The former Vegas goalie said he would have been honored if chosen to represent his home country, regardless of his role on the team.
It appears that the narrative surrounding Logan Thompson and Adin Hill is still lingering. Recent comments from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shed light on this, as he questioned his “32 Thoughts” co-host Kyle Bukauskas about his theory on why Thompson was left off Team Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations event. Friedman stated, “He didn’t like playing behind Adin Hill before, so Team Canada wasn’t dealing with that dynamic. That’s my theory. I’m sticking to it. Someone tell me I’m wrong.”
However, Thompson himself refuted this claim, declaring it “completely untrue” in a text to The Hockey News. He explained, “I was never contacted. I did have chats with my agent regarding the possibilities of what my role would be if chosen.” Thompson communicated to Team Canada, through his agent Al Roy, that he would be honored to represent his country, no matter his position in the goalie lineup. “I would have just been happy to be a part of the team,” he added.
As for Team Canada’s goaltending lineup, it includes Hill, Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, and Sam Montembeault of the Montreal Canadiens. After a 4-2 victory in Montreal on December 7, Thompson told reporters, “Hockey Canada never reached out to me or anything like that, so I kind of knew before that I wasn’t on their list. I’m still cheering for them. I hope Monty goes out there, I hope he kills it. Monty, Hilly and Binner – congrats to them. I’m still gonna be cheering for Team Canada and hopefully they go and win it all.”
Thompson reiterated his stance, noting that he wasn’t aware of the selection criteria but held no grudges. He also dismissed any rumors implying he was reluctant to share starting duties in Vegas.
Originally signed by Vegas as an undrafted free agent in July 2020, Thompson was named AHL Goaltender of the Year in 2021 and represented the Golden Knights in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. He was part of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2023 while sharing playing time with Hill. After requesting a trade to secure a starting position, Thompson was traded to Washington in June. So far this season, he has an impressive record of 11-1-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average and .913 save percentage across 14 starts, while teammate Charlie Lindgren has an 8-5-0 record with a 2.80 GAA and .897 save percentage in 13 starts.
In discussing the 4 Nations selection process, Thompson stated, “I’m not sure what process goes on when choosing a team. They chose three great goalies.”
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