Olympics: 2014 — Canada Roster Discussion (Part XII - Announcement Jan 7th, 12PM EST, TSN)

[FXBrassard]

Stamkos - Crosby - MSL
Couture - Giroux - Tavares
Sharp - Toews - Bergeron
Duchene - Getzlaf - Perry

I really feel like Giroux should be playing center, I don't see him effective as a winger. To me there's no doubt those are the best line, only spots I'm unsure of are Bergeron and Couture.

 

[Cowboy Dan]

My Final Team Canada

Duchene-Crosby-St. Louis
Tavares-Getzlaf-Perry
Couture-Toews-Sharp
Benn-Bergeron-Nash
Giroux

Keith-Weber
Vlasic-Doughty
Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo
Hamhuis-Boyle


Luongo
Price
Smith​

 

[MrBrightside]

Indeed. Despite our average goaltending as opposed to the past 20 years or so, we still have the most depth in the world.

The fact that there's almost 40 players still commonly viewed as in contention both on these boards and among the media experts shows you just how much that's still true.

Most other countries are lucky to have 30 players with legitimate chances to make their squad.

And it's not just depth...it's the top end talent. Who from Team USA would make Team Canada? The only locks I can think of are Kane, Suter, and Quick. Ryan Miller and Parise probably make it, but that's about it.

 

[Alan]

He has the most goals of any Canadian winger since the start of the 2011-2012 season. That's a hell of a hot streak.

Goals among Can wingers, last 3 seasons: Neal, 77; Perry, 75; Kunitz, 71; Couture, 66; Sharp, 64; St. Louis, 59; Nash, 58, Benn 52.

That's a very interesting finding, especially for Couture and Benn! Did not expect that. It would not be surprising to see all of those guys on the team.

What is Neal's skating ability like?

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

That's a very interesting finding, especially for Couture and Benn! Did not expect that. It would not be surprising to see all of those guys on the team.

What is Neal's skating ability like?

He's quick for his size, and extremely steady. Good north-south speed.

 

[Duke Silver]

Final team prediction:

14 Forwards:
Duchene - Crosby - St. Louis
Benn - Getzlaf - Perry
Tavares - Thornton - Giroux
Sharp - Toews - Bergeron
Couture - Stamkos

8 Defence (in no order):
Keith, Seabrook, Weber, Doughty, Pietrangelo, Bouwmeester, Subban, Vlasic

3 Goalies:
Price - Luongo - Smith

 

[MrBrightside]

That's a very interesting finding, especially for Couture and Benn! Did not expect that. It would not be surprising to see all of those guys on the team.

What is Neal's skating ability like?

He's a fast skater, but not particularly strong...he can get knocked off his feet and muscled off the puck at times...but he moves well.

People keep knocking him because they claim he's a product of Malkin. Can't that be said about everyone on this list? Perry plays with Getzlaf. St. Louis plays with Stamkos. Sharp plays with Toews. Kunitz plays with Crosby. Couture plays with Thornton. I don't get why Neal gets singled out (well, Neal and Kunitz) as being a product of his line.

 

[Stats01]

My Final Team Canada

Duchene-Crosby-St. Louis
Tavares-Getzlaf-Perry
Couture-Toews-Sharp
Benn-Bergeron-Nash
Giroux

Keith-Weber
Vlasic-Doughty
Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo
Hamhuis-Boyle


Luongo
Price
Smith​

Why Smith over Crawford?

 

[Wats]

Phaneuf over Vlasic or Hamhuis? Boyle, maybe. But not the first two.

No, I meant Hamhuis and the Neuf over Boyle and Vlasic. Maybe it's just me. Here's what my team and lines would be:

Forwards:
Logan Couture - Sidney Crosby - Steven Stamkos
John Tavares - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Jamie Benn - Jonathan Toews - Patrick Sharp
Matt Duchene - Patrice Bergeron - Claude Giroux
Mike Richards - Martin St. Louis

Defence:
Duncan Keith - Drew Doughty
Dan Hamhuis - Shea Weber
Jay Bouwmeester - Alex Pietrangelo
Dion Phaneuf - P.K. Subban

Goaltenders:
Roberto Luongo
Carey Price
Marc-Andre Fleury

 

[xxxx]

If TSN players are the guys I can choose from;

Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Steven Stamkos
Jamie Benn - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Patrick Sharp - Jonathan Toews - Claude Giroux
Patrick Marleau - John Tavares - Martin St. Louis
Matt Duchene - Patrice Bergeron

Keith - Doughty
Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo
Vlasic - Weber
Hamhuis - Subban

Price
Luongo
Smith

Wow, very solid lineup.

I'd change Marleau and Benn. Maybe Benn could be the 14th forward with Duchene there next to Getzlaf, and Bergeron as the 13th forward.

Of course, I wouldn't mind taking Neal, but when you look at this roster, there is just no space for him. Ridiculous depth.

 

[Alan]

He's a fast skater, but not particularly strong...he can get knocked off his feet and muscled off the puck at times...but he moves well.

People keep knocking him because they claim he's a product of Malkin. Can't that be said about everyone on this list? Perry plays with Getzlaf. St. Louis plays with Stamkos. Sharp plays with Toews. Kunitz plays with Crosby. Couture plays with Thornton. I don't get why Neal gets singled out (well, Neal and Kunitz) as being a product of his line.

That's a good point. The fact that he plays well with elite talent should not discount him. Certainly there are players out there who do NOT produce, even when paired with elite talent. And ya know, seen through that lens, maybe Kunitz makes sense.

 

[Stats01]

Well in any case hopefully our senior team can win it for the 3rd time in 4 tries next month or this will be one heck of a bad start for 2014, with our juniors ******** the bed pretty badly.

 

[Leafsdude7]

And it's not just depth...it's the top end talent. Who from Team USA would make Team Canada? The only locks I can think of are Kane, Suter, and Quick. Ryan Miller and Parise probably make it, but that's about it.

Kane, Suter, Quick and Miller would be locks, IMO, but Kessel, JVR, Parise, Shattenkirk and probably McDonagh would all be at least in the conversation for a spot ahead of guys like Couture/Benn/Marleau/Nash/EStaal/etc and Seabrook/Vlasic/Hamhuis/Boyle/etc.

But the guys that were in the conversation for Team USA (Ryan, particularly) never would have had a chance at Team Canada. Really, the only American player not named to the squad that had a chance was Yandle, and no one can explain why he was left off.

 

[xxxx]

Eric Staal has 17 points in 16 games with a +/- -4 in December and January so far on a very average Carolina squad. I don't know how much better you can expect him to be.

Honestly, the thing that really might hurt his chances is the injury he sustained on Saturday.

Well, that was badly written from me. Nash is the one who's not playing well, but I think Staal is at the same position in terms of chances, because there are better players on the left side ahead of him IMO (Couture, Marleau, Sharp, Duchene, Benn) And I think Duchene and Sharp really deserve a spot, which means there are one or two free spots, and it seems like Couture and Benn could very well make it. But in no way I think he shouldn't be on the team. We will see.

 

[Kranix]

I'd like to see more people extolling the "two-way" virtues of players from the NHL clubs they cheer for. We haven't heard any Mike Cammalleri talk. He's a sniper. Where are all the Flames fans arguing that no one knows him like they do?

 

[Myke]

Why Smith over Crawford?

Because Crawford plays for a team that let Ray Emery have a record of 17-1-0 last season. Crawford is too sheltered.

 

[salty justice]

McKenzie/Dreger Team Canada Predictions

Didn't see an Olympic forum or this list posted anywhere. But here's Bob McKenzie and Darren Dregers predictions for the squad to open discussion.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=440484

Goaltenders:
Carey Price, Roberto Luongo and Mike Smith

Defence:
(Left) - (Right)
Duncan Keith - Drew Doughty
Jay Bouwmeester - Shea Weber
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Alex Pietrangelo
Dan Boyle (R) - P.K. Subban

Forwards:
(Left Wing - Centre - Right Wing)
Logan Couture - Sidney Crosby - Steven Stamkos
Jamie Benn - Jonathan Toews - Corey Perry
Matt Duchene - Ryan Getzlaf - Claude Giroux
Patrick Sharp - John Tavares - Rick Nash
Patrice Bergeron - Martin St. Louis


There's 1 huge glaring error for me. Honestly I find it laughable that they think Seabrook will be kicked off the team in favor of Bouwmeester/Pietrangelo/Vlasic. JBo is having his 1st good season in 6 years, while Pietrangelo and Vlasic have never been at Seabrook's level or achieved nearly as much. Seabrook is currently having a much better season than all 3 to boot.

I'm willing to bet those experts they're wrong on that pick, but the rest of the team looks pretty accurate. Easily the favorites heading into Sochi.

 

[Sheppy]

Pietrangelo absolutely should be on this team.

 

[HSF]

Didn't see an Olympic forum or this list posted anywhere. But here's Bob McKenzie and Darren Dregers predictions for the squad to open discussion.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=440484

Goaltenders:
Carey Price, Roberto Luongo and Mike Smith

Defence:
(Left) - (Right)
Duncan Keith - Drew Doughty
Jay Bouwmeester - Shea Weber
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Alex Pietrangelo
Dan Boyle (R) - P.K. Subban

Forwards:
(Left Wing - Centre - Right Wing)
Logan Couture - Sidney Crosby - Steven Stamkos
Jamie Benn - Jonathan Toews - Corey Perry
Matt Duchene - Ryan Getzlaf - Claude Giroux
Patrick Sharp - John Tavares - Rick Nash
Patrice Bergeron - Martin St. Louis


There's 1 huge glaring error for me. Honestly I find it laughable that they think Seabrook will be kicked off the team in favor of Bouwmeester/Pietrangelo/Vlasic. JBo is having his 1st good season in 6 years, while Pietrangelo and Vlasic have never been at Seabrook's level or achieved nearly as much. Seabrook is currently having a much better season than all 3 to boot.

I'm willing to bet those experts they're wrong on that pick, but the rest of the team looks pretty accurate. Easily the favorites heading into Sochi.

Bouwmeester is there cause he has a lot of experience annndd cause he is perfect for petro and team canada is big on chemistry

nash shouldnt be on this team

 

[Sheppy]

Nash should be on the team. I don't get the hate for that guy...

 

[hisgirlfriday]

I haven't watched enough of the others to say definitively whether Seabrook does or does not belong on the team over them, but he just hasn't had the Team Canada buzz around him and his improved play is so overshadowed by how well Keith is doing that I would not be surprised at all to see Seabrook left off the roster.

 

[ZARTONK]

WHAT?!??!? No Desharnais???

 

[ManofSteel55]

I think the biggest omission will end up being Taylor Hall. His defensive game certainly is lacking when compared to the rest of the team, which is why he will likely be left off, but it will certainly be an interesting debate.

As per the players listed on the team, if Rick Nash gets ice time over Bergeron or St. Louis, I'll be angry. He's never lived up to his potential, and in my opinion, doesn't deserve to be on the team this time around.

A bit surprised to see Vlasic on the list over Seabrook, but the the defense core looks great to me regardless of which of those two make it.

And no, OP, Seabrook shouldn't be there over Pietrangelo or Bouwmeester.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Nash should be on the team. I don't get the hate for that guy...

I don't get the love for the guy. What has he done to deserve the reputation he has developed as a superstar?

 

[darkbrew*]

I guess you could scratch him and put in one of the extra forwards. But yeah, I don't want him on the team either. Imagine what Duchene, Couture, etc would be doing on Crosby's wing if they had that advantage like Kunitz.

Kunitz with 3 years of chemistry with Crosby>> Duchene or Couture with 5 games.

This is a short tournament and we want to win. I don't want to have to hope they heat up in time. Kunitz and Crosby are on fire NOW and Kunitz is a PPG player with Crosby.