Vancouver Canucks

The Final Selection

As the date for Steve Yzerman to reveal his team fast approaches, and after a whole two months of countdowns, it is now time to reveal my picks. So without further ado, here it is:

GOALIES
Martin Brodeur
Roberto Luongo
Marc-Andre Fleury

DEFENSEMEN
Scott Niedermayer ‘C’ - Shea Weber
Chris Pronger ‘A’ - Dan Boyle
Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook
Jay Bouwmeester

FORWARDS
Rick Nash - Sidney Crosby - Jarome Iginla ‘A’
Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Dany Heatley
Martin St. Louis - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Jonathan Toews - Mike Richards - Mike Fisher
Brenden Morrow

And that’s your 23.

There’s no doubt about it - the league’s best goaltender this year will be the starter and that’s clearly Brodeur. Hanging up another gold medal along with breaking Terry Sawchuk’s shutout record will be a year to remember. Luongo is the hometown favourite and will get the nod as the backup but Fleury has the big game experience. He was arguably Pittsburgh’s MVP last year. The three goalies are heads and shoulders above any other Canadian goalie in the league.

The name that will draw the most amount of debate will be Washington’s Mike Green. The league’s leading scoring defenseman with 36 points in 37 games is an offensively talented player that deserves a spot on any team - just not this one. Big question marks were raised about Green’s defensive play, and while it has improved by a significant margin this year, his key contribution - offense - is almost nullified by the presence of Niedermayer, Weber, Boyle, and Keith. While you can’t replace or replicate Green’s offense, his defense is still considered a liability. Mike Babcock noted that on defense Canada has the ultimate edge over all the countries so I think he’ll be looking for players that can really play both ends of the ice rather than specialize in one area.

Two Flames, Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr, have also been omitted because I don’t feel either bring something indispensable to the table. Phaneuf is no doubt a talented player who loves the atmosphere and the big games but sometimes he gets a little carried away, resulting in dumb penalties that can really put his team in a hole. How well he responds to a loud Vancouver crowd is a big question mark. While Regehr has been a big-time shut-down player for the Flames, his offensive skill is limited and his skating ability is not in the same league as the top six, save maybe Pronger. Canada’s ability to get up and down the ice quickly will be a deciding factor in the tournament.

TSN made a big deal about having three right-handed shots and three-left handed shots in the top six. While that will be taken into consideration, I doubt that is a major deal breaker. Babcock has only right-handed regular on his Detroit squad (Brian Rafalski) and they seem to do just fine. It’ll make things easier to have more right-handed shots but I don’t think it’s a necessity. Either way, I have followed the same pattern but I daresay event though I have Keith as the third pairing it would not surprise me if he ended up moving up.

Drew Doughty will be a favourite pick for those who want Canada’s new batch of young stars to step in. At just 20 years old, he’s the go-to guy for Terry Murray and the surging Kings. He logs big minutes and comparisons to Niedermayer aren’t unfounded - he plays a more offensive style and uses his skating to cover a lot of ground. He’s smart and poised with the puck. But there’s just simply too many players to pick from and the pressure is going to be immense. I think the deciding factor will be that Doughty has only one full regular season under his belt and too little experience at the international level. The defending gold medalist Swedes went with experience, and so will Canada.

The first two forward lines were easy to pick. Crosby plays with Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz, two power forwards, so putting him between Nash and Iginla shouldn’t be much of a problem. Canada’s top line has enough hustle, skill, and strength to carry the team. This will be Crosby’s first Olympics and what better way than to make his debut in his home country and as the tournament MVP?

The second line was also easy because I’ve decided to take the San Jose trio. A lot of pundits who picked the trio have split them up and I don’t see the logic behind it. It’s clear that Marleau thrives with his two usual linemates, why not just keep them together? The chemistry is already built-in. There’s no sense in taking Marleau if you’re not going to play him in an offensive role.

Getzlaf and Perry was another pair that was easy to pick, but what of the left winger? You could take a dark horse left winger like Mike Cammalleri or Dustin Penner, or even a lefty centre like Jordan Staal, Eric Staal, or Vincent Lecavalier. Since I don’t think Cammalleri or Penner deserve spots, you can count them out. Lecavalier and Eric Staal are interesting choices because despite their disappointing seasons they’re extremely talented players and maybe a selection to this team will rejuvenate their game. Jordan Staal will also be a popular pick but I don’t think his offensive talents are suited for that line and he plays much better at centre than on the wing. If he is picked he’ll be a fourth-line player, not a utility third line, which is why I went with the right-handed Martin St. Louis. The third highest scoring Canadian and a natural right winger will play the left side simply because he can. I think St. Louis is a very creative and smart player who is all heart. He’s the engine that drives Tampa Bay.

The fourth line will generate the most debate. Mike Richards was always my pick for the fourth line centre job and there he will stay. He’s had his up and downs this season but he is still a very good two-way player that brings an edge to the game. He has always done a magnificent job for Canada so I don’t see why he can’t do the job again in February. Toews was also an obvious pick but will have to play on the left side because of Richards’ lack of versatility. Another centre, will be rewarded for his strong play this year and that’s Mike Fisher. He’s another capable two-way player that has really flourished under Cory Clouston and his confidence is at an all-time high. Either way, all three players can take face-offs and Babcock can use them as he pleases. Brenden Morrow takes the last spot and even though he hasn’t done much in terms of putting the puck in the net, he’s one of Canada’s most rugged and tough forwards. If Canada needs a little spark on their team expect him to draw in.

You can debate for hours on the exclusion of goal-scoring machine Jeff Carter and Canada vet Shane Doan, but I don’t think either player has played well enough to warrant a spot. Don’t write them off just yet though - injuries could happen between now and the start of the Games. Still keep your eyes on Lecavalier, the Staals, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Richards as well.