2018 Olympics Thread: News and Discussion

[The Professor]

It's time to start discussions about the upcoming Olympics next winter!

Will the NHL go?

If yes:
Who from the Flames will play?
Who will be on Team Canada?

If no:
How do they select other players?
Who will play?
Any Flames prospects likely to play?
Will Ovechkin go?

[East Coast Flame]

Yes the NHL will go.

Gaudreau for USA, Backlund for Sweden and Frolik for Czech seem like locks.

Tkachuk for USA might get there.

Hamilton would be the only one that might come close to playing for Canada - but don't think he makes it.

[powderjunkie]

Interesting how we used to have a dearth of RH defencemen, and now it seems to be all we have. Only Keith and Vlasic come to mind...I guess Muzzin makes as much sense as anyone?

Keith-Ekblad
Vlasic-Burns
Muzzin-Doughty
Letang/Weber

[Enoch Root]

IF Ekblad makes it, he would be at the bottom of that RH depth chart, not the top of it

[Flash Walken]

NHL Will Go.

Flames Players will be selected.

Flames will be looking strong to make the playoffs and potentially contend.

Flames player will get injured, jeopardize chances at cup, team will Flame out in 1st round, Canadian gold medal will be little consolation.

I'll quote myself and then cry.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Interesting how we used to have a dearth of RH defencemen, and now it seems to be all we have. Only Keith and Vlasic come to mind...I guess Muzzin makes as much sense as anyone?

Keith-Ekblad
Vlasic-Burns
Muzzin-Doughty
Letang/Weber

I would put Hamilton ahead of Ekblad on the right side (not suggesting he would make the team though)

And there is no question in my mind that Giordano improves the left side

Giordano-Doughty would be insane

[bigrangy]

I know Team Canada sometimes likes to take both members of a pairing and there is no better pairing out there than Giordano-Hamilton.

You could see something like

Vlasic-Burns
Giordano-Hamilton
Muzzin-Doughty
Keith

You kind of have to find a way to Keith to take a regular shift but all three of those pairings would have some familiarity with each other, though they don't play together all the time. (Vlasic is usually with Braun and Muzzin plays with Martinez now)

[FireGilbert]

Still undecided on of the NHL will participate. I'll have a shot at the Team Canada roster though. Based on the World Cup Roster:

Out: Giroux, Thornton, Bouwmeester & Muzzin.

In: McDavid, Scheifele, Keith & Subban.

[Senator Clay Davis]

NHL will be there, exposure in Asia is too good to pass up. Flames will go, though probably none for Team Canada (Hamilton best bet). As far as Team Canada goes, I'll guess....

Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron
Benn-McDavid-Seguin
Tavares-Scheifele-Stamkos
Drouin-Toews-Duchene
Marner

Burns-Weber
Doughty-Keith
Vlasic-Pietrangelo
Subban

Price
Holtby
Dubnyk

Canada actually has goalie depth this time, so not only will it not be Mike Smith getting a free medal, gonna be a tough final choice between Dubnyk, Martin Jones, Cam Talbot, maybe even Corey Crawford.

[jayswin]

I'll bet Hamilton beats out someone on that D-list by the time the team is announced.

[The Professor]

Anyone want to take a stab at an 'if the NHL doesn't go' team? Would it be back to amateur? Would it be a mix of Spengler and World Junior personnel? If so, who?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by The Professor

Anyone want to take a stab at an 'if the NHL doesn't go' team? Would it be back to amateur? Would it be a mix of Spengler and World Junior personnel? If so, who?

My understanding is that it would almost exclusively be college players. Can't remember where I heard that. TSN I think. Maybe I was watching some NCAA hockey hey simulcast from NBCS or ESPN. Can't recall.

[Weitz]

I wonder with the way Canada picks their D if they would leave someone like Burns off the team? He is great offensively but not the greatest defensively. M

I don't think you could but that would be a curious question.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I wonder with the way Canada picks their D if they would leave someone like Burns off the team? He is great offensively but not the greatest defensively. M

I don't think you could but that would be a curious question.

They may leave an offensive d-man off but it won't be Burns.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I wonder with the way Canada picks their D if they would leave someone like Burns off the team? He is great offensively but not the greatest defensively. M

I don't think you could but that would be a curious question.

I doubt it, Burns isn't a superstar in his own end but he's hardly a liability. He'll be on the team for sure.

I can't see any Flames making it. I could see Brodie or Hamilton getting invites to camp but I doubt they make it.

I also don't know if I'm sold on Schiefele making it yet either. He's been great this year but I'm not sure he's the 4th best centre our country has to offer. He'll get a look for sure.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Canada actually has goalie depth this time, so not only will it not be Mike Smith getting a free medal, gonna be a tough final choice between Dubnyk, Martin Jones, Cam Talbot, maybe even Corey Crawford.

I'd give Jones the edge because he's the youngest of those players and would be in line for a promotion to being one of the top-two guys for Beijing (if they go to Korea, they'll definitely go to China, especially with 2026 being back in Canada ). Jones and Holtby are basically the same age.

Of course, Price will only be 34 by Beijing, so he might still be the starter.

[jayswin]

Dumb question, but is the winter Olympics next winter as in early 2018, or is it two winters away as in late 2018?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Dumb question, but is the winter Olympics next winter as in early 2018, or is it two winters away as in late 2018?

Next year. February 9-25, 2018. 337 days from now.

[Samonadreau]

Lol wrong thread

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

IF Ekblad makes it, he would be at the bottom of that RH depth chart, not the top of it

Should have mentioned that they were in no particular order, as ice time will be nearly equal...same pretty much goes for forwards.