Lines for Team Canada

[monster_bertuzzi]

There is no way they are going to use Nash as only the 13th forward, or Jovanovski as the 7th. Jovanovski has been molded to take a bigger role on the team for awhile. The fact they were willing to put Nash on the team with almost no action this year means they are wanting his offensive skills, he will be on one of the first 3 lines for sure.

They'll go with a 7 man rotation on defence, with one guy getting very few minutes (Brewer in Salt Lake). Likely to be Foote this time around.

 

[ml3]

Gagne-Sakic-Iginla
Nash-Thornton-Bertuzzi
Richards-Lecavalier-Heatley
Smyth-Draper-Doan
St. Louis

Blake-Pronger
Redden-Niedermayer
Jovo-Foote/Regehr

Other than the checking line, any of the top 3 lines could be the "#1". The first line has great chemistry from past world tournaments. Thornton and Nash have chemistry from Davos and the past World Championships, and with Bertuzzi, there is no defense out there who can stop all three from powering to the net. Heatley and the Lightning duo will be a highly skilled line with good skaters. The checking line is three hard working, two way players who won't get pushed around.
St. Louis is the odd man out, and like Draper and Bertuzzi up until recently, his play has been subpar this year, but unlike Draper (defensive specialist) and Bertuzzi (power forward for high-power line and picked up his game), St. Louis does not have any specific role. He'll basically be like Perry before the Colliton injury in the WJCs (13th forward because he isn't a bottom 2 line player).
Blake/Pronger will pound any opposing forward with their head down, Redden/Niedermayer will play a solid two way game, while with Jovo/Foote or Regehr, Jovo can do his thing with the other guy covering his butt.

 

[Flash Walken]

I'm curious as to how posters here group their defensemen.

I've always thought the best way was matching strength with strength. One strong defensive/tough guy, and one offensive and defensive guy. Like Regehr Leopold, Allen Jovo, etc.

 

[Vyse64]

Pronger-Niedermayer
Regehr-Redden
Foote-Balke

Jovo

 

[Zell_Rocks]

Gange-Sakic-Iginla
Nash-Thornton-Bertuzzi
Richards-Lecavlier-Heatley
Smyth-Draper-Doan
St. Louis

These lines are perfect!

 

[BuppY]

Gagne Sakic Iginla
Nash Thornton Heatley
Lecavalier Richards Bertuzzi
Smyth Draper Doan
St Louis.

Pronger-Niedermayer
Regehr-Redden
Foote-Blake

Brodeur

 

[Mac225]

Gagne- Sakic-Iginla
Nash-Thornton-Bertuzzi
Heatley- Lecavalier- St.louis
Smyth-Richards-Draper
Doan

Niedermayer- Pronger
Jovo- Redden
Blake- Regehr
Foote

Brodeur
Turco
Luongo

 

[kruezer]

I would do...

Gagne - Sakic - Iginla
Nash - Thornton - Heatley
Richards - Lecavalier - St. Louis
Smyth - Draper - Doan
Bertuzzi

Pronger - Redden
Regehr - Niedermayer
Foote - Blake
Jovanovski

Broduer
Luongo
Turco

Bertuzzi and Nash can basically rotate.

 

[wildone26*]

Gange-Sakic-Iginla
Nash-Thornton-Bertuzzi
Richards-Lecavlier-Heatley
Smyth-Draper-Doan
St. Louis

These lines are perfect!

I like those lines. I would like Nash to be only the 13th forward but that is probably unrealistic to hope for as I said. Nash, Thorton, and Bertuzzi are all physicaly imposing forewards, with a great combination of speed and strength, they would play well together. The Tampa Bay trio are not having the best year together, splitting them up would not be bad, Heatley would be a great playmaker for the two Tampa Bay players to play with. The 4th line would be a great griding line. The top line is the most lethal line.

 

[Maria]

The Lightning trio don't play together, it's better to put Vinny on other line, and keep Marty and Brad together.

 

[Roccoman]

you could put names in a hat right before the game and draw them out 1 by 1 and STILL ice the best team in the Olympics.



no matter the nuances of the lines, you have 3.66 top notch scoring lines (draper is the odd man out there, and i am not counting big head todd) and every player can be effective in their own zone



scary

 

[xtra]

Gagne-Sakic-Iginla even though iginla hasn't played well this year this line has proven much in the past so they should stay together

Nash-Thornton-Bertuzzi Bertuzzi 245lbs, Nash 215lbs, Thornton 223 this line would weigh 683 pounds on the ice and thats on the light side as i am certain that all three are bigger than that and truly there is no defense out there that could handle them physically.

Smyth-Lecaviler-Heatley i think this would be a very underrated line that would do well together as they are all talented and skilled

Doan-Draper-Richards SHUTDOWN line cause we are going to need it espically when we come up agsaint Sweden who could ice Naslund-Forsberg-Alfredsson/Sundin

St.Louis

Defense:

Pronger-Neidermayer these two are just unbelivable and would be great together

Blake-Jovo they were argubally the best defensive paring together in Salt lake city and would play well together

Regher-Redden another shutdown pairing that will be great together


Foote


Brodeur
Luongo
Turco


Speaking of the Nash-Thornton-Bertuzzi line just looking at the best defensive pairing that teams would have to put together to stop them would leave everyone else like the Sakic line agsaint lesser dmen

Really i would only really put the Sweden team to be the one to likely shut them down,though Chara and Visnosky could as well, as i don't see any other countries woudl have a combo that could shut them down

Sweden: combo of: Ohlund, Lidstrom, Norstrom

Czech Republic: Malik-Kubina

Finland: Salo-Vannananen

Russia: Volchenkov-Kasparitis

Slovakia: Chara-Visnosky

USA: Hatcher-Chelios

 

[wildone26*]

Somebody on another board I post on says that the Tampa Bay trio has already been confirmed playing together in Turin. I have not heard that however, has anybody else?

 

[gobolt7]

Somebody on another board I post on says that the Tampa Bay trio has already been confirmed playing together in Turin. I have not heard that however, has anybody else?

Thats news to me, hey dont even play together in Tampa.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Gagne - Sakic - Iginla
Nash - Thornton - Heatley
Richards - Lecavalier - St. Louis
Smyth - Draper - Doan
Bertuzzi

Pronger - Niedermayer
Regehr - Redden
Blake - Foote/Jovanovski

Brodeur
Luongo
Turco

 

[ShippinItDaily]

Gagne - Sakic - Iginla
Bertuzzi - Thornton - St. Louis
Richards - Lecavalier - Heatley
Smyth - Draper - Doan

Neidermyer - Regehr
Pronger - Blake
Jovanovski - Redden

Broduer
Turco
Luongo

 

[Oilerfan120582]

you could put names in a hat right before the game and draw them out 1 by 1 and STILL ice the best team in the Olympics.

scary

Bob Cole: Well Harry, apparently Quinn couldn't decide on the lines, so he just put names in a hat and drew them one by one in order to decide. Here are the starting lines:

Turco-Pronger-Heatley
Niedermayer-Brodeur-Luongo
Lecavalier-Jovanovski-Regehr
Richards-Blake-Foote

Nash-Iginla
Sakic-Doan
Redden-Smyth


St. Louis
Draper
Gagne

I'm sure we would still beat Italy at least.

 

[AvsGuy]

Bob Cole: Well Harry, apparently Quinn couldn't decide on the lines, so he just put names in a hat and drew them one by one in order to decide. Here are the starting lines:

Turco-Pronger-Heatley
Niedermayer-Brodeur-Luongo
Lecavalier-Jovanovski-Regehr
Richards-Blake-Foote

Nash-Iginla
Sakic-Doan
Redden-Smyth


St. Louis
Draper
Gagne

I'm sure we would still beat Italy at least.

haha good one! i wonder if Turco or Luongo would be decent as forwards...you gotta think they'd know a few tricks by now...

 

[El Wama]

Like it or not.. i like it this way... 3 balanced/scoring line and 1 checking line.

Heatly-Sakic-Iginla
Gagne-Thornton-Nash
St. Louis-Lecavalier-Bertuzzi
Smyth-Richards-Doan

Neidermayer-Blake
Redden-Pronger
Jovanovski-Regehr
Foote

Those lines are simply perfect.
The top line is amazing. The second one is maybe better. The third one combines scoring touch, speed, playmaking, and strength. The fouth one is centered by the Conn Smyth champ, and 2 grinders with big time scoring ability, and with the playmaking ability of Richards...

But I think in d it will be:

Niedermayer - Pronger
Blake - Jovanovski
Regehr - Redden

Sakic Captain
Niedermayer, Pronger and Doan or Iginla as Alternate.

 

[wildone26*]

Bob Cole: Well Harry, apparently Quinn couldn't decide on the lines, so he just put names in a hat and drew them one by one in order to decide. Here are the starting lines:

Turco-Pronger-Heatley
Niedermayer-Brodeur-Luongo
Lecavalier-Jovanovski-Regehr
Richards-Blake-Foote

Nash-Iginla
Sakic-Doan
Redden-Smyth


St. Louis
Draper
Gagne

I'm sure we would still beat Italy at least.

Those are hilarious! Almost as funny as Luongo or Turco playing forward, is Nash as a top pairing defenceman(cover your eyes, that will be ugly), or either tiny St. Louis as the goalie(better try and bulk up his equipment) or Draper in goal.

 

[SignThornton]

Gagne-Sakic-Iginla
Nash-Thornton-Heatley
Richards-Lecavalier-St. Louis
Smyth-Draper-Doan
Bertuzzi

That's what I would go with.

I agree, just like many of the consensus here.

 

[Shareefruck]

Personally I think Nash is going to be disappointing and become the spare in favor of Bertuzzi. Guys like Doan and Smyth, you just need to keep ( especially ahead of Draper ) since they're the few guys who can be scorers AND checkers..

 

[Phanuthier*]

If the Olympics start today, Iginla sits as the 13th forward. He's goalless in something like 13 of his past 15 games.

Injury or no injury, there are better players that deserve the roster spot more then Iginla right now.

 

[Roughneck]

Niedermayer and Regehr will probably play together on defense, they played great together at the World Cup, and it combines the offensive/defensive pairing. Not to mention that Regehr is more deserving of big minutes now than he was at the World Cup based on what he's meant for teh Flames defense this year.

 

[wildone26*]

If the Olympics start today, Iginla sits as the 13th forward. He's goalless in something like 13 of his past 15 games.

Injury or no injury, there are better players that deserve the roster spot more then Iginla right now.

I gaurantee Iginla wont be the 13th forward.