Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
Even then, I don't think it could ever be regarded as a clear mistake. St Louis was not on the roster when Canada won in 2002 and 2010, but was a part of the 2006 team that did not medal. It's pretty hard to argue from past results that this omission could be construed as a mistake.
If Canada fails to win gold, it will likely not be because of one player. In 1998 and 2006 it was a result of several problems with the rosters, but more prominently also because of philosophical and systemic miscalculations by those who assembled the teams. Most likely, if Canada does not win gold in 2014, it will have to do with a bad game or even a single bad bounce, and these are things that are nearly impossible to plan for.
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As you say, failure to win will likely not be because of one player. This also applies to 2006 when St. Louis played.
I just believe his hockey IQ is away above average, and as the defences of the other various teams improve with time, he could be the key to getting those all important goals through his ability to (1) be in the right place at the right time to score himself, or (2) set up someone else to score.
Plus, I believe his deserving presence, and his popularity among the players, could help improve team morale. It could also provide an incentive for all smaller players in our hockey system.