The roster for the 2010 Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team will be revealed on Dec. 31. After a dismal seventh-place finish at the 2006 Turin Olympics, the team will face enormous pressure on home turf in Vancouver. NHL Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman has been selected as executive director. Along with Team Canada head coach Mike Babcock (current coach of the Detroit Red Wings), Yzerman has been given the gruelling task of selecting next year’s squad.
Forty-six players were invited to the Olympic try-outs that ran from Aug. 24 to 27 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary. Of those invited, only 23 players will be selected for the Games, based on their performance at the try-outs and their performance during the first half of the 2009/2010 NHL season.
A successful Olympic team needs a few key veterans to lead. However, youth is no longer seen as detrimental, as they were when selecting the roster for the 2006 Games.
Who will most likely make the team:
Although Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) is 37 years old, he will take the starting goalie position. He has been on the Olympic squad in 1998, 2002, and 2006, and his experience is crucial for the number-one position. Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks) will make the cut, but will come second to Brodeur as his performance during last season’s playoffs was disappointing. The third and final spot will most likely go to Marc Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins) over the likes of Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes), as Ward and the Hurricanes have struggled this season and Fleury is playing very well coming off his Stanley Cup win.
When selecting players for the defensive roster, the focus should be on players who are smart in their own end. When facing Russian stars Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, there is no room for error. The selected defencemen need to be reliable and their focus should be in front of their own net. Point-scoring will need to be left up to the forwards.
Scott Niedermayer (Anaheim Ducks) is a shoe-in for the team, as he is the only player to have ever won all six major hockey championships that Canadian players compete for, including the Stanley Cup, the Memorial Cup, a World Junior Ice Hockey Championship gold medal, an IIHF World Championship gold medal, an Olympic gold medal, and a World Cup of Hockey title. Neidermayer, along with Chris Pronger (Philadelphia Flyers), will be an experienced leader expected to guide the seven selected defencemen. Jay Bouwmeester (Calgary Flames) is expected to make the team as he has previous Olympic experience, and Shea Weber (Nashville Predators) and Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks) are also likely candidates, leaving two empty spaces to fill. Those most likely to be considered for the remaining spots are Mike Green (Washington Capitals), Dion Phaneuf (Calgary Flames), Brent Burns (Minnesota Wild), Robyn Regehr (Calgary Flames), Dan Boyle (San Jose Sharks), and Brent Seabrook (Chicago Blackhawks).
Yzerman and Babcock may choose Mike Green for the power play line, as he is an excellent offensive defenceman and racks up an inspiring amount of assists. His unreliability behind the blue line and his poor performance in last year’s playoffs, however, could work against him. Calder Memorial trophy nominee Dion Phaneuf would bring a physical aspect to the game, but is prone to making too many costly mistakes. Brent Burns was named the best defenceman of the 2008 IIHF World Championships, but after being diagnosed with another concussion, his chances have fallen. Robyn Regehr could be chosen based on his past Olympic experience. Dan Boyle was an alternate for the 2006 squad, so may be given his chance this time around. Along with having a good player ranking this season, Brent Seabrook could be a great addition to the line up if matched with Chicago Blackhawks partner Duncan Keith, as the duo have experience playing together going into the tournament.
On the front end, Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames) and Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) are an absolute guarantee to make the team and are assumed to wear the “C” and “A” respectively. Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Shane Doan (Phoenix Coyotes) are considered shoe-ins, right after Crosby and Iginla. Former Olympic players likely returning to the lineup are Dan Heatley (Ottawa Senators), Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning), and current NHL leading point-scorer Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks). Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks) and Mike Richards (Philadelphia Flyers) are solid centres and likely to make the team, and Brendan Morrow (Dallas Stars) could be a good choice to pair with either of them on the left wing.
Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes) was an alternate last Olympics but could make the cut this time around, most likely needing to be switched over to the wing as the roster is already heavy down the middle. Jeff Carter (Philadelphia Flyers) could be a possible good line-mate to NHL teammate Richards, but Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks) could slip into the wing spot instead of Carter or Staal. Ryan Smyth (Los Angeles Kings) is currently out with an upper body injury, so his chances may be gone and replaced by Vincent Lecavelier (Tampa Bay Lightning) or Brad Richards (Dallas Stars). Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning), who was picked first in the 2008 NHL entry draft, was not invited to the tryout camp in August, but considering the way that he has been scoring during the first half of the regular season, he should be on the team. If Stamkos is left out, look for young star Jonathon Toews (Chicago Blackhawks) to be the 13th forward.
Although the team will be announced on Dec. 31, official rosters are not submitted until February when the Olympic Games begin. Roster changes can and will be made depending on injury and performance of play during the remainder of the 09/10 NHL season.
