So, what would be the elite 8 for 2010? Three players come to mind right away for me: Crosby, Iginla and Lecavalier. Next up for me would be Heatley and Gagne, assuming Gagne can stay healthy. I hate to say it, but Phaneuf and Boyle would be picks 6 & 7, and (if he's still around) Joe Sakic would be my final pick and team captain. Well, that takes care of 8 out of 20 players; 6 forwards and 2 dmen. Next up, let's round out the roster...
Thornton, Nash and Getzlaf are all obvious in my eyes; followed by Mike Richards and Martin St. Louis. The last two spots are wide open: Carter, Toews, Staal, Savard, Perry and Marleau could all easily fit the bill, but I think I would plug Marleau (assuming this year is no fluke) into the last roster spot and Perry as my 13th forward.
On the back end, I would make a couple more obvious picks with Bouwmeester and Campbell. A little less obvious pick, but still a solid selection would be Souray. Again, Niedermayer, Pronger, Green, Jovanovski and Burns could all fill in nicely, but I think I would go with Pronger as my 6th and Green as my 7th. It's tough to leave out a guy like Niedermayer, but everyone else is just playing up to his ability while he is regressing this season.
In goal, Canada is always strong. Brodeur is the obvious #1 (if he's still around) and I think everyone is in agreement that Luongo is the #2. The 3rd spot could be a coin-toss between Turco, Giguere, Fleury and Price; however, with Turco's horrendous performance this season all but eliminating himself from contention, I think I would bring along Price (he could be Canada's goalie of the future).
Obviously, there are some notable omissions: Spezza, Toews, Smyth, Doan, Weber and Niedermayer among others; however, you could practically make two teams and win the gold with either of them. The biggest omission, in the eyes of Sporer, will be that I didn't even mention Sam Gagner's name in discussion talks! Gasp! As for the coaches, I'm going to go off the charts and naming Pat Quinn the head coach; it's only a matter of time before this guy is back in the NHL and his stock will soar if he can bring home a world jr gold. Hitchcock again will be one of the assistants along with Mike Babcock of the Red Wings.
The hardest decision I found is the 'changing of the guard'. No Yzerman or Kariya or Shanahan, you know, guys that would be a definite lock on a team like this. Instead, Canada will have to rely on some young, and sometimes, unproven talent which isn't the best recipe for success.Of all my selections, I'm still unsure about St. Louis and if he is talented enough to warrant a spot, and I feel the same goes for Perry. I'm also a little uneasy with not finding room for Smyth on my team, you know the character is there, but im not sure the skill is anymore. I think one selection I would regret not making would be Brad Richards because of the way he can take care of his own end of the rink, he's a great skater and puts points on the board.
Did I miss anyone? Think it could be tweaked? Agree or disagree? Lemme know.
Cheers.
-Smithp.s. And no Sporer, Gagner doesn't even make the short list of 13 forwards on YOUR team. Bluff.
k just a few things, you name boyle and phanuef on the opening 8?! what?! no NHL defensive point leader SHEA WEBER?! Crazy. Phanuef ok, but boyle? yes he has a great effect in san jose but cmon, weber is lighting it up in NASHVILLE! The other thing is Sakic will no doubt be retired by that time, so id put Getzlaf or Richards into that spot and name Iginla captain. Ryan Smyth should replace Martin St Louis just because St Louis point production has gone wayyyyy down, and Smyth is alll heart. Oh and you did leave out Jeff Carter who at this point seems to me to be a lock for this team as well, probably instead of Marleau or Perry. You left out Doan which could pose to be a mistake as they need some experiance on that team. Anyways, pretty good otherwise, and i completely agree with you, unless Gagner explodes and puts up 80-90 points next year there is no way he makes the team.
ReplyDeleteoh and toews will fight his way onto this team, you can count on that
ReplyDeleteok i agree with kyle and the Weber pick, because anyone remember winning JR. GOLD with Phanuef and Weber on D??? I do!!! absolute magic. Ok and now to cut kyle down...ok do you want to win gold??? I do and heres what happens, No F'ing Smyth or Doan, yes Doan is a good player, and Smyth may have heart but fuck that, Smyth is no where near a world class talent, We need talent there not heart, heart may help in the world championship, but guess what??? this ain't no minor tournament, i want our best there and he isn't one, Also Toews has to go, simply because Kane will go and he will never live it down in Chicago, and also i believe in letting some of our younger talent play in these big games for the future because you don't get experience for the game by watching on TV, i thought Crosby should have been on the team last Olympics even if he played 2 minutes the whole time, why??? Because everyone knew he was going to be there next time so why not give some experience to the youngster? Ya no souray tho, not solid enough to make the team, theres going to be enough point shooters anyway, I like the goalie choices other then Captain Luongo, will be starting, best goalie in the world hands down.
ReplyDeleteGood post tho, and im sure we will see a couple more, and i would like to see a recap on the World JR. selections please???
I got you covered on the World Juniors, its pretty much its own holiday at the Smith household. As for Weber, his highest point total is 40 and last year, he was only on pace for 30 before his injury. So, he would be a definite lock for a top 6, but i wasn't sure if this year was a fluke (much like Marleau).
ReplyDeleteGood Lord, I agree on Toews he should no doubt be on the team, but man, if Doan is putting up the same kinda numbers he is this year, he has to be a lock for that team! JUct check his stats and get back to me, and i agree smyth's numbers do suck but as Smith said, its hard to not put him on the team, he would bring everything he's got and more to that tournament and more....even if he is playing on the 4th line for 5 minutes a game. The biggest thing is you have to look at the matchups, against Russia, againts Sweden and the Slovaks, and the USA, like, this team is going to need a checking line, and a reeeeeeaaaaaalllllllyyyyy good one, when Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk step on the ice, i dont wanna see Canada counter with some scoring line of their own. I want Mike Richards out there with Ryan Smyth and Shane Doan! Guys who can rag the puck and get the opposing stars off their game, its not an all star team they have to build, its a TEAM, and every eam has its elements, So yes have all stars, but have all star checkers, because you will need em. P.S. How can Luongo be all that great when he is at home nursing his poor groin (maybe he shouldnt be gay). Brodeur has it hands down. Its his to lose.
ReplyDeleteWheres Brodeur right now?????? so dont give me that,
ReplyDeleteNo i dont want Smyth out there as a checker, if we are going to send checkers then lets send the best two in the league, Draper and Maltby, but again i dont want those old pieces of shit.
So sporer u would say, IF, it came down to Toews or Smyth your picking Smyth? because then my friend your a reatrd, because Toews unlike Smyth can actually skate and shoot the puck, take off those Gay "oiler googles" that have u seeing the oiler (past and present) players better then what they are.
Maltby? seriously thats going off the deep end.....if its toews smyth perry and marleau i say take smyth an toews, im sorry if you havent realized that smyth was on the last two olympic teams, sorry that colorado forked out 6.5 million for him....im sure they would argue with you that smyth is a great hockey player, you just have alot of pent up rage and hate from smyth's ass being tatooed to kippers face for so many years, its okay, the Oilers at least let you win one cup, and if you wanna talk about seeing players better then they are.... the only legit good player the flames have is Iginla, maybe Phanuef, thats it.
ReplyDeleteScrew it, let Don Cherry pick the team, thatll win us a gold medal for sure (no joke id love to see it)
ReplyDeleteIginla-Crosby-Heatley
ReplyDeleteGagne-Thornton-Lecalavier
Toews-Getzlaf-Nash
Doan-Richards-Smyth
Perry
Marleau
Bouwmeester-Phanuef
Weber-Boyle
Pronger-Souray
Green
Brodeur
Luongo
Price
lol you cant even answer the question i posed, just answer it Toews or Smyth, just think semi-final game goes to a shoot-out win and your in for the Gold lose and your bronze...Toews or Smyth? who do u want to shoot,
ReplyDeletePS i dont hate Smyth because i have "pent up rage and hate from smyth's ass being tattooed to kippers face for so many years" i hate Smyth because hes a lousy player, i honestly think he has a below average ability to skate, shoot and stick handle, he puts the points up because pucks hit him and go in, he is one of the only guys stupid enough just to stand in front of the net.
So Kyle what will it be? Toews or Smyth? not Toews, Smyth and Marleau and pick two, JUST TOEWS AND SMYTH AND PICK ONE!!!!
PPS Steves team is way better, wheres Campbell??? lol Souray before Campbell ahahahaha your on crack, no Carter but Richards makes it? wow smoke some more of that, it must be strong shit man, cuz your fucked UP!!!!
How is Steve's team any better? They are almost the same team, all i have to say is that when Russia puts out Ovechkin, Malkin, and Kovalchuk, i dont want Corey Perry, Patrick Marleau, or Martin St Louis anywhere near the rink, Doan, Smyth and Richards would SHUT THEM DOWN. Oh and i answered your question, i took both! Of course i would have Toews in a shootut over Smyth any day, Toews is a much better player then Smyth no doubt, but i feel like Smyth could bring more to that team playing on the 4th line, then Marleau, Perry, or St Louis could, and with Steve Yzerman now picking the team (he is right?!) i believe there will be alot more experiance then youth on that team. One last question.....why is Marc Savard being overlooked?! This guy is good for 100 points almost every season! Why is he not on this team?! A few other names to consider before arguing more about Smyth, St Louis, Marleau, and Perry.......Eric Staal, Jason Spezza, Devin Setoguchi has 27 points in 24 games right now?! Paul Stastny?! Patrick Sharpe? Jovanovski?
ReplyDeleteI think the only thing Smyth would bring to the team is AIDS, because that queer sucks, hes not a good checker, not a good player period, and to comment on the others that u say are not being mentioned,
ReplyDeleteStaal and Spezza - Depends on their play, because right now? NOPE! Superstars? yes just not playing well right now
Setoguchi - no thank-you
Stastny - maybe?
Sharpe - unproven
Jovanovski - has been
Doan and Smyth - These guys are perfect for the world championship, perfect, but for the olympics NO, i want the best TALENT, they are not even close, to chose these guys over even Staal and Spezza would be a crime
Doan has 29 points in 31 games, tied for 25th in the NHL, dont be a dumbass
ReplyDeleteHow can you reject Steoguchi if he keeps playing this well?! Once agin dont be retarted
Stastny is more of a maybe then the previous two.
Sharp unproven?! Get your head out of your ass, and realize the guy had 36 goals last year and already has 17 goals and 28 points so far this year.
Spezza will be on that team.
You need to stop sucking so much FLAMER dick and realize that Ryan Smyth, has a good chance of making that team.
stastney, sharpe, stepguchi are all decent/good players, but when push comes to shove... lets be real, none of those guys crack the top 12 Canadian players. As for Savard, he is a good/great player, just maybe not in the top 4 centers that Canada has to offer. Plus, doesn't he have attitude problems in the past?
ReplyDeletethats what im trying to say steve, but maybe Horcoff will make the team too, ahahahaha, but seriously, we want the best, we are not the americans and going to send any old piece of shit that might still have a pair a skates laying around, we demand that our team wins gold the only real way to do so is to send the absolute best, and in recent years, Ryan Smyth has not been one of them!
ReplyDelete