Crosby and Phaneuf to Austria for the WC?

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Ola

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The World Championships are gooing to be really interesting this year. Russia and the Chechz Rep. will have really good teams. Finland and Sweden have questionmarks around Kouivo, Forsberg, Näslund and Sundin but always have strong teams. USA is probably the biggest question mark and team Canada will be really really strong as usual.

I haven't thougth about this before, but Eric Lindros played in the Canada Cup before he even played in the NHL. Mezaros and Ovechkin played in the World Championships last year.

Is Sid Crosby a option for team Canada this year? Is Dion Phaneuf a option?

McGuire over at TSN said that he didn't belive that Bertuzzi and veterans Sakic, Blake and Niedermayer will play. Jarmoe Iginla, Ryan Smyth and Marty St. Louis are expecting children soon or during the WC.

To my knowledege Canada only have Philips, Bouwmeester and Souray on D gooing right now. Will Phaneuf be a option? For example who would you guys take, a Adam Foote who haven't played a game in 12 month or Phaneuf?

I haven't heard Crosbys name mentioned before as a candidate but he would be a lock on every other team. Sure Canada have by far the best depth. However, without a doubt, players who haven't played for 12 month will be rusty. The WC is also a faster game(big ice, no redline offside) then the NHL/World Cup. Canada will have a 2 week camp, play 2-4 exhebition games and atleast 3 not so important games before the medalround. But I don't think any coach would be comfortable with more the 5-6 rusty players upfront. I am sure that some of the top guys in the AHL, Bergeron, Staal, Horton&Spezza among others, will be considered. But shouldn't Sidney Crosby be a top candidate?

Here is kind of a frame for team Canadas roster:

-Lecavalier-Nash
-Thornton-Heatly
-Morrisson- //Brendan Joe&Vincent ought be locks as center 1, 2&3 since they have played allot this year...
Doan-Draper-Maltby //They are playing in the UHL, right?

Its a strong frame with players who are playing this year and have played allot of international games before. I am also expecting Horcroff, Briere, Doan, Nash and Heatly to be on the team.

Wouldn't a line with Corsby-Morrison-Bergeron look good? It would be a huge boost for the tournament in North America thats for sure. :)
 

Ola

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markov` said:
If we pick Horcoff before Crosby, that's definitely not a smart choice.

I think they will give Crosby a long look, but he won't be the only candidate. Jeff Carter comes to mind.

When it comes to Carter he is a bit on the slow side, and that combined with zero experience isn't a good combination. If Crosby is picked its because he is a really special player who at 18 can do stuff not many if any people in hockey can do. You don't pick a junior like Carter to do the dirty work in a WC. Experience is A&Ö in these tournaments...

I am not saying that there are many spots open. One of Smyth, St. Louis and Ignla could opt to go even with a newborn around the corner. But it would be a perfect oppertunity to give show Crosby for the world and give him international experience. Even if he went as a 13th forward.(teams always take 14 forwards with them incase of injury)
 
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Ola

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helicecopter said:
No, actually it's definitely slower.

Slower or faster, a player in the international game have to be allot faster to make a impact then one in the NHL. Nobody can argue with that. In the NHL you can get by if your skating isn't top notch. Bryan McCabe was the worst defensemen on his team in the SEL due to him beeing slow in his lateral movement and turns.

However I want to add that this thread wasn't a ment to put down Carter. He is a very good player but I don't think he would be able to contribute all that much in the World Championships.

However I would love to see Crosby on canadas roster and I hope that he is considered. A lot of great players have played in the WC at the age of 17-18.
 

Ola

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Crosby=Gretzky said:
Forsberg and Sundin is not going to play.

Sundin won't play. My guess is that Forsberg will play. And my guess is as good as any...
 

Ola

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Spetzky said:
And oddly enough no one has said a thing about Spezza...

There seems to be allot of centers available who have played allot this year... Lecavalier, Thornton, Morrison and Brier. Besides team Canada won't pick Spezza as a checkingline center.
 

Jag68Sid87

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If Rimouski makes it all the way to the Mem Cup, I think it'll conflict with the World championships schedule. Otherwise, I'd expect Crosby to be named to the team.
 

Tricolore#20

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markov` said:
If we pick Horcoff before Crosby, that's definitely not a smart choice.

Definitely not a smart choice? Look, I am no Oiler fan, but I would say that Horcoff deserves a spot on this team. He has been extremely impressive this year playing in Sweden, and is a superb big ice player. Plus, he played on the last two world championship teams, something Crosby hasn't done.
 

Jag68Sid87

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mattihp said:
It'd be too hard for those jrs to play their first games against men in a tournament which could feature many great players...

I disagree. I believe that if you ARE a great young player, playing WITH great players is easier even if playing against great players, than not playing with great players possibly against great players. :D

In other words, it's easier for a Crosby to play for Canada in the Worlds, say on a line with Bergeron and Ryan Smyth, than to begin his career playing for Pittsburgh or Washington or Chicago against the Red Wings or Avalanche or Lightning.

Just my opinion.
 

mattihp

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markov` said:
If we pick Horcoff before Crosby, that's definitely not a smart choice.
Canada wants to win in the world champs nowadays and haven't sent juniors there for a loooong time....

Horcoff is by many ranked the best NHL acquisition in the Elitserien, ahead of Forsberg, Souray, Chara, Zetterberg etc. etc.
 

Ola

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Crosby=Gretzky said:
Ola said:
Sundin won't play. My guess is that Forsberg will play. And my guess is as good as any...
Forsberg himself said to Swedish media he's not going to play.

No he did not. Kent Forsberg said minutes after his team had lost their uptil then most important game of the season, a game where 2 of his most important players had suffered concussions and one of them his son, that he couldn't imagine any players from MoDo, among them Peter of course but thats a media interpertation, wanting to play on the national team with players like Peter Nordström who had gone headhunting in that same game.
 

Ola

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mattihp said:
Canada wants to win in the world champs nowadays and haven't sent juniors there for a loooong time....

Horcoff is by many ranked the best NHL acquisition in the Elitserien, ahead of Forsberg, Souray, Chara, Zetterberg etc. etc.

Horcoff have indeed been ranked by some as the MVP in the SEL playing for Mora. However if he would have been on a deaper team I am 100% that he wouldn't have gotten the same praise. Still I am extremly impressed by his attitude and effort for Mora.

If it comes down to Horcoff/Doan type of player vs. Crosby the canadian coach will select the later. However the way I see it. The canadian team have 14 forwards spots to fill, shouldn't won of them be reserved for the best young player in the game right now?

Gretzky played in the WC at the same age. Lindros played in the Canada Cup. Crosby should be on the team IMO.
 

mattihp

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Ola said:
If it comes down to Horcoff/Doan type of player vs. Crosby the canadian coach will select the later. However the way I see it. The canadian team have 14 forwards spots to fill, shouldn't won of them be reserved for the best young player in the game right now?
It is more likely that a euro playing canadian gets the part than a jr. When was the last time Canada played a junior player on their national team in the world champs? It's pretty much as likely as sweden icing a player from Superelit.
 

Jargin

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mattihp said:
It is more likely that a euro playing canadian gets the part than a jr. When was the last time Canada played a junior player on their national team in the world champs? It's pretty much as likely as sweden icing a player from Superelit.

I wouldn't say that, some of the kids in junior would be in the NHL if it weren't for the lockout.
 

mattihp

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Jargin said:
I wouldn't say that, some of the kids in junior would be in the NHL if it weren't for the lockout.
Well... It's still too much of a gamble to put a kid who hasn't played against men to play against groups of men of whom some might be top of the world.
 

Ola

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mattihp said:
It is more likely that a euro playing canadian gets the part than a jr. When was the last time Canada played a junior player on their national team in the world champs? It's pretty much as likely as sweden icing a player from Superelit.

Ovechkin and Mezaros played last year. There is usually one or two juniors in the WC every year. The last time Sweden had one, Sundin defenitly played and did it really well. Media went crazy when the Sedins were cut... ;) I don't think Canada have had one since Lindros and the Canada Cup. Kariya though played in the Olympiques at the age of 19 before he had played in the NHL or against men. The Chechz republic had three juniors, 17-18 y/o, on the same line in one WC, Reichel-Holik-Jagr. Fedorov and Mogilny also played on the same line in the WC I belive as juniors.

Also, this is a special year. Corsby is competeing with players who haven't played for 12 month. Thats the big diffrence IMO.

From my point of view, playing Crosby will give the World Championship a huge boost in North America. If Canada have one forward out of 12 who is a junior it won't hurt them and Crosby would without a doubt be able to hold his own and contribute if he is paired with the right linemates. It will also be a great experience for Crosby which also will benefit Hockey Canada in the future. Also 17-18 years old who have played in the WC have several times done it really well. Mats Sundin for example.
 

Ola

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saillias said:
Iginla expecting a child soon? Again? His wife just had one a few months ago...

dunno, McGuire said so. He wasn't very specific though. Just said that Smyth, STL and Iginla expected children before or under the WC...
 

Vlad The Impaler

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Ola said:
To my knowledege Canada only have Philips, Bouwmeester and Souray on D gooing right now. Will Phaneuf be a option? For example who would you guys take, a Adam Foote who haven't played a game in 12 month or Phaneuf?

Wouldn't Scott Hannan be available? If he is, he plays.

I suppose if Canada somewhat continues its tradition, they will invite players who have worked well in the program. Even with a less than stellar season, Bouwmeester could be back, for instance.

And if there comes a time Canada is a little "short" of Ds, then I suppose they could give Phaneuf a call. But there's probably a couple of NHLers on the list first.

Same with the forwards really. They'll start with guys who worked in previous championships, then they'll invite NHLers. Then they might invite recent U-20 guys. Not sure if Crosby would be the first on that list.
 
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