Posted by :by Michael P. Kelly
Who is on your Team Canada? (photo courtesy: Phil Walsh - Flickr)
When it comes to selecting the Canadian mens Olympic hockey team for the 2010 games, everyone is a general manager. The person reading this, the person beside them and just about everyone else knows best as to what the team should look like come February. How many of you have sat down and scribbled out your top 12 forwards, 6 D-men and 3 goalies? Who should be on this team will be more hotly debated over the next month and a half than harmonized sales tax and the war in Afghanistan combined. At least, it will with my group of friends and probably yours too. I could talk until the cows come home about what this roster should look like. That’s fine, it’s fun. What bothers me is the knee jerk reaction so many people have when a player drops off, or worse, does well.
Scenario 1. “Hey, Getzlaf is pointless in his last two, he still on the team you think”?
Scenario 2. “Hey. Tavares is killing it this year, he could play 3rd line centre, eh”?
No, no he couldn’t, and he won’t. Guys like John Tavares and Steven Stamkos and ripping it up this season. Fact. Does that mean they will make Team Canada? False.
Steve Yzerman wants guys that can play both ways and have experience on the worlds biggest stages. Sure, there are lots of players that have surprised this season, but whenever I am asked if a guy like Stamkos should make the team, my answer is always the same. Who is he going to bump?
For all the knee jerk fans out there, here is what team Canada would look like if Yzerman selected the players with the best stats so far at each position. (Based on points per game)
Is Rich Peverley on your Team Canada? Photo by Matthieu Masquelet via Flickr. Used with permission.
James Neal Rich Peverley Rick Nash
Rene Bourque Brad Richards Corey Perry
Ryan Smyth Steven Stamkos Dustin Penner
Matt Moulson Ryan Getzlaf J.P. Dumont
Dan Boyle Mike Green
Chris Pronger Drew Doughty
Duncan Keith Michael Del Zotto
Goalies (save percentage)
Ray Emery
Chris Mason
Mathieu Garon
Unless your Team Canada features the likes of Peverley, Moulson and Chris Mason, let’s tried to remain calm and remember who the most talented guys are. I don’t care if Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla and Mike Richards go pointless until mid February, those guys are on my team. As much fun as it is to speculate, I have a feeling they will be on Steve Yzerman’s team as well.
Michael P. Kelly
M.P. Kelly
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I agree. The speculation gets to be a bit much. That said, Yzerman has said that he will put a lot of stock in how the players are performing this season prior to the Olympics. With that in mind, Dion Phaneuf may be playing his way off the squad and Stamkos may be playing his way onto it. Every team could use some youthful enthusiasm and Stamkos brings that in addition to his obvious upside as a goal scorer. As to who he’d bump, how about the guy he’s already bumped in Tampa Bay – Vinny LeCavalier?
Good post. I’ve heard a lot of similar rumblings lately. The team is the team is the team. I doubt there will be any surprise additions or deletions.
But what about Matt Carkner? He is killing it this season!
you are lowballing many fans who are quite aware that PPG is not the metric for Olympic selections: Crosby is on even he is not in the top 20 NHL scorers, for sure, and Brad Richards could be NHL leading scorer at New Year’s and not even be on the selection list; long-term dependability and 2-way skill count, even for a Conn Smythe winner … who can match Ovechkin and Malkin head to head ??
Every time I sleep I have two dreams. In one, Canada beats the US on US soil and throw thousands of beer caps off of my friend’s balcony, then proceed to party like it’s going out of style. In the second, it’s Canada looking like a bunch of washed up has been getting out skated, out hit and out scored by a much younger and talented Russian team.
This year it’s time to stop be so predictably Canadian. Let’s throw some speed and youth, along with girt into the roster. This is the one frustrating thing about being so deep in the hockey well. We have two (some would argue three) squads that could be in the show. No other nation has that going for them. That also leads to a lot of guys left out (based on youth and not being there before). This leads me to think about the general tone in the job market. No experience, NO NEED TO APPLY!
If Canada doesn’t try to bring one or two young guys along every year than it leads to having less experienced guys every time one of our veteran retires. Our juniors have dominated for the past 6 years now. Doesn’t that say something for our young kids? I think it does.