[GDT] Team Canada Olympic Roster Announcment (8am MT)

[Drake]

Originally Posted by iggypop

Can anyone give a breakdown of the number of NHL captains/assistants are on the team? I don't have time to look it over at work, but have always enjoyed that stat. TIA

Assistants:
Alex Pietrangelo
Duncan Keith
Patrick Sharp
Patrick Marleau
Patrice Bergeron
Chris Kunitz
Steven Stamkos

Captains:
Ryan Getzlaf
Jonathan Toews
Jamie Benn
Shea Weber
John Tavares
Sidney Crosby

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by codynw

Why do so many people have Bergeron sitting out? Makes no sense to me whatsoever.

Teams are allowed to dress 20 skaters - so the thought process is that Bergeron may not necessarily have a fixed line, but would take some faceoffs, play PK and be rotated in and out of lines.

[Locke]

Looks like a good team, my only disappointment is the exclusion of Mike Richards.

I really felt that in 2010, when the rubber hit the road Mike Richards was one of the best players on that team and he kept them on the rails during adversity. Hes gritty, defensively responsible and scored the goals you need when you needed them. The definition of a responsible, clutch player.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Locke

Looks like a good team, my only disappointment is the exclusion of Mike Richards.

I really felt that in 2010, when the rubber hit the road Mike Richards was one of the best players on that team and he kept them on the rails during adversity. Hes gritty, defensively responsible and scored the goals you need when you needed them. The definition of a responsible, clutch player.

Yeah, I think I would have picked Richard's or Ladd over marleau.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Yeah, I think I would have picked Richard's or Ladd over marleau.

I really like Ladd, I am not sure if he is Olympic quality, but I really like his game.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

You were laughing as well when I said the junior team had no chance too weren't you? How'd that turn out.

Russia, Sweden, Americans and possibly Finland. I see a 5th place finish for Canada.

Did the juniors have the best players qualified to play in that tourney playing?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Yeah, I think I would have picked Richard's or Ladd over marleau.

Agreed. I like Marleau, and hes good, but hes complimentary. I dont understand taking Marleau without Thornton.

Richards isnt a 'package' player, you can play him pretty anywhere and with anyone and he'll help your team win.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Drake

Assistants:
Alex Pietrangelo
Duncan Keith
Patrick Sharp
Patrick Marleau
Patrice Bergeron
Chris Kunitz
Steven Stamkos

Captains:
Ryan Getzlaf
Jonathan Toews
Jamie Benn
Shea Weber
John Tavares
Sidney Crosby

They could take after the Oilers model and keep things the way they are.

[Hockey_Ninja]

As ridiculous as puckluck's posts are, he did call Cammalleri scoring on that PP. Don't underestimate his powers...

[redforever]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Why the hell is Lisa Raitt here and speaking? What the hell does she have to do with the Canadian Olympic mens team besides trying to piggyback her name with the team for re-election. Is the minister of transportation responsible for the olympics? or sport? Pretty sure we have a minister of sport.

Raitt was there on behalf of Bal Gosal, the minister of state for amateur sport. Gosal is in India on government business at the present moment.

[Righteous1]

Canada just has too many good players. If we had two teams we would could walk away with two medals. Though they have selected a few players I don't agree with..this team is going to do some damage. Young, fast and just loaded with talent.

[You Need a Thneed]

Kunitz has a team (Penguins) leading +/- of +22.

Crosby is the second highest forward on the Pens with a +11.

That's a big part of why Kunitz is there, because he keeps the line defensively grounded.

[djsFlames]

Giroux > Carter
Thornton > Carter
St. Louis > Nash
Giordano > Hamhuis

Parts of this roster make me mad.

Kunitz, too. But I can deal with the whole "conserving linemates" approach.

[stemit14]

Wonder who is going to be on the powerplay? In 2010, they basically just went with the shark line of marleau, thorton, heatley, and Boyle cause they were the best powerplay in hockey and they wanted the powerplay to click right away... Funny that it wasn't until they finally let iginla on the powerplay that it actually started to work in 2010.

So many good players that should be on the powerplay it will feel like a waste to leave certain guys off. My first thought would be stamkos, Crosby, Tavares, Keith, and subban... But that mix doesn't allow for a lot of familiarity.

[Philly06Cup]

It'll be interesting to see who actually dresses for the first game. That will tell us who were the fringe forwards and fringe defensemen.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Philly06Cup

It'll be interesting to see who actually dresses for the first game. That will tell us who were the fringe forwards and fringe defensemen.

My guess is that Marleau and Hamhuis don't dress for the first game.

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by moon

Because they aren't as good hockey players.

Canada is built like a team probably more so than any of the other teams.

The pieces match great. They have natural wingers playing wing. They have 4 dominant centers down the middle. They have guys who can win FO's, they have a great shutdown line. They have shutdown defensemen- Vlasic, Weber, Pietr, Bouw. They have offensive guy- Subban, Keith, Doughty.

They have guys who have worked well together Perry/Getzlaf, Kunitz/Crosby and Pietr/Bouw.

This Canadian team was built like a real team and not like an All-Star team at all. That is what 95% of the complaints are. It is absolutely ridiculous, but not surprising, that you don't get that.

Moon arguing with Puckluck2. This is like Oilers vs Canucks for me.

[SuperMatt18]

I don't get people saying Thornton should be on the team.

He is 34 years old and in his previous 2 Olympics he has been pretty damn poor, while looking slow on the big ice in 2006.

13 GP
2 G
3 A
5 P
-2

He has had his shot at the Olympics and has proven it doesn't suit his style of play. Team Canada wants to play fast and Thornton wants to slow the game down, just not a fit.

[powderjunkie]

St. Louis is the big omission for me. I used to not understand all of the Nash hate; while I still don't mind him on the team, I would have preferred Marty. I hope Hamhuis is D #8 watching from the press box.

I'd like to see Kunitz and Duchene switch in and out a fair bit in terms of playing with Sid, though they will of course shuffle things up a fair bit through the tourney.

Kunitz - Crosby - Stamkos
Nash - Getzlaf - Perry
Toews - Bergeron - Sharp
Benn - Tavares - Carter
Duchene


Keith - Weber
Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo
Vlasic - Doughty
Subban

Marleau and Hamhuis in press box


I'd alternate Price and Luongo and ride the hot hand. Surprised to see that Smith is 36th in GAA (behind Ramo) and 27th in SV %. Smith is 31, so I don't know that he'll be in the conversation next time around. I would have rather seen Bernier (25), Reimer (25), or Harding (29), (maybe even Elliott (28) or Crawford (29)) as they are much more likely to be in the picture in 4 years. I think there is very little difference among those 6 names, so I would have gone younger for a future outlook. Plus, it would be funny to watch the Leafs to miss the playoffs with an Olympic calibre goalie.

God help us in 2018 if Price has dropped off or gets injured.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Giroux > Carter
Thornton > Carter
St. Louis > Nash
Giordano > Hamhuis

Parts of this roster make me mad.

Kunitz, too. But I can deal with the whole "conserving linemates" approach.

Team Canada has a wealth of riches as far as picking players for the NHL team. Your comparisons at forward say nothing except for the fact Team Canada went with different players. Are we really comparing a playmaking center in Thornton to a sniper im Carter? Or a small skilled dynamic winger in St. Louis vs a big power forward im Nash?

The Hamhuis and Giordano comparison is more appropriate and I have always thought that Hamhuis would be the one selected over Giordano bases on Hamhuis' Team Canada experience and the defensive consistency he showed pn a good NHL team the past few seasons. Giordano in comparison has been inconsistent on a bad team.