The return of Dan Boyle is a big sigh of relief for Canada because he’s a truly underrated defenseman with amazing skating and puck-moving ability. A lot of people credit Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards for Tampa’s 2004 win, but Dan Boyle and Martin St. Louis were equally vital. The big news today, however, is Ryan Getzlaf’s sprained left ankle. He is listed as day-to-day and may very well heal in time for the Games but with these type of injuries it is impossible to tell how long he will be out for. Getzlaf was in crutches after the game but X-rays were negative and he will undergo further testing today. Should Getzlaf not be able to make the trip, who takes his spot with Corey Perry? Well, I think it’s quite obvious that will be Eric Staal, who has 34 points in 29 games since December and plays a fairly similar game. For those concerned with handedness, Staal is a lefty while Getzlaf a righty, but the new replacement could fill that void. For me, there are two players that Canada can take and they’re both from right shots: Steven Stamkos or Martin St. Louis. Jeff Carter (also a righty) may creep into the conversation here and may get the nod because of his size, but Stamkos is having a far superior season. My personal choice would be St. Louis because I think his strong play this season has been overlooked and he is an Olympian vet, so throwing him into this situation won’t be anything he can’t handle. On a roster that is full of centreman, having St. Louis, a natural winger, could help.

Scott Niedermayer isn’t having a good season either and all eyes will be on him to right his game and lead the team. As a winner at every single level, Niedermayer isn’t a stranger to pressure. With a strong supporting cast that is by far, I think, the best in the tournament, Canada’s defense should be one of few worries of the coaching staff. Canada’s defense has a little bit of everything - speed, size, skill, strength, and even youth in the highly regarded Drew Doughty. The big head scratcher for Mike Babcock and company is to figure out which players get the big minutes and which ones sit.

A lot has been made about goaltending as well, with Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, and Marc-Andre Fleury struggling. Brodeur, Canada’s undisputed #1, has allowed more than 3 goals in his last 5 games with a 2-3 record during that stretch. The Devils blew a 2-0 lead last night against Philadelphia. Luongo had a fantastic game in Boston but lost his previous game and was pulled in Toronto. Fleury has allowed 13 goals in his last 3 games and had a save percentage far below his usual .906 mark in that stretch. Is it fatigue? It could very well be with all three goalies heavily relied upon by their respective teams. Some argue that coaches, especially ones with Olympic commitments like Jacques Lemaire, should rest his starters in preparation for the Olympics but that won’t happen - the NHL is their day job and they’re paid to win, so naturally it’s their only focus until the opening game against Norway. Either way, Canada is walking into the tournament with their three best goalies, even if they are currently being outplayed by Steve Mason and Marty Turco. Exactly who the hero will be remains to be seen.

USA has already lost two of their original selections. Paul Martin is out with a broken arm and won’t be 100% by the start of the Games and Mike Komisarek is going to have season-ending shoulder surgery. Brian Burke swiftly announced Ryan Whitney and Tim Gleason as his replacements. While Whitney hasn’t exactly had a stellar season, he is logging almost 25 minutes a night for the struggling Ducks while Gleason will replace Komisarek’s defensive zone presence. While I like the majority of USA’s roster, I would’ve picked Matt Greene (Grand Ledge, MI) and Zach Bogosian (Massena, NY) instead, to continue Burke’s trend of a youth movement, even though it’s not like Whitney (26) or Gleason (27) are that old. Greene has been vital to the Kings’ success and is their best defensive player. While Bogosian has really cooled off and has just 20 points with -13, he is the future of USA’s defensive corps along with Erik and Jack Johnson. If anything, Bogosian will be USA’s seventh man and it would perhaps do him some good to just soak up the atmosphere. The USA are underdogs, but it’s the way they like it. Just ask Mike Eruzione and the 1980 squad.

Russia will perhaps be Canada’s biggest challenge because their offense is, by far, the best in the tournament. When Ilya Kovalchuk and Evgeni Malkin play on your second line, you have an embarrassment of riches in the goal-scoring category. However, there are two things to note. First, I think Russia shot itself in the foot when they announced that half of their roster will be made up of players from the KHL. I think hockey politics took the front seat here because Russian officials were much too eager to show the world that the KHL is on par with the NHL, but let’s face it, the world’s best players are in the NHL. If the Russians win gold, then they have a point, but if they lose, it shows that the NHL is still the superior league. Second, defense remains the big issues because their top two defenseman, Sergei Gonchar and Andrei Markov, are both known more for their offensive talents than defense. The Russians can outscore anybody, but the question is whether or not they are good enough in the defensive zone. Talented forwards Alexei Kovalev and Alexander Frolov were the notable absentees, and even if their consistency at the NHL level is suspect, they are top performers for Russia - Kovalev has 10 points in 14 games for Russia in two Olympics and Frolov has 15 points in 16 games in two World Championships. Sergei Mozyakin, one of the top performers in the KHL year-in and year-out, was also another omission. Semyon Varlamov has been out since December with a groin injury and his replacement will be Alexander Eremenko, the fourth goalie at camp, but the issue is largely irrelevant because Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov are the clear 1-2.

The Swedes may be hit by injuries the hardest, with both veterans Tomas Holmtrom and Niklas Kronwall questionable for the tournament. Let’s not forget that despite his selection to the roster, it is still not 100% sure whether or not Peter Forsberg will play. Assuming that all three will be unavailable, Johan Franzen, who recently returned from injury, will get the first looks. Forget about Mikael Samuelsson - even if he’s asked he’s already said he’d say no. If Franzen isn’t ready, than the Swedes could go with more checking ability in Fredrik Sjostrom, or scoring ability by reaching into their own backyard and pick Johan Davidsson from HV71 Jonkoping of the SEL. The captain and team’s leading scorer for the past two years, Davidsson is having another strong season and gives the Swedes another representative from the SEL despite not having played at the international level since the 2007 World Championships. Since former Washington Capital and coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson (son Anton is in the Caps’ system) has been adverse to selecting younger players, Victor Hedman, who wasn’t even on the original shortlist, probably won’t be picked. Instead it may very well be Alex Edler, who I felt should’ve belonged in the first place, or another Red Wing in Jonathan Ericsson, or Chicago’s underrated Niklas Hjalmarsson. Whatever the case, Sweden will almost undoubtedly be in play during the medal rounds due to their incredible chemistry. Daniel and Henrik Sedin are expected to anchor the top line in front of their home crowd while Henrik Zetterberg and Daniel Alfredsson will form the second.

Finland will make some noise because like Canada and USA, they will benefit from a smaller ice surface with their North American style of play. Tuomo Ruutu and Niklas Backstrom are both on the injured reserve and it seems unlikely either will make the trip. While they are very good NHLers, especially Backstrom, it won’t hurt them significantly. Miikka Kiprusoff will man the pipes while Antero “Sushi Roll” Niittymaki will back him up and is more than capable of handling the load, having won MVP honours at Turin. Nashville’s Pekka Rinne will most likely be the third string. Jussi Jokinen and Lauri Korpikoski would be my first choices as Ruutu’s replacement, both versatile players but lack Ruutu’s physical play. There will be a good chance that the games will be decided by shootouts and Jussi Jokinen may be the best in the league, along with Jonathan Toews. The scrappy Finns are considered underdogs in this tournament but do have the ability to make some noise. Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, the leading scorers at Turin with 11 points each, are both returning.

Neither the Czechs nor Slovaks have any injuries, the only medal round threats to not have any. It works in their favour, but they face a very steep uphill climb in the tough Group B (Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia). The Slovaks, who finished fifth in Turin, are headlined by a healthy duo of Marian Gaborik and Marian Hossa, while Zdeno Chara continues to patrol the blueline. There is no obvious strength on the Slovak squad, but there’s no obvious weakness either. If the goaltending holds up with Jaroslav Halak and Peter Budaj, the Slovaks have a good chance of finishing in the bronze medal game. The team is headlined by a big batch of veterans, including Jozef Stumpel, Pavol Demitra, and Miroslav Satan. Gaborik is the Slovaks’ youngest forward and he is 28. Like Sweden, the Slovaks will lean on veteran leadership, good goaltending, and timely scoring to get them through the tournament. For 37-year old Ziggy Palffy, who came out of retirement in 2007, this will most likely be his last opportunity to win a medal. A veteran-heavy team may not necessarily be a bad thing - for one, the team could fall flat on its face like Canada in 2006 or be a surprising contender like USA in 2002.

Given the talent pool it seems unlikely the Czechs will finish third again, although it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Like the Slovaks, the Czechs don’t have any weaknesses, but rather just a solid, well-rounded team. What gives the Czechs an edge over rest of their competition, however, is their ability to score. The undersized Tomas Plekanec will be the team’s top centreman, but what the team lacks in depth down the middle is more than made up for on the wings with Martin Havlat, Patrik Elias, Milan Michalek, Martin Erat, Tomas Fleischmann, and, of course, Jaromir Jagr. To be honest I though the Czechs would stock up on some more firepower because that’s their obvious strength, but instead chose to exclude Jiri Hudler, Vaclav Prospal, and even Milan Hejduk, a curious decision to say the least. Tomas Kaberle, Marek Zidlicky, Filip Kuba, and Pavel Kubina makes up a nice defensive corps, while shot-blocking machine Zbynek Michalek (271 in 2008-09 was 33 more than second place Brett Clark, another underrated defenseman) will be the shut-down man. There will be no Dominik Hasek to confound shooters, although Tomas Vokoun is certainly no slouch.

Odds to win Gold: Canada (1:2), Russia (2:1), Sweden and USA (6:1), Czech Republic (12:1), Finland (18:1), Slovakia (40:1)

Go Canada Go!

As BCapp pointed out, Paul Martin’s out of the tournament, and if Mike Komisarek can’t make it back in time, so will he. The replacement for Paul Martin’s easy - for me it’s Zach Bogosian. He wasn’t on the original invite list but I did pick him for my Olympic squad. I think his play this year has been solid and since Brian Burke went with Jon Quick over Craig Anderson because of age, here’s another opportunity to add another youngster. If not, it’s Ron Hainsey, another Atlanta Thrasher. As for Komisarek, it’ll be either Hainsey or Rob Scuderi. Maybe Ryan Whitney if they want more offense. I felt the league’s ice-time leading should’ve gotten a nod.

For the Swedes, it looks less and likely that MoDo forward Peter Forsberg and Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom will make the trip. I imagine Johan Frazen will get a good look when he returns, but if he can’t return in time I’ll have to stick with two guys from my original picks, either Fredrik Sjostrom, now of the Leafs, or Johan Davidsson of HV71 in the SEL. Davdisson is the current captain of that team and has led that team in scoring for the past 2 seasons, but hasn’t appeared for the Tre Kroner since the 2007 World Championships. I thought his name was a glaring omission, considering that the lone forward taken from the European leagues was Mattias Weinhandl.

Russia’s third string Semyon Varlamov has been out since early December with a groin injury, and while most reports indicate that he’s ready to go, it seems rather unlikely. In his place will probably be Alexander Eremenko, the fourth goalie at camp. Either way, with Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov in front, the third string will be unlikely to see any sort of ice-time.

The Czechs may be without Patrik Elias, and that’s one that will have an impact. But the good thing about the Czechs is that they have some quality forwards. First, there’s the young Jiri Hudler, who bolted to greener pastures this year and is enjoying a good season in the KHL. If the Czechs wish to replace Elias’ versatility instead, it’s probably Vaclav Prospal, who like Elias can play the left wing or centre. I think the ideal choice, however, to replace Elias’ production and leadership is adding Milan Hejduk, who I felt was curiously left off the roster this year.

For Canada, there has been some concern over Martin Brodeur’s recent play and Scott Niedermayer’s season long play. The first reaction is question whether these two should be given some rest, but I think the best option here is to wait and see. The Olympics aren’t far away, but keep in mind that for many of these players and their employers, NHL hockey comes first. If the night before Canada’s first game Jacques Lemaire deems it necessary to play Brodeur against a weak team, say, Carolina, because the division title lead is on the line, he will do so. If Randy Carlyle deems it necessary to play Niedermayer 30 minutes against San Jose, he will do so. The arguments are valid, and I really think for a lot of players and coaches Olympic commitments have been brought into the discussion, but they’re not the priority. I do agree that Brodeur might have to sit for a game or two and that Niedermayer’s play even after the selection has been average at best.

I think this is an absolutely terrible ruling and that there is an obvious double standard here. I think David Branch’s ruling just proved how much of a joke the entire process of disciplining a hockey player is. Scratch that, it’s not a joke. It’s a disgrace.

The inevitable comparison here will be Michael Liambas, who was suspended for the rest of the season for his hit on sixteen year-old Kitchener Rangers defenseman Ben Fanelli in October which effectively ended Liambas’ junior career. At the time, a lot of people knew Branch would come down hard on Liambas, who had built a reputation as a physical, bruising player, but not this hard. You have to feel sorry for Liambas here because ultimately I think in light of all these situations he’s the ultimate victim of a double standard. I do believe that Fanelli turned his back at the last second, but I also believe that Liambas had no intention to hurt him and was reportedly in tears after the hit. Liambas made an effort to visit Fanelli at the local hospital but was denied. He has attempted to apologize to the Fanellis in person, but a bout with the swine flu in December prevented him from going home. My point is, the intent to hurt is obviously not there. Liambas is now playing with the Bloomington Prairie Thunder of the International Hockey League.

Now onto Kassian. Never mind whether or not he left his feet - Bob McKenzie thinks he did, Branch doesn’t - because I think it’s a debatable issue that really doesn’t have an end. Never mind whether or not Matt Kennedy touched the puck because ultimately I think that’s not the biggest issue. The issue here is that this is Kassian’s THIRD suspension and he only gets 20 games. I don’t understand, Kassian NEEDS to be suspended for the season, especially as a repeat offender for the same offenses. Admittedly the 20 games is a fair amount, but once again this reeks of hockey politics. Kassian is a high-profile player, selected 13th overall in last year’s draft by Buffalo. There is a complete lack of consistency in the OHL’s ruling. In my opinion, Kassian clearly wanted to hit Kennedy hard and didn’t let up even when Kennedy wasn’t looking or had control of the puck. I think it’s pretty clear that Kassian went for his head.

Which now brings to Patrice Cormier (drafted in the second round by New Jersey), who knocked out Mikael Tam a couple days ago with a vicious elbow. Now there’s a clear intent to injure there. QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau will announce Cormier’s suspension soon but he really has to be careful here. Cormier was Canada’s most recent World Junior captain and an all-star in the QMJHL. I think anything less than a season-long suspension for Cormier is too light. There have been reports that Cormier showed a lack of remorse after the hit.

Enough rambling - how do we fix the situation? It’s been made quite clear that the suspensions handed out by the NHL and OHL lack any form of consistency. High profile players are given preferential treatment while others are merely scapegoats to show how willing hockey wants to crack down on these type of hits and teach respect on the ice. I think a good solution is to introduce a system that suspends players not based on the extent of the victim’s injury but rather the act itself. Enough with the provisional “indefinite suspensions.” I think those types of things raise more questions than they answer, and a strong case in point was Todd Bertuzzi’s infamous hit on Steve Moore and his subsequent suspension. Bertuzzi spent most of the year wondering what was going on, whether or not he could ever play in the NHL again, a stressful time for anybody. He put up with the whole situation and never complained. Same goes for Liambas, who has shown nothing but regret and remorse for hurting Fanelli.

If David Branch wants to drive a hard line, that’s fine, but his last two rulings have made the OHL look worse than the hits themselves. I think a good solution is to introduce a set number of games for suspension, depending on the hit. A hit in which a player leaves his feet is an automatic three games. A hit to the head or hit from behind is an automatic five games. Obviously in some cases in won’t be enough and the league will have the power to tack on more games if necessary but at least the baseline is there and everyone involved knows what’s coming. It causes less ambiguity and confusion. Junior-aged players need to understand that their actions will have significant consequences. It’s become apparent that these kids need to learn about respect the hard way.

Hopefully a swift recovery for Ben Fanelli, Matt Kennedy, and Mikael Tam.

The ball’s in your court now, Gilles Courteau.

NB: This is actually my second post regarding the whole Cormier-Tam incident. Read my other previous entries here:
On Auger and Burrows: http://forum.canucks.com/blog/73/entry-599-on-ron-maclean-and-augerburrows/
Patrice Cormier: http://forum.canucks.com/blog/73/entry-601-thumbs-down-to-patrice-cormier/

The problem tonight with the NHL’s inconsistent reffing wasn’t the fact that there were a lot of phantom or soft calls, but rather that they didn’t call anything. It’s one thing to let the game play on without any sort of stoppages, especially a match-up as crucial as this one, but it’s totally another to let the lack of calls dictate what kind of behaviour the players can engage in. Case in point, Dion Phaneuf.

Just by my count, Phaneuf should’ve been called for penalties on at least four separate occasions, some of them committed right in front of McCreary, but no whistles. FOUR. Letting one go is something, but once Phaneuf realized that his after-the-whistle shot on Daniel Sedin wasn’t going to called for a roughing or unsportsmanlike, he took advantage of it and did the same to Ryan Kesler. Had McCreary or Walkom remembered they had whistles on their hands, Phaneuf would’ve put his team in a giant hole against Vancouver’s vaunted powerplay. His antics were dumb and pointless and one day it’s going to come back and really hurt his team… and to think that a lot of people picked him for Canada. He’s just not a very smart nor disciplined player. Speaking of penalties, where was the call for the slash on Christian Ehrhoff that snapped his stick in half in overtime? I seem to remember that a slashed stick that broke always resulted into a penalty.

Kudos to Kesler for fighting back against Phaneuf because no one else seemed to want to do it. Someone needed to respond with either a big hit or fight to show that Phaneuf’s antics won’t be tolerated. Instead, we got two Rick Rypien-Brandon Prust scraps that, while entertaining, sent the right message to the wrong player. It should’ve been Phaneuf there, but I guess with the new “fighting code” in the NHL a fight would’ve only been warranted had there been a big, clean hit. I’m tired of players thinking it’s their job to respond with a fight only after a good hit (see Darcy Hordichuk on Toby Petersen and Cam Barker on Mike Weaver). I also have to disagree with Hordichuk’s comments on HNIC as well, just because while I do agree that it’s his job to spark the team, I think it’s almost been ingrained in players’ heads that after they make a clean hit someone will always come after them. Even if Hordichuk didn’t want to fight, he would’ve had to because it was clear Krys Barch was looking to do something about it. If the NHL wants to do something about cracking down on these “unnecessary responses” throw in a 2-minute instigator for the guy who responds to a good, solid hit. The league should promote good, legal, physical play and letting the players police themselves in this way doesn’t help. The league has refs to prevent escalation but tonight they could’ve failed miserably in that department. Phaneuf could’ve been hurt bad had the Canucks really lost their composure (like Tanner Glass in a brief hiccup in an up-and down third frame).

The Sedins were up to their old tricks again with a beautiful feed from Alex Burrows to Henrik to Daniel, and once again the twins weren’t afraid to mix it up in the scrums. The new-found swagger, I think, has given them confidence and propelled Henrik to the top of the Art Ross race. The Canucks played a confident game all night despite being heavily outshot (quality over quantity, I say) and it has translated over to the penalty box, where in a hilarious sequence the gatekeeper told Rene Bourque (I believe it was him, serving Mark Giordano’s penalty, although I could be wrong) to scoot down the bench so he had some place to sit. Bourque proceeded him to give him a little stare while the gatekeeper continued to ignore him.

Jarome Iginla was 1-1 against Henrik tonight in the circle and 1-2 overall, but it might as well be 0-2 because neither Shane Heyer nor Brian Murphy could agree on the proper way to drop the puck, something which has drawn the ire of many players and the league had set a standard for the proper technique before the season. Here’s an idea: never mind if the player is ready or not - just drop the puck and if one player doesn’t have his stick down, well, too bad. I understand that the linesmen are trying to make the face-off fair at a crucial moment in a crucial game, but c’mon, these are pros and if they don’t pay attention then make them pay for it.

Mikael Samuelsson had a chance to end the game in overtime but missed the net, something that Detroit fans knew all too well about. Other than that miss he had a great game and really showed some great stickhandling and passing. Willie Mitchell also had a big lane to fire his slapper through, but it wasn’t a particularly good shot (it kinda fluttered) and it was one of the few instances in which his extra long stick has a drawback. You can bet that the Canucks missed having Sami Salo at the point. In the shootout Kesler’s post was the ultimate decider of the game because both goalies were beat three times each. What a call by Brent Sutter though, to use Jamie Lundmark as his last shooter. He played a heck of a game and Roberto Luongo’s unfamiliarity with him must’ve made an impact.

It was a hard-fought and great game overall but it’s tough to lose in a shootout like that. Until we meet again, Flamers (March 14).

Back when the WCE was at its peak, the Canucks stepped onto the ice knowing that they could score 4, 5, or even 6 goals against their opposition no matter who was in net. They were confident and cocky in their abilities. They took risks, they mouthed off, and they weren’t backing down to anybody. When the line began to falter and Naslund no longer had his seeing-eye wrister, the Canucks lost that swagger and what followed was an bout of inconsistency, hesitancy, and lack of execution in key situations or games. Four seasons since the lockout, two division banners but also two playoff misses.

In today’s Winter Classic (a great game, by the way), Don Cherry made a point about the recent Calgary-Vancouver tilt in which Henrik was knocked down by Dion Phaneuf but proceeded to get back up and score in the same shift. Ignoring his celebrating teammates, Henrik proceeded to skate by Phaneuf and let him know that he’s not going to take that kind of hit and not do anything about it. I noticed that while watching the game as well and had a good laugh. It’s always nice to see that dumb look on Phaneuf’s face. It was much of the same in St. Louis, except it was brother Daniel that wasn’t afraid to run his mouth against Barret Jackman while Shane O’Brien, ever the consummate teammate, jumped to his defense. While I do agree that Dan Carcillo’s post-fight celebration was a bush-league move, I personally like the cocky confidence the Sedins now exude.

Scratch that - I friggin’ love it.

Five years ago, or even a year ago, I don’t think we would’ve really seen the Sedins really stick up for themselves like that. Perhaps it was because we’ve always had a Jarkko Ruutu or Matt Cooke on our team. And remember the Wade Brookbank experiment as the third brother? Perhaps it’s because the Sedins have now really embraced their roles as the leaders of the team, especially with the new ‘A’ on Henrik’s sweater. Perhaps Mikael Samuelsson’s rubbing off on them. Whatever the reason is, expect more great things from the Sedins. Why? Because this new found aggression has always served players well. Defensemen now know that you can’t push the Sedins without getting a response. When’s the last time anyone called them the sisters? The Sedins are smart players and they’ll hit you where it hurts most: the scoreboard.

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.

GOALTENDERS
1 (1) Martin Brodeur, NJ (.887 SV% isn’t pretty, but chalk up two more wins)
2 (3) Marc-Andre Fleury, Pit (3 straight wins with only 4 GA in that span)
3 (2) Roberto Luongo, Van (2.29/.920, but team can’t find consistency)

There’s no denying that Brodeur’s the starter. But who’s the backup? Do you go with big game experience with Fleury or the big talent with Luongo? That’s a question that Mike Babcock will have to decide. Either way, he’s seen enough of Luongo in the West and Fleury in the Cup finals to make an informed decision.

DEFENSEMEN
1 (2) Duncan Keith, Chi (there’s really no stopping this guy)
2 (3) Shea Weber, Nsh (the Preds are rolling and he’s +7 in December)
3 (4) Brent Seabrook, Chi (+13 is second to Toews on Hawks)
4 (1) Mike Green, Wsh (quiet week in which offense was shut down)
5 (5) Dan Boyle, SJ (how good is he? Faces off against Keith tonight)
6 (7) Drew Doughty, LA (comparisons to Niedermayer aren’t premature)
7 (8) Chris Pronger, Phi (he’s a lock, but recent play suggests otherwise)
8 (6) Jay Bouwmeester, Cgy (ugly -4 week but still the front-runner from CGY)
9 (12) Dion Phaneuf, Cgy (two PPG is nice, but Canada not short on offense)
10 (11) Scott Niedermayer, Ana (selection or non-selection will both spark debate)
11 (13) Robyn Regehr, Cgy (his shut-down role already taken by Seabrook)

Drew Doughty is the player to watch here because he might be a better pick than Jay Bouwmeester. There are four locks as of now: Niedermayer, Pronger, Weber, and Keith. That’s your top four core right there and the next three will depend on what sort of team Steve Yzerman wants to ice. Boyle would be a lock if it weren’t for Mike Green because both players dominate in the offensive zone but not so much in their own. I left Regehr on the list because I think he could be a surprise pick but I’m not totally convinced yet.

FORWARDS
1 (1) Sidney Crosby, Pit (despite only 11 PP points he’s fourth in league scoring)
2 (2) Joe Thornton, SJ (just one game last week but had a hand in all 4 SJ goals)
3 (3) Jonathan Toews, Chi (slow starter was confident - 18 points in last 19 games)
4 (5) Martin St. Louis, TB (he’s a bubble player but his 38 points are tied with Perry)
5 (7) Ryan Getzlaf, Ana (and the goals come rushing in - 3-game goal streak)
6 (11) Jarome Iginla, Cgy (his bounce back ability is amazing - 5 points this week)
7 (10) Rick Nash, Cbs (-11 isn’t pretty but pair him with Crosby and it’ll be magic)
8 (12) Patrick Marleau, SJ (if Canada takes him, they should keep the SJ line together)
9 (4) Dany Heatley, SJ (a rare-0 goal week but still only 3 away from league lead)
10 (6) Corey Perry, Ana (just 1 assist and -3 but he’s got the right mix)
11 (13) Mike Fisher, Ott (season’s no fluke - scoring 5 goals in each month)
12 (16) Mike Richards, Phi (point totals last three months: 12, 11, 8 )
13 (22) Steve Stamkos, TB (probably in line for a disappointing cut)
14 (23) Jordan Staal, Pit (like brother he’s been surging but he’s more versatile)
15 (24) Patrice Bergeron, Bos (TSN’s favourite boy is a depth player at best)
16 (15) Brad Richards, Dal (is he back? Offensively yes, but defense not quite)
17 (9) Mike Cammalleri, Mtl (30 points is great but only 5th among Canadian LWs)
18 (8) Dustin Penner, Edm (how, when, where do you play him?)
19 (21) Brenden Morrow, Dal (outside of Dallas - 11 points in 19 away games)
20 (17) Jeff Carter, Phi (he’d be a good linemate for M. Richards… but that’s about it)
21 (25) Shane Doan, Phx (he’s a solid player but he’s not producing)

The two most notable omissions are Vincent Lecavalier and Eric Staal. Despite Staal’s recent surge I don’t think either player has shown enough to warrant a spot on this team. They’ve been disappointing all year and Canada has the luxury of depth, much to the two big centres’ dismay. I’ve left Penner and Cammalleri on the list because I think they should be considered. Both are dark horses but have performed extremely well with little or zero help. They are the only two bright spots for what will seem like disappointing season for the Oilers and Habs. I’ve also kept Jeff Carter because most pundits still have him on their lists even though I don’t think his play warrants any more consideration. There are other players out there that can put the puck in the net. Definitive locks are Nash, Crosby, Iginla. I would put Joe Thornton in that group but Hockey Canada has always seemed adverse to selecting him, God knows why. Getzlaf, Perry, and Heatley are three others that I would consider locks, but not in the same group as Crosby and co.

As promised, my picks for Sweden, Czech Republic, and Russia:

CZECH REPUBLIC
G Ondrej Pavelec, Atl
G Marek Schwarz, Mlada Boleslav (Extraliga)
G Tomas Vokoun, Fla*

D Roman Hamrlik, Mtl
D Tomas Kaberle, Tor – A*
D Filip Kuba, Ott*
D Pavel Kubina, Atl*
D Zbynek Michalek, Phx
D Jaroslav Spacek, Mtl*
D Marek Zidlicky, Min*

C Jiri Hudler, Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
C David Krejci, Bos
C Tomas Plekanec, Mtl
C Josef Vasicek, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)
LW Patrik Elias, NJ*
LW Milan Michalek, Ott
LW Vaclav Prospal, NYR*
RW Radek Dvorak, Fla
RW Martin Erat, Nsh*
RW Tomas Fleischmann, Wsh
RW Martin Havlat, Min
RW Milan Hejduk, Col - A*
RW Jaromir Jagr, Avangard Omsk (KHL) – C*

RUSSIA
G Ilya Bryzgalov, Phx*
G Evgeni Nabokov, SJ*
G Semyon Varlamov, Was

D Sergei Gonchar, Pit – A*
D Denis Grebeshkov, Edm
D Dmitri Kalinin, Salavat Yulayev Ufa (KHL)
D Fedor Tyutin, Cbs*
D Vitaly Vishnevsky, Lokomotiv Yaroslav (KHL)
D Anton Volchenkov, Ott*
D Sergei Zubov, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

C Pavel Datsyuk, Det*
C Viktor Kozlov, Salavat Yulayev Ufa (KHL)*
C Evgeni Malkin, Pit*
LW Alexander Frolov, LA*
LW Ilya Kovalchuk, Atl – C*
LW Sergei Mozyakin, Atlant Mytishchi (KHL)
LW Alexander Ovechkin, Was*
RW Maxim Afinogenov, Atl*
RW Evgeny Artyukhin, Ana
RW Alexei Kovalev, Ott – A*
RW Alexei Morozov, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
RW Alexander Radulov, Salavat Yulayev Ufa (KHL)
RW Alexander Semin, Was

SWEDEN
G Jacob Markstrom, Brynas IF (SEL)
G Henrik Lundqvist, NYR
G Mikael Tellqvist, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)*

D Alexander Edler, Van
D Tobias Enstrom, Atl
D Jonathan Ericsson, Det
D Kim Johnsson, Min*
D Nicklas Lidstrom, Det – C*
D Johnny Oduya, NJ
D Mattias Ohlund, TB*

C Nicklas Backstrom, Was
C Johan Davidsson, HV 71 (SEL)
C Henrik Sedin, Van*
C Samuel Pahlsson, Cbs*
C Henrik Zetterberg, Det – A*
LW Loui Eriksson, Dal
LW Tomas Holmstrom, Det
LW Fredrik Modin, Cbs*
LW Marcus Nilson, Djurgardens IF (SEL)
LW Daniel Sedin, Van*
LW Fredrik Sjostrom, Cgy
RW Daniel Alfredsson, Ott –A*
RW Mikael Samuelsson, Van*

* = 2006 Olympian

GOALTENDERS
1 (2) Martin Brodeur, NJ (3-win week means he’s fast past the post with 20)
2 (1) Roberto Luongo, Van (six wins in past eight starts, outstanding .923 SV% at home)
3 (3) Marc-Andre Fleury, Pit (where’s the consistency? SV% for last three months: .918, .892, .910)
4 (4) Marty Turco, Dal (he’s staying in the mix, but has uphill climb to unseat Fleury)
5 (5) Carey Price, Mtl (same situation as Turco, but has the upper hand with youth)

Cut from camp roster: Cam Ward, Steve Mason

DEFENSEMEN
1 (1) Mike Green, Wsh (may not hit 30 goals again but improving defensively)
2 (5) Duncan Keith, Chi (against the Sabres he only blocked five shots)
3 (7) Shea Weber, Nsh (leads Preds’ deep, talented, young defensive corps)
4 (9) Brent Seabrook, Chi (t-2nd on team with +10 and averaging 23+ TOI/G)
5 (8) Dan Boyle, SJ (4-game point streak snapped due to injury to thigh - now DTD)
6 (2) Jay Bouwmeester, Cgy (notched 0 points in 3 games and loss to MIN hurts)
7 (11) Drew Doughty, LA (has almost equaled point total from last year and improved +27 overall)
8 (13) Chris Pronger, Phi (projected 55 points would be best total since 2007)
9 (3) Dan Hamhuis, Nsh (Preds only 4 points behind CHI, third most TOI/G on team)
10 (4) Stephane Robidas, Dal (just 1 assist in Dec. and Stars are weaker than 8 losses suggest)
11 (6) Scott Niedermayer, Ana (is he still a lock for the team? Doubters beginning to emerge)
12 (10) Dion Phaneuf, Cgy (will he or won’t he? Pointless in last five contests)
13 (16) Robyn Regehr, Cgy (two straight losses to division teams and -1 in both)

Cut: Francois Beauchemin, Brent Burns, Marc Staal

FORWARDS
1 (1) Sidney Crosby, Pit (back in the top five, five points in last 4)
2 (6) Joe Thornton, SJ (Sharks 1-5 in Dec., but on pace for first 100+ point season since 2007)
3 (5) Jonathan Toews, Chi (5 goals in last 7, 13 shots in last 3 games)
4 (10) Dany Heatley, SJ (may hit 50+ goals again, but more because of Thornton)
5 (12) Martin St. Louis, TB (don’t think he’s a lock but 3 points hard to ignore)
6 (2) Corey Perry, Ana (Ducks keep losing, but only way Perry gets cut is via injury)
7 (4) Ryan Getzlaf, Ana (hard to separate him from Perry, but on pace for only 15 goals)
8 (15) Dustin Penner, Edm (will he or won’t he? Most intriguing player of 2009-10)
9 (13) Mike Cammalleri, Mtl (natural winger with 4 points for team deep at C)
10 (11) Rick Nash, Cbs (notches first goal of December but Jackets struggling)
11 (3) Jarome Iginla, Cgy (held pointless in last four losses but still on pace for 40+ goals)
12 (7) Patrick Marleau, SJ (unlike Thornton, not scoring in last five losses with just one goal)
13 (25) Mike Fisher, Ott (you really have to like the way he plays – another 4 points)
14 (26) James Neal, Dal (has an outside shot to make the squad)
15 (21) Brad Richards, Dal (despite reputation as two-way player, only third season with +)
16 (18) Mike Richards, Phi (has 3 points to start week then 3 goose eggs)
17 (23) Jeff Carter, Phi (snaps drought with 2 goals, one of them GWG)
18 (-) Patrick Sharp, Chi (a vet leader on a very young team)
19 (19) Eric Staal, Car (talent gives him consideration but play does not)
20 (20) Vincent Lecavalier, TB (6 goals is bad enough, but 0 on the PP)
21 (8) Brenden Morrow, Dal (points streak snapped and losing ground)
22 (9) Steve Stamkos, TB (it’ll come down to him or Toews and he’s losing)
23 (17) Jordan Staal, Pit (doesn’t need to score but defense needs to be Selke-calibre)
24 (-) Patrice Bergeron, Bos (what he does well doesn’t show up on stat sheets)
25 (16) Shane Doan, Phx (like Morrow provides grit and skill but both struggling)
26 (-) Marc Savard, Bos (a great playmaker but Boston struggling and so is he)

Cut: Dan Cleary, Simon Gagne, Milan Lucic, Andy McDonald, Derek Roy, Jason Spezza

And as a bonus here are my picks for the other Olympic squads. I’ll reveal Russia and Sweden next week, and my final picks the week after that. Stay tuned!

TEAM SLOVAKIA

G Peter Budaj, Col*
G Jaroslav Halak, Mtl
G Jaroslav Janus, Erie (OHL)

D Zdeno Chara, Bos – C*
D Milan Jurcina, Was*
D Richard Lintner, Dynamo Minsk (KHL)
D Andrej Meszaros, TB*
D Andrej Sekera, Buf
D Boris Valabik, Atl
D Lubomir Visnovsky, Edm*

C Martin Cibak, Spartak Moscow (KHL)
C Michal Handzus, LA - A*
C Jozef Stumpel, Barys Astana (KHL)*
RW Marian Gaborik, NYR - A*
RW Marcel Hossa, Dynamo Riga (KHL)*
RW Marian Hossa, Chi*
RW Juraj Kolnik, Geneva-Servette (Swiss-A)
RW Branko Radivojevic, Spartak Moscow (KHL)
RW Stefan Ruzicka, Spartak Moscow (KHL)
RW Marek Svatos, Col*
LW Ladislav Nagy, Severstal Cherepovets (KHL)*
LW Peter Sejna, ZSC Lions Zurich (Swiss-A)
LW Richard Zednik, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)*

TEAM FINLAND

G Niklas Backstrom, Min
G Miikka Kiprusoff, Cgy
G Pekka Rinne, Nsh

D Lasse Kukkonen, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
D Toni Lydman, Buf*
D Petteri Nummelin, HC Lugano (Swiss-A)
D Joni Pitkanen, Car*
D Anssi Salmela, Atl
D Sami Salo, Van*
D Kimmo Timonen, Phi – A*

C Valtteri Filppula, Det
C Olli Jokinen, Cgy*
C Mikko Koivu, Min*
C Saku Koivu, Ana – C*
C Petteri Nokelainen, Ana
LW Sean Bergenheim, NYI
LW Niklas Hagman, Tor
LW Jussi Jokinen, Car
LW Lauri Korpikoski, Phx
LW Ville Leino, Det
LW Tuomo Ruutu, Car*
RW Jere Lehtinen, Dal*
RW Teemu Selanne, Ana – A*

* = 2006 Olympian

Filed in Canada, Olympics

GOALTENDERS
1 (3) Roberto Luongo, Van (best Canadian goalie this week: 2-0, 1 SO, .970 SV%)
2 (1) Martin Brodeur, NJ (NJ now division leaders with 103rd SO but 5 GA vs. Luongo)
3 (2) Marc-Andre Fleury, Pit (great showing against CHI but loses to lowly CAR)
4 (7) Marty Turco, Dal (Stars inconsistent but Turco shining in last 2 with 1.45/.952)
5 (5) Carey Price, Mtl (loss to Toronto hurts but bounced back with wins over BOS, PHI)
6 (4) Steve Mason, Cbs (3.90 GAA and .831 SV% gives reason to sit him)
7 (6) Ray Emery, Phi (winless in last 5 starts with 5.36 GAA and .814 SV%)

DEFENSEMEN
1 (4) Mike Green, Wsh (4 points against rival Flyers, +4, 1 GWG)
2 (9) Jay Bouwmeester, Cgy (perfect on PK but 0-12 PP in December)
3 (6) Dan Hamhuis, Nsh (if not Weber it’s Hamhuis - 2 points, +2, 4 PIM)
4 (2) Stephane Robidas, Dal (needs to score to get noticed)
5 (1) Duncan Keith, Chi (just one assist and -5 to start December)
6 (3) Scott Niedermayer, Ana (worst shooting % since ‘97 and on pace for worst +/- )
7 (5) Shea Weber, Nsh (quiet week but one of reasons Preds 5 games over .500)
8 (8) Dan Boyle, SJ (Sharks score ten but Boyle has hand in one, also 0-11 on PP)
9 (7) Brent Seabrook, Chi (struggling in December like Keith)
10 (10) Dion Phaneuf, Cgy (minutes continue to be taken by Bouwmeester)
11 (16) Drew Doughty, LA (great bounce-back ability: 2 points, +5, GWG)
12 (15) Francois Beauchemin, Tor (4 points and +7 in last five wins)
13 (11) Chris Pronger, Phi (8 games without point and -5 in that span)
14 (14) Adrian Aucoin, Phx (winners of five straight and 2 assists from steady vet)
15 (20) Ed Jovanovski, Phx (just one goal but Coyotes are winning)
16 (12) Robyn Regehr, Cgy (feeling the effects of Bouwmeester - just 18:40 TOI vs. SJ)
17 (19) Brian Campbell, Chi (only Hawk on list to post +, but still underwhelming)
18 (17) Kyle Quincey, Col (Avs had 2 PPG all week and Quincey on ice for both)
19 (13) Marc Staal, NYR (has a tough hill to climb and Rangers are plummetting)
20 (18) Cam Barker, Chi (can he? Teams hesitant to bank on young PP QB at $3m+)
21 (21) Michael Del Zotto, NYR (continues free-falling with -9 in last 5 games)

FORWARDS
1 (1) Sidney Crosby, Pit (losses hurt but can’t fault his individual play - 3 G, 4 Points)
2 (10) Corey Perry, Ana (streak snapped, but 15 goals and 106 SOG, has to make team)
3 (2) Jarome Iginla, Cgy (losers of 2 of last 3 and zero goals from Iggy)
4 (24) Ryan Getzlaf, Ana (what possessed me to drop him to 24 last week? Oops.)
5 (13) Jonathan Toews, Chi (Hawks have lost only 2 in regulation since his return)
6 (5) Joe Thornton, SJ (ten game point streak snapped by Calgary)
7 (4) Patrick Marleau, SJ (crucial month for Marleau, 2 goals in win but nothing in losses)
8 (7) Brenden Morrow, Dal (7-game point streak but Dallas not consistently winning)
9 (3) Steve Stamkos, TB (tough week with 4 games and inconsistent TOI with Tocchet)
10 (14) Dany Heatley, SJ (in one-goal games averaging more than 20 TOI)
11 (6) Rick Nash, Cbs (8-goal October, 7-goal November, 0-goal December thus far)
12 (19) Martin St. Louis, TB (scores in bunches but woeful -13 in losing games)
13 (21) Mike Cammalleri, Mtl (2nd hat trick, 4 goals, 2 GWG, Gainey’s best investment)
14 (15) Travis Zajac, NJ (20 points in 20 wins, 5 points in 8 losses - it’s not coincidence)
15 (8) Dustin Penner, Edm (just saw him traded for Brodeur in fantasy)
16 (25) Shane Doan, Phx (on pace for worst year since 2007 - little urgency in his play)
17 (17) Jordan Staal, Pit (5-point October, 10-point November, 2 goals in last 3)
18 (9) Mike Richards, Phi (losers of 5 straight and zero points, in danger of losing spot)
19 (18) Eric Staal, Car (’Canes 2-0 in December but Staal yet to score in winning game)
20 (26) Vincent Lecavalier, TB (picking it up or showcasing for potential move?)
21 (16) Brad Richards, Dal (half of points come from PP but Stars 0-9 last 3 games)
22 (23) Mike Ribeiro, Dal (gives up easily - 15 points in 13 wins, 8 points in 16 losses)
23 (22) Jeff Carter, Phi (six-game goal-less drought longest since 2007-08)
24 (12) Derek Roy, Buf (played just 15:56 against NJ - little versatility to speak of)
25 (28) Mike Fisher, Ott (2 more goals - crossing fingers for Richards to drop out)
26 (30) James Neal, Dal (forget how November ended - 11 shots, 2 goals in December)
27 (20) Jason Spezza, Ott (drawing the ire of Melnyk and Murray)
28 (29) Dan Cleary, Det (3 goals in last 4… but probably not even considered)
29 (11) Rich Peverley, Atl (naysayers singing “I told you so” - pointless in last 4)
30 (27) Andy McDonald, StL (last multi-point game was November 10)

Dropped out: Cam Ward (laceration), Brent Burns (concussion), Simon Gagne (hernia), Ryan Smyth (upper body), Milan Lucic (ankle)

TEAM USA:
C Chris Drury, NYR - C
C Scott Gomez, Mtl
C Ryan Kesler, Van
C Joe Pavelski, SJ
C Paul Stastny, Col
LW Ryan Malone, TB
LW Zach Parise, NJ
LW Bobby Ryan, Ana
RW Ryan Callahan, NYR
RW Brian Gionta, Mtl
RW Patrik Kane, Chi
RW Phil Kessel, Tor
RW Jamie Langenbrunner, NJ

D Zach Bogosian, Atl*
D Erik Johnson, StL
D Paul Martin, NJ
D Brooks Orpik, Pit - A
D Brian Rafalski, Det - A
D Ryan Suter, Nsh
D Ryan Whitney, Ana

G Ryan Miller, Buf
G Tim Thomas, Bos
G Craig Anderson, Col*

Omissions from original camp roster: Jon Quick, Tom Gilbert, Ron Hainsey, Jack Johnson, Mike Komisarek, Rob Scuderi, David Backes, David Booth, Dustin Byfuglien, Mike Modano, Kyle Okposo, TJ Oshie
Notable omissions: Tim Connolly, Bill Guerin, Jason Pominville, James van Riemsdyk, Keith Tkachuk
* = not on original camp roster

It shouldn’t surprise anybody that Cody Hodgson was named to the shortlist for Canada’s World Junior squad. The Brampton Battalion star was a late cut from the Canucks’ training camp this year after suffering a bulging disc (he played more than 100 games last year) and had trouble keeping up with the NHL speed. A favourite to make the team, no one took the demotion harder than Hodgson himself, but as per usual he remained humble and took his lumps.

In my mind, and I’m legitimately putting my Canucks bias here aside, Hodgson should have been the MVP of the tournament last year. No one else on the Canadian roster was counted on as much as he did and he played in all situations, unlike John Tavares who really made his mark on the powerplay and a couple highlight reel goals. Let’s not take anything away from Tavares though - he’s a good (not great… yet) goalscorer and he’s one of the favourites to win the Calder as the league’s top rookie. Purely based on Hodgson’s play last year, including winning the OHL Player of the Year Award, his invite was a no-brainer. That being said, head coach Willie Desjardins still really doesn’t have an idea of how healthy Hodgson is - it’s been a little over two months since he has hit the ice. He’s been cleared for contact at practise but he’ll be playing against CHL players that have already at least 25 games under their belts. Brad Pascall of Hockey Canada believes that Hodgson will be healthy by the start of camp.

Considering that Hodgson isn’t 100% healthy (neither confirmed nor denied, but let’s assume the worst) or played any games for Brampton this year, and despite his immense talent and hockey smarts, it may not be surprising to some if he his left off the team. The World Juniors is an intense tournament and as demonstrated last year in the Canada-USA tilt it can get pretty physical. Hodgson will no doubt be a guy that opposing defensemen will be keeping an eye on, so it should be more than just a hockey decision to include Hodgson. By playing he risks further injury from an already delayed rehab and I can’t help but think that the Brampton Battalion and the Canucks would be a little concerned.

If Hodgson is ultimately cut, something I have my doubts about but wouldn’t completely shock me, it may be a blessing in disguise. As highly touted as Hodgson is, this year has been an ultimate test of his character and drive. Thus far he has impressed everyone with the way he has carried himself, especially compared to the “defection” of Nikita Filatov and the Kostitsyn brothers drama in Montreal. His demotion to Brampton was admittedly hard to take, but he understood the decision and lived with it. As Ottawa 67’s head coach Chris Byrne said to Tyler Cuma, who was not named to the 36-player roster, it doesn’t mean they’re not going to be great players in the NHL. Either way, if Hodgson makes the squad he’s the odds-on favourite to be named captain and play an essential role for Desjardins. If he gets cut and he doesn’t beat himself up too much over it, he is going to get stronger mentally and as any transitioning CHL to NHL player will tell you, that’s as valuable, if not more, than being able to compete at the NHL level skill-wise.