Blake Out For World Cup?

[Aaron Vickers]

www.tsn.ca
http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=89110

TSN is running an article stating that Wayne Gretzky does not expect to have defenseman Rob Blake at the World Cup, due to an injury.

Not to fear, though, as Gretzky named his replacement. Although not a forward, 'The Great One' had no fear naming another Blake, Blake Wheeler, to the club.

Click to read more...

 

[Burnaby_Joe*]

Well, that sucks. Canada has so much depth on D, it's not even funny. I hope they bring in Stevens.

 

[Papa Smurf]

There goes our WC win hopes.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

I really hope he'll play... If not, it will be a big problem to team canada

 

[Canuck21t]

Well, that sucks. Canada has so much depth on D, it's not even funny. I hope they bring in Stevens.

Please no Stevens. Anyone but Stevens.

 

[arrbez]

well, although it's a big loss because he's arguably our best defenseman, i don't think it's the end of the world.

i'd just have niedermayer/pronger and jovanovski/redden paired together and taking most of the icetime, with any combination of brewer, foote, regehr, and whoever replaces blake filling whats left. he's awsome, but this isn't like if slovakia lost chara. canada has a ton of depth on defense, and there's a lot of very good replacements out there

-bouwmeester
-mccabe
-souray
-phillips
-hannan
-stevens (if healthy)
-smith
-morris
-aucoin

i think we'll be fine. the defense is still better than any other country

 

[Burnaby_Joe*]

If Blake can't play.

Niedermayer Foote
Stevens Jovanovski
Pronger Redden

 

[arrbez]

speak of the devil, i'm 99% sure i saw adam foote at my friend's junior B lacrosse game tonight in markham (oddly enough). i was really considering going up to him and asking about how hurt blake is, but he was with his kids, and i didnt want to be told to screw off by a member of team canada. it would hurt my pride.

 

[Burnaby_Joe*]

speak of the devil, i'm 99% sure i saw adam foote at my friend's junior B lacrosse game tonight in markham (oddly enough). i was really considering going up to him and asking about how hurt blake is, but he was with his kids, and i didnt want to be told to screw off by a member of team canada. it would hurt my pride.

You seen Adam Foote? You lucky *******.

 

[leafaholix*]

speak of the devil, i'm 99% sure i saw adam foote at my friend's junior B lacrosse game tonight in markham (oddly enough). i was really considering going up to him and asking about how hurt blake is, but he was with his kids, and i didnt want to be told to screw off by a member of team canada. it would hurt my pride.

I wouldn't go up to him for different reasons... but if you were to approach him, he's 100% class and wouldn't tell you to screw off.

 

[ZombieMatt]

It would definitely not help Canada if Blake was unable to play.

That said, to me, Canada's depth at D is entirely unmatched by any other nation. I would be comfortable icing Canada's 7-14 best defenceman against the other countries.

Losing Rob Blake is a major blow, if it happens, but all it means is somebody who was on the team before that wasn't going to play (Read two of Brewer, Redden, or Regehr to me) will now see ice time. Plus, we have to name somebody else to the squad. No other country can lose a top defenceman and as a consolation have to name a Jay Bouwmeester, Scott Stevens, Scott Hannan, or whatever to the roster.