With news that the NHL is "cautiously optimistic" that current CBA talks might lead to a World Cup in February 2021, we've decided to predict what each team's roster could look like should the tournament take place.

We adopted the NHL's format for the 2016 World Cup. Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and the Czech Republic all send teams, while Team North America (players aged 23-and-under from Canada and the U.S.) and Team Europe (players from other European countries) round out the field.

Teams are comprised of any combination of 20 skaters and three goalies. Any Canadian or American player under 24 years old on Feb. 1, 2021, is automatically assigned to Team North America. However, we've added our own caveat: If a player suited up for Team North America in 2016, he is eligible to represent Canada or the U.S. this time around, even if he's still under 24.

In this edition, we project Team USA's roster.

Head coach: Mike Sullivan

John Tortorella remains a strong coaching option for the Americans, but we'd like to see what Mike Sullivan could do with a younger core. Since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Sullivan has captured two Stanley Cups and has established himself as one of the more beloved coaches to play for in the league.

Forwards

Notable omissions: Joe Pavelski, Brandon Saad, Anders Lee, James Van Riemsdyk, Zach Parise, Kyle Palmieri

The top-six forward group is any coaches dream. You could mix and match those wingers with either center in Matthews or Eichel and expect tremendous results. The bottom six provides a ton of speed, skill, and scoring ability while adding a level of grit and tenacity. Tuch is a 6-foot-4 winger with blinding speed and should be ready to crack this lineup in a year-and-a-half from now.

As for the omissions, Pavelski isn't getting any younger. He's declined over each of the last four campaigns despite coming off an extremely fortunate 38-goal season when he recorded a shooting percentage of 20. Parise will also be that much further past his prime.

Defense

Notable omissions: Shayne Gostisbehere, Ryan McDonagh, Keith Yandle, Dustin Byfuglien, Brett Pesce, Jake Gardiner

This defense core was extremely difficult to decide on. The omitted players still have a strong case to make the team, but the young American talent that's come along on the blue line just can't be overlooked - and they're only going to get better. This unit offers a healthy balance of lefties and righties who are mobile both with and without the puck.

Leaving veterans like Yandle, McDonagh, and Byfuglien off the team was tough, but when the tournament deepens and the Americans find themselves up against other powerhouse nations, they'll need the speed and skill on the back end.

Suter is a rare exception. The 6-foot-2 blue-liner is an absolute horse and one of the best American defenseman of all time. Despite all the miles he's logged, he remains a force on the back end and would be a valuable veteran presence to have as an extra option.

Goalies

Notable omissions: Jonathan Quick

Despite a down season for the Anaheim Ducks, Gibson shined between the pipes and further proved himself to be one of the most valuable goaltenders in the NHL. Bishop will still be on the right side of 30 come the tournament, and Hellebuyck has shown tremendous promise in Winnipeg early in his career.

Quick should still be considered but will need a bounce-back season to prove he's still able to perform at a high level entering the latter years of his career.

Others in this series:

• Canada
• Sweden and Finland (Saturday)
• Russia and Czech Republic (Sunday)
• North America and Europe (Monday)

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The Vancouver Canucks have inked general manager Jim Benning to a contract extension that will keep him with the club beyond the 2019-20 campaign, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The 56-year-old executive, who was hired by the team ahead of the 2014-15 season, was heading into the final year of his current contract, according to Friedman.

Benning joined the club during a transition period and made his mark after shipping out veteran pieces Ryan Kesler and Kevin Bieksa to the Anaheim Ducks. Benning has added talented young pieces through the draft including Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes.

Benning and his staff had an active offseason, signing free-agent defensemen Tyler Myers, Jordie Benn, and Oscar Fantenberg, as well as forward Micheal Ferland. He also acquired forward J.T. Miller in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the NHL draft in June.

The Canucks made the playoffs in Benning's first season but failed to do so in any of the following four campaigns.

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Patrik Laine and the Winnipeg Jets appear to be at a crossroads.

The restricted free agent said contract talks with the Jets have been non-existent all summer, and he isn't sure what it means for his future with the organization, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Laine said he'll be playing "somewhere" next season; he just doesn't know where.

"Well, you never know. It's still business, you've got to be prepared for anything," Laine said. "But yeah, you never know where you’re going to play next year so I’m just prepared for anything."

Laine did admit he wants to be back in a Jets uniform next season.

"Well I’ve got nothing bad to say about Winnipeg, you know? It's been good so far. But you never know, so that's kind of my comments."

Laine is among a long list of unsigned, star-studded RFAs, along with Mitch Marner, Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk, Mikko Rantanen, and others. Player agents are reportedly waiting for Marner's contract to set the market.

Kyle Connor, Winnipeg's other big-name RFA, said earlier this week that he plans to sign a new deal before the start of training camp.

The Jets already watched Tyler Myers, Ben Chiarot, and Brandon Tanev depart in unrestricted free agency, and they traded Jacob Trouba. The club has a projected $17.6 million in cap space remaining, according to CapFriendly.

Laine and Connor combined for 64 goals last year, although Laine was plagued by inconsistency, scoring 18 of his 30 markers over a 12-game span.

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With news that the NHL is "cautiously optimistic" that current CBA talks might lead to a World Cup in February 2021, we've decided to predict what each team's roster could look like should the tournament take place.

We adopted the NHL's format for the 2016 World Cup. Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and the Czech Republic all send teams, while Team North America (players aged 23-and-under from Canada and the U.S.) and Team Europe (players from other European countries) round out the field.

Teams are comprised of any combination of 20 skaters and three goalies. Any Canadian or American player under 24 years old on Feb. 1, 2021, is automatically assigned to Team North America. However, we've added our own caveat: If a player suited up for Team North America in 2016, he is eligible to represent Canada or the U.S. this time around, even if he's still under 24.

In this edition, we project Team Canada's roster.

Head coach: Mike Babcock

Babcock may draw criticism from Toronto Maple Leafs fans, but his record with Team Canada is flawless. Until he proves otherwise, he's the man for the job.

Forwards

Notable omissions: Logan Couture, Brayden Point, Claude Giroux, Jonathan Huberdeau, Sean Monahan, Sean Couturier

The Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron trio was unstoppable at the 2016 World Cup and is essentially unbreakable, even though all three players are already in their 30s. Stone and his puck-retrieving prowess would be an excellent complement to offensive dynamos McDavid and Stamkos. MacKinnon, Tavares, Scheifele, Hall, and O'Reilly are all virtual locks.

Choosing the last couple of forward spots was difficult, but a more proven Seguin got the nod over Point; if the Lightning phenom puts together another 40-goal season, that could change. Leaving off Couture, a proven clutch performer, was tough, but Toews, who had an offensive resurgence in 2018-19, got the nod instead.

Defense

Notable omissions: Mark Giordano, Kris Letang, P.K. Subban, Shea Weber, Mathew Dumba, Shea Theodore

Giordano was the most difficult cut from this team. If the tournament took place today, the reigning Norris Trophy winner is undoubtedly on it, but he will be 37 by 2021 and it's unlikely he'll be playing at his 2018-19 form. Chabot, Rielly, and Morrissey will all be in their primes.

Leaving Letang off the team was also difficult. However, he brings many of the same elements that Doughty and Burns do, while the 6-foot-6 Parayko offers more defense and penalty-killing prowess.

Goalies

Notable omissions: Braden Holtby, Devan Dubnyk, Jordan Binnington

Unless injuries catch up to Price, there won't be much debate as to who should start between the pipes.

Others in this series:

• United States (Friday night)
• Sweden and Finland (Saturday)
• Russia and Czech Republic (Sunday)
• North America and Europe (Monday)

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NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly is "cautiously optimistic" about collective bargaining agreement talks with the Players' Association, and he believes the two sides are committed to a 2021 World Cup of Hockey if the current CBA can be extended or renewed, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

If a 2021 World Cup came to fruition, it would occur in February, with the NHL taking a break during the 2020-21 season to stage the event.

"The general state of things, there seems to be a lot of agreement on," Daly told Johnston. "It's very kind of amorphous right now but there doesn't seem to be like a huge sticking point on the issues we've talked about. I think there’s general agreement kind of directionally. Where we should be going.

"I think both sides have been open that the agreement's not a perfect agreement and could be improved, but nobody’s holding out for a home run."

The NHL gets until Sept. 1 to trigger a 2020 end date for the current CBA. If the league elects against that, the NHLPA would get until Sept. 15 to do the same. If neither side exercises its termination option, the current CBA would run through September 2022.

NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr called the deadline "artificial" because there would still be a year left on the current agreement if either side triggered early termination.

Regardless, there's ample time to find a resolution, which increases the chances of best-on-best international hockey returning.

The two sides would love to establish a long-term calendar for international events, Johnston added. Olympic participation is a sticking point. However, the NHL and NHLPA want to add an in-season World Cup, which would replace the 2021 All-Star Game.

Daly said a 2021 World Cup would be "about a week in length."

The United States won the inaugural World Cup in 1996, while Canada took the next two in 2004 and 2016, with the latter marking the last best-on-best tournament because the NHL skipped the 2018 Olympics.

The NHL originally targeted a fall 2020 return for the World Cup, but the league abandoned that possibility in January.

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It appears veteran center Joe Thornton will be back with the San Jose Sharks for at least one more season.

The 40-year-old told reporters during the NHL Awards in June that he planned to return for the 2019-20 campaign, and, according to The Athletic's Kevin Kurz, there is "no doubt" Thornton will re-sign with the Sharks in the near future.

Teammate Timo Meier also feels confident about the future Hall of Famer's return to the Bay Area.

"I think everybody that knows 'Jumbo' expects him to be back," Meier said according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.

"The way he's training and the way he's still in shape with his 40 years, I don't doubt that he's coming back. He'll be playing until he can't anymore. Probably he'll play longer than he can walk. I really hope he's going to be back because he's just a huge presence and the guys all love him there and obviously we all know what kind of hockey player he is."

Thornton has spent 14 seasons with the Sharks, playing each of the previous two campaigns on one-year deals. The former Hart Trophy winner is the franchise's all-time leader in assists and ranks second in both games played and points.

The Sharks have $4.68 million in projected cap space with a roster of 21, including 11 forwards, according to CapFriendly.

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