Are we going to win gold?

Are we going to win gold? This is the question we need to answer. Steve Yzerman and crew are under the gold pressure. And we should not lose because we are stacked. We are good enough to make 2 teams. 1^st world hockey problems! Haha So are we going to win gold? Well we have a great chance. But we need to remember that the world has caught up and they aren’t going to just let us win without a fight. Think about Russia for example, they could have a top line of Ovechkin, Datsyuk and Malkin!

But today Team Canada announced their roster and we knew there would be tons of feedback and no matter who they selected and didn’t select not everyone would be happy. 11 players who played on the 2010 Olympic Gold Medal team are returning and we have 13 newbies. 

Overall I’m happy with the team but I’m a little miffed about some who made it and didn’t. Here are my thoughts:

Goalies:

Luongo, Price, and Smith. I’m happy with this trio. I think Luo and Carey are no brainers. Smith is the one who people are questioning. Mike Smith is a very good goalie on a very average hockey team. Without Smith the Coyotes would stink. On this team it makes perfect sense to add Smith. But the bigger question is if not Mike Smith then who? Harding? No. Fleury? Come on…if we want to let 5 goals in a game. Maybe Crawford but he’s so young but like Fleury he won a Stanley Cup.

Who’s starting? I think either Price or Luongo are good enough to win it all. But it sounds like it’s Luo’s job to start.

Defense:

Doughty, Keith, Weber and Pietrangelo I can’t see anyone arguing about. So who’s going to be the next 2 who actually play? Subban should be there for the power play but then it’s going to be someone solid defensively like Bouwmeester, Vlasic, or Hamhuis.

The guy that should of made this team is Letang…why is he not on this roster? He’s one of the elite D in the NHL. But who should not be here…the most obvious answer is Hamhuis but we need some stay at home D that can help block shots and pass it to our scoring forwards.

Forwards:

Crosby, Tavares, and Toews are going to be great C’s. I love it that Getzlaf, Sharp, Stamkos, Nash and Perry on are the team. Super pumped about the young guns too in Duchene and Benn. I like that Bergeron can play on the penalty kill and is a solid faceoff guy. The guys that people are questioning are Knutiz and Marleau. And I would add Carter. All 3 of these guys are talented but I would have rather seen St.Louis, Giroux, and Thornton or Taylor (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Hall.

Martin St.Louis is going to be in the NHL Hall of Fame and he can’t make Team Canada??? He’s made for the intentional ice with speed, quickness, and tons of skill. TB has no Stamkos and they are still winning games because of St.Louis. Giroux is more talented than those bottom three. He had a slow start but Giroux is on fire now. And if it’s a decision of Marleau or Thornton it’s Thornton and not close. After 43 games, he’s leading the NHL with 43 assists! Regarding Taylor Hall I have been on recorded to say the Oilers made a mistake not taking Seguin 1^st overall. I was wrong…Hall is the better player, plus he’s a much needed LW.

Line Combo’s:

And the debating will continue but what intrigues me more is who’s going to play on what lines. Obviously the management thought it would be wise to keep line mates on the roster. So it could look like this…

Line 1 LW Knutiz, C Crosby, RW Stamkos

Line 2 LW Sharp, C Toews, RW Tavares

Line 3 LW Nash, C Getzlaf, RW Perry

Line 4 LW Duchene, C Bergeron, RW Carter

Def 1 Weber, Keith

Def 2 Doughty, Subban

Def 3 Pietrangelo, Bouwmeester

But if I was in charge this could be my fwd lineups.

Line 1 LW Duchene, C Crosby, RW Tavares

Line 2 LW Sharp, C Toews, RW Stamkos

Line 3 LW Knutiz, C Getzlaf, RW Perry

Line 4 LW Benn, C Bergeron, RW Nash

Man, it’s fun but difficult to come up with proper line combos. It could be totally different…and if Stamkos isn’t healthy and they bring in St.Louis and what if Carter gets hurt and they replace him with Giroux

Line 1 LW Nash, C Crosby, RW St.Louis

Line 2 LW Sharp, C Toews, RW Tavares

Line 3 LW Benn, C Getzlaf, RW Perry

Line 4 LW Duchene, C Bergeron, RW Giroux

But if I were Steve Yzerman I would have had this lineup as the one going to Sochi, Russia:

Line 1 LW Stamkos, C Crosby, RW St.Louis

Line 2 LW Sharp, C Toews, RW Giroux

Line 3 LW Tavares, C Getzlaf, RW Perry

Line 4 LW Duchene, C Thornton, RW Nash

Oh Canada! One only can dream…isn’t this lineup better than what we got?

Of course I could be wrong but I doubt it.