I can see that this is a team where every player belongs to a different country.
I would put Hasek to the net, dropping Andersen and then Ehlers will take the place in the forward line-up instead of Elias.
Lidström should be the Swedish defenseman. Kasparaitis represented Russia in his prime. Born in modern Lithuania (which was part of USSR at the time of his birth) he represented them only in one tournament when he was 45, so I wouldn't count him. There's no Slovakian player in the line-up so Chara will go in.
Khristich should be in the team as an Ukrainian over Ponikarovsky.
Vanek is easily the best Austrian player available. But then one of the top country players would be needed to be replaced by defenseman compatriot. In ten years we know how good Solberg will be and if he's good enough to be push Zuccarello out. But at the moment it's like Fetisov in and Ovechkin out or Numminen in and Selänne out or something like that.
Good points! Can’t believe I left Slovakia out. I certainly started out with the idea of picking the best possible player from each country who could fill a roster gap, but just abandoned it for simplicity’s sake.
Rounding out the defense with a player of any note from the countries yet to have representation, not having realized the Slovakian oversight, was what brought Pöck in over Chara — for sure.
Ponikarovsky over Khristich filled a somewhat tricky centre gap as I (mistakenly) thought I’d depleted the top countries.
I replaced Lidström with Karlsson because Kasparaitis was a left shot, and I considered Kasparaitis barely but sufficiently a Lithuanian player. He’s born there and has played there, but your points are fair.
If I took another stab at it following your notes:
Ovechkin - Gretzky - Czerkawski
Ehlers - Forsberg - Selänne
Vanek - Kopitar - Khristich
Sprong - Hand - Rendulic
Walker
Josi - Chelios
Ozolins - Chara
Salei - Seider
Tollefsen
Hasek
Huet
Fukufuji
RUS - CAN - POL
DEN - SWE - FIN
AUT - SVN - UKR
NLD - GBR - CRO
AUS
CHE - USA
LAT - SVK
BLR - GER
NOR
CZE
FRA
JAP
I couldn’t help myself from the challenge of pairing lefties with righties on defense, and with Ponikarovsky out, it was easier taking out Lidström and bringing on a Swedish centre. I did consider Draisaitl, but Seider remained a welcome right shot on D.
I didn’t want to get rid of Walker and Sprong, being NHLers from very obscure hockey nations, thus Zuccarello was replaced with Tollefsen as my Norwegian.
Why do I permit non-NHLer Tony Hand on the roster? Well, he’s famous for his crazy numbers and what-if story. “Scottish Gretzky” was also a centre, so there’s that. I suppose I could have used Bellemare as a centre, but following your advice on Hasek/Andersen/Ehlers, I also replaced Irbe with Ozolins then needed another goalie.
I think I generally brought either the best or second best player from every country.
Possible exceptions:
* Russia (I think some might still have Fetisov, Makarov or Tretiak over Ovechkin)
* Canada (four voters ranked Gretzky third in the HoH top 100 project, and one infamously had him 7th)
* Germany (Seider or Stützle?)
* Sweden (not the most popular opinion, but Sundin over Forsberg is not egregious to many Swedes)
* USA (I think Brimsek, Leetch and Kane would be popular counter picks, and Hull Jr. for some)
* Definitely Norway: Zuccarello, Thoresen, Knutsen and Martinsen all have arguments
* Plausibly Slovakia
