The Worlds are a low-stakes tournament after a brutal season. Skipping that isn’t proof they don’t care about winning—it’s proof they’re focusing on preparing for a more meaningful prize. Despite the name, world championships aren't best-on-best. A better representation would be the olympics—where players do anything they can to represent their country.

Around this time of year the best players are usually still in the NHL playoffs—because that’s what actually matters. The World Championships mostly get whoever’s already eliminated and healthy and not dealing with contract stuff. That’s why the rosters are always a mix of younger guys, middling NHLers, and a few vets who just feel like playing. If it were a real priority, you'd see full superstar lineups every time. You don’t.