Interesting Gretzky comments on Team Canada.

[joe_shannon_1983*]

Something I found interesting from Gretzky:

"I think the biggest change on our team today compared to 2002 and over the years is that (in 2002) we could take centremen and move them to the wing," he said. "You can't move them to the wing now (in 2006). We have so many good wingers now, there's no room to move them.

"We have centres now and we have wingers, and that's the way it's going to be."

"Everybody wants to add guys to the team," Gretzky said. "And that's great, but who gets taken off? We can only have seven defencemen. We can only really have four centremen and unfortunately, when you add guys, you have to take guys off and that's where it becomes really difficult."

Is Gretzky dropping subtle hints that Crosby, Spezza, and Staal will be left off of the team? Is Gretzky trying to gently let everyone down, everyone who wants these young players on the team?

I just can't see any of those 3 players supplanting Sakic, Lecavalier, Thornton, and Richards at centre. And with possibly only 4 centreman being taken, that translates to no Crosby, no Spezza, and no Staal on the team.

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[Jag68Sid87]

Crosby has barely played any center at all with the Pens this season. He proved at the WJC that he COULD be a role player. I see Crosby as an energy forward for Canada in Turin. I still believe Gretzky will take the best possible roster, and that includes Crosby in my humble opinion.

 

[Tricolore#20]

If Spezza gets excluded, he probably has every right to be upset. I remember back in 2002, when Iginla was tearing up the league, Gretzky said something to the effect of "How can you possibly leave the league's leading scorer off this team [Canada]?"

Well 4 years later, you may have your answer Wayne.

 

[wildone26*]

Crosby is NOT a winger, he is a centre, he can play wing, but he is a natural centre. As well Spezza, and probably Staal are better centres, if they are not moving centres to wing, Crosby definitely wont make the team and certainly does not deserve to, Staal probably wont although he probably does deserve to make it, and Spezza may not even make it though he definitely does deserve to IMO.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Crosby may not be a winger, but among all of Canada's center candidates Crosby is the best winger candidate (along with perhaps Brad Richards, who should be the third line center IMHO).

Spezza's the only right-handed center candidate, and should make the team on that premise alone...or his point totals, whatever you prefer. Staal is probably on the outside looking in.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

Crosby may not be a winger, but among all of Canada's center candidates Crosby is the best winger candidate (along with perhaps Brad Richards, who should be the third line center IMHO).

Spezza's the only right-handed center candidate, and should make the team on that premise alone...or his point totals, whatever you prefer. Staal is probably on the outside looking in.

With what I am about to say, I am referring to what I bolded in your quote:

If Gretzky is telling the truth when he says that there will be 4 centres taken, and the rest will be wingers, then it isn't relevant who Canada's best winger candidate is amongst their centres.

If Gretzky is telling the the truth, then Team Canada doesn't plan on moving any of their centres over to wing, thus it doesn't matter if Crosby would be suited to play wing or not.

Bottom line, if Gretzky is telling the truth with everything that he says, then Crosby, Spezza, and Staal are up the creek without a paddle, because I would be utterly shocked to see any of them bump off the incumbents (Sakic, Lecavalier, Thornton, and Richards). If Team Canada gets picked, and one of Crosby, Spezza, or Staal gets on at the expense of one of the incumbents that I listed, then my jaw will hit the floor.

It is always possible though that Gretzky is just trying to hide his true intentions, and throw us all off so that he can keep intact the element of surprise in regards to who gets picked.

 

[CB420]

wow yeah interesting man, and no doubt Wayner is just drooling at the players up for grabs here, but at the same time kinda like he said we can't move a joe thornton or spezza (for eg.) to the wing, it's funny remember before the season there were people saying heatley had alot to prove, and he did but theres always doubters and now hes gotta be a lock to make one of the RW spots.

Gretz talked about it today during the intermission with geno about so much depth up the middle its crazy, Vinny, Staal, thornton, Sakic, richards, draper? marleau? crosby or spezza? and the list can easily go on, as for as other spots, what about guys like Shanny? does he make it? I think he played on that team in nagno in 1998 I cant remember, but he has like 17 or 18 goals this year, either shane doan or ryan smyth could get left out, what about alex tanguay man, so many elite players.

eric staal is 21, spezza is 22 and crosby 18 so if Gretz might want more exp. Spezza might get the edge over the other 2 as far as pro exp. goes, 1 of the 3 has to make, its gonna be a photo finish man you cant really go wrong with either one.

 

[wildone26*]

I would not be shocked to see Richards play wing. I have seen him play wing often in his career, both in the NHL, and as a junior when he sometimes played in my small city while playing for Rimouski(ok that is long ago but still) so it is not as if he would be a centre taking a spot away from a winger so much, it is not as if he is like Crosby, a centre who can play wing some, Richards is almost fluent in either. That would open up the final centre spot though to Spezza, not Staal, or Crosby.

I also dont think Grezxty would say things to throw people off. Whatever he says is quite serious IMO. He knows those who are smart enough to figure it out will, and those who arent, will find out soon enough.

 

[CB420]

My roster and line combos. as of right now

Scoring line #1 LW-Heatley-Thornton-RW Jarome

Scoring line #2 LW-Gagne-Sakic-Bertuzzi

Checking line #3 Crosby-Richards-Shanahan/Doan

my deadly 4th line= Tanguay-Spezza-St.Louis


my top 7 D = Pronger, Blake, McCabe, Jovo, Redden, Neidermayer, 7th man= adam Foote.

Additionals: Smyth, Marleau, Draper, Staal, Doan, Lecavieler, Nash, maltby, Kariya, and either hanan or regher but I doubt they will make the cut.

Projected Netminders - Marty, Luongo, Joesph/Turco Jose thedore is grossly overrated Imo he doesnt make it cause Cujo is playin better so far.

 

[therealdeal]

My roster and line combos. as of right now

Scoring line #1 LW-Heatley-Thornton-RW Jarome

Scoring line #2 LW-Gagne-Sakic-Bertuzzi

Checking line #3 Crosby-Richards-Shanahan/Doan

my deadly 4th line= Tanguay-Spezza-St.Louis


my top 7 D = Pronger, Blake, McCabe, Jovo, Redden, Neidermayer, 7th man= adam Foote.

Additionals: Smyth, Marleau, Draper, Staal, Doan, Lecavieler, Nash, maltby, Kariya, and either hanan or regher but I doubt they will make the cut.

Projected Netminders - Marty, Luongo, Joesph/Turco Jose thedore is grossly overrated Imo he doesnt make it cause Cujo is playin better so far.

Why would you split up Canada's best duo going into the Olympics if you have them on the same team?

 

[BIG GIFS]

Something is telling me that Spezza will end up centering Heatley and Jarome. He'll be the MVP of the tournament.

 

[alecfromtherock]

If what the Great One said is to be taken at face value then Stall, Spezza and especially Crosby stand no chance at making the team.

33.7% is unacceptable FO% for the NHL let alone the Olympics playing for team Canada.

Crosby is 13th in Canadian born players in points but is only 1 point ahead of Iginla and should be the odd man out.

Kariya, Smith and Marty might be at the bottom of the list in terms of points but have a huge advantage in that they are wingers.

Bertuzzi makes the team before Stall, Spezza and Crosby if you can only play for team Canada in your listed position.

 

[Garbs]

Either Lecavalier or Brad Richards will be on the wing, regardless of what he says. Spezza will make the team.

Gagne - Sakic - Iginla
Richards - Lecavalier - St. Louis
*** - Spezza - Heatley
Doan - Thornton - Bertuzzi

I really don't have a clue who the final left winger will be, but it won't be Rick Nash, I can tell you that much.