Matt Lee’s personal sports podcast and blog

My 2010 Canada Team

May 16th, 2008 Posted in NHL

With the IIHF World Championships in Halifax and Quebec winding down and the lesser lights being eliminated, there’s a lot of talk being generated about which players on Canada will also be on the team when the Olympics come to Vancouver in 2010. I’m taking my stab at who I’d like to see in the red and white 19 months from now.

Canada

Nash - Crosby - Iginla

E. Staal - Thornton - Heatley

Getzlaf - Lecavalier - St.Louis

Doan - M. Richards - Morrow

Pronger - Phaneuf

Campbell - Bouwmeester

Regehr - Burns

Luongo - Price - Turco

Others: (F) Spezza, Sakic, Smyth, Gagne, Savard, B. Richards, Briere, Toews, Perry, Roy, Horton (D) Jovanovski, Boyle, Green, Weber (G) Brodeur, Giguere, Leclaire

Sakic and Smyth are both proven Team Canada leaders but Sakic will be 40 and Smyth’s role as “Captain Canada” seems to have been usurped by Shane Doan. I may think about re-inserting Sakic into the lineup in a “Yzerman-like” role if he is still playing by 2010, but at this point I’m assuming he will be retired by then.

Spezza, Savard, Richards and Briere are all great centres but there’s simply too much talent down the middle with Crosby, Thornton and Lecavalier for them to be in the lineup. Toews, Perry and Roy will still be young but could represent the team at the 2014 Games if the NHL still allows professionals to play by then.

On the defense, Phaneuf represents the obvious choice; he’s tough and can score at the same time. Pronger will be 36 in 2010, but will most likely still have more to offer than the other younger blueliners. Campbell also provides puck-carrying abilities. Regehr’s shutdown game has been a little off in the last few years so I might swap him with Ottawa’s Chris Phillips.

In goal, Roberto Luongo is the obvious choice. He’ll be the hometown favourite and most likely still the world’s best goalie. The real question seems to be who will back him up. Martin Brodeur, Canada’s 2002 saviour, will be pushing 40 by the time the Olympics come and a lot of critics think he should hand the torch to the younger lights like Cam Ward, Pascal Leclaire and Carey Price. Marty Turco should also be in consideration, as should JS Giguere. Ultimately it seems irrelevant, as Luongo will most likely get the vast majority of the games.

Don’t like my team? Give me yours. Also, make sure to cast your vote in the poll.

  1. 2 Responses to “My 2010 Canada Team”

  2. By T-Mac on May 18, 2008

    I’m more pro sakic than pro brodeur

    just cuz sakic is a fuckin machine, and i agree with marty passing down the light to the younger players - i think goalie is more difficult to be consistent with age, look at the dominator - it’s tough out there.

    I heart brodeur still, but if they’re both still playing by that time, i’d give sakic the green light and ask marty to step down

  3. By Shawn on May 19, 2008

    I definitely think Sakic should still play. There are a lot of players on each team, but there is only 1 starting goalie. They have room for a vet, but I think Brodeur taking the starting role would be a mistake.

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