Everyone in the hockey World have their ideas on who should be on Canada’s Olympic team and which of the array of stars will miss out on maybe the last chance to represent Canada at the only true judge of which Country can boast they are the World’s best.
I want to focus on the forward lines and how I would be looking at setting up my team if I was in Steve Yzermans’ shoes at this point, just a few weeks away from the announcement of 2010 Team Canada.
Anyone who watched the shambles that was the 2006 entry at Turin could see how vital developing chemistry is to a team. Now, granted Canada’s best were invited to a summer camp but that group was so large I’m not sure how much the management gleaned in terms of who can play with who, although they will have been concerned by what seemed to be a distinct lack of understanding between Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla.
That said I’m still working on the assumption that the top line will be a combination of Crosby playing between Iginla and Rick Nash who has been fantastic in the last few games. That group should provide size, scoring, defensive awareness and a skill level that can match pretty well anything they’re played against.
When this team lines up for it’s first game against Norway on February 16th it will have had no more than two days together and probably just one training session. With that in mind I firmly believe the key to success is for Canada to capitalise on existing chemistry where possible between existing line-mates.
Hockey Night in Canada’s Don Cherry was the first to bang the drum for San Jose’s top line of Marleau-Thornton-Heatley to be included in the squad as a line. Marleau would be the surprise inclusion but he currently lies second in the NHL for goals, is a natural centre who has converted to wing and an excellent penalty killer so I see a lot of sense there.
Beyond that the Anaheim duo of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have been outstanding and proven they can step up when it counts. They also both have terrific defensive awareness and could quite easily slide into a checking role if required, possibly playing with Dallas captain Brenden Morrow on their left side.
Finally I would use the Flyers duo of Jeff Carter and Mike Richards together with Martin St Louis. As with the other lines all three have excellent two way games with all three consistent threats short handed which will keep opposing power plays honest and Richards adds extra jam to a team that will have to be ready to compete and battle in a way the 06 team didn’t, particularly if they face a US team which will be low on top end skill but high on effort and intensity with Brian Burke at the helm.
written by Dave Ball
My main sports interests are ice hockey and American football as well as 'soccer' (football?!).