Team Canada Final Roster Prediction

Noon on Wednesday will be the much anticipated time for Steve Yzerman and Team Canada. It will be at that time when they will unveil their final choice on who has made the Olympic squad. Well, in actuality, since it is a list and we are in Canada it will quickly turn to who didn't make the team. When you have enough quality to send 2 very capable medal contending teams there will be some deserving people left off.

Sure this "Final Team" will not be the team that suits up for Canada when the games begin but it will be close. You have to figure that there will at least be a few injuries that will effect the roster.

My final roster is who I think should be on the team but not necessarily whom I believe that Team Canada will select for their final roster.

As you can compare from my from my Last Update there has been some movement in just over a month and that one changed fro the orientation camp from August.

Forwards:
Jarome Iginla - Sidney Crosby- Jonathan Toews
Rick Nash - Ryan Getzlaf - Dany Heatley
Martin St. Louis - Joe Thornton - Steve Stamkos
E. Staal - Mike Fisher - Corey Perry
Brad Richards

Defence:
Scott Niedermayer - Shea Weber
Chris Pronger - Dan Boyle
Brent Seabrook - Drew Doughty
Duncan Keith

Goal:
Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur, Marc-André Fleury

Taxi Squad:
Mike Green, Jeff Carter, Patrick Marleau

How close I am will be interesting to see, I am just putting Fisher in as a long shot sentimental pic. If I was going to be completely objective he would not be on my list but I want to give him a little extra credit so I will include him. I think that it is more likely that Milan Lucic has a better chance of making the team, even with his recent string on injuries he serves a similar role but may be a little grittier. Maybe even a Mike Richards but without knowing how he gets along with Chris Pronger I amy not want the two of them in the same room.

We will just have to see what Stevie Y and his team has in mind on Wednesday...then we can begin the criticism.

Crosby Staals and Nash!

Here is the new addition of CSNY (For the purposes of this to work I will throw Yzermans name into the mix). Coming on the heals of the Olympic Camp that was held in Calgary over the last couple of days I figured it was time to start looking at a possible roster. The camp culminated with a Red/White Scrimmage that packed some 19,000 people for an exhibition game into the Saddledome (and they can’t get 9,000 in some NHL cities for regular season games)....but no hockey works in Phoenix, Florida and Atlanta.

It is true that Canada could probably field 2 or maybe even 3 teams and would have a good chance at getting at least 2 medals. With that being said, it certainly makes it difficult to widdle down the long list of potential players to just 1 roster. Players need to be able to adapt to new roles, different positions and be willing to buy into what the management and coaches are looking for. There is an embarrassment of riches at the center position so there will be probably a couple of players moved to the wing. Having the ability to be one of those versatile players who have the ability to shift around could greatly help their chances on making the team.

The interesting thing about this process it the word team. It is not going to be, nor can it be just the top players or the biggest names. As we see during the playoffs it seems to come down to the 3rd and 4th line grinders and which ones show up and play bigger roles. The same thing will have to happen on this team and that may allow for some lesser known players to slide into the mix and in turn leave some very big names off the lineup.

Here is my early selection of what Team Canada 22 man roster will look like. Then just before the rosters are announced I will give a revised list and see if there has been any movement based on guys play at the beginning of the season, also taking into consideration any possible injuries that may crop up between then and now.

Just as they did during the 2006 Olympics I will also include a 3 man Taxi Squad or Black Aces as it were. Lets see how much different this team looks and time goes on. (Also I will admit that I have Jordan Staal on the team both for is penalty killing and energy but also to help with this blogs title).

Forwards:
Jarome Iginla - Sidney Crosby- Simon Gagné
Rick Nash - Ryan Getzlaf - Dany Heatley
Eric Staal - Mike Richards - Jonathan Toews
Shane Doan - Jordan Staal - Milan Lucic
Jeff Carter

Defence:
Scott Niedermayer - Shea Weber
Chris Pronger - Dan Boyle
Jay Bouwmeester - Dion Phaneuf

Goal: Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur, Marc-André Fleury

Taxi Squad: Vincent Lecavalier Mike Green Corey Perry