The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics are right around the corner! Well, not really. February feels further away than ever. But that won't stop people from talking about all the excitement that borders around the latest agreement between the NHL and the IIHF.
Hockey fans all around the world let out a sigh of relief on Friday as they heard the news of NHL players getting the opportunity to play in the Olympics again. Now the Olympics can say that they will definitely have the top players from around the world compete for a gold medal.
Like any other hockey fan, I have an opinion. An opinion that sometimes makes me sound like a wannabe Bob Mckenzie or Pierre Mcguire. No, wait. Not Pierre Mcguire. I admit that from time to time I complain about the latest coaching decisions, suspensions and some of the things Don Cherry has to say. That's just because I have an opinion.
Steve Yzerman, Team Canada's GM for Sochi, has a very tough job. He has to pick a certain amount of players to put on a squad he thinks will win a gold medal. With the amount of talent Canada has produced, this job becomes very hard especially when he must cut some players from the tryouts.
I, however, don't have to bring a player into my office and break the news to him. I don't have the pressure on my shoulders that Yzerman has to win a gold medal. I can write up a roster in an hour or so and not have any worries. Which makes writing this blog a lot easier. So, if you're willing to read, criticize, agree, or disagree with my choices, then here's my opinion.
Goalies - Probably the hardest decision any GM has to make is about their goaltending and Yzerman has it tough. Despite the goaltending controversy in Vancouver, Luongo should have the starting job for Canada all because Olympic teams love experience and Luongo has a lot. Who else better to start for Canada than the one that was between the pipes for the last gold medal.
As for the two backups, Mike Smith and Carey Price have more than earned the position. Price has shown he can be calm and collected in one of the hardest cities (Montreal) to play in and has been the centre of attention for the starting position for a few years now. Smith showcased himself well at the latest World championship representing Canada and though his Phoenix Coyotes didn't make it to the playoffs he has certainly proved himself to be one of the better goalies in the NHL.
Defence - Two thirds of the previous defence pairings should be back for another Olympics. Returnees include Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Drew Doughty and Shea Weber. All four returning players provide so much strength and size, with the physical presence Team Canada has always wanted to put on the ice, these guys will fit in perfectly. Yzerman also has no choice but to take the reigning Norris trophy winner, P.K. Subban, even though Subban missed out in 2010. The play of the young superstar has been too good to resist.
The final man for the 6 defence will be Kris Letang. The Pittsburgh Penguins star playmaker has been putting up impressive numbers the past few years and will be a deadly presence on the power play. Plus, it doesn't hurt that he has experience with a guy named Sid. You might have heard of him.
Forwards - Canada's forwards are going to be the most impressive part of the team. With 4 of the 5 last Rocket Richard trophy winners, Canada is going to have a full arsenal when it comes to offence. The returning players I think will make it include Rick Nash, Sidney Crosby, Eric Staal, Jonathan Toews, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Joe Thornton and Patrice Bergeron. Again, the topic of experience comes up. I'll be honest, I wouldn't have Thornton on my roster if he hadn't have won gold in Vancouver, but players like him bring a lot more than just skill. Leadership in the dressing room is highly praised in Canadian hockey.
Canada is making a few changes to its forwards, but for the better. Guys like Claude Giroux, Steven Stamkos and John Tavares are scoring machines and all have had great seasons in the NHL as of late. My final pick for the forward spots is going to be Andrew Ladd because I really think he fits in with the attitude of this team. He's been on a losing team in the NHL for 3 straight years now but he's slowly coming into his own, racking up a career high points per game last season with the Jets. He's a big body presence and Team Canada loves power forwards like Ladd.
Dark Horses - Team Canada has proved in the past that they love chemistry. On the 2010 team there were four San Jose Sharks, three Anaheim Ducks, three Chicago Blackhawks, two Philadelphia Flyers and two Pittsburgh Penguins. This is why I think Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall have a chance to make it, but only as a package deal. The fourth line could be a possibility for the two Edmonton Oilers.
The last time a Canadian hockey team went to Russia was back around Christmas time. At the World Junior Championships, Canada had sent out an offensive power house, but the result was a 4th place finish. Their issue was goaltending. Malcolm Subban and Jordan Binnington were switched back and fourth throughout the round robin and playoffs and there was never a clear cut starting goalie.
I believe that if Canada wants to win gold at the Olympics in Sochi there has to be no goalie controversy. Steve Yzerman needs to pick a number one goalie from the tryouts and stick with him for the entire tournament. No sharing, no switching (of course poor play is an exception to the rule) and no flip of the coin like we saw with Alain Vigneault in Vancouver.
The round robin play begins February 12th and it's looking like the Canadian squad will punch their ticket into the playoffs for sure. Being placed in a group with Norway, Finland and Austria makes it hard to believe that Team Canada will have any troubles advancing to the next round.
The upcoming Olympics look to be one of the most unpredictable tournaments in recent memory. The Swedes are looking strong and the Russians are hosting with pressure to bring home gold. The Czech team has a lot of great offence and goaltending and you can never leave the Americans out of the conversation.
Each team has a chance to win gold, but with the big ice surface, unlike the one at the last Olympics, it's going to be hard for teams with a lot of NHL players to get comfortable right away. I see a European team or Russia winning gold even with the offensive power of the Canadians and Americans. But no matter my predictions or the ice surface, it won't stop me from waving the Canadian flag and singing out O' Canada these Winter Olympics.
Go Canada go!
