On Tuesday Hockey Canada finally released the list of players that will be representing Canada at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia and like any Canadian who cares way too much about sports, I am going to give my thoughts on each selection and if Hockey Canada's directors got their pick right or wrong.
Forwards:
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh): This one is a no brainer, Crosby is the best player in the world and scored the winning goal in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Gold Medal Game. Crosby will once again likely add to his already Hall of Fame caliber resume in Russia.
Jonathan Toews (Chicago): Coming off a Stanley Cup win with the Blackhawks, Toews is arguably the best two way forward on Team Canada.
Patrice Bergeron (Boston): Might not be the flashiest player, but once again Bergeron has been a winner everywhere he has went and is the type of player Hockey Canada desires.
Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim): On a team loaded with centers it might be easy to forget that Getzlaf is currently fourth in the NHL with 49 points.
John Tavares (New York Islanders): After nearly singlehandedly lifting the Islanders to a playoff run in the 2013 season, Tavares will take his reputation as a clutch Canadian performer from the World Juniors into the Olympic stage this year. As good of a shooter as he is a passer, expect Tavares to make a move to the wing even if he is the highest scorer on Team Canada not named Sidney Crosby.
Matt Duchene (Colorado): Duchene is likely the weakest center on the Team Canada roster, but with the centerman role being the most loaded position to pick from for the team selection process, Duchene making the team over veteran Joe Thornton speaks volumes of Duchene's improvement this season under new head coach Patrick Roy.
Patrick Sharp (Chicago): Elite scorer who shares a team with one of the top centers in Toews. Sharp has a knack for big goals as shown during the Blackhawks Cup run last year and he will be expected to produce more goals on one of Canada's top lines.
Chris Kunitz (Pittsburgh): Would Kunitz be on the Team Canada roster if he didn't share a line with Sidney Crosby? Probably not, but that really doesn't matter. As long as Kunitz can finish chances set up for him by world class playmakers, nobody will complain that he is on the roster. At the end of the day, Kunitz' numbers have him more than deserving of being on this team.
Jamie Benn (Dallas): On the international ice surface you need speed and skill on the wings. Jamie Benn has both of those things and is one of the lone bright spots on the Stars this season. Expect some highlight reel moments out of Benn in the tournament.
Patrick Marleau (San Jose): Of the forwards, Marleau might be one of the more questionable decisions made on players who were put onto the roster. With Claude Giroux and Martin St. Louis both off the roster despite being more dynamic forwards, Canada is putting a lot of faith on Marleau being equally as effective on the larger ice surface as he is during the NHL regular season. A noted choker in the playoffs, Marleau is one of the few players who is perhaps less deserving than the players who won't be heading to Russia.
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay): Everyone is assuming Stamkos will play through his injury and whether or not he can come back might be what divides Canada from being one of the favourites to win Gold, to being the outright number one contender at the tournament. Stamkos has became the best shot in hockey over the past four years, and his presence will be especially welcomed on the powerplay where he will be able to utilize even more space to get open shots than he has in the NHL.
Corey Perry (Anaheim): One of the Top 20 scorers in the league this season and a player who has consistently been an elite scorer his entire career, Perry's long history of performing for Canada was going to get him on this team one way or another. Rick Nash (NY Ranger): Yes, Nash isn't the same Rick Nash as before he left Columbus to sign with the Rangers. That doesn't change the fact that Rick Nash might be Canada's most patriotic player of his era. Missing the playoffs nearly every year with the Blue Jackets, there are more World Championship moments than you can list involving Nash. That commitment and dedication to the World Championship team, and his skilled hands and offensive IQ earn him his keep on this team. Even if it didn't for players like Thornton and St. Louis.
Jeff Carter (L.A.): When Carter was left off the roster in 2010, it was a controversial move. Now when he is kept on the roster it might be a worse move. Martin St. Louis is still in top form despite his age and likely deserved a shot on the team and as mentioned before Claude Giroux is amongst the top scorers in the league with a game suited for the larger ice surface. Carter will likely be the last forward on the depth chart, but while it is a nice story for him being included on the team it was at the expense of a more than deserving Canadian in St. Louis and a more skilled player in Giroux.
Defence:
Shea Weber (Nashville): One of many players who are currently ignored by playing in smaller US markets, Weber will get to show off that he is one of the best blueline players in hockey with the world watching.
Duncan Keith (Chicago): Keith and Weber are likely Canada's top two defenseman and will be counted on to provide big minutes for a group that is weaker on the backend of the roster compared to the loaded forward group.
Jay Bouwmeester (St. Louis): Steady presence on the blueline, won't cost you too many penalties or goals. Bouwmeester won't sell too many Canada jerseys with his name on the back, but he will have an improtant role on one of Canada's top three defensive pairings.
Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis): Don Hitchcock has the Blues as one of the best defensive teams in hockey right now, so it is no surprise to see two players from St. Louis on the roster. Pietrangelo is likely the more useful of the two and is younger than Bouwmeester.
Drew Doughty (L.A.): When you have a two way defenseman like Doughty potentially looking for ice time, you know you have a good team. I can see Doughty partnered on the second pairing as the offensive presence with either Pietrangelo or Bouwmeester who are more defense only blueliners.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic (San Jose): A lot of people wanted Brent Seabrook in this spot, but I think Vlasic is more suited to playing the international game than Seabrook at this stage of Seabrook's career.
PK Subban (Montreal): It would have been a travesty to not have Subban's talents at the Olympics. His skating, puckhandling, and shot could all be dangerous. He just might only play on the second powerplay unit and still be dangerous for the Canadians.
Dan Hamhuis (Vancouver): Like Vlasic, Hamhuis is likely better suited to play on the international surface than Seabrook, who has lost a step over the past couple of seasons. Don't expect much ice time for the Canuck, who along with Vlasic will likely be the 7/8 defensemen on the depth chart.
Goalies:
Carey Price (Montreal): With Luongo struggling, 2014 might be the year of Carey Price who has by default became Canada's best goalie after years of having to deal with criticism from the Montreal media. At the very least, he and Luongo will be used to playing under massive pressure whoever starts once the tournament begins.
Roberto Luongo (Vancouver): Hate it or love it, Canada doesn't win Gold in Vancouver without Luongo in 2010. That alone will give him a chance at being the starter if he is fully healthy and in form.
Mike Smith (Phoenix): Smith deserves this spot and he likely won't be called into action with Price and Luongo both the de facto #1 and #2 goalies.
