Jon Cooper is prepared to send one of his forwards out on defence.
Canada’s head coach also doesn’t believe that’s a bridge the country will have to cross at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“I can’t imagine that anybody that’s in charge is going to let us play short,” Cooper said Thursday at the Bell Centre in Montreal. “That wouldn’t be right for anybody.”
Canada is facing some roster uncertainty after defenceman Shea Theodore exited Wednesday’s tournament-opening win against Sweden.
The native of Aldergrove, B.C., who quarterbacked Canada’s second power-play unit, will miss the remainder of the tournament and is considered week to week with an upper-body injury, the Vegas Golden Knights announced Thursday. Seventh defenceman Travis Sanheim will take his place in the lineup.
Tournament rules prevent Canada from calling up another defenceman as long as the team has 18 healthy skaters. That means Canada, which currently has 19, would have to dress 13 forwards and five defencemen in the event another blue liner goes down.
Cooper, however, suggested there should be some wiggle room if that happens.
“I think there’s some grey [area] in what happens next,” Cooper said. “You have to think of all situations and everything that can happen. But it would be tough for me.
“You hope it doesn’t happen anymore, but there’s a chance [injuries] will. But if we’re allowed to dress 20 and 18 of them are all forwards, then we just play it that way. But I think all of that will work out, it’s above my pay grade though.”
In Wednesday’s contest, Theodore was pushed into the glass on a hit by Sweden’s Adrian Kempe in the second period of Canada’s 4-3 overtime victory.
WATCH | Canada defeats Sweden in OT in 4 Nations Face-Off opener:
Canada edges Sweden 4-3 with Mitch Marner’s overtime goal in the opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Sidney Crosby records three assists.
Stanley Cup champion
Theodore, 29, has seven goals and 48 points while averaging 22 minutes three seconds of ice time in 55 games for the Knights this season.
A Stanley Cup winner with Vegas, Theodore has 78 goals and 354 points in 552 regular-season contests with the Anaheim Ducks and Golden Knights.
The 4 Nations Face-Off is an NHL-run event that also includes the United States and Finland, who met Thursday night. The tournament, announced at last year’s all-star game, serves as an appetizer for the NHL’s return to the Olympics in 2026 for the first time since 2014.
Russia was excluded from the tournament because of its ongoing war in Ukraine, while reigning world champion Czech Republic is also on the outside looking in due to a competition-compressed window.
WATCH | Montreal ready to play host as 4 Nations Face-Off begins:
The Bell Centre is the first of two venues, hosting most of the world’s biggest hockey stars as they play for their country in a best-on-best tournament for the first time in nearly a decade.
Canada gears up for a highly anticipated matchup against the United States on Saturday night in Montreal before the tournament shifts to Boston for two remaining round-robin games and the final on Feb. 20.
Theodore going down opens the door for Sanheim to step onto the big stage.
“I guess that’s the other side of it,” Sanheim said. “It’s been something that I’ve dreamt of doing. Very excited, I just said that I’d be ready if they needed me. You’d hate to see it happen this way, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Cooper wouldn’t divulge where Sanheim could line up — only six players took the ice Thursday morning for an optional practice in Brossard, Que., — but the Philadelphia Flyers defenceman should see action on Canada’s penalty kill.
“Big body, can skate, can play at this tempo,” Cooper said. “This is my first experience with him, and he’s one of the guys soaking it all in and taking in the environment and how these experiences do nothing but help his game. Excited for him to play, to experience this, but more than that I know he can play. He’ll be just fine.”