with the Storm. Hillis was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team following his debut season.

Montreal selected Hillis in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft.

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The American Hockey League Board of Governors voted to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign and 2020 Calder Cup playoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic, the league announced Monday.

"After a lengthy review process, the American Hockey League has determined that the resumption and completion of the 2019-20 season is not feasible in light of current conditions," AHL president and chief executive officer David Andrews said.

He added: "The League's operational focus has turned toward actively preparing for the 2020-21 season."

League standings will be sorted by points percentage and all player statistics are considered final and official as of March 12 - the day the league suspended play. These stats will serve as the basis for determining awards for the 2019-20 campaign.

The cancellation marks the first time since 1936 that the Calder Cup won't be awarded.

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