Team Canada Hockey Preview
Team Canada
Updating our 2010 Winter Olympic Ice Hockey Preview, today we examine Canada. And there’s no more hotly debated national team than who will represent Team Canada in 2010. Not only does Canada boast the majority of NHL players (unofficially 52.8% of all NHLers at last count), but Canada will host the 2010 games for the second time in Winter Olympics history. What player wouldn’t want the honor of representing his home country on home soil in arguably its most popular sport (Canada has a total of 574,125 players registered nationwide, 1.76% of its population)? And as strange as it may sound, Canada has never won a gold medal in any sport while hosting an Olympics. That includes the Calgary Winter Games of 1988 and the Montreal Summer Games of 1976. The men’s ice hockey team offers one of the better bets Canada has for gold in 2010. Although odds favor the host country winning gold in something before the men’s ice hockey final, maybe the following skaters can help finally bring a host country gold to Canada.
The biggest obstacle in selecting a national team is who to leave off. With such an abundance of talent, there’s inevitably going to be some future Hall of Famer, or a current All-Star, or a future superstar who ends up sitting at home next Olympics. For example, people still wonder why Sidney Crosby was left off the 2006 squad that disappointed in Torino. No matter who makes the cut, some big name will not make the team and their absence can be a lightning rod for any underachievement. Despite all the talent, Canada has only one one medal in the three Olympics since NHLers were allowed to play, a gold in 2002. It just goes to show that nothing is guaranteed in single elimination international tournaments.
Team selection will be overseen by Hockey Canada. Canada is currently ranked number one in the IIHF World Ranking. Combined with home ice advantage, they will be heavy favorites to capture gold. The current coach is Ken Hitchcock.
FORWARDS:
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
Dany Heatley, Ottawa Senators
Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets
Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes
Simon Gagné, Philadelphia Flyers
Jeff Carter, Philadelphia Flyers
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers
Vincent Lecavalier
Brenden Morrow, Dallas Stars
Health permitting, there are several locks on the offensive side of the ice, starting with Crosby. Even beyond Crosby, Canada’s not hurting for offense with players like Thornton, Lecavalier, Iginla, and Heatley. All are going to be on this team. The next question to ask is how many centers does this team want. We’ve already included three natural centers, and several of the next wave of candidates are also centers. To take them means you’re going to ask someone to play out of position. For many players that’s not an issue. But there may be a tendency to include at least some natural wings so not too many players are forced into new positions.
Let’s start the rest of the selection with a few natural wings to get the ball rolling. Gagné and Doan have national team experience and are playing well. Both are in. Rick Nash does as well, even if he’s played some center this season. He’s in too. The next spot goes to Jeff Carter, who leads the league in goals and has played his way onto Team Canada. He can’t be left off. Ditto for Getzlaf, who is just too good a player to miss the cut. That puts us at ten forwards, with only three spots remaining. With some of the big names not yet selected, you can see a roster crunch coming.
The most prominent name I haven’t mentioned so far is Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche. He’s still productive (when not injured) and may very well still be playing next season. There will be some who will want him on the team, and I can’t fault that logic. He’s a veteran, a great player, and a future Hall of Famer. Even if he isn’t quite as good as he once was or as good as some other players not on the squad, Canada’s not really going to be hurt by his presence. It’s a compelling argument to make, but I’m selecting the best 13 forwards I can, and Sakic misses this cut. In his place I’m inclined to take two players that are current team captains in Jonathan Toews and Mike Richards. I realize both are natural centers and this creates a bit of a log jam up the middle. I’m not worried that some of the centers can adapt to the wings, and the intangibles provided by these guys are too much to pass up. Toews started the season slow, but has started to really come on of late.
That leaves one spot remaining, and I’m going to pencil in Brendan Morrow. His ACL injury clouds this selection, but he should be recovered by the summer and this team could use another natural winger. By taking him I cut out several notable players. Topping that list is Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes. I suspect he gets on this team somehow, either through injury or better play. Also missing is offensive wizard Jason Spezza of the Ottawa Senators. He’s not good enough to be on a top line of this team, and doesn’t bring enough defense for the bottom couple lines. I also hate to cut Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks, Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks, Patrick Sharp of the Chicago Blackhawks, Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins, and Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. One other name to consider is phenom John Tavares. He’s not going to make this squad, even with the backlash about Crosby from 2006. But Tavares should be real good, real fast. Here’s a sample of what he can do:
DEFENSEMEN:
Jay Bouwmeester
Scott Niedermeyer, Anaheim Ducks
Chris Pronger, Anaheim Ducks
Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames
Jay Bouwmeester, Florida Panthers
Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
Robin Regehr, Calgary Flames
Mike Green, Washington Capitals
Niedermeyer and Pronger are Team Canada staples, and although both are getting up there in age, both should be expected to be selected if they are still playing. Niedermeyer almost retired before last season, but since he’s still active, we operate under the assumption he’ll be a go in 2010. If Niedermeyer isn’t around, you’ll probably see a young defensemen go in his place, likely either Brent Burns of the Minnesota Wild or Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks. I’d give a slight edge to Keith at this point. After the top two, players like Phaneuf and Bouwmeester seem like locks right now, and help usher in the next generation of Canadian defenders. Weber has quickly joined that status after returning to health this season.
The last two spots are a little more uncertain. Regehr is a good bet based on his defensive prowess and his experience. Experience could come in handy for a group that trends a little young, even moreso if Niedermeyer bows out. The last spot I gave to Mike Green, who really exploded on to the scene during the 2007-2008 season. Injuries have hampered him this year, but he still is a fantastic offensive rearguard and could be used as a power-play specialist. With seven defensemen, it’s always great to have a guy with a unique skill set to fill out the roster. If it’s not Green, it should be Dan Boyle of the San Jose Sharks. Both are similar type players. If you want a real darkhorse, keep an eye on Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings. It’s almost certain that it’s too early to select him, but it gives a glimpse of the future.
GOALTENDERS:
Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur,New Jersey Devils
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
It hasn’t been a good season for either of Canada’s top two goalies as both Brodeur and Luongo have gone down with injuries. Brodeur will miss most of the season, and given his age there’s at least some concern as to how he recovers. But in the end, he’s Martin Brodeur and he makes this team if he wants the spot. He’s the only man to backstop Canada to gold after all. Luongo should be back fairly soon, and was playing very well prior to getting hurt. If he returns at the same elite level, it may be enough to capture the number one job away from Brodeur, but I wouldn’t count on it. There’s a reason Brodeur has won four of the last five Vezina trophies.
Most people agree on the first two goaltending spots. It’s the last spot that dominates the conversation. To me, Price should get the spot. And it’s not because he’s a young goaltender that can be groomed for a larger role. Price is playing very well this season, at least when healthy, and has won at every level he’s been at. There are certainly arguments to be made for Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins or Jean-Sebastian Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks, but in my mind this is Price’s spot to lose. It would take an implosion, particularly in the playoffs to get bumped from the squad.
Outlook: Canada’s going to be the most talented team in Vancouver. They’re also going to be playing at home in front of some rabid fans. And they will benefit from smaller, NHL style rinks this time around. All the pieces are in place for a historic gold medal run. The question is if this team executes. I believe the answer is yes. But even if they don’t, I can’t really say they failed. There’s a certain randomness to tournaments like this and you never know what it all will bring. And that’s part of the fun of watching. For Canada, at least you’ll have this fan no matter the result:
I would also think about guys like Marty Biron, Steve Mason, or Cam Ward. Let’s not forget about Marty Turco, who is off to a slow start this season, but I think he could turn around quickly. This time last year he would have been a lock.
I like the looks of this. One d man not mentioned is brian campbell of chicago. He has to be in the mix. The forwards look to be right on. The only one i speculate about is toews. He could lose a spot to staal or savard or many others. Fairly bang on though.
Mason has been awesome this year, and Turco still looms, but I can’t put either in my Top 5 right now. the depth Canada has in net is pretty amazing though.
I’ll agree with bud and say Brian Campbell warrants a mention. I didn’t include him becuase he does what Boyle and Green do, and I prefer those two. But he’s in the discussion an probably should have been mentioned in the article.
i think burns should get a shot
1.Crosby
2.Lecalvier
3.Iginla
4.Heatley
5.Nash
6.E Staal
7.Thornton
8.Gagne
9.M Savard
10.Getzlaf
11.Toews
12.Carter
Spares:Spezza/Doan/Richards
1.Phaneuf
2.Boyle (might win the norris this year…notable exception)
3.Weber
4.Campbell
5.Green
6.Bouwmeester
7.Keith
8.Burns
spares:Regehr/Pronger
1.Luongo
2.Price
spare:Giguere
Aj, are you insane?
i agree with you AJ but not with the goalie part
Do you think Canada has a better chance of winning over Russia
Why or why not?
Forwards L1. Lecavalier Crosby Iginla
L2. Heatley Thornton Getzlaf
L3. Toews Savard Carter
L4. Nash Marleau Doan
Xtra (Gagne)
Defense L1. Phaneuf Green
L2. Neidermayer Campbell
L3. Weber Boumeester
Xtra (Boyle—mostly for PP)
Goal: 1. Luongo 2. Mason 3. Brodeur
Coach: Julien or Babcock.
= Gold Medal for Canada!
Why is Marc Savard rarely mentioned in these posts? He is consistently at or near the league lead in assists (at least for the last 3 years) and could do wonders on a line with 2 bigger guys who can score (Getzlaf, Iginla, Carter, Nash, etc).
Sakic, unfortunately (especially because he grew up in Burnaby) shouldn’t be playing as there will be better players to choose from a year from now. There is PLENTY of experience on this team already, missing Sakic would not hurt at all (even though I LOVE this guy and he is truly classy).
Even though he’s older, if Brodeur stays healthy (once he comes back) until the Olympics then Yzerman will probably let him decide if he plays or not. If he can’t go at all, for whatever reason, the goalies will probably be Luongo and then Giguere with either Price or Mason as the third. I chose Giguere only because he has much more experience than the other 2 (including the pressure of a Stanley Cup), and would be more composed if he was needed. Price or Mason would go just for the experience and probably wouldn’t see any ice time.
My picks:
1. Crosby
2. Iginla (captain)
3. Thornton
4. Lecavalier
5. Savard
6. Heatley
7. Getzlaf
8. Toews
9. Carter
10. M Richards
11. Nash
12. any one of Gagne, Staal, Marleau
1. Phaneuf
2. Campbell
3. Pronger
4. Weber
5. Green
6. Boyle
7. Bouwmeester
I only left off Neidermayer because he’ll be a little older/weaker/slower in 2010. There are plenty of D in this list who already can skillfully quarterback the powerplay and more than compensate for him. It’s a younger group, but still with a little experience and any one of these guys can play both offence and defence. My top 2 on the power play would probably be Phaneuf and Green, with Boyle a close 3rd. Hell, who cares – all these guys play on their teams top power play anyway and could easily do the job. It’s hard to make a bad choice in Canada.
Savard did at least get mentioned, but there’s just so many good centers that Canada has, it’s hard to make room for him. Even you listed three centers before him and four more after him. I don’t think Canada is going to take that many natural centers. Even with my choices, I think I’m stretching it. Although Savard may bump a guy like Toews off.
FL 1 Simon Gagne Joe Thornton Jarome Iginla (c)
FL2 Rick Nash Sydney Crosby Vinny Lecavalier
FL3 Dany Heatly Ryan Getzlaf Jeff Carter
FL4 Brendan Morrow Mike Richards Shane Doan
extras Spezza and Sharp
DP1 Dion Phaneuf Shea Webber
DP2 Robyn Regher Jay Bouwmeester
DP3 Mike Green Chris Pronger
Extras Dan Boyle and Duncan Kieth
Goalies
Martin Brouder
Bobby Lou
J.S Gigure
I left guys like Scotty N and Joe S of because I just wasnt sure if they would be in the league still.
Canada will probably win Gold, but on D they need Green And Phaneuf, Boyle and Keith,and Weber and Brian Campbell(Extra:Boumeester and Pronger)
L1-Carter,Crosby,Iginla
L2-Nash,Getzlaf,Richards
L3-Savard,Toews,Gagne
L4-Lecavier,Sharp,Marleau
#2 or 3 goaltending in tournament
[...] Angus, Dobber Hockey, Feb 18, 2009; Chris Jonston and Bill Beacon, Canadian Press, Feb 3, 2009; Zach, Gunaxin, Jan 7, 2009; Jesse Campigotto, CBC Sports, Feb 13, 2009; Kyle Gemon , Bleacher Report; [...]
Gagne Crosby Iginla
Heatley Getzlaf Nash
Lecavlier Thornton Carter
Morrow Richards Doan
Spares: Staal, Perry
Phaneuf Green
Weber Niedermayer
Pronger Bouwmeester
Spare: Boyle
Luongo
Brodeur
Mason
FORWARDS DEFENSE
L1- Lecavalier Crosby Iginla L1- Phaneuf Green
L2- Heatley Thornton Getzlaf L2- Campbell Pronger
L3- Toews Savard Doan L3- Weber Bouwmeester
L4- Nash Staal St.Louis Xtras- Boyle
Xtras- M.Richards, Spezza
GOALIES
G1- Luongo
G2- Brodeur
G3- Price
FORWARDS
L1- Lecavalier Crosby Iginla
L2- Heatley Thornton Getzlaf
L3- Toews Savard Doan
L4- Nash Staal St.Louis
Xtras- M.Richards, Spezza
DEFENSE
L1- Phaneuf Green
L2- Campbell Pronger
L3- Weber Bouwmeester
Xtra- Boyle
GOALIES
G1- Luongo
G2- Brodeur
G3- Price
Crosby, Richards, Carter, Savard, Heatley, Lecavalier, St Louis, E. Staal, Toews, Nash, Doan, Thornton, Getzlaf, Iginla
Bouwmeester, Pronger, Niedermeyer, Weber, Phaneuf, Green, Seabrook
Luongo, Brodeur, Mason
Olympic hockey and figure skating are always played on international-sized ice, even when hosted by North America.
hello ???? have you forgot joe sakic?????
Joe Thornton should not make the team. I am a die hard team canada fan and thornton does not do it for me. He has never produced in the playoffs. I also think heatley would be more of a disturbance than a produce. Toews should be on the team and if Tavares lights it up prior to the olympics there’s no reason he shouldn’t be on the team. What is the deal with not having the hockey cananda logo on the jerseys, that’s bull
i am so excited for the olympics. The way heatly is playing he and thorton should definitly be on a line together. also canada seriously needs to think about taking stampkos he has 14 goals already and i think he could get well into the 40 goal area. No matter who gets taken there will be some amazing players left off the roaster. thats the difference between canada and other countries. every county has there super stars but even russia starts to drop off at the end of there roaster but canada has consistent superstars all through theres we have to win in 2010.
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