2006 Lineup. Greatest Ever?

[MrMastodonFarm*]

I don't know why Regehr is off everyones list, he has been Canada's best Dman so far.

Meh, who cares?

He is 24 years old and him and Niedermayer have been Canada's top unit. A 26 year old Regehr will be that much better then he is now, he will be on the team, no worries about that.

 

[Gags1288]

I still thinking hes falling in the offensive category, hes becoming more a two way forward that puts up mediocore numbers around like 40-45 range. I meant by decline, that he is slumping to a point where is no longer depended on to score points. This is all my opinon though

Maybe and just maybe and I could be really off on this, but maybe it's because he's spent the last 2 seasons playing on a checking line. When he was moved to a scoring line, he played at a 40+ goal clip over a 20 game period and he's shown incredible talent and ability in this 04 tourney.

Ken Hitchcock is trying to mold him into the next Mike Modano and imo, he's starting to get very close. He's already one of the league's best defensive forwards and he's shown he's capable of being a top offensive forward. This year he'll be on a scoring line and if he doesn't put up 35 goals and 65 points (assuming there's a full season) i'll be shocked.

If Gagne at 21 is good enough for the team and Gagne at 24 after 2 sub-par seasons is good enough for the team, then in Gretzky's eyes, I think he'll always be good enough for the team.

 

[Joe_Sakic#19]

Gagne should, and will make the team in 2006 in my opinion.

 

[#2]

If Gagne at 21 is good enough for the team and Gagne at 24 after 2 sub-par seasons is good enough for the team, then in Gretzky's eyes, I think he'll always be good enough for the team.

I think your off there, for example a 20 year old Kariya is good enough to make the 1994 Olympic Squad, a 24 year old Kariya is able to make the Olympic Squad in 98, a 28 year old Kariya is able to make the Olympic Squad in 2002, but now at the age of 29 he is unable to make the Wold Cup Team, Why so, its because he had one really bad season this year and their was just to much talent elsewhere to not pick them so they passed on Kariya.

Just because Gagne played twice for team Canada doesnt ensure him another spot on the team,

 

[Rowsdower]

Only on this website.

Yep.


I'm sure this is blasphemy here at HF, but I think Crosby has little chance of making the roster 1/2 a year into his professional career. He may not even be able to stick in the NHL. I know it's hard, but let's remember there isn't any guarentee Crosby is even going to be close to what the hype is, and he isn't going to step right into the league and start putting up 90 points. Canada, as usual, will have a wealth of top flight guys to choose from.....there are easily a full roster of Canadien fowards I would hope would be chosen over Crosby and I honestly don't see Crosby making it otherwise. If he makes it, it'll likely be strictly from his hype, and IMO undeserved.

....and wheter he does or does not, I don't think the roster is the best ever.

 

[Youreallygotme]

Luongo
Jeff Deslauriers/Ray Emery

Assuming all young players develope accordingly and Veterans age gracefully

errr Deslauriers? talk about a homer pick. Anyways, Broduer and Luongo will still be there, if not then well we'll talk about Theodore, Fleury, Leclaire, Oullett, Turco, Garon, before even considering Deslauriers.

Heres the Players That IMO Are locks for this dream team

Lecavalier
St. Louis
Richards
Iginla
Gagne
Neidermayer
Jovo
Pronger
Luongo
Brodeur
Bouwmeester
Heatley(If he's not in jail)
Nash
Jovo
Redden
Brewer
Smyth
Thornton
Sakic
Blake


Likely additions:
Tanguay
Spezza
M.A.Fleury
Doan
Regehr

???:
Bertuzzi
Lemieux
Crosby

This is all my opinion of course. So my projected lineup would be:
Lw C RW
Nash Lecavalier Iginla
Tanguay Sakic Heatley
Gagne Richards St. Louis
Smyth Thornton Doan
Spezza, Crosby

Neids - Pronger
Jovo - Foote
Blake - Redden
Bouwmeester, Regehr, Brewer

Luongo
Brodeur
Fleury

So yes, I would agree it's not looking too bad for us in the near future Then again, Theyll probably ruin it by not signing the CBA soon enough to get nhlers back into the olympics.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Luongo
Jeff Deslauriers/

I have seen Devan Dubnyk listed on this site as better potential then Lehtonen and MA Fluery on this site, not Deslauriers is going to be on team Canada. Wow, what a power house Edmonton will be in only two years.

 

[pei fan]

Yep.


I'm sure this is blasphemy here at HF, but I think Crosby has little chance of making the roster 1/2 a year into his professional career. He may not even be able to stick in the NHL. I know it's hard, but let's remember there isn't any guarentee Crosby is even going to be close to what the hype is, and he isn't going to step right into the league and start putting up 90 points. Canada, as usual, will have a wealth of top flight guys to choose from.....there are easily a full roster of Canadien fowards I would hope would be chosen over Crosby and I honestly don't see Crosby making it otherwise. If he makes it, it'll likely be strictly from his hype, and IMO undeserved.

....and wheter he does or does not, I don't think the roster is the best ever.

I take it you have never seen him play live if you think he might not stick in the
nhl.About the roster being the best,I think there have been better forwards.
The defence will be awesome by 2006 and you can't improve very much on the
goaltending .Alot of these players will still be around in 2010 when Sidney is in his prime, then the team will be amazing.Another point whether or not it will be
Canada's best ,I don't think Canada has ever had as much depth as they have
now and in the near future.

 

[mattihp]

I take it you have never seen him play live if you think he might not stick in the
nhl.

Exact same thing was said about Pat Falloon.

 

[Gags1288]

I think your off there, for example a 20 year old Kariya is good enough to make the 1994 Olympic Squad, a 24 year old Kariya is able to make the Olympic Squad in 98, a 28 year old Kariya is able to make the Olympic Squad in 2002, but now at the age of 29 he is unable to make the Wold Cup Team, Why so, its because he had one really bad season this year and their was just to much talent elsewhere to not pick them so they passed on Kariya.

Just because Gagne played twice for team Canada doesnt ensure him another spot on the team,

You must consider that Gagne had 2 sub-par seasons and was still named to the team. Why? Because his all around game is developing into one of the leagues best. Even if he's not scoring 35 goals a season, he still adds great speed and defensive ability to the team, something Kariya does not. I just don't see Gagne being left off the team in favor of someone like Tanguay. If it was going to happen, this year would've been the right time to replace Gagne after Tanguay had a great season and Gagne an average offensive year.

 

[degroat*]

If he is able to stay healthy over the next two years, Barret Jackman has a VERY good chance to make that team.

 

[mattihp]

If he is able to stay healthy over the next two years, Barret Jackman has a VERY good chance to make that team.

I'd agree.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Yep.


I'm sure this is blasphemy here at HF, but I think Crosby has little chance of making the roster 1/2 a year into his professional career. He may not even be able to stick in the NHL. I know it's hard, but let's remember there isn't any guarentee Crosby is even going to be close to what the hype is, and he isn't going to step right into the league and start putting up 90 points. Canada, as usual, will have a wealth of top flight guys to choose from.....there are easily a full roster of Canadien fowards I would hope would be chosen over Crosby and I honestly don't see Crosby making it otherwise. If he makes it, it'll likely be strictly from his hype, and IMO undeserved.

....and wheter he does or does not, I don't think the roster is the best ever.

This is a year and a half away and you say if he makes it, it will be undeserved? Way to keep an open mind.

 

[Mountain Dude]

I know i'm missing some talented guys but i think those are gurantees from my list.

Bertuzzi - hes known to be a hot head at times(not just cause of Moores incident) and Wayne and company may find someone to replace him on the roster.

Lecavalier - Yes he is really good, but he wasnt even on the squad initially, inconsistent at times, although he is improving.

Tanguay - Hes very incosistent, the guy goes up and down like a see saw, didnt even make the squad this year despite having a great outing this season.

Bouwmeester - He still has to prove he can help out offensivley, by 2006 if he hasnt shown that i think he could miss the team as lots of young talent are on the uprise on defense, such as Hamhuis, Brad Stuart etc.. plus if key players like Pronger, Blake(join the team) as well as Redden(injured in the world cup), all guys who were ahead of Bouwmeester to make the lineup.

Gagne - Simon Gagne is on the decline in his career imo, he started off really strong but seems to have faded a bit and i dont think he is a gurantee to make the roster in 06.

St.Louis - The guy has been playing great i'll give him that, but his size could play a factor in hid NHL careers, not so much putting up points but more in the sense he is more able to get injured(such as Kariya).

Again my list before was just who i thought Were Gurantee's

I disagree with every single thing you said there.

 

[Randall Graves*]

Phanuef is becoming very overrated here....to leave off Jovo and Scott Niedermayer in favor of him is showing people need to calm down about this guy.

Also any team without Yzerman and Lemieux will be hard pressed to be the best ever.

 

[pei fan]

Exact same thing was said about Pat Falloon.

Wow,1489 posts since Aug.2004 and I bet you thought them all out as well
as this one.

 

[mattihp]

Wow,1489 posts since Aug.2004 and I bet you thought them all out as well
as this one.

Well... 1000 of them are useless. But Pat Falloon was called a "can't miss" player.

 

[xtra]

I thought i read somewhere that Bertuzzi woudl have been on the WC team had he not been suspended (said by Gretz) so i would find it hard to belive that Bertuzzi if he keeps up his level of play would not be on that team.


I think Bert is a lock to make that team and that there is slim to none chance that Crosby makes taht team and slim just walked out the door.

 

[Rowsdower]

This is a year and a half away and you say if he makes it, it will be undeserved? Way to keep an open mind.

I am saying if he makes the squad, I feel it will mostly be because of the hype surrounding him, moreso than his actual performance. Hell, he could prove me wrong, but he'd have to have a hell of a performance in the opening months. If you ask me, the odds are against him. He will likely have a tenure in the Olympics, but to suggest he will walk right in, especially on the team with the deepest wealth of skilled hockey players, is IMO a bit overly optimistic. Sorry if I struck a nerve among the Crosby fanclub ranks. Unlike posters on internet messageboards, I assume the people who develop these Olympic teams go to the proven, experienced talent, and not overhyped teenagers. On a contender of Canada's level, there may not be room for both.

 

[me2]

If Regher keeps up his current level of play I think he's close to a lock for the at least a 5-7 position.

Neidermayer will be there.

Jovo will be there if he gets his head on straight. He's there now and I'm not sure any of the young guys are going to bump him out while a couple of the older guys might drop off themselves.

Blake on current form he's a lock, but in 2006 is question mark for mine. He plays the type of game where he could drop away quickly if he get a few injuries at his age. It remains to be seen if a 36 year old Blake is going to be as good as he his now.

My top 7 in no particular order or pairings

Pronger-Neidermayer
Redden-Bouwmeester
Blake-Jovo
Regher

================================

Stuart is an outside chance, Hamhuis is another dark horse.

Phaneuf? 1%, 2% chance on his lucky day with moon in alignment and the wind blowing in right direction. At best he might be carried as a spare for the experience.

Foote is the guy I can see gettting bumped. I think he might be gone by 2006 (age might get him).

Brewer will be under pressure to crack the top 7.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Phaneuf? 1%, 2% chance on his lucky day with moon in alignment and the wind blowing in right direction. At best he might be carried as a spare for the experience.

Exactly. Phaneuf will be in the same position Bousmeester was this year. Bouwmeester was named to the team after two guys got hurt, and then only played after two more guys got injured. Phaneuf will be in the same longshot catagory, and their is no shame in that.

 

[CoupeStanley]

Exact same thing was said about Pat Falloon.

Well. Did Pat Falloon was named CHL PLAYER OF THE YEAR at 16 ? Crosby is way better in every facet of the game at this point that any overhyped player has ever been. You need to watch the kid play to understand how special he is. I've watch Daigle play a lot in junior, same for Lecavalier. They were special but clearly didnt have the same hockey sense Crosby have. It just doesnt compare. His hockey sense is off the chart. Best I've witness since Gretzky/Lemieux. You just can't stop watching him when he is on the ice, you're always on the impression you gonna miss something.

----------- back on thread topic
If Lemieux is still playing he is on the squad thats not even a question.

Sure forward bet if they are playing

Lemieux
Sakic
Lecavalier
Richards
Gagné
Iginla
Thornton
Heatley
Nash

D
Pronger
Redden
Jovanovski
Blake
Bouwmeester
Brewer

Sure G
At this point,
Brodeur

Luongo havent done anything yet that impress me enough to though of him as a perennial top goalie. The only thing he has shown yet is that he's able to loose while keeping a very good save percentage out of 35 shots a game.

Theodore, well, I think he will but you'll say I'm an homer. And I will admit their is a justifiable amount of doubt in his case.

Crosby gonna make the squad, maybe as a sub, for the same reason Bouwmeester made this squad. Canada think they are their next big thing and they want them to gain international experience.

 

[me2]

Exactly. Phaneuf will be in the same position Bousmeester was this year. Bouwmeester was named to the team after two guys got hurt, and then only played after two more guys got injured. Phaneuf will be in the same longshot catagory, and their is no shame in that.

None at all. In fact its a honour to be recognised as player worth grooming for the future.

 

[Rowsdower]

Sure forward bet if they are playing

Lemieux
Sakic
Lecavalier
Richards
Gagné
Iginla
Thornton
Heatley
Nash

D
Pronger
Redden
Jovanovski
Blake
Bouwmeester
Brewer

Sure G
At this point,
Brodeur

Marty St. Louis, Shane Doan, Ryan Smyth, Patrick Marleau, Alex Tanguay and Brendan Morrow are a few names that will likely be in there as well. There's also gonna be a Peca/Draper/Primeau type or two in there. I'd like to think Spezza will make a push as well.

 

[mattihp]

I wouldn't want to comment about Crosby being on it before he's hit the NHL.

It seems every other year or so there's someone who's "greater than the rest" and a sure fire next one.