Olympics: Sochi 2014 Roster Predictions

[Spawnisen]

The only way I see it that we would've a chance of taking a medal is if Rinne is owning and our top-6 are owning over their abilities.

 

[WayneBruce]

No way Steen doesn´t make the swedish team and no way Paajarvi makes it atm.

 

[antidotevsk]

**Note: to be played on international ice

RUS

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

Markov-Kulikov
Nikulin-Grebeshkov
Emelin-Tyutin
Volchenkov

Bryzgalov-Varlamov-Bobrovsky

Semin to 1 st line - it's unlikely him getting this spot due to current trend in Russian team based on more defensive style.
No way for Kulemin currently.
Not sure about Emelin. I suggest Orlov to make the spot.

 

[Fulcrum]

Semin to 1 st line - it's unlikely him getting this spot due to current trend in Russian team based on more defensive style.
No way for Kulemin currently.
Not sure about Emelin. I suggest Orlov to make the spot.

I also see Voynov making the team. A good OFD.

Not entirely related, but the Bolshoi Ice Palace is taking shape and is coming along very nicely. Beautiful Stadium..

 

[hollywood99]

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

He'd very very "prospective". Still too early for him. Hockey Canada rewards those who have been there before. That's why Iginla is a lock.

Lock's:
Crosby
Nash
Toews
Iginla
Stamkos
Giroux
E.Staal (crazy how he's been written off after 1 sub par season)
Weber
Doughty
Pietrangelo (yes a lock)
Luongo (again, rewarded for previous tournaments)

Next to sure thing's:
M.Richards
Perry
Keith
Letang
Price
Fluery

Just made it:
Benn - the new Morrow on the team
Eberle - Mr. Clutch and was top 10 in scoring before his injury this year
Tavares - his hands might be best in the world. Has PP time written all over him.
Sharp - Mr. Versatile. If anyone gets hurt or struggles he steps in and no need to shuffle lines.
M. Staal - very strong 2 way play but there to stop others from scoring
Myers - strong rookie season no fluke. Will settle in and be good insurance

Just missed:
Pronger - age has caught up
St. Louis - age will catch up
Bergeron - struggled last time out. But would be #14 if possible
Thornton - has been passed by younger talents
Spezza - as usual just a hair behind the elite
Hall/Seguin/Nugent-Hopkins - not there time yet. Next time likely all locks.
Seabrook - passed by others
Lucic - if Nash isn't around fills big body component
J. Staal - Eric is still a hair better
Getzlaf - lost his way
Duchene/Skinner - see Hall/Seguin/RNH





Final Team
Stamkos-Crosby-Iginla
Nash-Toews-M.Richards (best line in 2010 tournament)
Perry-Giroux-Eberle
Benn-E.Staal-Tavares
ex: Sharp

Weber-Doughty
Keith-M.Staal
Letang-Pietrangelo
ex: Myers

Price-Luongo-Fleury

 

[86Habs]

He'd very very "prospective". Still too early for him. Hockey Canada rewards those who have been there before. That's why Iginla is a lock.

So Iggy gets a pass because he's been loyal to Hockey Canada, but Thornton doesn't (despite still performing at a higher level than Iggy AND being a veteran of Olympic / World Cup teams past)? And, if you're hanging your hat on Iggy making the 2014 team "because he's been there before", then you might want to refer back to late 2009 when St. Louis and Richards, both playing excellent hockey at the time and both being vets of TC, were passed over the Olympic team. I still really like Iginla as a player, I just don't think he'll be playing at a high enough level in 2013/2014 to crack this team.

 

[Salo13*]

I would like to post my version of Team Canada 2014. Note that I was perfect at guessing the last 3 Canadian Olympic Rosters! Unfortunately, Canadian names are too tricky for people from my country, so if I made any misspelling, I apologize in advance. Anyway, if I didn't remember the exact names, you will be able to figure out who I have in mind. Note I chose to go with the proven success formula. Here we go:

Top line: O'Halloran Devorski McCreary
Second line: Diver#1 Crybaby(C) Diver#2
Dump'n'Chase line: Dump'n'Chase Robot#1 Dump'n'Chase Robot#2 Dump'n'Chase Robot#3
Checking line: Holding Guy Hooking Guy Interference Guy
Spares: Goon#1 Goon#2

Defense:
Boxing Team Reject - Wresting Team Reject
Baseball Team Reject - Basketball Team Reject
Crosschecking Guy - Slashing Guy
Goon #3

Goalies:
-Best puck handler on the team
-Crazy French-sounding dude
-Guy with clean urine, to be randomly drug tested, if needed.

Coaches and staff:
Head Coach: Old Grumpy Dump and Chase Devotee
Assistant/Dumping: Former Goon#1
Assistant/Chasing: Former Goon#2
Assistant/Cheapshot Coordinator: Former Goon#3
Team Doctor: former Ben Johnson's personal doctor.

So you've heard it here first. Go Canada Go!! Team Canada for the Win!

 

[Bjorn Le]

He'd very very "prospective". Still too early for him. Hockey Canada rewards those who have been there before. That's why Iginla is a lock.

Lock's:
Crosby
Nash
Toews
Iginla
Stamkos
Giroux
E.Staal (crazy how he's been written off after 1 sub par season)
Weber
Doughty
Pietrangelo (yes a lock)
Luongo (again, rewarded for previous tournaments)

Next to sure thing's:
M.Richards
Perry
Keith
Letang
Price
Fluery

Just made it:
Benn - the new Morrow on the team
Eberle - Mr. Clutch and was top 10 in scoring before his injury this year
Tavares - his hands might be best in the world. Has PP time written all over him.
Sharp - Mr. Versatile. If anyone gets hurt or struggles he steps in and no need to shuffle lines.
M. Staal - very strong 2 way play but there to stop others from scoring
Myers - strong rookie season no fluke. Will settle in and be good insurance

Just missed:
Pronger - age has caught up
St. Louis - age will catch up
Bergeron - struggled last time out. But would be #14 if possible
Thornton - has been passed by younger talents
Spezza - as usual just a hair behind the elite
Hall/Seguin/Nugent-Hopkins - not there time yet. Next time likely all locks.
Seabrook - passed by others
Lucic - if Nash isn't around fills big body component
J. Staal - Eric is still a hair better
Getzlaf - lost his way
Duchene/Skinner - see Hall/Seguin/RNH





Final Team
Stamkos-Crosby-Iginla
Nash-Toews-M.Richards (best line in 2010 tournament)
Perry-Giroux-Eberle
Benn-E.Staal-Tavares
ex: Sharp

Weber-Doughty
Keith-M.Staal
Letang-Pietrangelo
ex: Myers

Price-Luongo-Fleury

You have way too many locks. I'd say the only locks are Crosby (If healthy), Stamkos, Giroux, Toews, Perry, Weber, Letang, and Luongo. Everyone else will need to play their way on. Theres people you can say will almost certainly, but that list isn't that large, and I'd say it only contains Price, Pietrangelo and Doughty. Staal was still riding high on previous years when he made 2010, he'll have to have very good seasons to make the team. Same with Nash, Iginla, Keith and many others you think are locks.

Steven Stamkos - John Tavares - Jeff Skinner
James Neal - Sidney Crosby - Claude Giroux
Jamie Benn - Jonathan Toews - Corey Perry
Taylor Hall - Patrice Bergeron - Jordan Eberle
Tyler Seguin/Eric Staal/Jarome Iginla

Shea Weber - Alex Pietrangelo
Kris Letang - Dion Phanuef
Travis Hamonic - Drew Doughty
Karl Alzner

Cam Ward
Carey Price
Roberto Luongo

Canada has had a youth movement recently, and despite succes at 2010 you have to expect it to continue. Expect at least 2 players who had their first season in 2010 to make the team.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

You have way too many locks. I'd say the only locks are Crosby (If healthy), Stamkos, Giroux, Toews, Perry, Weber, Letang, and Luongo. Everyone else will need to play their way on. Theres people you can say will almost certainly, but that list isn't that large, and I'd say it only contains Price, Pietrangelo and Doughty. Staal was still riding high on previous years when he made 2010, he'll have to have very good seasons to make the team. Same with Nash, Iginla, Keith and many others you think are locks.

Steven Stamkos - John Tavares - Jeff Skinner
James Neal - Sidney Crosby - Claude Giroux
Jamie Benn - Jonathan Toews - Corey Perry
Taylor Hall - Patrice Bergeron - Jordan Eberle
Tyler Seguin/Eric Staal/Jarome Iginla

Shea Weber - Alex Pietrangelo
Kris Letang - Dion Phanuef
Travis Hamonic - Drew Doughty
Karl Alzner

Cam Ward
Carey Price
Roberto Luongo

Canada has had a youth movement recently, and despite succes at 2010 you have to expect it to continue. Expect at least 2 players who had their first season in 2010 to make the team.

There are no locks: any player could be injured and play like crap for two full seasons before the olympics.

 

[Bjorn Le]

There are no locks: any player could be injured and play like crap for two full seasons before the olympics.

There are definitely some locks. If Crosby is a 70 point player, he still makes the team. Same with the others.

 

[SwissStef]

Switzerland (very hard):

Damien Brunner - Thibaut Monnet - Roman Wick
Julien Sprunger - Andrei Bykov - Nino Niederreiter
Romano Lemm - Kevin Romy - Sven Bärtschi
Alain Berger - Thomas Deruns - Simon Moser
Andres Ambühl


Mark Streit - Luca Sbisa
Roman Josi - Philippe Furrer
Raphael Diaz - Partik von Gunten
Yannick Weber


Jonas Hiller
Leonardo Genoni
Reto Berra

 

[AimForTopCheddar]

Very tough choices, but I just see all these players in 2 years being elite.
I couldn't see Hall making the team, because imo he's a one dimensional player.

Team Canada 2014
C - Toews A - Crosby A - Nash/E.Staal

Nugent-Hopkins Crosby Stamkos
Tavares Toews Eberle
Benn Couture Giroux
Nash E.Staal Perry
Jeff Skinner/Tyler Segin/Duchene (depending on who has the better two years)

Weber Doughty
Myers Keith
M.Staal Pietroangelo
Del Zotto/Girardi/Letang(depending on who has the better two years)

Price
Fleury
Luongo

Team Sweden 2014
C - H.Sedin A - Zetterberg A - D.Sedin

D. Sedin H. Sedin Eriksson
Zetterberg Backstrom Landeskog
Stalberg Johansson Frazen
Paajarvi Berglund Hornqvist
Steen

Edler Kronwall
Karlsson Hedman
Larsson Enstrom
Hjalmarsson/Ekman-Larsson

Lundqvist
Enroth
Markstrom

Team USA 2014
C - Parise A - Callahan A - Backes

Parise Backes Kane
Couturier Kesler Kessel
Pacioretty Stasny Pominville
van Riemsdyk Pavelski Callahan
Brown/Dubinsky

Suter E.Johnson
Yandle Carlson
Gleason Shattenkirk
J.Johnson

Miller
Quick
Thomas

​

 

[WayneBruce]

Team Sweden 2014
C - H.Sedin A - Zetterberg A - Datsyuk

D. Sedin H. Sedin Eriksson
Zetterberg Backstrom Landeskog
Stalberg Johansson Frazen
Paajarvi Berglund Hornqvist
Steen

Edler Kronwall
Karlsson Hedman
Larsson Enstrom
Hjalmarsson/Ekman-Larsson

Lundqvist
Enroth
Markstrom

Agree, Datsyuk should be the captain though.

 

[AimForTopCheddar]

Agree, Datsyuk should be the captain though.

I messed up, lol I was thinking bout the red wings, because of all the Swedes they have , that I didn't even notice Datsyuk isn't even Swedish

 

[ZDatsZuke]

Sweden


Loui Eriksson Nicklas Backstrom Johan Franzen
Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Mika Zibanejad
Gabriel Landeskog Patrik Berglund Henrik Zetterberg
Alexander Steen Marcus Johansson Carl Hagelin

Erik Karlsson Alexander Edler
Adam Larsson Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Victor Hedman Tobias Enstrom
Niklas Hjalmarsson David Rundblad

Henrik Lundqvist
Jhonas Enroth
Jacob Markstrom

 

[weklof]

TEAM SWEDEN:



Henrik Lundqvist
Jacob Markström
Robin Lehner

HM: Jhonas Enroth, Viktor Fasth

Erik Karlsson - Niklas Hjalmarsson
Tobias Enström - Alexander Edler
Niklas Kronwall (A) - Victor Hedman
Oliver Ekman-Larsson

HM: Adam Larsson, Nicklas Grossman, David Rundblad, Jonas Brodin

Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Gabriel Landeskog (A)
Henrik Zetterberg (C) - Nicklas Bäckström - Loui Eriksson
Jakob Silfverberg - Patrik Berglund - Patric Hörnqvist
Viktor Stålberg - Alexander Steen - Markus Johansson
Carl Hagelin

HM: Johan Franzén (will he still be effective at 35?), Magnus Pääjärvi, Calle Järnkrok, Mika Zibanejad

 

[GermanNuck]

Germany

Mueller-Goc-Schütz
Rieder - Kühnhackl - Noebels (pretty young line, but i'd give it a shot)
Gogulla - Hospelt - Greilinger
Olver - Tripp - Flaake

Seidenberg - Ehrhoff
Sulzer - Holzer
S. Goc - Hördler

Greiss
Endras
Zepp

 

[Sonic Disturbance]

Team Canada

Steven Stamkos - Sidney Crosby (C) - John Tavares
Corey Perry - Ryan Getzlaf - Jordan Eberle
Rick Nash - Jonathan Toews (A) - Mike Richards (A)
James Neal - Matt Duchene - Eric Staal
Jordan Staal

Drew Doughty -Shea Weber
Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook
Dion Phaneuf - Tyler Myers
Luke Schenn

Roberto Luongo
Cam Ward
Marc-Andre Fleury

As you can see, there is definite bias here.

I made this post over a year and a half ago. Since then, a lot has changed.

Updated Roster:

Steven Stamkos - Sidney Crosby (C) - John Tavares
Corey Perry - Claude Giroux - Jordan Eberle
Rick Nash - Jonathan Toews (A) - Eric Staal
James Neal - Patrice Bergeron - Taylor Hall
Jordan Staal

Drew Doughty -Shea Weber (A)
Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook
Kris Letang - Alex Pietrangelo
Dan Girardi

Roberto Luongo
Carey Price
Marc-Andre Fleury

 

[InjuredChoker]

I made this post over a year and a half ago. Since then, a lot has changed.

Updated Roster:

Steven Stamkos - Sidney Crosby (C) - John Tavares
Corey Perry - Claude Giroux - Jordan Eberle
Rick Nash - Jonathan Toews (A) - Eric Staal
James Neal - Patrice Bergeron - Taylor Hall
Jordan Staal

Drew Doughty -Shea Weber (A)
Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook
Kris Letang - Alex Pietrangelo
Dan Girardi

Roberto Luongo
Carey Price
Marc-Andre Fleury

I like this.

Mayne would switch Seabrook with some uprising guy. And maybe Nash, too. We'll see.

 

[Latgale_fan]

LATVIA

DārziņÅ¡ - Sprukts - M. Rēdlihs
Karsums - Girgensons - DaugaviņÅ¡
Ro. Bukarts - Bļugers - Ri. Bukarts
ĶēniņÅ¡ - DžeriņÅ¡ - Jekimovs

Bartulis- Kulda
Pujacs- K. Redlihs
Galvins- Cibulskis

Masalskis
KalniņÅ¡

 

[Czech Your Math]

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

I'd add Jagr at this point. He's almost certainly coming back next year. The following year will be the Olympic year, and even if he decides to retire from the NHL before that season, he would probably be playing in Czech league at that point. Either way, barring major injury, he's going to be playing hockey in 2014.

The fact that the Olympics are in Russia, where he spent 4 seasons, makes it even more probable IMO.

 

[zorz]

I'd add Jagr at this point. He's almost certainly coming back next year. The following year will be the Olympic year, and even if he decides to retire from the NHL before that season, he would probably be playing in Czech league at that point. Either way, barring major injury, he's going to be playing hockey in 2014.

The fact that the Olympics are in Russia, where he spent 4 seasons, makes it even more probable IMO.

I don't think Jagr will play there.

 

[Baba Booey]

Canada

Giroux-Crosby-Stamkos

Hall-Tavares-Eberle

Nash-Toews-Perry

Benn-Couture-Seguin
E.Staal

Pietrangelo-Weber

Keith-Seabrook

Letang-Burns
M.Staal

Price
MAF
Ward

 

[The Noot]

Let's have a try with Team Switzerland

Nino Niederreiter - Luca i - Damien Brunner
# Scoring line: i as playmaker, Niederreiter and Brunner as scorers. Able to play a gritty game.
Sven Bärtschi - Andrej Bykov - Julien Sprunger
# Scoring line: Bykow and Bärtschi are fast, great passers while Sprunger is a cold scorer. Could be a little soft, but we should see some beautiful plays from this line.
Joël Vermin - Peter Guggisberg - Roman Wick
# Scoring line: Peter Guggisberg is (when he's healthy) whithout a doubt the most spectacular player in Switzerland: Great hands, plays a gritty game, very, VERY fast... Roman Wick is a great allrounder for the wings and Joël Vermin does, despite his age, a great job in Bern. Risky line, but if it works...
Gregory Sciaroni - Andres Ambühl - Thomas Deruns
# Grinding line: Ambühl, Deruns and Sciaroni are playing an annoying game. All of them are great forecheckers and could be useful playing against the top lines.
Christoph Bertschy
# Well, no other options

Mark Streit (if still playing) - Luca Sbisa
# No comment needed
Roman Josi - Partick von Gunten
# 2 solid 2-way Ds, could develop a great chemistry
Raphael Diaz - Philippe Furrer
# PMD + Checking threat
Yannick Weber (?)
# Oh well, no other options so far


Jonas Hiller
# No comment needed (Everybody who saw Hillers games in 2010 knows what I mean)
Leonardo Genoni
# Small, but great positioning, great reflexes, reads the game well and is alway cold as a cucumber. Very, VERY solid backup.
Reto Berra / Tobias Stephan
# Berra based on last season. Stephan is the "safe" pick.


Surprisingly good depth at C, solid wingers, good D, great goaltending
This team could surprise

 

[ahawowow]

In a word... "No".

I can see Yakupov making it.