[News] TSN's Team Canada Prediction

[saillias]

I don't like Nash either but if he's the biggest complaint about the team, then the Canadian staff did a pretty good job.

Originally Posted by trackercowe

No Thornton though, that is a weird omission. I guess they have a glut of centers, but thought for sure he'd make the team.

Not a weird omission to me, I didn't expect him to make it. He is past his best before date and stunk up the last 2 Olympics. I'd be tearing my hair out if he was on this roster again.

[Sheva #7]

why is no one giving James Neal any consideration? The guy is a scoring machine for the pens this year despite all the injuries. pure sniper

[doctajones428]

Originally Posted by Sheva #7

why is no one giving James Neal any consideration? The guy is a scoring machine for the pens this year despite all the injuries. pure sniper

Because we have many pure snipers who are still good defensively and aren't dirty dick bags, unlike Neal

[Kaine]

I take E.Staal over Nash 10/10 times, but that's just me.

[jg13]

Theres at least 5 guys i'd take over Nash at this point.

Can't believe Seguin has 0 consideration in TSNs mind.

[puckluck2]

I really like Duchene and think he should make it but for some reason I have a feeling they're going go for a role player in his spot.

[puckluck2]

Man I think this list is WAY off from what we are going to see.

[カナダ人です]

Originally Posted by jg13

Theres at least 5 guys i'd take over Nash at this point.

Can't believe Seguin has 0 consideration in TSNs mind.

Ditto. He is only 21 years old but is a top line player and on pace for 43 goals.

I also don't understand all the Vlasic love. Yes, he is solid, but I've seen him play a lot and I've never been that impressed...

[Textcritic]

I picked Nash for my team, and I won't be the least bit surprised to see him go, since he was very good in Vancouver in 2010. Unlike Iginla, Thornton, or Marleau, Nash is still quite young, and will be on the right side of 30 when the Olympic tournament starts.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Poe969

nice to see some love for Gio

Nothing to do with being a flames fan but Gio is better than Vlasic in every way except playing on a good team IMO.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I picked Nash for my team, and I won't be the least bit surprised to see him go, since he was very good in Vancouver in 2010. Unlike Iginla, Thornton, or Marleau, Nash is still quite young, and will be on the right side of 30 when the Olympic tournament starts.

2010 was 4 years ago, I didn't need viagra then either!

Nash sucks.

[flames_fan_down_under]

They have Jamie Benn on their team, who at 24 is a damn good NHL player, however I would take Tyler Seguin in a heartbeat over Jamie Benn, hell even though Seguin is a natural C I would take him over the Staals, Nash, Hall, and Matt Duchene.

Call me crazy but Tyler Seguin should be on Team Canada.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by T@T

2010 was 4 years ago, I didn't need viagra then either!

Nash sucks.

You're not 29-years-old. I know it was probably a long, LONG time ago and difficult for you to remember, but the physical drop off from 25–30 is practically negligible.

Nash is having an off year, and it is extremely premature to conclude that he "sucks". He's big, strong, skilled, skates well, has had plenty of success on international ice, and will not hurt this team in a reduced role.

[indes]

Tough for seguin to beat out duchenes wheels, he'll shine on the big ice I think

[East Coast Flame]

Great lineup. Taking Subban and leaving Kunitz, thank god. No need to overthink it, just take the best players.

[LChoy]

Duhatschek's thoughts on who might be picked for Team Canada. I paraphrased the article, but it's a good read if you have time.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...202889/?page=1

Goalie:

Carey Price’s play this year with the Montreal Canadiens has solidified his place as the tentative starter, and Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks) is going to make it, too, because he was the goaltender of record when Canada won Olympic gold in 2010. The third spot will ultimately settle on Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyotes. If you’re down to your third goaltender and you’re still alive in the competition, something has gone horribly wrong with your top two guys – and you’ll need someone prepared to go in cold and win one or perhaps two games, likely with medals on the line. Smith, an exceptionally competitive goalie with superior puck-handling skills, gets the nod for that reason alone.

Defence

They’ll return the top pair from the Vancouver Games: Keith and Doughty. Shea Weber is also back and he’ll be paired with a left-shooting, stay-at-home defenceman – either Marc-Édouard Vlasic of the San Jose Sharks or Dan Hamhuis of the Canucks (likely Vlasic). The third pair will be the St. Louis Blues duo of Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester. Habs star P.K. Subban’s undeniable offensive skills will likely get him the seventh spot. So that’s four right-handed shots and three lefties. Seabrook is having an exceptional season and plays regularly in Chicago with Keith. That was a deciding factor in 2010. It likely will be again this time around.

Forward criteria

Yzerman has repeatedly said he doesn’t want too many players playing out of position. So there’ll likely be more natural left and right wingers on the team than you may think. Babcock says he wants players to play a 200-foot game, equally comfortable in the defensive and offensive zones, so they’ll look for forwards with speed, skill and high hockey IQs

Centre

Crosby and Toews were 1-2 going into the season and nothing has changed there. Getzlaf and Tavares are both in the middle of exceptional seasons and are really natural centres. And while Bergeron has just been okay with Boston in the first half, his pedigree – of playing so well in championship moments for the Bruins, his ability to win faceoffs, his penalty killing – should give him the edge for the fifth spot.

Right Wing

Corey Perry for sure joins Getzlaf’s line, the two Anaheim Ducks playing together, just as they did in 2010. Rick Nash finished the 2010 tournament playing on the same line as Toews. Nash’s familiarity with big-ice hockey, plus the ability to get behind defences, and that big wingspan in tight, makes him a logical choice in that spot again, even though his NHL season hasn’t gone exceptionally well. They probably would like to play Steven Stamkos on Crosby’s right side, but if he’s not ready to go, his Tampa Bay teammate St. Louis – who is so adaptable and such a respected leader – could slide in there nicely. And for the other spot, an off-the-board choice: Jeff Carter of the Los Angeles Kings, a sniper pure and simple, who could benefit from Tavares’s playmaking.

Left Wing

Chris Kunitz does have good chemistry with Crosby, and so would be a natural selection. Similarly, Patrick Sharp is the hottest scorer in the NHL this season and he has spent most of the year playing left wing with Toews in Chicago. They’ll likely look to Patrick Marleau of the Sharks, who usually plays the left wing with either Joe Thornton or Couture. Marleau is attractive because his game is so well-rounded. He is exceptionally fast for a big man, adept at killing penalties, and can shift to the middle in a pinch. That would leave one spot open and it will likely go to Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn.

[bubbsy]

canada has so many, perhaps too many, options, regardless of who's picked, this team will be flat out the best team on paper....

my opinion in picking the team is that the big ice have to be a very big part of the decision making. we have a lot of great offensive players, but i think high speed in conjunction with offensive creativity will be critical. It's for this reason i think duchene has to be on the team and why hall will be considered (shouldn't make the team). This is another reason for why guys like bouwmeester, and even subban, who is incredible at skating the puck out of the zone) should make the team.

again, tomorrow's going to be a team where there will tons of debate about the team, and more so on who was left out. I just don't think the 10-13 forwards, or the 6-8 dmen on the roster make it break it for team canada.

[Stay Golden]

There should be several other considerations before Nash.

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Call me crazy but Tyler Seguin should be on Team Canada.

You're crazy. Tyler Seguin is a pure skill guy and take nothing away from him in that category, but here are the areas he has come up short:

• Throughout the postseason, particularly in big games, he has been invisible of late;
• He will go into droughts of doing nothing for a couple of weeks;
• He has not played well when converted to a winger.

Sound like these could be issues for an olympic roster?

Add that to the relative inexperience and one-dimesional nature of his game and I don't see how he makes it. To make it as a one-dimensional scoring force you need to be elite, particularly in skating. I don't think Seguin's that guy, and I'm sketched at putting him on someone's wing.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

They have Jamie Benn on their team, who at 24 is a damn good NHL player, however I would take Tyler Seguin in a heartbeat over Jamie Benn, hell even though Seguin is a natural C I would take him over the Staals, Nash, Hall, and Matt Duchene.

Call me crazy but Tyler Seguin should be on Team Canada.

The issue with Seguin would be the same issue with Bobby Ryan. He has to be in the top 6-9 forwards to be effective. When you're looking at guys playing on the 4th group, you're looking for guys who can play a strong two-way game. Most people have that line including Bergeron and Toews or M. Richards. They will be tasked with shutting down top groups from other teams (these are elite top groups, not NHl top groups) and you need guys who can play that game. Benn can, Seguin, to this point, cannot.

That's not to take anything away from him, but you have to look at the top 6 wingers and ask yourself if Seguin is a better option. Even if he's slightly better offensively, a winger that can score at about the same clip but has more a complete game otherwise should be taken.


EDIT: Also not liking Duhatchek leaving off Gio, not even in the conversation. I personally don't think Subban's offensive prowess is going to be much of a boost when you have guys like Doughty, Weber and Keith. And while Vlasic is a steady guy, I can't think that he is any better defensively than Gio. As has been mentioned in the Canada Defense thread, If you're going to have a 7th/8th guy that potentially needs to step into any role asked, Giordano is Canada's most well rounded dman outside of Keith Doughty Weber and Pietrangelo. Bouwmeester has been great and he will and should be on the team, but even he is not as well rounded as Gio as he doesn't have the physical presense that Gio can bring.