Team Canada

So, it's 11:36pm, the canucks just played in and lost the best hockey game i have seen all year, i'm listening to Sarah McLachlan, and i'm tired as hell. What better time to let you all know what i think about Team Canada, and it's it's affiliation with mens hockey. Or to put it more succintly, what i think of Canada's olympic mens hockey team.

I feel pretty good, and so do Ed Jovanovski and Todd Bertuzzi as you can see by this picture. I can understand what Mr. Gretzky and his associates are trying to accomplish. They are trying to win a gold medal and continue to establish Canada's dominance in international hockey competitions, and this one is the granddaddy of them all. He chose a team with skill, strength, experiance, chemistry, and youthful enthusiasm. They have also rewarded a couple players who are fringe players, or have given constant and decent service to the institution that has become Team Canada. Now, for your reading enjoyment is a player by player breakdown, with my opinions on why each player should or should not be a part of this team. I'll Go by position. For those of you who don't care, skip down to the song of the day, or actually, i'll tell you what it is right now, and then you can skip the rest. I just feel the need to weigh in on this highly discussed topic. Song of the day is "Miss Sarejevo" by U2. It's a remarkable song and it features Luciano Pavarotti in his greatest musical accomplishment. So, if y'all got the means and or the desire, check out "Miss Sarajevo" by Bono and the boys of U2.

Goalies:

Martin Broduer: This is the greatest goaltended in the world who is still playing professional hockey. Many people were concerned over his mediocre play this year now that his rock solid defence (Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer) has left the swamp (New Jersey not the lounge like area at CBC in Regina), but it is not his goaltending that has kept his team from winning, it's thier lack of offence, and a mediocre defence who has been plauged by injuries, inconsistant play and retirement. Broduer is the natural and correct pick for the number one goalie, based on skill and successful representation of Canada in other high international competitions including the last OLympics in Salt Lake City.

Roberto Luongo: This young man, while playing for one of the worst teams in the NHL, continues to show his skill in making upwards of 35 saves a game. He faces the most shots in the NHL and makes a good majority of them. He is a solid goaltender who has played for Canada in the past, and played well. He is being groomed to be Martin Broduer's successor for Team Canada, and on that principle alone he gets to come along for the ride. Good and logical pick for the number two goalie.

Marty Turco: Turco is the third goalie. He deserves to be on this time based solely on his great play in the NHL season. I'm not a huge Turco fan, they could've picked any number of goalies for this third spot (third goalie rarely plays in international competition) and i would've been just as happy. Turco earned this with good play, so i won't take anything away from him.

Defencemen:

Ed Jovonovski: Hasn't played his best hockey in this NHL Campaign, but it one of the more mobile defenders, which is a quality with a high premium in international play because of the bigger rinks. Jovo is a defencemen who can jump into the play offensivly, and who has the wheels and determination to catch up defensivly. He is also a great physical presence, who has done well representing Canada in the past. He is one of Gretzky's boys. Based on play this year alone, he might not deserve to be there, but his skill, and his chemistry with the other players and his experiance make his a great pick and a valueable player.

Rob Blake: A Great veteran of both NHL and International Hockey. Fantastic Offensive skill as well as a warrior in his own end. He is the second oldest person on this team at 36 years old, but time and age has not diminished his skill or his value in a tournament like this. A winner at all levels, Blake brings that intangible knowledge of knowing what it takes to win the big one. Blake is a correct choice for these what will be his last Olympic games.

Adam Foote: I Don't like this guy. As a member of the Colorado Avalanche he beat up Canucks and defeated us more times then i care to remember. He's apperantly more mobile then i remember, but in a crop of offensive defensemen, he will be the guy backing you up, ready to perfectly play an odd man rush against him. He is a guy who has been playing for team Canada for a long time, and more then likely this will be his last kick at the can as well. He has been a major part of Team Canada's success in recent years so i can understand his presence on this roster. I might have opted for someone else over Foote, but i don't see Foote hurting us, and his dedication to this team and his success in both international and NHL hockey will be valued.

Scott Niedermayer: A Recent Norris Trophy Winner (NHL's award for top defenceman) multiple Stanley Cup Champion, Olympic Champion, NHL All Star, and one of the smoothest skating defenceman to ever come out of British Columbia. Scott Niedermayer has great skills, is one of the top defenceman in the NHL and was a no brainer for Team Canada. He will more then likely be wearing an "A" as well, which means assistant captain. Fantastic Player, to not choose him would've been a mistake.

Christopher Pronger: Actually no one calls him Christopher, except maybe his mother. If you did he would probably crush you. At 6'6 230 some odd pounds, he is a monster on defence. Chris Pronger is a born leader. He is vocal, strong, skilled and looking to rebound his career in Edmonton after a couple mediocre years with the St. Louis Blues. Pronger has a bullet of a shot, not quite on par with former linemate Al Macinnis (who recently retired after a stellar career) but it is quite hard and accurate. Pronger since his junior days has been representing Canada, was part of the last two Olympic Squads, Pronger was not a lock to be chosen, but was a smart pick, on a steady and reliable defenceman who doesn't make many mistakes.

Wade Redden: Lloydminster's own Wade Redden, has a been a perrenial underrated denfeceman. Only in the last couple years in the wake of Ottawa's successes has the hockey world taken notice of Wade Redden who has quietly been evolving into a fantastic, well rounded defencemen in the national hockey leauge. This will be Redden's first Olympics, and one he worked hard to be chosen for. I won't dispute this pick.

Robyn Regehr: This guy has come a long way in the last few years. As a highly touted draft pick of the Calgary Flames, his career was in jeopardy with a devestating leg injury. He got through it and has quickly become a defenceman who plays against the leauges top forwards. His physical style and ability to jump into the play are really coming into thier own, and as some of these older defencemen go the way of the dodo, look for guys like Regehr to lead the way in the future. Regehr has had a great season and is well deserving of being named to Team Canada, for goodness sakes, you can see the impact he has on his team. Regehr gets injured, Flames suck and can't stop anyone, Regehr comes back and they are ready to go for the cup again, coincedence, i think not.

Forwards:

Ryan Smyth: "Captain Canada" is his most recent of monikers, having represented Canada in more international games then anyone else i believe, is a warrior. (the only reason he has been able to play in so many games for Canada is cause the Oilers have sucked so much and he could always go to the world championships cause they were never in the playoffs very long). Anyway, as the years have gone on, my respect for Ryan Smyth has gone up. He is a talented player, much more so then i used to give him credit for. He has a nose for the net, and is able to score clutch goals in both his NHL and international career. His play with Team Canada in the last few tournaments has really opened my eyes to how important he is to this team, and i would not have wanted him to be left off this team no matter how much i hate the Oilers.....and believe me, I HATE THE OILERS. Ryan Smyth is an embodiment of a Team Canada Spirit.

Joe Thornton: No Doubt one of the best players in the world. Strong, Skilled, Sexy. All of those are reasons why Joe Thornton should be on this team. Thornton was a no brainer and i totally agree.

Martin St. Louis: A reletive new comer to NHL stardom and even international play, St. Louis is a small but dangerous player. He has speed and skill, which are a good combination at the worst of times, but it's his never say die attitude that seperates him from the "not on team canada" players in Wayne Gretzky's view. I'll never forget the time I say Martin St. Louis bodycheck 6'5 230 pound Keith Primeau to the ice, i'll bet Keith never forgot it either. St. Louis was on the bubble in my books, not having a standout year, but his chemistry with players such as Lecavalier and Richards helped his cause. For my money, Paul Kariya should have had this spot, and i will stand by that. Paul has resurrected his career with Nashville and with his leadership and valueable international experiance, it would've been a beauty. No knock on St. Louis, great player, but if it was my team, Kariya would've been inserted here.

Joe Sakic: In the wake of The Lemieux Fiasco, and The Honorable Yzerman situation, leadership and captaincy of Team Canada was put in this mans hands. Sakic is known for his deadly quick wristshot, it's sent many a goaltender to the showers, and some even to thier deaths...ok, so thats not true, but at 36 years of age and a couple months older then Rob Blake, Joes is the oldest, most experianced player on Team Canada. His leadership has been praised in the NHL as he has been loyal to one franchise through the crap and the glory, winning stanley cups and awards and accolades, for mentoring young players, and overall, being one hell of a skilled player. Joe Sakic continues to inspire awe and amazement, and he is a player who shines brighter in international competition. This will be Joe's last Olympics more then likely, and I am certain that he will lead his team to Olympic gold this year, and add one more achievement to that list of his. No doubt about him being on the team, and no doubt about him being captain.

Brad Richards: The lone representative of Canada's maritime provinces, this PEI Native (whoa, not like an indian or anything) is the future and the present of Canadian hockey teams. He is the Joe Sakic of the next 12 years, and his inclusion on this team shows that Wayne Gretzky and co. believe in the youth, and understand that a team of 35 year olds will not get it done. Richards is hungry, and he is extremely talented. Don't think he got on this team by hype, Richards is a beauty, a Conn Smythe Trophy Winner (NHL Playoff MVP), and i'm pretty sure, he and I are the same age, or he might be a year older then me or something. He would've been on my team.

Rick Nash: Another young player, he is actually my age, i realized Richards is older then me, but Nash, we should've gone to high school together, then he could hook me up with some tickets to the Olympics or something. Rick Nash is a feisty winger, who i would describe as a pure goal scorer. That doesn't mean he's a puck hog, or doesn't get assists, but he seems to have some sort of ability to score goals within his genes. Rick Nash was injured for the first three months of the NHL season, which made people wonder if he was going to be on the team, but if his play since returning from injury is any indication of how he will play in the Olympics, you will be glad he is on this team, and so am I.

Vincent Lecavalier: No Question, tough, big, amazing skills, drawn comparisons to Mario Lemieux (when he was a good player and not just a bum). Vincent Lecavalier will be one of the best players in this tournament, and Canada will lean on this young man a lot. He needs to deliver and I believe he will. He for sure would have been one of my picks.

Jarome Iginla: I HATE THE FLAMES, but i'm glad he is on this team. Intesity, a goal scorers touch, leadership, loyalty to team, and a christian. Jarome Iginla is the real deal, a great hockey player who has seen success in the NHL, and even more success in international tournaments. In the last two tournaments he has found himself on a line with Joe Sakic and it has produced some amazing results, so Iginla is in, and not a moment too soon.

Dany Heatley: Another one of those young forwards who is dominating the NHL now, and will be dominating the leauge for years to come. What can I say about Heatly, went through some tough times with the tragic death of teammate Dan Snyder in a car accident that he (Heatley) was responsible for. Has since been given a new lease on life with a change of scenery that brought his to Ottawa and the real potential to win both a Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal in the same year. Heatley is really good at getting in position to do offensive damage. He has that ability to be in the right place at the right time, and you wonder, how did he get here? He is also a great goal scorer as he proved a couple years back at the NHL all star game. Heatley is one of the best players in the leauge, and has aquitted himself very well in international play. His skill and experiance carried him onto this team with no questions asked.

Simon Gagne: Canada is blessed to have many of the best players in the NHL hail from thier country, and Gagne is no differant. Many people are just becoming aquainted with Gagne, as we out in the west don't see him often, but we see his highlights, and now we've been watching him on an international stage for about six years. We've all seen what this guy can do, and there was no reason that he shouldn't be on this team. Plays well with Sakic and Iginla, imagine that line on your NHL team....oh stink.

Kris Draper: I'm sure Kris Draper is a nice guy, and he's well known for being very good at what he does (checking, being a third line player), but if it were up to me, there are two players i would rather have then Kris Draper, who i don't believe belongs at the Olympics. He can go the the World Championshps, and i guess even the World Cup if he has to, but not the Olympics...yikes. Rather then Draper, i would've preferred Brendan Shanahan, having an outstanding year with Detroit, and or Patrice Bergeron, who somehow disappeared off Team Canada's radar despite playing so amazingly for them at the World Cup, or whatever it was that he played, as well as the World Juniors. Kris Draper would not be on my Team Canada.

Shane Doan: A Christian, a team Captain (albeit of the Phoenix Coyotes) a decent player overall, but team Canada? In my view, he is a questionable pick, and would've had those previously mentioned players (Shanny, and Bergeron) in line before Doan, who is one of Gretzky's players in Phoenix which say's a lot to me about why he is on this team. Frankly, i would've preferred to have Curtis Joseph on the team if Gretzky needed a Coyote on the team, but oh well. Doan belongs here more then Draper, but still Doan would not have been a pick of mine. Spezza as well, would've made my team before Doan, but Spezza's got lots of time ( and is a sub if anyone get's injured, so i'm not too upset about the Spezza situation)

Todd Bertuzzi: The most hated man in professional sports. No one was sure if he was gonna make this team except Wayne Gretzky. Todd seems to be Wayne's project player, like Theo Fluery was in Salt Lake City. I'm happy about that. I don't know if you watched Vancouver's loss to Calgary this evening, or yesterday, or whatever, but the way Todd played in that game, and in the 6 or so games previous to that shows why his skill alone got him onto this team. When Todd has the puck, no one, not Jarome Iginla, not Robyn Regehr, not Chris Pronger, not Adam Foote, Not Joe Thornton, no one can take the puck from Todd Bertuzzi if he wants to hold on to it. There is not much to say about Todd, you all knew i wanted him on the team, all i can say is watch him play, that will speak for itself. Todd is going to come back and be in the top ten point scorers this season. Mark my words, he is coming, and no one is going to be able to stop him. No player on earth. Todd is going to be one of the reasons we win Olympic Gold, and you will all forget about "Steve what's his noodle" and you will love Todd Bertuzzi with close but not quite as much non homosexual love as i have for Todd Bertuzzi.

Thank you and goodnight. I can't belive how long this is. Especially considering I agreed with Gretzky on all but 4 and a half players. Gadzooks.