Team Canada 2014 -- who will be on it?

The Winter Olympics will be here in 6 months (give or take). Between now and then Yzerman and company will be crafting the team that will represent Canada. Who will be on that team?

Here are TSN's "early projections".
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=428036

Luongo/Price/Crawford

Crosby, Toews, E. Staal, Getzlaf, Perry, Nash, Richards, St. Louis, Stamkos, Giroux, Tavares, Sharp, Bergeron, Benn.

Keith, Doughty, Weber, Subban, Seabrook, Letang, Girardi, Pietrangelo.

Interesting list. Out of the 25 players, only 3 play on Canadian teams (Luongo, Price, Subban). While many of the above may seem like the favorites, their play early in the season will knock some of them out of contention, for sure.

Bergeron - we've all discussed how he's going to have a slow start. Don't think he gets in based on performance. He was there in 2010, so that counts for something.

St. Louis - was last year an aberration or is he getting better with age? I don't see him dropping off from his production, but with Vinny gone, is that team as good as it was last season? Will that be reflected in Marty's totals?

Subban - Norris notwithstanding, he's got a lot of ground to make up, IMO. Just too many red flags with the rumors of not being all about the team.

Girardi - I know I'm biased, but I'd really rather have Methot.

Man, Canada really should send two teams. There are so many players that could be there. Like Spezza -- dare to dream.

Bergeron is in no matter how he plays all year. He's the most complete player in the world right now.

LeKing wrote:Bergeron is in no matter how he plays all year. He's the most complete player in the world right now.

Not if he's broken and needs repairs.

wprager wrote:

LeKing wrote:Bergeron is in no matter how he plays all year. He's the most complete player in the world right now.

Not if he's broken and needs repairs.  

Yeah there's actually a very good chance of that happening

LeKing wrote:Bergeron is in no matter how he plays all year. He's the most complete player in the world right now.

These teams are pretty well set before the NHL regular season even starts.

Methot should get consideration, although I won't argue he's a dark horse.

Our goaltending gives me nightmares.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

LeKing wrote:Bergeron is in no matter how he plays all year. He's the most complete player in the world right now.

These teams are pretty well set before the NHL regular season even starts.

Sure, guys like Crosby, Toews, Weber, Getzlaf/Perry. But I doubt they pick a goalie before December. And there will be injuries, and there will be players breaking out, and there will be players breaking down.

That Girardi pick still bothers me. Good, solid defenseman, but I think Methot does all that as well, and I'd like to think plays harder. Plus he's got the inside poop on Karlsson, which they may need in the medal rounds.

wprager wrote:The Winter Olympics will be here in 6 months (give or take).  Between now and then Yzerman and company will be crafting the team that will represent Canada.  Who will be on that team?

Here are TSN's "early projections".
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=428036

Luongo/Price/Crawford

Crosby, Toews, E. Staal, Getzlaf, Perry, Nash, Richards, St. Louis, Stamkos, Giroux, Tavares, Sharp, Bergeron, Benn.

Keith, Doughty, Weber, Subban, Seabrook, Letang, Girardi, Pietrangelo.

Interesting list.  Out of the 25 players, only 3 play on Canadian teams (Luongo, Price, Subban).  While many of the above may seem like the favorites, their play early in the season will knock some of them out of contention, for sure.

Bergeron - we've all discussed how he's going to have a slow start.  Don't think he gets in based on performance.  He was there in 2010, so that counts for something.

St. Louis - was last year an aberration or is he getting better with age?  I don't see him dropping off from his production, but with Vinny gone, is that team as good as it was last season?  Will that be reflected in Marty's totals?

Subban - Norris notwithstanding, he's got a lot of ground to make up, IMO.  Just too many red flags with the rumors of not being all about the team.  

Girardi - I know I'm biased, but I'd really rather have Methot.  

Man, Canada really should send two teams.  There are so many players that could be there.  Like Spezza -- dare to dream.

I really don't know about putting Brad Richards in there. Isn't there a better option out there? They have to go with speed.. Because that's what the US and Sweden are coming with... and that's two of their main rivals.

Sorry, I should have put down M. Richards. It's in the article and I thought it would've been obvious given how he's been playing. He was on the 2006 team that didn't get a medal. He won't be going to Sochi.

Here's the list of evaluation/orientation camp invites:

http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Team-Canada/Men/National/2013-14/Orientation-Camp/Roster

Methot is on the list, but no Spezza. Ouch. The guy was #4 overall in the league the last time they had a full season. And that was with a sore back.

Spezza can't catch a break. I'd put him on there ahead of the following: Carter, Couture, Duchene, Eberle, Getzlaf, Hall, Kunitz, Ladd, Lucic, Marchand, Neal, M Richards, Sharp, both Staals, and maybe Joe Thornton. Holy hell, what a diddle up.

Spezza is the perfect setup man for high-end talent. I would understand (probably) if he didn't make the final team, but to not even be on the orientation camp roster is ridiculous.

Spezza is what he is and that's a player a lot of coaches don't trust as well as not being good enough to be on the top 2 lines for Team Canada. No one in their right mind would give hard mins to Spezza on the 3rd and 4th line. This is better for Ottawa anyways and I could care less about the Olympics.

Seriously, let him rest up for 3 weeks instead of going to play 10 hours away or whatever it is in Russia on the big ice.

Good fuel to impress TC as well. He's gonna come out hot

Beautiful. The less Sens that play in this, the better, especially Spezza.

Oh, and Spezza is great at faceoffs, which would help at the Olympics too. You're right though, Ev, better for the Sens to NOT have him there.

Also another notable absence is one Mr. Martin Brodeur.