Team Canada announcement thread.

[Ice]

Yeah but they picked the team now dumbass and I dont think they should pick guys just based on what they can potentially do but what they are doing right now. He does'nt even deserve to be on the taxi squad that pick was a ****ing disgrace.

Gretzky blasted the NHLPA for the early deadline for naming the team. I think this team was picked before the season started. It is a great team but clearly they didn't take any chances.

 

[Daily Special]

Looking at the Canada roster, I realize that out of a sudden life has become much easier for other teams

With most of Canada's top guns out of the show, I only hope the Czech's, Swedes, and Russians follow suit and go with "leadership" over talent. Giving the US team gold by default is something I can live with.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Yeah but they picked the team now dumbass and I dont think they should pick guys just based on what they can potentially do but what they are doing right now. He does'nt even deserve to be on the taxi squad that pick was a ****ing disgrace.

With the 1998 Olympic team, we went with a player based solely on his great start: Shayne Corson. Remember that? And remember how he went in a big slump after he was picked for Canada? He was terrible. And remember how effective he was in the Olympics?

To everyone blasting Team Canada: This team features 20 players who were picked for our World Cup team. That team won gold. Have some of them had disappointing starts? Sure. But you don't go from part of an undefeated champion to junk in 15 months. Draper and Doan have been part of the best international checking line for two years now. They'll be part of the best checking line at the Olympics, too.

Gretzky and co. have won the two best-on-best titles since he headed up Team Canada. His decision to stress the World Championship has yielded two gold medals in five years. That's the same number of golds that Canada won in the 40 years previous. I think he's done a pretty damn good job, and I think he's picked a damn good TEAM.

 

[Bruins4Ever]

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

Redden-Pronger
Neidermayer-Regehr
Jovanovski-Foote
Blake

Brodeur
Luongo
Turco

Bring it on everyone.

 

[YungGunner94]

i cannot believe patrick marleau is not on this team...doan smyth and draper over marleau??.....please

 

[espo*]

They should leave Nash off for that attack on the referee in the WC game.

That's a joke right?

 

[Narnia]

i cannot believe patrick marleau is not on this team...doan smyth and draper over marleau??.....please

Smyth and Doan are wingers and Marleau is a centre. Only Draper is a centre of the three players you mentioned.

 

[reckoning]

The one thing I disagree with the most is Rick Nash. *** is someone who has played something like 4 games all year doing on the team? Damn there should be so many players going instead of him. I hope he gets injured so Spezza or Staal will play even if a center has to move to wing.

 

[espo*]

I dissagree. You take the players who give you the best chance to win in February. Not the ones who would have given you the best chance to win in November. Nash is one of the truly elite scorers in the world, whether people believe it yet or not. His injuries were a set back to his NHL season but have nothing to do with his ability to perform in Turin two months down the road. He deserves to be on this team and will be an impact player.

As usual,the voice of reason.Thank you,it was sad seeing some of the comments here about Nash and others.

 

[reckoning]

If the Internet and this board had been around in 1976 when Team Canada was picked for the first Canada Cup, I think some of the posters here would`ve screamed that Bobby Orr didn`t deserve to be on it because he only played 10 games the previous season.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain*]

what Nash is doing right now, is scoring in every game since he's been back.

Wow he has been back for 2 games and he has scored in both!!!!!!! Well that just changed my mind right away im so sorry man I didnt know!!!!

 

[Zetterberg4Captain*]

If the Internet and this board had been around in 1976 when Team Canada was picked for the first Canada Cup, I think some of the posters here would`ve screamed that Bobby Orr didn`t deserve to be on it because he only played 10 games the previous season.

Yeah uh Orr is just a little bit better then Nash there........

 

[Transported Upstater]

i cannot believe patrick marleau is not on this team...doan smyth and draper over marleau??.....please

I'm going to pretend, for the sake of my sanity, that you DID NOT SAY that Ryan Smyth doesn't belong on a Team Canada.

 

[mytor4*]

Interesting stat:

Only four teams are sending two players to TC, and they all reside in the NW.

Vancouver: Bertuzzi, Jovonovski
Calgary: Iginla, Regher
Colorado: Sakic, Blake
Edmonton: Smyth, Pronger

really what about redden and heatley and spare=spezza

 

[Daily Special]

I'm going to pretend, for the sake of my sanity, that you DID NOT SAY that Ryan Smyth doesn't belong on a Team Canada.

Not talking about Smyth, Marleau, Spezza, or Staal for a minute - honestly, you have to admit, it was above and beyond Pejorative Slured to choose Bertuzzi.

 

[DynamiteKid]

Draper-Doan-Smyth will be a dominant checking line. Say what you want about Draper and Doan. When they play for Canada, they take their play to another level. They (along with Maltby) shut down Forsberg in 2003. The DDT line was, for my money, Canada's best at the 2004 World Cup. You needs players like that to win a gold medal. They can't all be goal scorers, after all.

One of the best posts in 16 pages of this thread. A team full of scorers will not bring back gold.

 

[Slitty]

I really dont get it.
Nash was tied with Kovalchuk + Iginla for the most goals in the NHL last time hockey was played. He got on the team PURELY based on that season as he just came back from injury and has 3 goals to his name. Staal + Spezza are among the leaders in points in the NHL right now with Staal having the most goals in the NHL and Spezza having chemistry with Heatly... and they dont make it. Sure, I suppose Thorton + Sakic are ahead of them at center on the depth chart. Yet to tell you the truth, Richards hasn't been impressive at all this season, but I'll let it slide. Now Draper, ***, this guy's points this season can be counted with the fingers of one hand... he wouldnt make ANY team... yet alone supposedly the best one in Canada. Sheesh! Then Smyth or Doan get the 13th forward spot. Both are wingers, when its ideal that the 13th forward be a center so he can be involved in important faceoff plays in case the other center gets tossed out or fill in at center or wing on any line if an injury was to occur. A center playing wing is better than a winger playing center. Smyth, I'll grant him his numerous appearances at the Worlds and accept his presence on the team. Sure Shanahan, Sullivan, and Kariya may have deserved it more than him, especially Shanahan... yet so be it. I have NO idea why Doan is on there, seriously, even as the 13th forward, he dosen't cut it. If you dont want Staal in fear of lack of experience, use Marleu, he is much better!

Anyways, I think Spezza should have taken Drapers spot as one of the centers and played with Heatly. I also think Staal should have been the 13th forward instead of Doan. Crosby was rightfully left of the team I think. The whole immediate taxi squad announcement was just to appease the fans, who would have otherwise torn Hockey Canada appart with questions of where is Staal + Spezza... at least now they can say they will be going to Turin anyways and may get a chance to play.

The Senior Citizen defence is also a little suspect and Broduer could be questionable with this season's form.

Shame, yet the team looks scary enough still and wont be handing over the gold to anyone by default. The Czechs, if they select right, may just plop into that "favourites" niche in the mind of the neutral spectator.

 

[Westcoasthabsfan]

The main reason why Crosby didn't get the call:

Mario: Wayne, don't pick him, the wife and I are planning on going to Hawaii for the break and we need him as a sitter

Wayne: OK, Mario, have fun in Hawaii. Don't drink too many Mai Tai's

My guts are splitting after reading this response.... Good one Devils1983

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Not talking about Smyth, Marleau, Spezza, or Staal for a minute - honestly, you have to admit, it was above and beyond Pejorative Slured to choose Bertuzzi.

And it was wise to take Doan and Draper?