Shea Theodore’s injury means it’s go time for Travis Sanheim with Canada: ‘Excited for him to play’
Sanheim will take Theodore's place in the lineup beginning Saturday when Canada faces the United States and Flyers coach John Tortorella.
MONTREAL — It’s been a whirlwind few days for Travis Sanheim and now his phone is buzzing.
“The guys in Philly are obviously texting me excited and looking forward to it,” he said. “I’m happy that they’re watching and cheering for me.”
After arriving Sunday in Quebec, the Flyers blueliner went into the 4 Nations Face-Off as Canada’s seventh defenseman. But after just one game, he’s the next man up with Shea Theodore suffering an upper-body injury in Canada’s 4-3 overtime win against Sweden. Theodore, a Vegas Golden Knights defenseman, is out for the tournament. Canada is not allowed to make any roster additions, so Sanheim will be in the lineup going forward.
“Obviously he’s checking in,” coach Jon Cooper said. “Big body, can skate, can play at this tempo. What exactly and where he’s going to fit, it’s hard to divulge now, plus we have two more days to kind of get our heads wrapped around that.”
While Cooper wouldn’t commit to Sanheim’s defensive partner for Saturday’s game against the United States (8 p.m., ESPN, ESPN+), he skated primarily with Drew Doughty during Monday’s first practice in Brossard, Quebec.
“I’m sure he’s a little nervous,” the veteran Doughty told The Inquirer on Monday after the team’s first practice. “Got a bunch of these superstar guys — not that he’s not one, too — but you come in and you got these veteran guys. He was probably watching [Sidney] Crosby playing growing up, and he’s got to be a little nervous.”
Sanheim did say it was an eye-opening experience at the Montreal Canadiens practice facility — especially the much larger media contingent compared to Voorhees. And he was not only skating alongside Doughty, who said the team “will make him feel comfortable real quick,” but guys like Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor McDavid.
All guys he has faced before, but in a Flyers jersey.
“I just think a solid two-way game,” Sanheim said when asked to assess what he can bring to the Canadian lineup. “A guy that can skate and move the puck well. I’m used to playing top guys, so I feel comfortable in that role. Just bringing a lot of simple plays and the ability to play at both ends.”
Cooper noted Sanheim’s work on the penalty kill as a key difference between him and Theodore. “It’s never bad to have another penalty killer,” said Cooper, who is normally the bench boss for the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s even more so in this best-on-best tournament, especially with each team sporting some of the fastest skaters in the game.
“I talked to Sid this morning and he said it was the fastest game he’s ever played in. I’m sure if he’s saying it there’s a lot of truth to that,” Sanheim said, adding that it looked slower from the press box. “There’s a lot of skill out there, a lot of guys that can skate.”
But Sanheim is no a slouch on the ice himself. Averaging the 12th most ice time per game (24 minutes, 34 seconds) among qualified skaters while ranking third in total minutes (1,400:01). Meanwhile, NHL Edge has Sanheim down for six 22-plus-mph bursts, ranking sixth among defensemen. He also has 93 bursts at more than 20 mph, which is ranked seventh on the blue line.
The Manitoban is prepared to give up his ice time to win hockey games. “It’s a pretty easy sacrifice,” he said Thursday.
“Excited for him to play, to experience this,” Cooper said, “but more than that I know he can play. He’ll be just fine.”
And he’s ready to face Flyers coach John Tortorella, who is an assistant coach for the United States.
“That’ll be different. I’m not sure I want to want to look over at him too much, but it’ll be fun,” Sanheim chuckled. “A little bit of bragging rights when we go back.”
» READ MORE: Team USA enters the 4 Nations Face-Off seeking hockey supremacy. The Americans’ 1996 World Cup team paved the way.
Ersson’s mask
Representing Sweden this week, Flyers goalie Sam Ersson is sporting a new mask.
Out are orange and black. In are yellow and blue.
“Same as I have with the Flyers' mask, it’s kind of like the dripping paint,” Ersson told The Inquirer.
Created by the famous mask designer David Gunnarsson, a.k.a. DaveArt, the yellow and blue mask has the trademark three crowns — tre kronor — that is the national emblem of Sweden.
“Obviously, when you think of the Swedish national team, it’s the three crowns you think of,” he said. “It’s definitely an iconic logo, I feel. It’s just a great logo.”
Like his Flyers mask, his Swedish one has his number prominently placed on the chin. The only problem? It originally had 33, the number he wears for the Flyers. A paint job was needed because, on the national team, he wears 30; numbers are based on seniority, so winger Viktor Arvidsson gets 33.
Here’s the kicker, No. 30 isn’t so bad. A rather famous Swedish goalie wore that for the national team. And there is a small tip of the cap to Henrik Lundqvist in Ersson’s mask. Like Lundqvist, he too sports a blue cage for the mask.
“I’ve gotten used to [it],” he said. “I got the black cage on my Flyers helmet. Some goalies say it’s distracting, that it’s a different color. If it’s white, it’s the same as the ice so it’s not as distracting.
“For me, it’s kind of gone the other way just because I’m so used to it. I’ve tried a white cage, but then you notice something is different is what I would say.”