Olympics: Sochi 2014 Roster Predictions

[20kesler17]

Canada:
Tavares - Crosby - Stamkos
Sharp - Toews - Giroux
Hall - Nugent-Hopkins - Eberle
E.Staal - Getzlaf - Perry
Nash
Keith - Doughty
Phaneuf - Weber
M.Staal - Pieterangelo
Subban
Price
Luongo
Fleury

USA:
Parise - Kesler - Booth
Ryan - Pavelski - Kane
Paccioretty - Stastny - Kessel
Dubinsky - Stepan - Callahan
Brown
Suter - Leddy
Yandle - Carlson
Orpik - J.Johnson
Fowler
Miller
Schneider
Quick

 

[Acallabeth]

Kulikov, Voinov and Orlov will be 23/24 at 2014. How old they should be to be experienced players? 34? However having on mind big rinks i would take Chudinov ahead of Kulikov 7 days a week though Kulikov is first line defender in Florida.

It doesn't depend on the age only, but international experience as well. We only have 2 Worlds left before Sochi and may not be able to even see young NHLers once playing for Russia (aside from Kulikov). There's a huge risk in taking nearly unfamiliar players to the home Olympics. And if they play in the Worlds not very well, it's probably a risk of leaving a better player over the board. We sure don't have a hundred of Olympic caliber defenders.

I don't know about Chudinov. He is impressive, but I want to see him at the Worlds. And I would definetely choose Kulikov to the team if I would do it now.

Anyway, aside from Markov (?), who are our top-level veteran defencemen? Volchenkov is an injury prone and strictly defensive. Tyutin isn't much above average NHL defenceman. Gonchar will be very old and too weak at actual defence. I don't know what Nikulin will look after ZHB's departure, but it doesn't look very promising. Kalinin? Who else?

 

[srwickson]

Team USA

without Byfuglien, team USA is giving up any chance of finishing above 8th place

 

[hockeywoot]

Stamkos - Crosby - Giroux
Benn- Toews - Seguin
Bergeron - Getzlaf - Perry
Hall - Nugent Hopkins - Skinner

(J. Staal, Duchene)

Defense
Doughty - Weber
Keith - Letang
Green - Pietrangelo

(Subban, Myers)

Goal

1. Price
2. Ward
3. Fleury

 

[brtriad]

without Byfuglien, team USA is giving up any chance of finishing above 8th place

Maybe in a hotdog eating contest. We did just fine without him last time and we'll do just fine without him on a larger ice surface.

 

[voyageur]

Seguin-Crosby-Bergeron
Giroux-Spezza-Stamkos
E. Kane-Toews-Benn
Nug.-H.-Duchesne-Perry
J. Staal

Keith-Weber
M.Staal-Girardi
Doughty-Letang
Phaneuf

Fleury
Price
Reimer

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Too many possible names for Canada. You'd think they would keep a good number of vets from the previous team, yet with all the newcomers will that possible?

I think Heatley will probably not come back, same for Marleau, Pronger, Brodeur and of course Niedermayer.

Among the new names that could be there as of today's knowledge:

Claude Giroux
Jamie Benn
Tyler Seguin
Jordan Eberle
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Taylor Hall
John Tavares
Alex Pietrangelo
Matt Duchene
PK Subban
Marc Staal
Dan Girardi
Carey Price
Cam Ward
Patrick Sharp

I surely left many names out, so that just gives you an idea. Out of that group, I would not mind seeing RNH, Seguin, Tavares, Duchene, Staal, Price and Ward for sure, but who knows in two years?

 

[ChiHawk21]

Stamkos-Crosby-Iginla
Perry-Toews-Giroux
Nash-Tavares-Skinner
Richards-Bergeron-Seguin
Hall/Staal

Doughty-Weber
Keith-Letang
Green-Myers
Phaneuf

Fleury
Price
Ward

 

[ChiHawk21]

Parise - Kesler - Kane
Ryan - Stastny - Kessel
JVR-Pavelski-Callahan
Brown-Backes-Oshie
BUFFFFF

Suter -Yandle
Leddy - Carlson
Orpik - J.Johnson
Fowler

Quick
Miller

 

[windjackass]

Sure things:
Crosby
Iginla
Toews
Stamkos

Probables:
Nash
Perry
Giroux
Tavares
Staal

That leaves 4 F roster slots open.

I predict:
RNH
Seguin
Getzlaf
Briere

Iginla-Crosby-Getzlaf
Stamkos-Toews-Seguin
Giroux-RNH-Briere
Nash-Tavares-Perry
Staal


Goalies and D men are too unpredictable this far ahead.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I predict Tyler Seguin defects to Team USA a la Brett Hull.

#wishfulthinking

Just have to hope that he does not set his alarm wrong for breakfast, wink wink.

 

[Torts]

everyone forgets that the Toews, Richards and Nash line was the best line in the tourny last olympics and will most likely stick together for 2014

 

[MaxV]

It doesn't depend on the age only, but international experience as well. We only have 2 Worlds left before Sochi and may not be able to even see young NHLers once playing for Russia (aside from Kulikov). There's a huge risk in taking nearly unfamiliar players to the home Olympics. And if they play in the Worlds not very well, it's probably a risk of leaving a better player over the board. We sure don't have a hundred of Olympic caliber defenders.

I don't know about Chudinov. He is impressive, but I want to see him at the Worlds. And I would definetely choose Kulikov to the team if I would do it now.

Anyway, aside from Markov (?), who are our top-level veteran defencemen? Volchenkov is an injury prone and strictly defensive. Tyutin isn't much above average NHL defenceman. Gonchar will be very old and too weak at actual defence. I don't know what Nikulin will look after ZHB's departure, but it doesn't look very promising. Kalinin? Who else?

You are actually making a case for the young guys to make it.

Sure Kulikov, Voynov, Orlov, Nikitin and Chudinov are inexperienced, but our other options are very limited.

Yes, it would be nice if these guys played in Worlds first, but I don't think they should be ruled out if that doesn't happen.

If they continue to show progress in their game and get to the point where they are play consistent, all-around hockey, they should be there.

 

[Mr Forever]

The people who leave RNH off of their prospective team Canada rosters are silly.

 

[ItsTheBGB]

Nash-Crosby-Giroux
Hall-Nuge-Eberle
Stamkos-Getzlaf-Perry
Benn-Begeron-Seguin
Toews

Weber-Peitrangelo
Letang-Doughty
Keith-Girardi
Seabrook

Price
Luuuu
Fleury

 

[Minister of Offence]

Nash-Crosby-Giroux
Hall-Nuge-Eberle
Stamkos-Getzlaf-Perry
Benn-Begeron-Seguin
Toews

Weber-Peitrangelo
Letang-Doughty
Keith-Girardi
Seabrook

Price
Luuuu
Fleury

LLLLLOOOOLLLLLL

 

[tututooter21]

Last 7 olympics Finland has 5 medals, 2 silvers and 3 bronzes, yet not a serious contender?

Past means little to nothing, however they may be serious contender as they will have a lot of veterans with experience

 

[afrobomber11]

The people who leave RNH off of their prospective team Canada rosters are silly.

the people who think rnh is the next coming of christ (or kadri to leaf fans) after hitting the quarter mark of his first season 2 years before this event are silly

 

[RPeeters]

the people who think rnh is the next coming of christ (or kadri to leaf fans) after hitting the quarter mark of his first season 2 years before this event are silly

First, you don't have to be christ to make the team. RNH is the ideal type of player for team Canada. Thinking RNH doesn't have the potential to make the team is silly.
Second, though not related, please come out of your hole, most of Leafs Nation wants Kadri's "punk ass" traded and criticize everything down to his tweets.

 

[Canuck21t]

that would be really interesting, i would like to see the roster of teams without nhl players

Seriously? How can anyone be interested in seeing no names with a lower calibre?

 

[Lapa]

No Filppula? ok....

****, I knew I forgot somebody

Well, Immonen -> Filppula.

 

[Muuri]

Olli Määttä might make the team if he isas good as advertised by OHL fans.

 

[amnesiac]

**Note: to be played on international ice


CAN

Stamkos-Crosby-Giroux
Tavares-Toews-Seguin
Hall-RNH-Eberle
E.Kane-Getzlaf-Perry
Benn

Weber-Letang
Doughty-Pietrangelo
Subban-Keith
M.Staal

Price-Ward-Fleury


other notables: Duchene, M.Richards, Spezza, Skinner, Nash, E.Staal, Carter, Sharp, B.Richards, St.Louis, Heatley, Thornton, Marleau, Lucic, J.Staal, Myers, Seabrook, Girardi, Green, R.Murray


USA

Parise-Kesler-Kane
Ryan-Stastny-Kessel
Callahan-Backes-Oshie
JVR-Pavelski-Brown
Dubinsky

Yandle-Suter
Carlson-Martin
E.Johnson-Shattenkirk
Fowler

Miller-Quick-Thomas

other notables: Connolly, Stepan, Umberger, Okposo, Wilson, Byfuglien, J.Johnson, Bogosian, Whitney, Goligoski


RUS

Ovechkin-Datsyuk-Semin
Kovalchuk-Malkin-Radulov
Kuznetsov-Burmistrov-Tarasenko
Yakupov-Anisimov-Kulemin
Zaripov

Markov-Kulikov
Nikulin-Grebeshkov
Voynov-Tyutin
Orlov/Emelin

Bryzgalov-Varlamov-Bobrovsky


SWE

Sedin-Sedin-Eriksson
Zetterberg-Backstrom-Landeskog
Franzen-Berglund-Paajarvi
Backlund-F.Forsberg-Hornqvist
Omark

Edler-Karlsson
Enstrom-Kronwall
Hedman-A.Larsson
Rundblad

Lundqvist-Markstrom-Gustavsson


FIN

J.Jokinen-M.Koivu-T.Ruutu
Leino-Granlund-Filppula
Korpikoski-O.Jokinen-Bergenheim
Hartikainen-Immonen-Hagman
Petrell

Pitkanen-Timonen
Lydman-Salo
Lepisto-Salmela
Niskala

Rinne-Rask-Kiprusoff



CZE

Michalek-Krejci-Hemsky
Havlat-Plekanec-Fleischmann
Voracek-Hanzal-Erat
Vrbata-Elias-Hudler
Frolik

Kaberle-Kubina
Zidlicky-Z.Michalek
Kindl-Polak
Rozsival

Pavelec-Vokoun-Neuvirth


SVK

Nagy-Handzus-Gaborik
S.Ruzicka-Kopecky-Hossa
Svatos-Tatar-Radivojevic
Olvecky-Cibak-Panik
Bliznak

Chara-Visnovsky
Meszaros-Sekera
Kudroc-Jurcina
Valabik

Halak-Budaj-Krizan

 

[Muuri]

**Note: to be played on international ice

FIN

J.Jokinen-M.Koivu-T.Ruutu
Leino-Granlund-Miettinen
Armia-Filppula-O.Jokinen
Bergenheim-S.Koivu-Hagman
Korpikoski

Pitkanen-Timonen
Lydman-Salo
Lepisto-Salmela
Niskala

Rinne-Rask-Kiprusoff

Subtract Miettinen, OJ, Armia, Saku Koivu, Hagman and Salmela. Add Petrell, Hartikainen, Komarov, Immonen, Nokelainen and Vatanen. Finland usually takes role players for bottom lines and Koivu-Hagman duo in the fourth line doesn't really suit that. OJ is retired from the national team, Armia won't be ready and Miettinen's career is going downhill.

 

[Vodalian]

**Note: to be played on international ice

SWE

Sedin-Sedin-Eriksson
Zetterberg-Backstrom-Landeskog
Franzen-Berglund-Paajarvi
Omark-F.Forsberg-Hornqvist
Backlund

Edler-Enstrom
Karlsson-Hedman
Rundblad-A.Larsson
Kronwall

Lundqvist-Markstrom-Gustavsson

Looks ok to me, but I would make the 4th line Steen-M.Johansson-Hörnqvist. I would aslo take Ekman-Larsson instead of Rundbland.

Also, Berglund and especially Pääjärvi have something to prove, or they will have to be replaced.