Summarize this content to 100 words: Team Canada will try to use as much time as needed before making a final call on Brayden Point.“We’re hoping to have a decision before people have to get on planes, which is Saturday,’’ Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong told The Athletic. “Now, we can buy extra time. I’m not sure there’s going to be a lot of extra information between Saturday and Tuesday. That’s our initial plan, but it’s fluid.’’Canada head coach Jon Cooper told reporters on Thursday that a decision on Point is expected to be made today.Point hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury Jan. 12. Point, who is still hoping to be available for Team Canada, skated Thursday morning during the Lightning’s optional skate.“Yes, he wants to play and we want him to play,’’ Armstrong said. “There’s no rush to this right now, so we’re not rushing.’’Technically, Team Canada has until Wednesday, Feb. 11, to make its final roster decision regarding potential replacement players. However, logistics such as travel, may move that decision ahead a few days.Brad Marchand, meanwhile, came back to play Wednesday night after an injury absence. Armstrong spoke to him directly to get a feel for that situation. Marchand said he is good to go.
“I talked to him, and he said he’s ready to go for us,’’ Armstrong said.“We rely on the players’ honesty. I have no question in my mind that they’ll do what’s best for the team. That’s what makes these guys so special.’’Goalie Logan Thompson was set to return for a game Thursday night right before the break, meaning he should also be ready to play Canada.Sam Bennett was named as an injury replacement for Anthony Cirelli on Tuesday. Bennett was a very difficult cut from the original Dec. 31 roster announcement. Armstrong was happy to give him that news this time around, compared to a very difficult call with the Conn Smythe Trophy winner back on the night of Dec. 30.“Yeah, those are always very difficult decisions when you put the team together,’’ Armstrong said. “We went a certain direction and obviously … he was disappointed. But he handled both calls like you would expect, like a pro and a true gentleman on the initial call, and then Tuesday, there was no animosity; he was excited to be there with the guys he knows well from 4 Nations and hoping to win again with them.“We were very impressed by him on both sides (of those calls).’’One thing Team Canada isn’t planning on doing is flying an extra player to Milan ahead of the tournament as an injury standby, according to league sources.In 2010, they brought Jeff Carter to Vancouver for a couple of days because of uncertainty around Ryan Getzlaf’s status due to a sprained ankle. Getzlaf wound up being healthy enough to play and Carter returned home without ever being formally added to the roster.The calculation is a little different this time around, given the distance to Milan.Lightning GM Julien BriseBois — an assistant GM on Armstrong’s Team Canada staff — watched Thursday morning with a Tampa trainer while Point skated at Benchmark International Arena.
