My Team Canada Olympic Roster: Forwards

Recently, Hockey Canada announced that the final 23-man roster for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver would be announced on New Year's Eve. An announcement about a announcement...right.

Anyways, in the spirit of the upcoming Olympics (I can't show my spirit by getting those awesome red mittens...sold out everywhere I look. Dang) I'm compiling my roster position by position, starting right now with the forwards.

NOTE: This is still a very, very early draft. There is still a month and a half to go before the real rosters are announced and a lot can change in that time. I'll likely do another roster or two as the event draws closer.

So, without further ado, here is Derek's 2010 Canadian Olympic Forward Roster:


Forwards:


Line 1:


RW: Sidney Crosby

-There really is no question here that Sid the Not-Quite-A-Kid-Anymore Crosby is the best Canadian hockey player in the game today, hands down. His playoff success over the past couple of years has shown that he can handle the high-pressure games, and there is no superstar out there that can match his competitiveness. Easy choice for the top line.

C: Joe Thornton

-Believe me, putting Joe Thornton on the top line of this team scares me as much as it scares you. Thornton is one of the most dominant puck controllers to ever lace up a pair of skates, but his playoff disappearances are a major cause for worry. Despite being the 2006 NHL MVP Thornton has never found playoff success...hell, he's always underachieved at the times where he needed to play his best hockey. He might crumble again under the scrutiny of his country's collective eye, but Thornton is simply too good to not have on the top line. All one can do is hope that his skills can finally carry over to a bigger stage.

LW: Dany Heatley

-Despite having his name dragged through the mud during the offseason because of the Edmonton-Ottawa trade-veto fiasco, Dany Heatley is still one of the best goal-scorers that this country has to offer. His critics will forget his primadonna antics as soon as he starts scoring in the Olympics which, playing with two passers like Crosby and his current linemate Thornton, he should have no trouble doing.

Overall:

-I know people will think I'm crazy for not putting Crosby at his natural position at center, but I have a good reason for doing that. Canada has a LOT of talented centers to put on this roster, but how many would continue their strong play if you put them at the wing? Thornton couldn't do it, Getzlaf couldn't do it, etc...but Crosby is so good that he'll succeed no matter where you put him. You won't even notice he's playing an off position. Heatley and Jumbo Joe already make one of the best 1-2 punches in the league so it makes sense to keep them together, and with Crosby on the same line he'll push both of them to overcome the skeletons in their closets and perform at the top of their skill levels.


Line 2:


RW: Jarome Iginla

-There isn't much to say about Iggy that hasn't been said before. He's a Heart and Soul type of player that is extremely versatile. He'll score big goals and really show his physical side in the heat of the moment. He won Olympic Gold in 2002, but was also on the disastrous 2006 team that failed to medal. Knowing Iginla and his leadership abilities, he'll be extremely motivated to ensure that this team doesn't repeat what happened in 2006.

C: Brad Richards

-This pick is a bit out there. Richards is coming off of his worst season ever, thanks in large part to two major injuries, but he's bounced back incredibly this year as he currently sits 10th in NHL scoring, showing the same play that was the reason why he was also picked for the 2006 team. Oh, and did I mention his 2004 Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP? His playoff numbers (NHL and QMJHL) are enough for him to make my team.

LW: Rick Nash

-One of the best goal-scorers in the sport right now, and he does it all by himself on the Columbus Blue Jackets. Big and fast, the former Richard Trophy-winner has the ability to beat any defender that is stuck with the task of shutting him down. Put him with a playmaking center and watch out.

Overall:

-I like to call this squad the "2006 Redemption Line" as each player was on the 2006 Olympic team that failed to medal. They all underachieved that year, but are far too skilled and determined to let it happen again. Richards should have no trouble setting up two snipers like Nash and Iggy. A trio like this would have a lot to prove and all the tools to make it happen, so they constitute my 2nd line.


Line 3:


RW: Shane Doan

-Doan is no stranger to Team Canada, considering that he's played in like 47 World Championships (Poor Phoenix never seems to make the playoffs) and was the captain on a handful of them. Not the flashiest player out there, but plays with strong consistency and loves to don the Red and White.

C: Mike Richards

-Can you tell that Richards plays on the same team, the Philadelphia Flyers, that the legendary Bobby Clarke played for? Or that Clarke is still the Senior Vice President of the team? The similarities between the two players are uncanny, and if you can remember what Clarke did for Canada in the 1972 Summit Series you can expect something similar out of Richards at the Olympics. Richards was also captain of the Canadian team that won gold at the 2005 World Junior Championships, so he has winning experience at the international stage. Some say he was robbed of the Selke trophy last season as the league's best defensive forward, in which he came runner-up in voting.

LW: Brenden Morrow

-There is a good reason why former Dallas GM Doug Armstrong stripped Mike Modano of the team's captaincy and gave it to Brenden Morrow, and it doesn't have to do with Modano. Armstrong saw something in Morrow that more and more people have seen emerge the last few seasons: his unyielding passion for the sport of hockey. Morrow plays an in-your-face, physical game that drives opponents nuts, but he does it while still putting up strong offensive numbers. His playoff performances are also something to behold, as Morrow was the key reason why Dallas upset the Ducks and Sharks in 2008 before falling to the eventual-champion Wings in six games.

Overall:

-Although these guys can all put up points, they would make an ideal checking line. All three can play a physical, defensive game with a ton of passion, and against smaller European teams on North American ice they should have no trouble completing the shutdown role, while still chipping in goals here or there. Would be a lock to be the hardest working line in the tournament, game in, game out.


Line 4:

RW: Corey Perry:

-This pick is a bit of a gamble. There are other players out there that currently have more talent and experience than Perry, but this guy has been improving at a steady rate and I expect that to continue. He's won a WJC and the Stanley Cup so he's no stranger to winning in high-pressure situations. His size is another major factor. Against the smaller European teams a fiesty winger like Perry should be able to dominate, especially playing on a line with...

C: Ryan Getzlaf

-How deep does your team already have to be to have a guy like Getzy playing on the 4th line? He's shown over the past couple of seasons that he is a major force to be reckoned with, especially after his 91-point showing last season. A great passer with a physical mean streak, Getzy should have no trouble being yet another physically dominant Canadian forward.

LW: Jeff Carter

-Jeff Carter can score goals. Boy, can he score goals. He scored 46 goals last season, one of the highest totals in the league. Carter is also tied for the record for most combined goals in the WJC tournament with 12, in only two competitions (one of which was gold, naturally). He's normally a center, but has played wing before and should have no trouble doing the same in the Olympics.

Overall:

-On most other teams, this 4th line would be good enough to be the top line. Combining a 60-assist center with 40 and 30 goal scorers is a big threat, but add on the fact that these three guys know each other well (Perry and Getzlaf have been linemates in Anaheim for a few years now, they were all members of the 2005 WJC Gold medal winning Canadian team, and they were all drafted in 2003) and this is a line that could easily find itself playing top line minutes after a couple successful games.


Extra Skater: Jordan Staal


-There hasn't been a hocky family since the Sutters that screams "Canada" like the Staal family. Eric is having a terrible season thus far and Mark and Jared are still a couple of years away, but Jordan is primed and ready for a situation like the Olympics. One of the best checking forwards in the game has recently added a Stanley Cup to his repertoire and you can tell that he's hungry for more success. Hell, he's always hungry for victory: this guy seems to never slow down on his intense work ethic. My Canadian forward group may be short a pure defensive forward or two, but since Staal is one of the best of those in the game right now I pick him to round out my 13-man roster.



And that, folks, is what the Canadian Men's roster would look like in the upcoming Olympics if I had my say. There are a couple of big names out there that I'm sure people will question the absence of, but all-in-all this is the most well-rounded forward roster, in my opinion, that anyone could realistically set out on paper, and one that Im sure would be nothing short of magical if it actually came to fruition. Here's hoping that Stevey-Y is reading this right now!

Stay tuned for my defense and goaltender rosters in the next couple of days!


-Derek "D-Wreck" Neumeier