With the season just slightly over 1/2 over, the race for the playoffs is starting to clear a bit. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets & the Carolina Hurricanes are already trying to envision what to do about the team in the off season. While at the other end of the spectrum, teams like the Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks & San Jose Sharks are looking ahead & trying to figure out what they might need to tweak for their Stanley Cup pursuits.
Mired in the middle is a cluster of teams that frankly includes the majority of the league. Right now they are either just in or just barely out of the playoffs, a simple 3 game slide here, or 4 game streak here can put them out or in the playoff race in a flash. Mixed right in the middle, the Vancouver Canucks. Currently 6th in the west with 58 points in 48 games, the Canucks sit just 2 points ahead of the 9th place Detroit Red Wings and only 7 ahead of Minnesota Wild & Dallas Stars. They are also only 2 points out of 3rd in the conference, behind their divisional foes from Colorado. But if the Canucks know anything about their season to date, its that they are probably more focused now on maintaining a playoff spot than chasing a division title. While they are in the mix for a division championship, the fact remains that the Canucks, will be road warrios for the longest road trip in NHL history coming up very soon. Its a road trip that will span 14 games over 6 weeks. See the Canucks are being evicted from their home to make way for the Olympics. Because of this, they will play 20 of their final 35 games on the road....a place that has not been all that pleasant for them this season. In their first 21 road games, the Canucks have a 9-11-1 record. While they run wild at home with an 19-7-1 record, they have struggled on the road. If there is any saving grace, its that only 10 of those final 20 road games are against teams currently sitting in a playoff spot. They can also take some comfort in the fact they are 3-1-1 in the last 5 road games perhaps. All that aside though, this extended road trip will certainly be the true test of this team. In the middle of this road trip is a 2 week break for the Olympics. If they struggle in the first half of the trip, they will at least have time to correct the problem perhaps. This can also work against them though. If they have a decent first half on this raod trip, they could potentially lose all the momentum they have built up with 2 weeks away from the rink. There is also the potential fatigue factor of their top players. With 7 Olympains on the roster, including their most notable pieces, Roberto Luongo, Daniel & Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler & Christian Ehrhoff, the 2 weeks of elite level do or die play could really wear on some players. Granted every team has this problem, but every team isnt going to be doing this in the middle of a 14 game road trip. In a league where a team that is 8 games above .500 is not in the playoffs right now in their conference, the Canucks can not afford to have a mediocre road trip. A .500 road trip could conceivably end their playoff hopes. By the time this marathon is over, they will have just a little over a month of the season left to rally back from any holes they have made for themselves. The top line of Sedin-Sedin-Burrows is magical in their own building where line matching benefits them, on the road however, they are less magical & this will mean the Canucks will need to rely on secondary scorers like Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler, Mikael Samuelsson & a hopefully healthy Pavol Demitra to pick up the slack. They could use the likes of Kyle Wellwood and Steve Bernier to pick up their play as well. Their defense core is solid, when healthy. Christian Ehrhoff, Alex Edler and Sami Salo are quite capable puck moves, while Willie Mitchell, Shane O'Brien and Aaron Rome are capable defensive defenders. But when they have injuries they do seem to be out of sync a bit. Brad Lukowich is a decent NHL defenseman, but the level of skill drops off considerably from there. With Kevin Bieksa out, the Canucks will need to keep healthy thru this trip on the back end. How will Luongo react to this stretch? He could in theory be playing close to 20 games over this stretch if he plays the majority of Canucks games, and Olympics games. Of course, the likelyhood is he will get only some starts at the Olympics. Which means he should have a bit of rest. Problem will be if he gets too much rest (say he doesnt play for the final 4 or 5 games). Luongo has a long history of starting slow after any type of extended break away from action. This has to worry the Canucks going down the stretch where points will be vitally needed & they will be on the road to start. A cold Luongo might end the Canucks playoff hopes in early March. Andrew Raycroft, the back up has been very good this year & could be relied on to take some of the load off, but if coach Vigneault has one flaw in his coaching, its that his confidence in his back up goalie, despite a very good record, seems to not be there for whatever reason. This team has been ravaged with injuries this season & over a 14 game stretch, the probability of an injury is realistic. What the Canucks cant afford, is injuries to any of their major pieces, this goes for the entire top 2 lines, defense pairs, and of course Luongo. Any pieces missing could literally destroy a team that will probably struggle thru this venture. If the Canucks get out of the odyssey close or still in the playoff race, they will probably be ecstatic. They have 10 of their last 15 games of the season at home, a place they have been exceptionally strong this season. But that is a long way away & they first have to worry about getting thru the adventure that will be the make or break part of their season, an incredible 14 game road trip. No team in the league will have any homestand or road trip more vital to their playoff positioning than this 6 week, 13 city, 14 game road trip. If the Canucks miss the playoffs, fans & critics alike will probably look to this horrible schedule as the downfall. While players & coaches generally dont like to use easily found excuses for shortcomings, this is a blatantly obvious one that cant be overlooked. Of course, if the Canucks do make the playoffs, even if by the thinnest of margains, you will have to take them very seriously at a run in the playoffs. Afterall, if they can survive the road trip & still have enough in the tank to pull them thru it & into the playoffs, then you have to wonder what does it take to put them down. To make the playoffs would likely mean a winning record on the road thru that stretch, and ontop of that, confidence in their abilities on the road. This trip will either break them, or will rally them around each other & possibly create the type of team building that championship teams desperately hope for. The season might say 82 games on the schedule, but any Canucks fan, reporter, player or staff member knew when the schedule came out, their season really came down to 14 games and 6 weeks. If you are one of those "thats just part of hockey" neanderthals, stop reading. I am going to use some pretty big words from here on out, and I doubt you'll comprehend them. Last night in a game in Rouyn Noranda, Quebec a junior player for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL was hospitalized & nearly killed. It wasnt from stopping a booming slap shot, or in a 1 on 1 gloves off fight, it wasnt even from a clean or borderline clean hit. It was from a direct, intentional elbow to the head from a player charging across the ice with malice intent on his mind. Mikael Tam, an 18 year old defenseman for the Remparts is currently in hospital with brain trauma & a broken jaw according to reports from various sports netowrks. He was rushed to hospital after spending several minutes on the ice having a convuslion after he received an elbow to the head from a player who only had got on the ice 2 seconds earlier, and whose first action was not to try & get into the play, but to beeline across the ice in full stride & deliver an elbow at full speed to this young kid. A kid who was not carrying the puck at the time (not that there is justification for the hit even then.). The aggressor, Patrice Cormier, 19 year old centre for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Many of you may know Cormier as the captain of the 2009-10 silver medalist Team Canada World Junior Hockey team. These days he is playing for the Huskies after a recent trade from Rimouski, where he had played for the past 3 1/2 seasons. Cormier has a long history of shady hits & has grown a reputation as a dirty player. In fact, just a month earlier, Cormier got lots of attention after hitting Swedish team member, Anton Rodin with an elbow in an exhibition game before the Worlds. It was, just like last nights incident, only not as severe. It was again on a player without the puck and intentional. A couple nights later he hit a Finnish player, away from the play near the bench for no reason other than he was there. This player continues to play "over the edge" and last nights action was possibly the worst of them all. In a 2-2 game in overtime, Cormier came off the bench & went full speed across the ice & raised his elbow up into the head of an unsuspecting Tam who was not carrying the puck at the time of the hit. Cormier was on the ice for less than 2 seconds at the time of the attack. It wasnt 40 seconds into a shift on a player actively in the play, it was clearly intentional & done with considerable malice to an unsuspecting player who was not immediately in the play. His intention with the hit was to injure, and if he ever says differently, he is a bold faced liar. In hockey there is expectations a player goes in with, and that is to be physically tested some. You even expect some questionable play from time to time. Plays that go a little beyond the typical minor infractions that penalties are called on. This was clearly not one of them. This is above & beyond what a player "expects" in a typical game environment. The term "keep your head up" is often sung loud by the cement headed neanderthals who clearly have never played a second of hockey and cherish UFC & bar fights as much as their mullets and the fact they havent gone back to get their GED 10 years after being kicked out of school. The type who thinks this ideology is a justification for any play short of a baseball swing with a stick to the head. The term has its just place in the game, no question. But there is a point where that term is not relevant, and this is one of those cases. You can not justify a player skating across the ice at full speed less than 2 seconds after getting on the ice & elbowing a player without the puck as acceptable under the "keep your head up" code. This player should not be expecting any imminent attack from anyone. The puck was nowhere near him. Patrice Cormier SHOULD be banned for life from all hockey leagues. He SHOULD be, but he wont. Unfortunately, there are leagues that will give him a chance because he is truly talented. A near point per game player in the Q, Cormier is a 2nd round NHL draft pick of the New Jersey Devils. It is naive to believe he will get banned from playing in the AHL or even the NHL if he is good enough to be there someday because of his actions in the Q. With various minor pro leagues & European leagues around as well, its a sure thing he will be employed as a hockey player somewhere eventually. Which is sad. Sad for the team that will sign him & not take into consideration the safety of others. Sad for the sport of hockey as a whole that his actions will be ignored by some. What I expect to happen is, Cormier will be given a lifetime ban from the Canadian Hockey League, which really only adds up to a year & 1/2 ban at most. Of course the very real potential of criminal & civil action coming down on Cormier is a possibility. He absolutely should face charges. He should even be convicted for it. I am not saying "lock him up & throw away the key" type of charges. But it needs to be on his record, if for no other reason but as a safety net in case he recklessly does something like this again. He also should face a severe civil penalty to Mikael Tam and perhaps even the Remparts and the QMJHL for the damage inflicted on them as well. The Remparts are without one of their players and the league is facing a serious black eye in the media. As for Mikael Tam. Right now, his immediate health is first & foremost for him & his family. The idea of whether or not he will play hockey again should not even be discussed right now by his family, friends, team mates, the media or you & I. Its irrelevant at a time like this. Hoping the kid doesnt have any long term physical problems because of this hit is first. If he comes out of it relatively fine on that front, THEN, and ONLY then does the idea of "will he play ever again?" should be discussed. Patrice Cormier. You are a disgrace to hockey. A disgrace to Team Canada. A disgrace to Canadians. You should be shunned by your team mates, fans & other leagues. If there is any justice, we will never see you in a hockey game anywhere ever again. Your style of play has no place in any league. Mikael Tam. I can honestly say I dont believe I had ever heard of you before this incident. I dont follow the Q too closely compared to other leagues. You certainly did not deserve what happened to you & any resentment you hold towards Cormier is likely just. All I have to say, good luck in your recovery and get well soon. **WARNING**- video contains disturbing images. Including Tam having his convulsion. The first minute is not relevant to the play. But he wont be. Realistically he will face some disciplinary action, but firing will not be it. Its not practical for the NHL to take such a heavy handed action on him.
A little back story on why the suggestion he should be fired. Lets take you back to just last night when the Nashville Predators faced the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place. Stephane Auger was one of the referees in the game that the Preds eventually won 3-2 on a late power play goal by Shea Weber. The questions have arised as to whether or not Nashville should ever have been on the power play. Far more importantly, did an NHL official directly affect the outcome of a game by trying to even a score with a specific player that he felt embarrassed him in a completely different game? It was clear by the actions of Auger in the last period of the game that he had every intention of "getting" Vancouver Canucks forward Alex Burrows any way he could. First he called Burrows for diving early in the period. Was it a dive? Perhaps. It certainly wasnt a blatant one. At best, it was borderline. Its a call that probably should not have been made, but in the grand scheme of things... Ok, fine you got him. You got him on a questionable call. Score settled. From there you move on. However, later in that same period the Canucks got a power play with 4:49 to go in a tie 2-2 game. Burrows was on the ice to start the power play. Only 4 seconds in, with not even a slightly valid case, Auger called Burrows for "interference" to even up the sides to 4 on 4. Burrows was livid. His teammates were livid. The fans were livid. It was a crap call. There was no merit to it. Everyone in hockey knows it. The play Burrows was called on happens literally dozens of times a period without ever being called. Off a faceoff Burrows skated close to an opposing player making very light (by hockey standards) contact with him on his way to the front of the net. It didnt impede the opposing player too much, if at all. Let alone in a 2-2 game late in the 3rd period, it should NEVER be called, especially since its probably not even a penalty in childrens hockey. After the game Burrows ripped Auger publicly. He stated that he was approached by Auger before the game & told that he was going to get him. The reason, for making him look bad on a call in a game Devcember 8th where Burrows seemed to embellish a hit to get a more severe penalty against an opponent. Were these penalties in last nights game pre-meditated? Seeing them, it might seem like it. Burrows scored 2 goals in the game and was looking to make a little NHL history if he could have scored a 3rd. Auger clearly tried as much as he could to prevent Burrows from having this chance. Taking him off the power play late in the game on a phantom call was his revenge. Considering he got Burrows for "diving" earlier in the period, this latter call should never have happened. He had evened up any debt he thinks Burrows might have owed him. The late call was purely a spiteful vendetta filled attack. This is action unbecoming of a professional sports league official. What Burrows did by publicly chastizing Auger is likely going to get him in hot water with the league & he will probably get a moderate fine. I doubt a suspension will come of it. But it is a possibility. Maybe a game? He'll deserve it. You cant just go around ranting publicly all the time. That being said. he has a valid argument, and one that the league needs to deal with. The real question for the NHL is what to do with Auger? He will continue working as a ref while the investigation goes on. What should they do in the end? Its clear they cant let it slide. This is a ref that is now at the centre of 2 of the NHLs larger black eyes for referee incidences. He is the same referee who claimed Shane Doan, (one of the friendiest & nicest & most humble players in the league) once made derogatory remarks about francophones in a game. He handed Doan a 10 minute misconduct penalty (like what Burrows recieved at the end of last nights game...sound familiar yet?) for making culturally offensive remarks towards the refs who were all francophones. The NHL investigated this allegation & found it to be totally baseless. No actions were taken on Doan by the league. But the actions of this ref caused such an uproar that a francophone MP wanted Doan to pay. Denis Coderre, a liberal MP demanded Doan be removed from Team Canada & a public apology. Doan fought back & sued the MP for defamation...all because of a ref who clearly has some sort of warped vendetta. Shane Doan would go on to play for Team Canada AND was made team captain. Just a little over 4 years later, Auger is at the centre of another controversy on the ice. This time, all because a player made him look bad on a call a month earlier. This type of action happens dozens of times a year to refs. Refs deal with it either by letting it roll off their back, or they get the player back privately with a slightly questionable call down the road. But not 2 of them, and certainly not one as dreadful as the interference call. Certainly not in a 2-2 tie late in the 3rd period. Its an abhorent abuse of power. The NHL knows it will eventually have to deal with Auger. They SHOULD fire him for now being at the middle of 2 hugely embarassing moments for the league. But they wont. What they may do is give him a hefty fine & a moderate suspension. My suggestion (one that I think is practical for the NHL) -Surrender all salary from that game, plus an additional 5% of his salary fine. -Not allowed to ref any games Burrows is in for the duration of the 09-10 season & playoffs. -Suspension of 2-5 games. This in my mind seems like a more logical and reasonable assessment. Its certainly more practical, as the NHL would have a huge issue with trying to reschedule so many games from here to the end of the season if they suspended Auger outright, not to mention the fight it would cause with the NHLOA, the officials association. But a penalty is needed against Auger, and it cant just be a stern finger wagging. This is after all his 2nd offense of grossly questionable conduct, it very likely affected the outcome of a regular season game this time, perhaps prevented a player from obtraining a piece of NHL history, and worse, it puts the NHL in a bad light. The rosters for the Canada & U.S.A. womens hockey teams have been announced.
While the majority of the rosters were locked in months ago, there were still spots up for grabs & a couple changes were found in the end from what maybe was expected by some. Canada being most notable. For one, I was a bit surprised Gillian Ferrari was passed over on Team Canada. I guess they just felt more like the younger Catherine Ward brought more. I was a bit shocked by it, but really, all of them deserved to be there & someone had to be left off. Unfortunately for Gillian, she was the one. Team Canada obviously brings in a glut of international experience & many returnees from the Gold winning 2006 squad. Fourteen returnees gives this team a wealth of experience & knowledge of what it takes to win Olympic gold. Canada has had less luck at the World championships of late, not having won since 2007, their longest ever drought without a major championship. The team will of course look to the legendary Hayley Wickenheiser to contribute offensively & to use her physical dominance to create chances for other skilled forwards like Meghan Agosta, Jennifer Botterill & newcomers to the Olympics Rebecca Johnston & Haley Irwin. Jayna Hefford seems to still have an offensive touch as well, same goes for Caroline Ouellette. Marie Philip Poulin, Sarah Vaillancourt, Gillian Apps, Cherie Piper & Gina Kingsbury round out a very lethal & offensively packed forward roster that can likely score on any line combination. Defense is also offensively packed as well with Carla MacLeod, Catherine Ward & Meaghan Mikkelson on the squad. Colleen Sostorics, Tessa Bonhomme & Becky Kellar will round out the squad In goal, the job is a toss up between Shannon Szabados & Kim St Pierre. In the 4 nations tourney, Szabados was the number 1, while the summer tournament saw St Pierre as the starter. last WHC, probable 3rd string, Charline Labonte was the starter. Confused yet? Expect Szabados to get a couple stars & St Pierre to get a couple before they settle on the medal round goalie. Team USA had a similar set roster. In fact, only 1 girl who came to Vancouver in August for the Hockey Canada Cup was left off the roster, Rachel Drazan. The forward squad is also an offense filled powerhouse. Natalie Darwitz, Julie Chu & Hilary Knight combined for 29 pts in 5 GP last WHC. Darwitz & Knight have carried that momentum into this year, while Chu has cooled a little, but is still a source of offense. Not to be outdone are the Lamoreaux sisters, Jocelyne & Monique. The team will fill the roster with a variety of other capable players like Erika Lawler, Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej, Karen Thatcher, Kelli Stack, Gigi Marvin, Meghan Duggan & now 4 time Olympian Jenny Potter. On defense this team has as many returnees as the forwards do from the 2006 team. 4 time Olympian & American womens poster child hockey star Angela Ruggiero leads a squad that also includes former Olympians Caitlin Cahow & Molly Engstrom. Newcomers Kacey Bellamy, Lisa Chesson & Kerry Weiland fill out the line up. In goal, Jessie Vetter is the probable starter. Molly Schaus is just as capable & could take the job away. Brianne McLaughlin is most likely going to see most of this tourney from the press box. But what can be expected outside of Canada & the U.S.? Sweden & Finland will of course be there looking to upset & steal a silver again. They are quite capable of the feat too. Between the two countries, usually one or the other manages to come away with an upset win against the more elite teams in recent years. So who do they bring? As well, what about the other nations involved? Here is a quick look at some of the expected names to look for from the other countries. SWEDEN Goalie Kim Martin will be unquestionably their starter. Even after a recent injury, she is still the probable starter. The back up spots seem to be set with Sara Grahn as the back up, while Valentina Lizana is seeming to be the uncontested #3, since she appeared in both the HCC & 4 Nations Cup in that role, as well as the starter in the 2009 WHC while Martin was out. On Defense, Gunilla Andersson, Jenni Asserholt & Frida Nevalainen are locks. I suspect the other spots will be filled by Johanna Fallman, Emma Nordin & Emma Eliasson. The last spot probably will go to either Katarina Timglas, a forward in the last Olympics or Annie Svedin? Offensively Andersson & Nevalainen will carry this defense core, while Asserholt will generally be expected to be their most mnotable defender. Forwards will be a lot of the regular suspects for this team. Elin Holmlov, Maria Rooth, Danijela Rundqvist and Erika Holst will likely carry most of the scoring. Pernilla Winberg & Tina Enstrom will round out the secondary scoring. The roster will more than likely fill out with Cecilia Ostberg, Isabelle Jordansson, Erica Uden Johansson, Klara Myren, Erika Grahm and Frida Svedin Thunstrom. With the exception of Timglas who was a forward during that tourney & now seems to be a defender. This is the same line up that they went with in the 2009 WHC where they finished 4th without Kim Martin in goal. A bronze is very real possibility, a silver is a slight possibility with this line up. FINLAND Goaltender Noora Raty will be the expected starter in Vancouver, as she was when she was here in the summer tournament that saw her help them steal a win from the U.S. team. The back up spot seems to be handed to Maija Hassinen if the 4 Nations Cup means much, in Vancouver that role went to Mira Kuisma, she probably is a lock for the 3rd spot. Defense is going to be made up of pretty much their 4 Nations Cup roster. That includes Saija Sirvio, Marija Posa, Rosa Lindstedt, Emma Laaksonen, Jenni Kiirikoski, Mira Jalosuo & Terhi Mertanen. Most of these were on the 3rd place team from last WHC. Only Lindstedt wasnt. They arent as offensively gifted as the Swedish defenders, but they are a bigger squad physically on average & should be tougher to play against. Forwards, most of the scoring pressure will fall on Michelle Karvinen & Saara Tuominen. They will need other offensively skilled players like Mari Pehkonen, Karolina Rantamaki & Nina Tikkinen to bring their A games as well to do well in this tourney. The rest of the roster will probably be filled out with Marjo Voutilainen, Annini Rajahuhta, Minnimari Tuominen, Emmi Leinonen, Venla Heikkila, and perhaps Tanja Niksanen or Mia Sakstrom. Finland had a huge mental boost with a win over the USA in Vancouver this summer, a 3rd last WHC. They may have had a set back with a 4th place showing at home in the last tourney before the Olympics, the 4 Nations Cup however. Medal possibility is there, but probably only a bronze. Some notables from the rest.... Switzerland 5th in the world. They have improved their world rankings from 9th just 5 years ago. Dominique Slongo had a terrific tourney for them in the 2009 WHC & probably is the starting goalie for the Olympics. Christine Meier, Darcia Leimgruber & Kathrin Lehmann lead them offensively in the last WHC & are probably expected to do so again here. Nicola Bullo & Johanna Gautier seem like safe bets for the defense core. Russia 6th in the world, won a bronze medal back in 2001 at the WHC. Since then, no such repeat performance. in goal its probably Irina Gashennikova, the goalie with the most minutes played in the 09 WHC. Maybe Nadezda Alexandrova gets the spot? They more or less split the duties there, but Gashennikova had the more time played & better stats. Offensively, it falls on the shoulders of Ekaterina Smolentseva who had a 2 pt per game avg last WHC. Tatiana Burina was the only other multi goal scorer on the roster. Ilya Gavrilova and Tatiana Sotnikova probably are also safe bets to make the team. On defense, Inna Dyubanok was a team best +3 & had a goal for them last year. Probably a safe bet to be there again. Anna Shchukina & Olga Permyakova also likely make the squad & are known to shoot the puck a fair bit. Angelina Goncharenko is probably there as well. China 7th in the world has consistently been just good enough to make the major tournies, but not good enough to make any inroads. Goalie last WHC was Yao Shi. No reason to believe she wont be again. Defense Na Jiang & Xutiang Qi should most likely make the squad. Offensively, Rui Sun had 5 of the teams 7 goals & more points than the rest of the roster combined. Its pretty much up to her to carry the load offensively. Slovakia the 15th ranked country in the world somehow is in the Olympics. Japan, Germany & Kazakhstan must be livid. I had to dig hard to find stats for this team. But after I did, I basically have come up with these names as the probable names to watch for them. Zuzana Tomcikova was the starter in their last major tourney. Played every minute. I assume she is still the starter. Petra Jurcova, Petra Pravlikova & Martina Velickova seem to be the teams offensive weapons. Iveta Karafiatova seems like the teams top offensive defender. That is, in a nutshell what you might expect from the teams in the 2010 Womens Olympic hockey tournament coming to Vancouver. Russia is coming in as the number 1 ranked country in the world & the odds on favorite to win the Gold. Back to Back Gold medalists at the World Championships, they have regained the top ranking that they let slip away after the end of the Soviet Union. Only a few years ago they were ranked down as low as 7th, but have come roaring back & will be looking to cement their ranking here.
Of course, this roster will feature some of the most prominent talents in the NHL in Ovechkin, Malkin & Semin. But not to be outdone is the home grown Russian hockey league the KHL which will make up a notable chunk of this roster. In goal, its Nabokovs job to lose. Ilya Bryzgalov may make a serious case for the spot, but they will go with Nabby first & if he stumbles, then maybe Bryzgalov gets a chance to shine. I expect Varlamov to be the 3rd goalie, if Khabibulin is not back (which I dont think he will be. The KHL goalies will likely be on the outside looking in for this Olympics. Defensively, Sergei Gonchar will lead the pack offensively, with Markov giving support. They will look to Volchenkov & Vishnevsky to be the defensive defensemen here. It is probably the Russian weakness, but still a competent bunch. Forwards are so oozing with offensive skill they should probably be forced to play with their hands cuffed together, just to make it a bit more fair. Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Malkin, Semin are names every North American knows as offensive dynamos. Butit might be Morozov, Zaripov, Shushinski & Radulov that visitors to Vancouver go away remembering as they will add their own offensive impact to the team. Offense will never be a problem for this bunch, so much so, that guys like Kovalev & Kozlov from the NHL & Yashin, Mozyakin & Filatov in the KHL will likely be overlooked, or werent even considered. GOALIES Evgeni Nabokov- SAN JOSE SHARKS (NHL) Barring injury or a horrid choke job, Nabby will be the starter thru the tourney. Ilya Bryzgalov- PHOENIX COYOTES (NHL) Ilya will certainly have the teams confidence if starter Nabokov falters, but he will more than likely be here as a back up & maybe get 1 or 2 starts against the weaker opponents. Semyon Varlamov- WASHINGTON CAPITALS (NHL) Just here for the experience. Only injury would ever see him even on the bench, playing is highly unlikely. DEFENSE Sergei Gonchar- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (NHL) The Russian PP #1 unit QB, Sergei will probably take regular shifts with a more defensively sound dman to balance out his offense driven game. Andrei Markov- MONTREAL CANADIENS (NHL) Despite a serious injury, he is still being considered a lock for the team since he just came back from injury well ahead of schedule. If healthy, he is a lock to QB the 2nd PP unit & take 1st line ES minutes. Fedor Tyutin- COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (NHL) Expect to log lots of PK time, as well as regular shifts. Anton Volchenkov- OTTAWA SENATORS (NHL) Expected to be a shut down dman who will get lots of PK minutes as well. Denis Grebishkov- EDMONTON OILERS (NHL) Will fill out a top 6 unit well, may even get top 4 unit minutes. Ilya Nikulin- KAZAN AK BARS (KHL) Despite a soft -4 plus minus rating, Nikulin has done well at both ends of the ice this season & will likely get 3rd line minutes here. Vitali Vishnevsky- YAROSLAVL LOKOMOTIV (KHL)- Has been consistent at both ends of the ice all year. His +20 is by far the tops of all Russian contenders for a defenseman spot. FORWARDS Alexander Ovechkin- WASHINGTON CAPITALS (NHL) I kno, I know. Shocker that I added Ovi. In other ground breaking news, its been reported the earth rotates around the sun. Alexander Semin- WASHINGTON CAPITALS (NHL) Ovi needs his sidekick to go to Vancouver with. luckily for him Semin is also quite the skilled hockey player too, so he wont be there just to hang out with Ovi & party. Ilya Kovalchuk- ATLANTA THRASHERS (NHL) When Ovechkin isnt on the ice, expect Kovalchuk to be terrifying goaltenders with his impressive array of shots. Pavel Datsyuk- DETROIT RED WINGS (NHL) A guy thats been far over a pt per game player for 4 straight seasons isnt usually seen as a checker, but Pavel will take that role here, all while making the checking line incredibly dangerous offensively as well. Alexander Frolov- LOS ANGELES KINGS (NHL) Even with only 6 pts in the last 12 games, Alex has probably done enough early on to stick on the team as a 3rd liner. Evgeni Malkin- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (NHL) The man likely to centre Kovalchuk, Evgeni is a playoff MVP of the recent Stanley Cup champions & the Art Ross Trophy winner for league scoring champion. Yet he will probably be on the 2nd line here. Maxim Sushinski- ST PETERSBURG SKA (KHL) People in N.A. may not take the KHL overly serious still, but Maxim Sushinski will be coming here to show you all it is serious. The leagues current scoring leader & leads the league in GWG. Dont be fooled he will be looked at to light up a 2nd line or be a quiet 3rd line scoring threat. Whichever the case, expect results from him. Alexander Radulov- UFA SALAVAT YULAYEV (KHL) Former NHL malcontent, Alex has flourished since moving back home & is now considered a superstar there. He will come here to show that KHL players can do as good or better than NHL players & will be vying for some time on a top 2 line spot perhaps. Alexei Morozov- KAZAN AK BARS (KHL) Leads the league in PP goals with 9. 2nd in GWGs this season. Was the playoff scoring champion last season, continually near the top of the league ins coring. Another lethal Russian offensive weapon. Evgeni Artukhin- ANAHEIM DUCKS (NHL) The only real checking forward the NHL has to offer, a big frame at 6'4 255 lbs gives Artyukhin the edge he needs to get into this line up. His role will be unquestionably as a checker on the 4th line. Sergei Fedorov- MAGNITOGORSK METALLURG (KHL) Former NHL offensive weapon, Sergei has turned into a defensive specialist in Russia. Expect lots of 4th line time for him & if hes pair up with Datsyuk, you could see the most offeneively lethal checking line ever put together as Feds still has some offense left in him too. Danis Zaripov- KAZAN AK BARS (KHL) Will be on whatever line Morozov ends up on as his set up man. They are a terrific combo in the KHL. Maxim Afinogenov- ATLANTA THRASHERS (NHL) I didnt really think when I started putting prospective teams together weeks ago he would be here in the end, but now I am more sure he will be...even if its as an extra body. maybe- Alexander Yeremenko, Nikolai Khabibulin, Dmitri Kalinen, Dmitri Kulikov, Sergei Zubov, Oleg Tverdovsky, Vitali Atyushov, Sergei Zinoviev, Sergei Mozyakin, Oleg Saprykin, Viktor Kozlov, Alexei Mikhnov. With every roster, I wont be surprised to have some wrong. But with Canada, I actually wont be shocked if I have a 1/3 of it wrong. There was just too many to choose from for too few open spots.
Team Canada, the host country. Canada will come in with enormous pressure on them to perform, not just by media who often act like a hockey championship should just be anointed to us, but moreso the fans, especially the unknowing fans who dont realize how lethal the other top tier countries really are. You would think 1 gold medal in 57 years would simmer our fans egos, but it doesnt. We expect gold from these guys & anything less will be considered failure. Despite them coming in ranked #2 in the world & only a couple years ago, were as low as 3rd. All that is irrelevant to the minds of Canadian hockey fans. In their minds Canada is here to pick up their Gold medals & the rest are just competing to see who shares the podium with them as silver & bronze medalists. Reality is, the Canadian team actually looks strong on paper & thus will warrant such Gold medal predictions by the pundits & armchair analysts alike. I have complete confidence in GM Steve Yzerman to pick a strong team. I like the choice of him as a GM. I think he actually has an eye for the game & will be able to do something that his pre-decessors couldnt, put loyalties aside & pick solely on talent for the position. Even though I know better than to toss aside the Russians, Swedes, Finns, Americans or Czech Republic as after thoughts, I too feel Canada SHOULD be the Gold favorites for 2010. With only a few days till they announce their roster, here is what I think the team might look like. GOALIES Martin Brodeur- NEW JERSEY DEVILS (NHL) All time leader in wins & Shutouts, the backstop of the last Canada Gold Olympic medal, Marty has nothing to prove to anyone to make this team. Only question legitimately is, will be the starter? Roberto Luongo- VANCOUVER CANUCKS (NHL) The winningest goalie in G.M Place...err Canada Hockey Place history will possibly be the starter in that very building. Great record at home this year helps his chances as well. Marc Andre Fleury- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (NHL) With the collapse of Steve Mason, MAF has leaped into the limelight for the 2010 consideration. He will still need a horrible miracle to get into a game, but he will at the very least be on the team. DEFENSE Dan Boyle- SAN JOSE SHARKS (NHL) The most minutes of any Canadian defenseman means Dan has had all sorts of situations this season in SJ. He can QB a PP, play ES & kill penalties. He is a lock. Chris Pronger- PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (NHL) He probably has helped Matt carle get a spot on the U.S. roster. Having a strong year in Philly....even if the team itself isnt. Drew Doughty- LOS ANGELES KINGS (NHL) A month ago I must confess, I foolishly told someone I dont think Doughty will be on Team Canada. I was standing ona street & didnt have the wealth of info I have here infront of me & just foolishly thought there must be more top tier Canadian dmen than him. I was wrong. Brent Seabrook- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (NHL) I revised this spot & took out Mike Green. Seabrook has lots of chemistry with Keith & was a strong consideration & I think in the end his defensive game will bring more than Greens offensive only game. So I have switched out Green for Seabrook in the end. Duncan Keith- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (NHL) An often used dman for Chicago in all situations, Duncan will likely come here with the task of being a shutdown dman & Penalty killer. He has some offensive punch too if its needed. Shea Weber- NASHVILLE PREDATORS (NHL) The hard hitting Weber will be expected to anchor the 3rd pairing. Scott Niedermayer- ANAHEIM DUCKS (NHL) Even with the non-Niedermayeresque year he has had, Scott is still a solid lock for this team, if for no other reason than experience. The fact that statistically hes done well enough to warrant consideration helps the cause too. FORWARDS Dany Heatley- SAN JOSE SHARKS (NHL) Hidden behind the strong start his teammate Joe Thornton is having is Dany. He'll be the top line left winger, regardless if his teammate centres him or not. Sidney Crosby- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (NHL) You cant make a Canada roster without Sid. Doing so is clearly a sign of 1 of two things. Either a severe hate for him, or mental instability. In either case the young Stanley Cup winning captain will be the centrepiece of the teams top line. Jarome Iginla- CALGARY FLAMES (NHL) Probably the most well rounded player for Canada, Jarome will most certainly be on the top line, or 2nd line. Depending what type of forward pairings the coaches have in mind. In any case, he will certainly be a huge piece of any offensive attack Canada has. Joe Thornton- SAN JOSE SHARKS (NHL) The leagues top scorer will likely take a back seat her e& play 2nd fiddle to Sid the Kid. Expect Joe Thornton to still be the set up man on the PP though. Might be no better passer right now. Corey Perry- ANAHEIM DUCKS (NHL) A big body who eats up big minutes & is offensively skilled, Corey Perry will be a loc for the team along with his linemate & countryman Ryan Getzlaf. Brad Richards- DALLAS STARS (NHL) Having another terrific offensive campaign, Brad Richards in my opinion has done all he can to make a case for being on the team. He could be the victim of "too many Centresitis" if they decide to thin the roster out from Centre based players. But he should be here still. Mike Richards- PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (NHL) A penalty killing specialist by description, Mike also has offensive capabilities as well. He will be out on almost every PK situation Canada may get. Rick Nash- COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (NHL) 40 goals last year, on pace for more than that this year. A lock for their top 2 lines & PP units. Patrick Marleau- SAN JOSE SHARKS (NHL) Great in all sections of the game, Patrick can be used on the PP, ES & PK. He'll likely be logging a lot of minutes. What line, that is still a question. Mike Fisher- OTTAWA SENATORS (NHL) Yes, Canada needs checkers. So whats even better than a checking forward? One that has offensive flair as well. Mike Fisher will likely get 4th line minutes by the bunchloads, expect him to do a a lot of PK time too. Dustin Penner- EDMONTON OILERS (NHL) I surprised a lot of people by saying this in conversation. Most of them dont think hes as legit as the point totals suggest. I have been big on him for awhile, and I think hs size is the final straw in adding him to the line up. Great 3rd line pressence & possible big body for the PP. Ryan Getzlaf- ANAHEIM DUCKS (NHL) You cant pick Perry & leave Getlaf off. They are going to be paired together to see if they can mesh on the world stage as well as they do in the NHL. Martin St Louis- TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (NHL) All offense, Martin might get into the line up if some more offensive spark is somehow required. For the mostpart, he is probably watching from the press box though. maybe- Marty Turco, Chris Mason, Brent Seabrook, Jay Bouwmeester, Stephane Robidas, Mike Cammalleri, Ryan Smyth, Brenden Morrow, Jonathan Toews. The defending Olympic champions come into the 2010 Olympics ranked 3rd.
Sweden will be looking to repeat their 2006 performance. They seem to have a Gold, bronze or 5th place mentality when it comes to the Olympics in recent years. They havent finished in a spot other than those three places since 1972. 2 golds, 3 bronze, 3 5th place finishes in that time. The team will be coming in with a legitimate star studded team that could include the likes of Peter Forsberg if his comeback over in Sweden is coming along as well as he hopes it is. With the Sedin twins, Alfredsson & Zetterberg rounding out the top offensive units, you can expect them to be able to play a run & gun game with any country out there. In goal, all world star Henrik Lundqvist will be front & centre. The back up role will likely go to NHLer Johan Hedberg. The 3rd string goalie may be NHLer Gustavsson if he is healthy enough to play, but its more than likely going to a SEL goalie, perhaps Markstrom. On defense they have Nick Lidstrom. Do you really need more? Some of their younger guys like Enstrom, Edler & Stralman have all had terrific years & make their d-core much stronger than it might have been even a year ago. GOALIES Henrik Lundqvist- NEW YORK RANGERS (NHL) The top goalie in Sweden is undoubtedly Lundqvist. He'll be given the number 1 spot & even if he stumbles, its unlikely he'll be replaced. Mikael Tellqvist- KAZAN AK-BARS/LUKKO RAAMA (KHL/FINLAND) A former NHL back up, Mikael started the year in the KHL did well there, but recently moved to Finland to play. I originally had Johan Hedberg in this spot, only to find out he isnt eligible for the tournament. Jacob Markstrom- BRYNAS IF GAVLE (SEL) Barring injuury, Markstrom is probably just here to watch the tournament. DEFENSE Nick Lidstrom- DETROIT RED WINGS (NHL) 6 Norros Trophies. Enough said. Niklas Kronwall- DETROIT RED WINGS (NHL) If hes healthy enough, hes in for sure. Tobias Enstrom- ATLANTA THRASHERS (NHL) Having an exceptional year offensively. Tobias will very likely be seen as a QB for the PP. Alex Edler- VANCOUVER CANUCKS (NHL) Having the best year of his career so far, Alex has a minor injury right now, but is expected back in plenty of time for the Olympics. Will be primarily 2nd unit ES & PP. Anton Stralman- COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (NHL) Another player having an exceptional career year, Anton will get some PP time & probable 3rd unit ES time. Niklas Hjalmarsson- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (NHL) Expect him out there on most PK situations & ES. Henrik Tallinder- BUFFALO SABRES (NHL) If the are looking for more defensive responsibility, Tallinder might draw in ahead of Stralman. Another PK option. FORWARDS Daniel Sedin- VANCOUVER CANUCKS (NHL) After an early season injury that kept him out 6 wks, he has returned with a vengeance & has helped his twin brother vault near the top of the leagues scoring leaders. Henrik Sedin- VANCOUVER CANUCKS (NHL) Right now 3rd in the entire NHL in pts. Henrik showed he isnt just an exceptional passer this season, but capable of scoring too. His brother & him will be 2/3 of the top line. Nicklas Backstrom- WASHINGTON CAPITALS (NHL) One of the top players on one of the top teams, Nicklas has cemented himself as a probable number 2 centre. Only question will be if Forsberg is handed that spot instead. Daniel Alfredsson- OTTAWA SENATORS (NHL) Whether its Forsberg or Backstrom, Alfie will be the other top end scorer on the 2nd line. Henrik Zetterberg- DETROIT RED WINGS (NHL) Probable top line linemate for the Sedin twins. Question right now with a recent injury. If it is long term, he might not be added. Peter Forsberg- MODO ORNSKODLSVIK (SEL) Absolutely dominating the Swedish league since returning. Peter could be the #2 centre, if not he'll at the least have the 3rd line spot. Tomas Holmstrom- DETROIT RED WINGS (NHL) One of the best 2 way players in teh game, Tomas will be looked upon for offensive support, and defensive responsibility. A 3rd line lock who could fill in 2nd line duties if someone struggles. Loui Eriksson- DALLAS STARS (NHL) An offensive contributor, will likely get 3rd line duties here. Samuel Pahlsson- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (NHL) A checking forward who is a near lock for the teams checking line. Mikael Samuelsson- VANCOUVER CANUCKS (NHL) I'm not sold on him being there, but due to a lack of other options (Bergfors ineligible & Franzen still injured) Samuelsson will probably make hiw way onto the team. If Franzen is healthy, he'll bump Samuelsson most likely. Tom Wandell- DALLAS STARS (NHL) Will probably be another checking line addition with Pahlsson. Mattias Weinhandl- MOSCOW DYNAMO (KHL) Strong contributor in the KHL offensively, Mattias might sneak into a top line spot with the Sedins where he has played & had success before. Tony Martensson- LINKOPING HC (SEL) The top scorer in the SEL, Tony will probably be here more for image in Sweden than actual playing time. Might get into the line up, but will more likely be scratched most nights. maybe- Jonas Gustavsson, Johan Holmqvist, Viktor Hedman, Doug Murray, David Petrasek, Johan Franzen. |
Canadagraphs Hockey BlogsFrom time to time I have something to say on hockey. Whether its the Vancouver Canucks, NHL in general, Womens Hockey or International Hockey...if I have something to post, it will be in here. Archives
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