Possible 2010 Canada Team

[John Flyers Fan]

That's the way it's been for years. In fact, Tanguay and Gagne both played centre in junior, but were shifted to the wing once they reached the show. Jeff Carter and Mike Cammelleri are more recent examples of that. On a broader scale, Marian Hossa was a centre when he was drafted, too.

Carter has been briefly experimented on the wing, but Hitch wants to keep him at center. R.J. Umberger has been moved to the wing.

 

[TRask]

Gagne-Thornton-Nash
Staal-Lecalvier-Crosby
Bell-Bergeron-Horton
Getzlaf-M.Richards-Carter

Taxi: B.Richards-Spezza

Redden-Phaneuf
Stuart-Bouwmeester
Hannan-Regher

Taxi: B.Stuart-Seabrook

Luango
Fluerry

 

[YungGunner94]

just wondering...what does patrick marleau need to do besides you know be on pace for 30+ goals and close to 60 some assists for you guys to look at him as one of canadas best players. o yea and he's the captain and face of his team.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

just wondering...what does patrick marleau need to do besides you know be on pace for 30+ goals and close to 60 some assists for you guys to look at him as one of canadas best players. o yea and he's the captain and face of his team.

I think that the depth at the C position of Team Canada is hurting him. Its tough to make a team when the top C's are Sakic, Richards, Lecavalier and Thornton.

 

[wildone26*]

No way will Nash be on the team. He was useless in Turino and people will realize by then that Rick Nash will never be part of a winning team. If Nash is on the team I gaurantee no gold for Canada, gauranteed, I know he is only one player but a team will never win with him on it.

 

[deandebean]

In 4 years from now, a hotshot bantam or even pee-wee player could become the next Crosby. We should wait before putting a team together.

 

[Ganz]

homer pick....put MAB in there as a puck moving defenseman

 

[Nihilism]

Brodeur, Luongo, Fleury

Niedermayer, Phaneuf, Regehr, Hannan, Bouwmeester, Redden, Marc Staal

Crosby, Eric Staal, Heatley, Thornton, Iginla, Nash, Tanguay, Morrow, Carter, Gagne, Richards, LeCavalier, Spezza

 

[Remax]

Ok, here we go:

If all are playing to their best abilities

Gagne--Crosby--Staal
Heatley--Spezza--Nash
Iginla--Thornton--Bertuzzi
Morrow--Richards--Horton

Redden--Niedermayer
Bouwmeester--Phaneuf
McCabe--Regehr

Luongo
MA Fleury
Turco

Taxi: Marleau, Tavares/Toews, Hannan/Staal/Seabrook

 

[Hockeyfan02]

richards, lecavalier & st. louis need to be dropped from the team.

Good idea, just gives them more time to rest up and own the Flyers like they have the last 2 years.

I don't think St. Louis will be back, but Lecavalier and Richards have to be considered. They played better in the tourney than some of the guys being listed as locks for 2010, Richards was probably the best forward as he was running the point on the PP, killing penalties, and on the ice for key situations. Lecavalier looked below average the first few games, but then when Smyth was put on a line with him and St. Louis he seemed to really pick his game up. Canada obviously has a lot of talent that's up and coming, but I would be surprised if Richards and Lecavalier aren't on the team/taxi squad in 2010.

 

[Golden Slumbers]

Not sure why there's so much irrational Redden hate.

He wasn't the reason the team lost, but he didn't help them win either. You could say the same about all of the D, and most of the forwards too.

 

[Gags1288]

I'm not going to chime in with a full lineup, but am I the only one that thinks a line with Mike Fisher and Mike Richards would be flat out nasty to play against? Throw in another solid two-way winger (maybe Bergeron) and they'd be a flat out awesome 3rd or 4th line.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I'm not going to chime in with a full lineup, but am I the only one that thinks a line with Mike Fisher and Mike Richards would be flat out nasty to play against? Throw in another solid two-way winger (maybe Bergeron) and they'd be a flat out awesome 3rd or 4th line.

I still don't know how Mike Fisher wasn't named to the 88 man list to start the season this year after playing in the World Championships last season. I know he was hurt early, but he would have looked good on the 4th line, not that it would have made much of a difference.

 

[big_steve]

Simon Gagne(A)-Sidney Crosby-Jarome Iginla(C)
Alex Tanguay-Jason Spezza-Dany Heatley
Eric Staal-Joe Thornton-Rick Nash
Patrice Bergeron-Vincent Lecavalier-Shane Doan
13th Forward: Brad Richards

Dion Phaneuf-Scott Niedermayer(A)
Jay Bouwmeester-Ed Jovanovski
Chris Pronger(A)-Wade Redden
7th Defenseman- Eric Brewer

Starting Goalie- Roberto Luongo
Backup Goalie- Martin Brodeur
Third Goalie- Marc-Andre Fleury

 

[habs9]

A few mentioned and a few not

Bergeron, Bergeron, Bergeron....I predict he will be our heart and soul leading to Crosby's supreme talent. He could have done better than Thornton this year which he is doing in Boston. Maybe not Art Ross but a winner.

I second Bourdon and Justin Willimas and also think Seabrook may develop. Are Ballard and Gleason Canadian? Keep Doan and Smyth. Get rid of Thornton, St. Louis and Draper and Sakic, Blake, Foote will be too old.

Not mentioned and would have looked good this year if not injured although he wasn't selected anyway. Briere.

Marleau will still be useful. Agree with adding Cheechoo, and definetly think Brule will be a huge benefit over this years. Also Horton or Stewart may be ready.

I agree that Iginla, Gagne, Heatley, Lecavalier need to continue to show something to make up for this tournament. Maybe the lockout had an impact on them that will take time. Gagne and Heatley stats wise are benefiting from Forsberg and Spezza.

 

[big_steve]

This team needs a checking line. I'd like to have Bergeron with Crosby but like I said, the team needs a checking line.

 

[clefty]

just wondering...what does patrick marleau need to do besides you know be on pace for 30+ goals and close to 60 some assists for you guys to look at him as one of canadas best players. o yea and he's the captain and face of his team.

What does he need to do? Actually being one of their best would be a start.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Some great names being thrown around. My general thoughts:

1) Since there is NO time to practice, maybe select guys that play on the same line? Example from this year: bring Tanguay to play with Sakic, Spezza to play with Heatley, etc. Could maybe have a Brule/Nash, Staal/Williams and a Carter/Gagne match-up.
2) Have more practice time during the summer camp on the larger ice surface.
3) Actually see who is playing well instead of having "legacy" selections. Example would be St. Louis.
4) Not sure if a pre-selection physical is required, but tell the players that it doesn't help for them to go to the Olympics and not be effective because of a bad groin, broken bone in foot, etc.

 

[therealdeal]

just wondering...what does patrick marleau need to do besides you know be on pace for 30+ goals and close to 60 some assists for you guys to look at him as one of canadas best players. o yea and he's the captain and face of his team.

Well he crapped out in the World Cup and World Championships, so he probably lost his chance, not to mention the Center position is locked up so tight he doesn't have a hope in hell.

Bergeron
Crosby
Richards
Lecavelier
Thornton
Staal
Spezza

And that doesn't even make space for a checking center.

 

[joe sacco]

No way will Nash be on the team. He was useless in Turino and people will realize by then that Rick Nash will never be part of a winning team. If Nash is on the team I gaurantee no gold for Canada, gauranteed, I know he is only one player but a team will never win with him on it.

this is one of the most ridiculous posts i have seen, and normally i don't call people out but this one definitely warrants it. a 21-year old who has already led the league in goals once, playing on a below average team will never win because he didn't have a good tournament. if you've ever seen him play you'd know he is a gamebreaker who is just scratching the surface. a 21-year old should not be the one relied upon to be the go-to guy in a tournament like this. good work coming up with valid reasons to support this theory..."people will realize by then that rick nash will never be part of a winning team. If Nash is on the team I gaurantee no gold for Canada, gauranteed, I know he is only one player but a team will never win with him on it." fantastic post. i hope to continue hearing your insightful observations for many years to come.

 

[joe sacco]

if you were being sarcastic i apologize.

 

[deathbear]

yeah, i thought he was serious too. absurd to say the least.

 

[HellsBells]

If you are going to drop Vinny and Marty, then drop Iginla and Thornton, at least the Tampa guys tried to do something!!!

This is perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever read.

So although none of them did anything, the Tampa guys were trying but Iginla and Thornton were not.....okay.

 

[wildone26*]

this is one of the most ridiculous posts i have seen, and normally i don't call people out but this one definitely warrants it. a 21-year old who has already led the league in goals once, playing on a below average team will never win because he didn't have a good tournament. if you've ever seen him play you'd know he is a gamebreaker who is just scratching the surface. a 21-year old should not be the one relied upon to be the go-to guy in a tournament like this. good work coming up with valid reasons to support this theory..."people will realize by then that rick nash will never be part of a winning team. If Nash is on the team I gaurantee no gold for Canada, gauranteed, I know he is only one player but a team will never win with him on it." fantastic post. i hope to continue hearing your insightful observations for many years to come.

I have said for years Nash will never be part of a winning team and I have always been right so far. Never on a winning team as a junior, in an international tournament, on any team, unless you count the Spengler Cup a meaningful win.
When Nash proves me wrong I will eat my words, until he does, I dont give a care what excuses people come up with, I will repeat it over and over again, since nothing has happened to prove me wrong, and I predicted it a long time ago, and expected it a long time ago.

You are saying he shouldnt have been relied on for anything in Turin since he was only a 21 year old. That is the real ridiculous statement, of course he shouldnt be expected to dominate the tournament or anything, but contribute something, he was so bad he went from being on the 2nd line to being benched by Quinn 6 of the last 7 periods of the event. Of course he was supposed to contribute even though he was the youngest player, he wasnt put on the team just to be ride along
with the team and do nothing.

Oh yes I do gaurantee any team Nash is on will never win a signifacant event. Laugh in my face when I am proven wrong, until then I stand by my words. I wont be holding my breath to ever be proven wrong.

 

[Tricolore#20]

It is still way to early to tell, as others have mentioned. If you were to predict the 2006 team back in 2002, guys like Nash (who was drafted later that year), Bouwmeester, Richards and St. Louis would not even have been on the radar.

In 2010, I would love to Angelo Esposito there. He won't be drafted until 2007, but if he can make the NHL in his first season, perhaps he will play his way onto the team (with two and a half seasons of experience). If some of the younger players are having excellent seasons in 2010, will they be passed over like this time around? I would like to think that Canada will have learned to not discount recent performance when selecting the 2010 team.