During the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year, Hockey Canada officials figured maybe three-quarters of the championship Canadian team would also play for Olympic gold at the Winter Games in February.

But with two additional spots available, the first few months of the NHL season are crucial to players on the Olympic bubble hoping to make the team and travel to Milan.

“Some players are going to rise up,” Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong said. “There’s a lot of guys that didn’t make that team that are going to want to have a great October, November, December.”

Armstrong, U.S. GM Bill Guerin and the other federations have until Dec. 31 to submit provisional rosters of 22 skaters and three goaltenders. The so-called long lists of 45 skaters and five goaltenders to choose from is

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