NASHVILLE -- If the rosters for the NHL's best-on-best midseason 3-on-3 extravaganza can serve as an indication, the biggest wild-card team set to compete for gold in the next best-on-best international hockey tournament is looking like a legitimate contender.
Five eligible candidates for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the team consisting of the best 23-and-under Canadians and Americans, will play in the 2016 NHL All-Star Game on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena (5 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).
That's only three fewer candidates than Team USA has competing here. It's two more than Team Russia and Team Sweden, three more than Team Finland and four more than Team Europe and Team Czech Republic.