Canadian World Cup roster announced

[incawg]

Brewer
Jovanovski
Regher

over

McCabe
Aucoin

C'mon Wayne, pass some of that stuff over here.

You think McCabe or Aucion should be there over Jovo? Pass some of that stuff back this way

 

[HuskyFlames]

Regehr I think was added to give more of a physical presence AND YET be very sound defensively. Yes, Jaybo is better offensively and can skate better BUT with the teams being stacked with tons of great players on each team Regehr is better (right now) at handling big name players and has shown he can do it while Jaybo hasn't done it as much. I feel more comfortable with Robyn going checking top players rather than Jaybo. Good selection to pick him as there are already tons of other defensemen named that can provide the extra offense from the blueline.

 

[Verbal Kint*]

Let's see you make that same statement when he shuts down Forsberg again like at last years World's.

Psst. You forgot the sarcasm tags.

 

[Hossa]

Roster for Team Canada :

Gagne - Sakic - Iginla
Mario - Thornton - Heatly
Morrow - Draper - Yzerman
Smyth - Marleau - St.Louis
Maltby - Richards - Doan

Blake - Jovanovski

Foote - Pronger

McCabe - Redden

EX for D : Regehr

Is this what you thought should have been the roster...or are you saying this is the official roster?

Because McCabe certainly didn't make the team today....so I'm a bit confused as to why he's on the roster you just listed above.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Well, for d-men it's tougher to develop. Heatley, Nash and Kovalchuk are all great forwards but their game is not polished yet. They don't play good defense. Heatley is the best of the three but he still need to work on his defense ALOT. Hell, Kovalchuk have get scratch one or two time because of his defensive liability. But I must say that he improved alot during the year. Bouwmeester is ahead of expectations IMO. He succeed has a 18-19 years old and I think that makes him worthy of a spot. Plus don't forget how well he played for team Canada at both juniors and pro stages.

 

[Verbal Kint*]

You think McCabe or Aucion should be there over Jovo? Pass some of that stuff back this way

Not really, I think its questionable, Jovo makes the team anyday in my books. I really have no idea why I put him up there, frustration possibly.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Some of my sentiments exactly, regarding the forwards anyways. Sure you need grinders, but how about guys that can actually play a two-way game? Give me Primeau and Peca any day of the week over friggin' Maltby and Draper.

...or Madden...or Arnott...sheesh.

I know Kariya hasn't been the production machine in recent years that he was when first paired with Selanne, but he's definitely one of the best left wingers Canada has. He was certainly one of Canada's best forwards in Salt Lake. Leaving him off is just asinine.

I'd love to see the justification for taking Simon Gagne ahead of Paul Kariya. There's none. Boggles the mind.

 

[markov`]

Great selection by the Canada front office.

But, like everywhere, there's some mistakes. I would have take Scott Stevens over Robyn Regehr, it isn't even a question. In my opinion, the only reason Stevens ain't on the team, because of injuries. He has his place over Regehr.

The Draper-Maltby duo is kinda surprising but they are good pick. They will be our first PK unit and that's very important.

As for the goalies, I think the picks are right. I knew Belfour was to get picked, and not Theodore. I start to think that Luongo will be the 3rd goalie. Fat Quinn will probably give Belfour 1 or 2 starts.

So the big ommissions are Keith Primeau, Daniel Brière, Paul Kariya and Scott Stevens. IMO, Kariya should have been picked instead of Gagne - and Gagne's one my favorite player.

For those who thinks Lecavalier's better than Richards...you're wrong. You'll see.

Finally, here's my lineup projection.

Martin St. Louis - Mario Lemieux - Jarome Iginla
Dany Heatley - Joe Sakic - Simon Gagne
Brad Richards - Patrick Marleau - Shane Doan
Ryan Smyth - Steve Yzerman - Brenden Morrow
Kris Draper - Kirk Maltby

Chris Pronger - Scott Niedermayer
Rob Blake - Wade Redden
Adam Foote - Ed Jovanovski
Eric Brewer

Martin Brodeur
Ed Belfour

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Apparently Gretzky and Lowe didn't give the coaching staff any input.

I guaruntee that Quinn, Hitchcock and Fleming were asking for Primeau to be a selection.


IMO Primeau is the biggest snub.

Brewer gets the nod becuase he plays for the Oilers, and no other reason. He's gone backwards and there is no way that he's better than McCabe or Aucoin.

Maltby and Yzerman are mistakes as well.

 

[Boomhower]

The Maltby selection a joke.

You can't argue with the chenistry between him and Draper... They are the best PK duo of this Era. If certain line combos don't click and the team struggles to come together they'll rely heavily on these two, who know each other and work together extremely well, both are also faster than Peca and Primeau.

 

[Egil]

As I think about it, the Regher selection is also a strange one. With the coaching staff team Canada has, I expect to see the defense involved in the play quite a bit. Regher (and the entire flames defense is HORRIBLE at this). It is why the flames PP sputters, they can't even set up a one time shot from the point reliably. Another strange selection, IMHO.

 

[billabong55]

I am kind of surprised by some of those selections. I really thought Tanguay, Nash, Murray would have been a few guys selected. And I am also surprised they would have both Belfour and Brodeur on the team. IMO, Belfour will be the third goalie, which means he probably won't be playing. So what's the point? Why not give a younger goalie the chance to gain experience by taking in the whole atmosphere? Barring any injuries, they wouldn't be playing, so why not let them observe?

Although he is young, I am surprised Jay Boumeester isn't on the team. He has a lot of talent and could help the team with his speed.

I read somewhere that Gretzky and the others would give more consideration to players that have played for Canada internationally, especially at the World Championships, if they were having a tough time deciding who to pick. When looking at some of the forwards, I think they definitely did use that criteria.

But for all we know, this team could end up having great chemistry and end up doing really well. I trust Gretzky's hockey decisions more than my own, so I'm not going to say who he chose was wrong. I may be surprised, but I won't complain.

 

[Jussi]

Psst. You forgot the sarcasm tags.

Sorry, I meant Draper. Forsberg got nothing done in the final.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Yeah, here are my line combos...

Marleau-Sakic-Iginla
Morrow-Lemieux-St. Louis
Richards-Thornton-Heatley
Maltby-Draper-Doan

Pronger-Jovanovski
Niedermayer-Redden
Blake-Foote

Brodeur

 

[Egil]

Apparently Gretzky and Lowe didn't give the coaching staff any input.

I guaruntee that Quinn, Hitchcock and Fleming were asking for Primeau to be a selection.


IMO Primeau is the biggest snub.

I'm not sure about that John. Primeau is a) a loose cannon, b) not always reliable (Ottawa certainly knows how to render him useless). I for one am happy that Primeau isn't on the team, as he is the type of player that can cost you games, as well as win them. And in a short tournament like this, that is a problem.

 

[FTK]

Here:

Belfour : 34 Wins - 19 losses - 6 ties , 10 shutouts , 122 goals against , an average of 2.13

Theodore : 33 wins - 28 losses - 5 ties, 6 shutouts 150 goals against an average of 2.27

When your down to using stats, you've obviously ran out of arguments.....

Oh wait, maybe I should use equations like you do

STATS = BASEBALL

 

[markov`]

Apparently Gretzky and Lowe didn't give the coaching staff any input.

I guaruntee that Quinn, Hitchcock and Fleming were asking for Primeau to be a selection.

The real joke isn't the Kirk Maltby selection, I'd say it's your reply.

What makes you think all the coaches wanted Primeau to be on the team? He's on your team, but get over it. I agree that's he's a better all around player than Draper, but Kirk Maltby is on the team too and you can't deny the Draper-Maltby chemistry. Plus, Draper is a lot faster than Primeau.

Theodore ain't on the team and I'm not crying that's it's because of Fat Quinn.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Yeah, here are my line combos...

Marleau-Sakic-Iginla
Morrow-Lemieux-Yzerman
Gagne-Richards-St. Louis
Maltby-Draper-Doan

Pronger-Jovanovski
Niedermayer-Redden
Blake-Foote

Brodeur

Thornton and Heatley off ?

 

[John Flyers Fan]

You can't argue with the chenistry between him and Draper... They are the best PK duo of this Era. If certain line combos don't click and the team struggles to come together they'll rely heavily on these two, who know each other and work together extremely well, both are also faster than Peca and Primeau.

#1. the games are being played in NHL rinks not International rinks.

#2. I have no problem with the Draper selection, but Maltby isn't close to the players that the rest of the team is. They have plenty of good defensive players on this team, and penalty killers as well.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Thornton and Heatley off ?

****, I'd better edit...

 

[John Flyers Fan]

The real joke isn't the Kirk Maltby selection, I'd say it's your reply.

What makes you think all the coaches wanted Primeau to be on the team? He's on your team, but get over it. I agree that's he's a better all around player than Draper, but Kirk Maltby is on the team too and you can't deny the Draper-Maltby chemistry. Plus, Draper is a lot faster than Primeau.

Theodore ain't on the team and I'm not crying that's it's because of Fat Quinn.

Primeau is Hitch's favorite player BY FAR, and is clearly our MVP. Also after the numerous Flyer victories over the Leafs in recent years Quinn has spent plenty of time heapign praise on Primeau.

The chances of Theordore or Belfour playing much of a role is slim anyway.

 

[Sting]

As shocking as it might be to not see Primeau there, Draper is clearly better. Maltby beside him, along with Doan on the right can shut down any single line. That's invaluable especially with the smaller ice surface. I am surprised at the lack of scoring ability, however. Tanguay SHOULD have been there...and Kariya deserved to as well. What the hell were they thinking...Gagne..

 

[nordique]

Maltby = Rob Zamuner v.2004

I think Gagne over Lecavalier mystifies me...what on earth has he done in the last 2 or 3 seasons?

 

[markov`]

#1. the games are being played in NHL rinks not International rinks.

#2. I have no problem with the Draper selection, but Maltby isn't close to the players that the rest of the team is. They have plenty of good defensive players on this team, and penalty killers as well.

Do you want to know why Maltby was selected over Primeau? He's a winger.

Look at the centers we got. Lemieux, Sakic, Thornton, Marleau, Richards, Draper. That's 6 centers. Do we really need a 7th one? Richards and someone else are going to play on the wings, it's enough. Plus, Draper is nothing without Maltby, and Maltby is nothing without Draper.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

I read somewhere that Gretzky and the others would give more consideration to players that have played for Canada internationally, especially at the World Championships, if they were having a tough time deciding who to pick. When looking at some of the forwards, I think they definitely did use that criteria.

Giving someone extra credit for playing in the World Championships is ridiculous IMO. I'd much prefer players playing deep into the NHL playoffs.