Connor McDavid to Play for Team North America. No Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Yet.

The preliminary roster for Team North America is out and there is an Oiler on the list: Connor McDavid. Nothing surprising there. McDavid, despite having played in just 28 games, is consistently one of the best players on the ice each and every night, not just for the Oilers, for both teams. He's scored 12 goals and added 19 assists this season and the only thing that's slowed him down was a broken collarbone that kept him out of the lineup for the better part of the three months. There would have been no reason to keep Connor McDavid off this team.

What is surprising is that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn't make the list today. This is just the first 16 players, there are more names to come, so I would expect Nugent-Hopkins to be playing for Team North America in the tournament this fall, but for now we're left to guess as to why he didn't make the cut. That his NHL GM is also the GM of this team makes it even more intriguing. Nugent-Hopkins is having a down year in terms of production - 8 goals and 22 assists in 46 games - but make a list of North American born players, aged 23 and under, and he'll be on it every time. Except for this time, I guess.

G John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
G Connor Hellebuyck, Manitoba Moose
G Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins
D Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers
D Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets
D Ryan Murray, Columbus Blue Jackets
D Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs
F Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
F Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
F Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
F Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
F Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
F Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
F J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
F Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames
F Brandon Saad, Columbus Blue Jackets