Predict Canada's 2006 Olympic Roster

[Narnia]

Smyth lost the right to wear the C after following up an uninspired performance with his ridiculous hack job on Jiri Fischer at the World Championships.

You complain what Smyth did at the WHC but don't realize what happened prior to the incident. Smyth was continuously slashed during that game. What I also find amazing that you say nothing how Bertuzzi was added considering what he did but that's OK. Double standard I say.

 

[canucksfan]

Broduer Luongo Theodore

Blake Regher
Foote Niedermeyer
Pronger Jovo
Redden

Iginla Sakic Lemieux
Gagne Thornton Nash
Lecavailer Richards Bertuzzi
St.Louis Draper Doan
Smyth

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Personally, as another poster has already posted, I think Canada goes with three scoring lines and one checking line. If that's the case, I see it as:

Rick Nash - Joe Thornton - Todd Bertuzzi
Alex Tanguay - Joe Sakic - Jarome Iginla
Brad Richards - Vincent Lecavalier - Mario Lemieux
Ryan Smyth - Keith Primeau - Shane Doan
Simon Gagne

Rob Blake - Chris Pronger
Adam Foote - Robyn Regehr
Scott Niedermayer - Ed Jovanovski
Wade Redden

Martin Brodeur
Roberto Luongo
Marty Turco

By all reports Rick Nash was absolutely dominate during training camp, I think that basically makes him a lock. Thornton would have made the 2002 edition of Team Canada had it not been for injuries, and throwing Bertuzzi in that mix only makes this line bigger, stronger, and even more dominate. If Tanguay repeats or betters his 2003/04 performance, I can't argue he won't make the team. He has great chemistry with Sakic, and Sakic has chemistry between both he and Iginla. Putting Tanger on that line gives Sakic and Iginla a setup man.

Richards and Lecavalier are best friends, and they have shown chemistry. They're young and raising stars, and both have been clutch at certain points in their careers. Putting Mario on that line gives a lot of veteran savvy, and should help the two with their consistency. If Keith Primeau shows signs of his last amazing playoff run, there's no doubt he's in. Draper is a great player, but Primeau was just absolutely dominating the last time he played. Smyth is Canadian through and through, he's got good offensive instincts, and probably the best man in front of the net. Adding Shane Doan gives this line a similar (though less potential for dominance) makeup to the first line.

The D-Pairings and Goaltending situation are pretty much self-explanatory. Putting Foote with Regehr basically ensures a top shutdown defensive pairing. However they can be broken up so that both Nieds and Jovo have a defensive D-man playing on their pairings. Redden can be brought in to replace one of the D-men in they underperform.

As for Yzerman not being here, well, I think he'll step down. He's been a great presence for Team Canada, has always been an amazing player, but I think he lets new talent take his place.

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

Personally, as another poster has already posted, I think Canada goes with three scoring lines and one checking line. If that's the case, I see it as:

Rick Nash - Joe Thornton - Todd Bertuzzi
Alex Tanguay - Joe Sakic - Jarome Iginla
Brad Richards - Vincent Lecavalier - Mario Lemieux
Ryan Smyth - Keith Primeau - Shane Doan
Simon Gagne

Rob Blake - Chris Pronger
Adam Foote - Robyn Regehr
Scott Niedermayer - Ed Jovanovski
Wade Redden

Martin Brodeur
Roberto Luongo
Marty Turco

Did last season's MVP die or something? St. Louis will make it ahead of Tanguay.

 

[NyQuil]

You complain what Smyth did at the WHC but don't realize what happened prior to the incident. Smyth was continuously slashed during that game. What I also find amazing that you say nothing how Bertuzzi was added considering what he did but that's OK. Double standard I say.

First off, I posted this before Bertuzzi was added. But anyway.

There's no double standard.

Smyth was the Captain of Team Canada and as such is held to a higher standard than the rest of the team.

You don't have your Captain gooning it up. Was Smyth the only guy slashed throughout the game? No. Was he the only guy slashing Fischer in the ankle about 30 times with a minute left in the game, yes.

That doesn't even go into how well he played in the game, which was basically unnoticed. Smyth is usually the go-to go for Canada at the World Championships which is a credit to him, and just emphasizes my disappointment.

Bertuzzi's actions in the NHL don't factor in here. It's how he performs in the Canadian Maple Leaf sweater.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Did last season's MVP die or something? St. Louis will make it ahead of Tanguay.

As a personal preferance I have all the players playing their natural positions (except for Richards, but he has played wing for Vinny before). Where as a lot of the rosters have right wingers playing the left wing, despite them never playing there before. That and too many snipers, one puck to go around, that just does not look like it's gonna work.

 

[RingWraith]

By the looks of things, Kariya just might fight his way into the roster well earned. I really hope he does too. Bertuzzi and St. Louis sure aren't going anywhere by the way they're playing.

 

[alecfromtherock]

Bertuzzi is currently in a 31-player tie for the 37th place in the leagues top scoring.

7GP 1G 5A +2 PIM 13 S 17 S% 5.9

Then again in 03-04 his S% was only 10.9.

Many posters did not even include Bertuzzi on their rosters.

Super Mario is looking slow with the Pens 6GP 2G 2A 4P –4 S% 11.1

His FO% of 59.5 is the only standout stat.

Mario must be saving all of his speed and skill for the Olympics, too bad for the Pens

Super Mario has been demoted to Princess Toadstool

Nash and Thornton better produce when they come back from being injured before the roster deadline, else they might not ‘make the cut’

Richards Vinny and Marty being the second line makes sense.

After looking at Marty’s stats I can see why people are not so keen on him being on Team Canada.

Spezza could make it based on his skill set alone but he is awfully young

Ottawa can help his case by remaining 1st in the league coming into December.

Crosby is even younger then Spezza, adding him to the team might be seen as cronyism as Wayne always seems to mention him when talking to the press.

Saying things like ‘he will be the one to break my records’ and PF ‘currently he is not on Team Canada but we hope that he will be playing well enough to be invited’

Canada needs 2 mens divisions in hockey: U25 and O25