Bob MacKenzies team last night.

[wildone26*]

Iginla Sakic Gagne
LeCavalier Richards St. Louis
Doan Thorton Heatley
Draper Bertuzzi Nash(if he plays before the date)if not Nash Smyth
Crosby probably

Niedermayer Pronger
Blake Jovanovski
Redden Rhegher
Foote probably

Brodeur Luongo Joseph

This is the team Bob MacKenzie says will likely be picked on Sportscentre the other night. I dont think he was putting them in lines so much, as most gauranteed to least gauranteed.

He says Nash will get the 12th forward if coming back a week from now is enough to satisfy the selectors, if not it will be Smyth. As well that Crosby will get the 13th forward spot probably over Spezza and Staal.

Click to read more...

 

[katodelder]

Don't forget MacKenzie also suggested the possibility that if Nash is good to go, Smyth could still get the 13th spot over all 3 kids (Crosby, Staal, Spezza).


I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing Crosby win out over Staal and Spezza. Let's see what this kid's got!


If Crosby makes it, would there be any other teenagers at the Olympics?

I can only think of Kopitar (had Slovenia qualified) and Malkin (unlikely his Russian Club would release him for both the World Juniors AND Olympics though).

 

[arrbez]

If Crosby makes it, would there be any other teenagers at the Olympics?

I figure Malkin has a good shot for Russia, considering he's dominating in the RSL, and they seem to be doing a youth movement

 

[NewGuy]

Iginla Sakic Gagne
LeCavalier Richards St. Louis
Doan Thorton Heatley
Draper Bertuzzi Nash(if he plays before the date)if not Nash Smyth
Crosby probably

Niedermayer Pronger
Blake Jovanovski
Redden Rhegher
Foote probably

Brodeur Luongo Joseph

This is the team Bob MacKenzie says will likely be picked on Sportscentre the other night. I dont think he was putting them in lines so much, as most gauranteed to least gauranteed.

He says Nash will get the 12th forward if coming back a week from now is enough to satisfy the selectors, if not it will be Smyth. As well that Crosby will get the 13th forward spot probably over Spezza and Staal.

It's funny how Luongo gets a free pass when he has looked bad the past month and horrible the past week. I can't understand why he is such a lock for the team.

 

[Fripp]

Same can be said for a few people on the list, most obviously Brodeur and Jovo.

 

[dem]

No Ryan Smyth makes this grown man cry

 

[MentalPowerHouse]

Smyth should be on the team no doubt, he's playing well and always been there for the team. He should easily be over Doan atleast, as they are similar players in what they bring. He should be ahead of Bertuzzi.

Spezza should be ahead of Crosby, Crosby doesn't deserve to go yet. He needs to either play his way unto the team, which he hasn't, or earn his way which he also hasn't. He can play in the world championship for a few years.

McCabe should be also be on the team. With Pronger, Scotty, Redden, and Regher you have your top 4. McCabe for bottom pairing power play specialist.

 

[SpItFiReZ]

Luongo will be on the team regardless. To be honest I think it will be Brodeur, Luongo, Theodore. I don't think Joesph gets chosen. IMO he's the 5th goalie behind the three already mentioned and Turco. Turco might squeeze out Theodore too but I doubt it. Luongo has been a back up at the world cup, played in world juniors, played in world championships. He's most likely the heir apparent to Brodeur.

 

[Oilerfan120582]

I'll trust Gretzky, but I can't understand what Draper and Bertuzzi have possibly done to deserve a spot on this team.

I think Doan is ahead of Smyth exclusively because Gretzky coaches Phoenix, and Jovanovski is on the list purely based on reputation.

It couldn't hurt to take Crosby if he's just going to be the 13th forward.

 

[futurcorerock]

Spezza should go leaps and bounds above Crosby. If he gets overlooked, I wish nothing but last place for Team Canada and their Crosby crush mantra

 

[Steveorama]

Spezza should go leaps and bounds above Crosby. If he gets overlooked, I wish nothing but last place for Team Canada and their Crosby crush mantra

So, if Crosby played on Ottawa instead of Pittsburgh, you don't think he would have 14 more points?
Or are you touting Spezza's defensive prowess?

 

[pei fan]

Spezza should go leaps and bounds above Crosby. If he gets overlooked, I wish nothing but last place for Team Canada and their Crosby crush mantra

Don't you ever give up?

 

[BIG GIFS]

Spezza should go leaps and bounds above Crosby. If he gets overlooked, I wish nothing but last place for Team Canada and their Crosby crush mantra

South Park rules

 

[Claypool_*]

What has Jovanovski done in his career to warrent being on Team Canada? Surely they can find someone else.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

What has Jovanovski done in his career to warrent being on Team Canada? Surely they can find someone else.

Things Jovanovski has done in his career to warrant a Team Canada selction:

2004 World Cup Champion
2002 Olympic Gold Medallist

Those are two big things that Gretzky surely likes about him. Canada is 2-for-2 whenever Jovanovski is on the team.

And as the old saying goes: Why fix it if it isn't broken?

You will see a lot of players on the 2006 team that were on the 2002 and 2004 teams.

 

[dem]

Things Jovanovski has done in his career to warrant a Team Canada selction:

2004 World Cup Champion
2002 Olympic Gold Medallist

And he looked awful at both

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

And he looked awful at both

He looked awful at both? He was arguably Canada's best defenseman at the 2002 Olympics.

 

[TheDynasty]

And he looked awful at both

There goes the credibility. Jovocop was one of the best d-men at the Olympics that year.

Not a bad team. I dunno why Gretzky is so set on having Bertuzzi on the freaking team this year, The Great One has been ranting about Bertuzzi since the Moore incident. I mean if you're arguing that Jovo goes over other players like McCabe due to more international experience, you have to give Smyth the same benefit over a player like Bertuzzi.

And I think Turco should be taken over one of those goalies. He's been the best Canadian goalie over the past bit in my opinion.

 

[RandV]

I'll trust Gretzky, but I can't understand what Draper and Bertuzzi have possibly done to deserve a spot on this team.

I think Doan is ahead of Smyth exclusively because Gretzky coaches Phoenix, and Jovanovski is on the list purely based on reputation.

It couldn't hurt to take Crosby if he's just going to be the 13th forward.

In defense of Bertuzzi, what has Doan done to warrant a spot on team Canada either? A lot of people are saying Bertuzzi is playing his way off the team, but who else is there playing their way on to replace him? St. Louis? Doan? Neither have been impressive either. Even Iginla's only two points up on Bertuzzi, with 1 extra game played. Heatly's been the only outstanding RW so far this year. Or is he playing on the left side?

And yeah, I'd say that obviously isn't a lineup from Bob. If Nash makes it, he'll be playing with Thornton for sure. Personally with those players, I'd leave out St. Louis and do soemthing like this.

Gagne Sakic Heatley
Richards LeCavalier Iginla
Nash Thornton Bertuzzi
Smyth-Draper-Doan
Crosby/St.Louis

 

[Tricolore#20]

And he looked awful at both

He was Canada's best defenseman at the 2002 Olympics actually. He also set up some of the most crucial goals for Canada in that tournament (He assisted on Adam Foote's winning goal against Germany, he contributed to Nieuwendyk's goal against the Czechs and he was also a pivotal piece of Joe Sakic's game winner against the States).

In the 2004 World Cup, he got injured in the first game in the States. I think that injury (which probably lingered into the spring) and the fact that he didn't play hockey at all last year (outside of Florida rec leagues that is) contributed to his awful showing at the Worlds last Spring in Austria. I think you are referring to his brutal play in that tournament alone, which probably isn't fair considering the reasons I just listed.

I'm not a big Jovo fan, but I understand his value to a team like Canada, and it was clearly evident in Salt Lake.

 

[ginner classic]

And he looked awful at both

So very wrong. He and Nieds were otstanding in 2002, he was very solid in the World Cup. Still one of the ten best in the world and a better skater than all but Niedermayer on the Canadian side.

 

[Slats432]

As an Oiler fan it sounds biased...but Ryan Smyth is Captain Canada and should go.

I think Spezza over Crosby.

My team Canada is..

Gagne Sakic Iginla
Richards Lecavalier St. Louis
Nash Spezza Heatley
Smyth Thornton Bertuzzi
Draper or Morrow

Niedermayer Pronger
Blake Foote
Regher Redden
McCabe(And I hate the Leafs )

Brodeur
Luongo
Joseph

 

[ginner classic]

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

Nash (spare), or Staal or Morrison (two way centers the team lacks)
Draper does not deserve to be there anymore.

Niedermayer Redden
Pronger Blake
Regher Jovo


McCabe spare

Foote has been poor this year

Theodore
Luongo
Brodeur

 

[Grizz MacArthur]

As a Sens fan, I don't think Spezza should be picked for Team Canada. He's very one-dimensional and I feel at this time that there are other players who should take that 13th spot ahead of Spezza...personally, I hope Eric Staal makes the team - he's for real.

My forwards would be:

Gagne-Sakic-Iginla
Richards-Lecavalier-Bertuzzi
Heatley-Thornton-Nash
Smyth-Draper-Doan
Staal

 

[Oiltown16]

I think Smyth should go as well, and think he will. Lets not forget K. Lowe is also a part of Team Canada Selection.

A line of Smyth - Thornton - Bertuzzi/Doan would be absolutely impossible to play against. I think it would be the ultimate energy line. Smyth may not be as big as the other guys, but gets it done in the corners and out front as good as any.