Team Canada

With the Olympics drawing closer and closer, the speculation of which players Steve Yzerman and company will choose to represent our country is roaring higher than ever.

There is no doubt that Hockey Canada will do a great job in selecting the team (with the amount of talent our country has it would be hard to ice a bad team), but no hockey fan in Canada can resist making their own predictions of who they believe will be wearing the red and white when it comes time to drop the puck.

Some of the talk is beginning to get a little out of hand though, with players being looked at who, really, have no chance of making the team.

The latest of these who are "playing their way on the team" is Mike Fisher of the Ottawa Senators. Now, for this portion of my article, I am going to throw aside the fact that I am a Leafs fan and must hate everyone who wears a Sens jersey and talk purely from a hockey fan standpoint. 

Mike Fisher is a solid two-way player and would be a perfect fourth-line center for a team of "stars," but does he belong on Team Canada? I don't think so. There are far to many players who are ahead of Fisher on the Canadian depth chart. As a center, there is no chance for Fisher to make this team with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Joe Thornton, Mike Richards, and Ryan Getzlaf also gunning for the four center positions. 

Granted, Fisher is having a career year with 27 points in 30 games so far this season, but there are other Canadians centermen around the NHL who are producing as much, if not more, than Fisher and they are not getting any media attention for Team Canada.

Rich Peverly of the Atlanta Thrashers has 30 points, Stephen Weiss of the Panthers has 29, and Matt Stajan has 26 points, just to name a few, and I can almost guarantee that there aren't any wanna-be GM's that have Peverly as their No. 4 center on Team Canada.

So why all the attention to Mr. Fisher?

Well playing for a Canadian team probably has a factor, another is the fact that he has already surpassed his goal totals from a year ago, but there are too many other players having career years to pick out just one and say that he has played his way onto the radar of Stevie Y.

When Dec. 31 rolls around, and Hockey Canada reveals the roster for the 2010 olypmics, I can garuntee that you will not find Mike Fisher in that lineup.

There are other players who people believe have played their way OFF of Team Canada. Immediately, Vincent Lecavalier comes to mind as a player who has struggled and has been effectively ruled out by the media and fans alike.

However, upon review of the stats of Fisher and Lecavalier, Fisher has only one point more than Vinny. Anybody with basic hockey knowledge would never pass over a player with the talent of Lecavalier to put Mike Fisher on their team.

Lecavalier admits that he has struggled so far this season, saying that he does not feel comfortable around the net with the puck and he probably will not be named to Team Canada, but you can bet that the Team Canada brass are keeping a close eye on him to see if he turns it up and plays like the Vinny of previous years.

Once the team is announced, there will be endless discussion of who was left off and who should not be there, but until we are either listening to our anthem being played prior to the gold medal game, or we are watching two other countries fight it out, the discussion will be ongoing.

Just an interesting fact, if the Olympic team was made up of who was leading in points as of RIGHT NOW (the way players are "playing their way on"), here is how the team would look. Not necessarily a bad team, but not the way Team Canada will look in reality. 

(highest points= first line, etc.)

Joe Thornton     Sidney Crosby     Corey Perry

Dustin Penner    Ryan Getzlaf       Brad Richards

Rick Nash           Patrick Marleau   Paul Stastny

Martin St. Louis  Nathan Horton    Jarome Iginla

Mike Green             Dan Boyle

Duncan Keith          Drew Doughty

Michael Del Zotto    Chris Pronger

Michael Cammalleri may not be the tallest player in the NHL, measuring in at just 5'9" and 182 pounds, so it may be easy to "overlook" him, but you cannot miss his statistics.

The Olympics are just 62 days away and still there is no talk of Cammalleri on the Canadian Olympic team.

The "experts" you watch on TV who repeatedly move names up and down the depth chart based on "merit" still have failed to mention Mike Cammalleri.

Which is strange since, Cammalleri has 17 goals this season, tying him for fourth among Canadians, along with Steven Stamkos and former teammate Jarome Iginla, who have both been in the Olympic "mix," according to those same experts.

His goal total is behind only Dustin Penner, Sidney Crosby, and Dany Heatley. Although he has one goal over Rick Nash and more than five over Brenden Morrow, Jeff Carter, and almost 10 more than Patrick Sharp and teammate Jonathan Toews.

He also finished in the top five in Canadian goal-scoring last season and is the only player still in the top five, along with Heatley.

Actually, Cammalleri is the third-highest-scoring left winger in the NHL. He sits just behind Heatley and Alexander Ovechkin, who each have 20 goals, making Cammalleri Canada's second-highest-scoring left winger.

Which is something the 2010 Olympic team will need, as it is loaded with top-notch play-makers and not enough pure scorers. Having all those passers is nice, but who will put the puck in the net? Cammalleri is converting on 15.7 percent of his shots, leaving him in sixth of all Olmypic-hopeful Canadians.

Not only is he the third-highest goal scorer of all Canadians, he is also tied for seventh in the entire league.

With names like Stamkos, Sharp, Toews, and Jordan Staal all floating around as Olympic hopefuls, Cammy should have a step up on them with both his stats and work ethic.

Cammalleri is a non-stop, high-energy player who is willing to stand in front of the net. He is a little big man (as seen in photo above at right) who puts his team first and can play defensive hockey.

He is currently sporting a plus-9 rating, putting him behind only Crosby when looking strictly at Olympic hopefuls.

His offensive prowess and defensive abilities leave Cammalleri well ahead of Stamkos, St. Louis, and Neal as a well-rounded hockey player.

Cammalleri is also quickly becoming the fan favorite to wear the "C" for the Canadiens; his leadership in the room and his ease in front of the press would serve him well in the pressure of Olympics in Canada.

Cammalleri should be well ahead of many Canadian-born players who are being picked by the "experts" to be heading to Vancouver in February.

Hopefully Cammy's numbers and international experience (four world hockey championships) will lead him to wearing a Team Canada jersey in Vancouver.

If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve probably read a story or two about the upcoming Olympic Games and the NHL players expected to compete for their respective countries. 

If you’re a Canadian hockey fan, you’ve probably read ten times that amount.

Over the last year, countless stories have been written about who should lace ‘em up for Canada at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver this coming February.  

Instead of rehashing this same discussion, I’m going to go in another direction and highlight a few of the potential Team Canada candidates (outside of the obvious players who have sustained noteworthy injuries early on in the season) who I think shouldn’t make the team and why they should be left off the roster.

So hold onto your helmets sports fans…here we go!

Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils)—I know what you’re saying to yourself “Is this guy crazy?" Well, I certainly have my fair share of idiosyncrasies, but this choice is based solely on logic. 

Although Brodeur is the NHL's all-time leader in regular season wins, he’s also 37 and a half years old and missed the majority of last years season with an elbow injury.  And while he’s bounced back this year, I honestly think Team Canada needs to go in another direction and give the next generation of masked men their shot at bringing home the gold. 

Guys like Fleury, Luongo, and Price all have the pedigree to be named to the team and should be given a shot.

Mike Green (Washington Capitals)—He’s exciting, talented, and a top-notch blueliner, but he’s also in the crosshairs of players who I think Team Canada Executive Director Steve Yzerman should pass over. 

While Green would certainly bring a high-degree of offense to the team, guys like Bouwmeester, Boyle and Weber bring a similar skill set and in my opinion aren’t as much of liability on the back-end.  What’s more, I’m not a fan of Green’s nonchalant attitude and casual approach to the game. To play for Team Canada, you have to have passion and bleed Red and White, something I have yet to see from Green in his brief NHL career.

People might not like Crosby (I’m not one of them by the way), but even his detractors have to admit the guy is driven and oozes passion. Players with this type of drive are the ones who are going to be the difference makers for Canada when the score is tied and the game is on the line. For these reasons, I think selecting Green would be a mistake.

Shane Doan (Phoenix Coyotes)—Rounding out the list is the hard-nosed and very likeable Doan, who has enjoyed some success on the international and World Cup stages.

Often heralded as the textbook “team guy," the two-way winger should be a walk on given his past Team Canada achievements and consistent performance with the NHL’s desert dogs, right?  Not so fast.  Remember, Doan was a member of the country’s 2006 Winter Olympic team that finished a distant seventh in Turin. If he’s such a regarded leader, why wasn’t he able to help pull that team together and make them a more successful unit?

Also, this year’s squad should be full of leaders (Crosby, Iginla, Niedermayer, Pronger, etc.), so I don’t see this as a quality that really sets him apart. 

Lastly, is Doan really as good as some people say he his?  He may stand out on the lowly Coyotes, where he has spent his entire NHL career, but how would he perform on a contender like the Sharks or Penguins.  Would he blend into the background?  Who knows.  But for me, this guy lacks the star power and numbers to be named to the 2010 Canadian squad.

So, love ‘em or hate ‘em, these are my picks of the players who I think should be watching the 2010 Games at home just like the rest of us. 

You may or may not agree, but let the debate begin!

Written By: Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter

Heading into the 2009-2010 NHL season, many “hockey experts” were predicting that Russia would ice the most lethal combination of forward talent at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. At the quarter mark of the NHL season, Canada looks to have the best offensive lineup, which has to have Canadian men’s hockey executive director Steve Yzerman drooling.

Canada’s scoring, or lack thereof, at the Olympics has long been a source of many debates for hockey fans and countrymen alike. In 2002, Canada managed to score a total of 22 goals in six games en route to a Gold Medal finish. 2006 was another story, as Canada managed only 15 goals in six games, finishing an embarrassing seventh.

Fortunately for Canada, they have always been able to ice a very impressive defense, which, for the most part, has served them well in some of the low-scoring contests that they have been involved with.

This time around, Canada will try to ice a more well-rounded roster, with the ability to score goals and keep them out, as well. Yzerman has let it be known that players who do not play well at both ends of the ice need not apply, causing many Canadian forwards to re-think their game.

That said, outside of a few surprises, it will be tough for many lesser-known/less experienced players to crack Canada’s lineup—or will it?

With a Gold Medal expectation looming large, Yzerman must like what he sees from his troops thus far. In fact, to date, Canadians occupy 19 of the top 30 spots on the NHL’s scoring leader board, which, considering the steep competition form Europeans and Americans, is impressive.

The leader board is not perfect for Yzerman. Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, who recently endured the longest scoreless streak of his career, sits 19th overall in NHL scoring with just 21 points, far off what many had expected from the highly-talented Crosby, which has some "experts" questioning whether or not Crosby should be on Canada’s first line...laughable!

Other “disappointments” include Philadelphia Flyers sniper Jeff Carter, who, after posting a career-high 46 goals in 2008-09, has just seven goals through 17 games, putting him on pace to score around 35 goals, which is good, but well off his 2008-09 numbers.

Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf, who lit the lamp a total of 25 times last season, has just two goals in 19 games, putting him on pace for a paltry 8-10 goals this season. Not great for a player that was expected to anchor one of Canada’s top-two lines, but when you consider Getzlaf has mustered 22 points in 19 games, it’s not so bad.

The thing is, for every “disappointment,” Yzerman has offset that with a pleasant surprise, including the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos, who, with 13 goals in 19 games, is ranked seventh overall amongst all NHL players and shows no sign of cooling off.

Another surprise would have to be the early play of Edmonton Oilers forward Dustin Penner, who, with 12 goals, 11 assists, 23 points and a plus/minus rating of plus-10, seemingly has grown into the dominant player that many felt he would be.

Stuck on a team he no longer wanted to play for and strangled by trade demands/rumors over the summer, Dany Heatley finally landed with Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks, which was a blessing for Team Canada as Thronton and Heatley have been good for eachother.

Heatley, who some felt may be left off of Team Canada's roster, has quietly gone about his business this season, registering 14 goals in 22 games (seven of which came on the power play), which puts Heater in a tie for first overall in NHL goal-scoring, putting him back in the conversation for sure.

Atlanta’s Rich Peverly, Dallas’ Brad Richards and James Neal, Los Angeles Kings/Captain Canada Ryan Smyth, and the New York Islanders John Tavares are all having excellent starts to the season and will give Yzerman plenty to think about when he announces his final roster on New Year's Eve.

Smyth, who has had a resurgence in L.A., has nine goals (five of which have been on the power play) and 23 points in 22 games. With a record of 13-7-2 in 22 games played, it has been Smyth’s leadership, gritty play, and energy that have been a big reason for the Kings' tremendous start. Clearly, Smyth has to be considered for Team Canada, if he wasn’t already.

If the Olympics were to start today, Yzerman would be able to ice a very intimidating lineup full of powerful wingers, skillful centres, a multitude of grit and players that posses that great Canadian intangible, “HEART.”

The faces of the third and fourth line players may change from now up until the start of the Olympic's but, when it comes to Canada's Olympic squad, the core of the team will still consist of Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla, Rick Nash, Corey Perry, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Joe Thornton—who admittedly is no “lock” to make the team.

Outside of the aforementioned seven forwards, Team Canada’s roster is a complete and utter “crap-shoot,” one that may very well see some huge surprises making the list and some early “can’t miss” players being left behind to watch the Olympics with the rest of us slobs.

Either way, whether Yzerman employs familiar faces or a mishmash of old and new to round out Team Canada’s roster, one thing is for sure: when everything is all said and done, Canada will ice one of the most intimidating/impressive group of twelve forwards to ever don the Canadian jersey. Canada will score and they may very well have the best offense at the Olympics.

Until next time,

Peace!

If one was to believe the pundits after the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team orientation camp in August, they would accept that “no definite decisions” were made based on the performance of the players in Calgary, and that the performance of the players in the first half of the NHL season would make or break the case for who should be chosen.

I’m already starting to wonder.

One hundred days out of the Olympics, and one month into the 2009-10 NHL season, Pierre McGuire posts an article entitled "Pierre's Picks—100 Days Out ."

In short, he picks the following forwards:

FORWARDS
Rick Nash, Sidney Crosby, Martin St. Louis
Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry
Brenden Morrow, Mike Richards, Shane Doan
Patrick Marleau, Jordan Staal, Jarome Iginla
Patrick Sharp

WATCH LIST
Dany Heatley
Steven Stamkos
James Neal

I have immense respect for the analysis that Pierre offers, but I have to call foul in this instance.

My suspicion is that everyone has their “druther” list for the Team Canada roster. As in: “I’druther have Jeff Carter on the team that Joe Thornton.”

Yes, I fully understand that Team Canada, due to the depth of potential players, is bound to leave off some people's favorite talent. It’s just a harsh reality of having to pare down to a 20-something-man roster.

I also understand that it’s still early, and the actual roster won’t be announced until December 31st—and I DO know, that the decision won’t be made by Pierre McGuire.

But even after the strange omission of Marc Savard on the orientation camp invitation list, there appear to be glowing instances of myopia regarding who is Team Canada worthy.

I will address just one based on McGuire’s speculative post—Ryan Smyth.

As a fan of the Dallas Stars, I have no great affinity for Ryan Smyth—so this is no lobby for my favorite player—but, I have to wonder what a guy like Smyth needs to do to be seriously considered as a valid addition to the Team Canada short list.

Now, I don’t want get off on a Dennis Miller rant here, but…

Smyth is producing at an over point-per-game pace, he’s plus-eight, and he doesn’t even get a spot on Pierre’s “Watch List.” Harsh.

Admittedly, the other forwards on this list are all producing nicely, but none, save perhaps Shane Doan, have made the past sacrifices for Team Canada that Smyth has to date. For that alone he should get Rock over Scissors in this decision.

James Neal is having a great start to his season, and I like the guy a lot, but placing him on a roster before Captain Canada would be a gold medal mistake for Steve Yzerman…and a perplexing choice for a hockey mind as sharp as Pierre’s.  

That’s just my opinion—I could be wrong.

Written By: Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter

It’s still early in the NHL season, but with the competition to make Team Canada’s roster for the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver being so tight, Steve Yzerman and company will be watching every player with a microscope.

Obviously, there are a number of players that, from the outside looking in, seem to be a lock to make Team Canada’s roster. That said, the Olympic tournament is a short tournament and, as such, every player will be asked to raise their level of play on a moment's notice.

Yzerman will be looking closely at every players consistency. Sure, every player’s history will play a major roll in the selection process, but a stumble here and there this season may very well cause Yzerman to re-evaluate a player, which may ultimately cost said player a roster spot on Team Canada.

Canada invited a total of 47 players to their orientation camp; here’s how it shakes out: six goaltenders, 16 defensemen, and 25 forwards. For the most part, the feeling has been that there are only a few roster spots available, with the majority of the roster having been already set coming into the orientation camp.

That said, Yzerman is on record as saying that he intends to bring the best players possible and if that means he has to leave a popular player off the roster, so be it.

There are a number of “perimeter” players that were included in the orientation camp that, if they were to have a strong first half in the NHL season, may find themselves on the team. Included in that list are Forwards Marc Savard, Jonathan Toews, Simon Gagne, Derek Roy, Dan Cleary, Brenden Morrow, Shane Doan, Milan Lucic, Andy MacDonald, Derek Roy, Ryan Smyth, and Patrick Marleau.

Thus far, with four goals and three assists through seven games, Boston Bruins Marc Savard has made a good case for himself to be included on the roster. Savard is as slick as they come when it comes to distributing the puck, but, much like Yzerman before him, seems to be one of the final cuts when the opportunity to play for Canada arises.

“Captain Canada”, Ryan Smyth, has been equally impressive and with six goals and eight assists (14 points) through ten games with the Los Angeles Kings, has given Yzerman plenty to think about.

Patrick Marleau has played well for the San Jose Sharks and through ten games has netted seven goals and four assists (11 points). More importantly, Marleau has a 52.6 percent success rate in the face-off circle, a skill Team Canada will need plenty of at the Olympics.


Injuries have limited the production of Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews and, with just one goal and four assists (five points) through nine games, albeit with a plus-seven rating, Toews may find himself watching the Olympics on TV, not participating.

Another player that has been bitten by the injury bug is Boston Bruins rugged forward, Milan Lucic. Simply put, three assists in six games is not going to get it done, clearly, the likes of Ryan Smyth and Shane Doan, two players that bring similar qualities that Lucic does, are miles ahead of Lucic at this point.

As for the aforementioned Shane Doan, he has the Phoenix Coyote’s off to a unexpected tremendous start, a tribute to his leadership skills and his skills on the ice. Through eight games Doan has managed just one goal and seven assists (eight points), but again, it’s the intangibles that he brings that will be the make or break factor when it comes time for Yzerman to make the final selections.

Coming off an injury riddled 2008-09 season, Brenden Morrow has as much to prove to himself as he does to his critics. Through 10 games, Morrow has performed admirably, collecting six goals and four assists (10 points), with a plus four rating and a 60 percent face-off percentage to boot. If Morrow wasn’t on the radar before the season began, he sure as heck is now!

The Detroit Red Wings' Dan Cleary (one goal, three assists through eight games), the Buffalo Sabres' Derek Roy (no goals, six assists, through seven games), and the St. Louis Blues' Andy MacDonald (three goals, three assists, through seven games), have all played well, but, in my opinion, are not likely to be selected for Team Canada, at least not at this point.

Canada’s Defense is very deep and extremely talented. As such, there is going to be stiff competition for a roster spot, thus creating a situation in which Yzerman and company will have to make some very difficult decisions.

Some of the “perimeter” players from the defense corps include, Marc Staal, Stephane Robidas, Drew Doughty, Francois Beauchemin, Dan Hamhuis, Dan Boyle, and Shea Weber.

The New York Rangers' Marc Staal leads the team in playing time, averaging 22:27 minutes a game and, through 10 games, has been one of the best shut-down defensemen in the NHL. Clearly, Staal’s stock is on the rise.

A big surprise would have to be the play of Staal’s teammate, rookie defenseman Michael Del Zotto. With four goals and five assists (nine points) through 10 games, Del Zotto leads all NHL defensemen in points, all within the confines of playing just 15:54 minutes per game. It’s not likely Del Zotto will make the 2010 team, but it does serve well for Team Canada down the road.

Robidas has averaged 23:02 minutes a game with the resurgent Dallas Stars. His plus seven rating ranks him right up there with the NHL’s elite. His simple game and penchant for shooting the puck may very well catch the eye of Yzerman.

Drew Doughty has quickly established himself as one of the NHL’s elite defenseman. Through ten games, Doughty has averaged 22:49 minutes in ice-time for the Los Angeles Kings and, with two goals and five assists (seven points), Doughty is right there when it comes to offensive defensemen.

The Nashville Predators Shea Weber has performed well to date. Through nine games he has scored three goals and added three assists (six points). His 25:29 minutes a game ranks him 13th overall in the NHL, clearly, Weber is worthy, but again, the competition is stiff, so he may very well be on the outside looking in when the Olympics roll around.

Dan Boyle has averaged 25:38 minutes per game with the San Jose Sharks. Through 10 games he has scored two goals and added seven assists (nine points), ranking him right up their with the NHL’s best offensive defensemen. Once again, Boyle seems worthy, but does he bring enough intangibles to crack Team Canada’s lineup?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a terrible start, unfortunately for Francois Beauchemin, he has been fingered as one of the main cogs in the Leafs’ woes and with good reason. Through seven games, Beauchemin has registered one goal and two assists (three points) and owns a glaring minus-five rating. Clearly, Beauchemin is off the radar right now and has likely played poorly enough to have been red flagged at this point.

Dan Hamhuis is probably the least known defenseman on Team Canada’s orientation roster. Through seven games he has averaged 22:45 minutes per game and is an alarming minus seven. Hamhuis has a lot of work to do, but he was a long shot anyways.

Canada’s goaltending situation is quite muddled. Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, and Marc-Andre Fleury were highly regarded as the favorites to win a spot as one of Canada’s top three goaltenders, with Luongo and Brodeur being the favorites to start.

Other candidates included Steve Mason and Cam Ward, each one of them with the potential to be Canada’s starter and, judging by the way Canada’s supposed top two goalies have played, it’s a good thing they were on the orientation camp list.

Through eight games, the Pittsburgh Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury has established himself as Canada’s best goalie. His 8-0 record, 1.96 goals against average, and .926 save percentage puts him miles ahead of any other Canadian goaltender; he is Canada’s best right now.

The Vancouver Canucks Roberto Luongo has struggled mightily. Through nine games, he has a 4-5 record with a bloated goals against average 3.07 and a horrific save percentage of .881. Combine Luongo’s slow start with a spotty playoff performance in 2008-09 and he may very well have played himself out of the starting role.

Veteran goaltender Martin Brodeur has a respectable 5-3 record through eight games with the New Jersey Devils. His 2.59 goals against average and .907 save percentage are good, but hardly the kind of numbers Team Canada wants to see from it’s starting goaltender. Brodeur is in tough.

In 2008-09, the Columbus Blue Jacket’s Steve Mason had one of the best rookie season’s a goaltender has ever had in the NHL. To date, through six games, he has a 4-2 record, with a 2.99 goals against average and a .899 save percentage, far off the numbers he put up in the 2008-09 season and not the type of numbers that will endure him to Team Canada.

Seen as a long-shot to many, the Carolina Hurricanes' Cam Ward is off to a tough start. That said, his 2-4 record through six games is hardly indicative of the way he has played. Ward’s 2.47 goals against average and .922 save percentage are very good, especially when you consider how poorly the Hurricanes have played in front of him, by all indications, Ward is still in the mix.

We will not get a true read of how Team Canada’s roster will shape up until about the 30 game mark. That said, the warning signs are there for some players that were counting on their resumes to speak for them.

A players history may get you an extended look, but if a player wants a chance to “make history” with Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, they will have to perform in the “now” and, judging by the early play of some of the candidates, when it comes to making the team, their dreams may in fact, be history....

Until next time,

Peace!