And not the roster you think. Everyone has their idea of what Team Canada should look like for Sochi 2014. It is all fine...except for the minor nuisance of the NHL and IIHF agreeing to allow NHL players play in the Olympics. By the sounds of it they will, but it's not like the NHL will be peaceful about it.
(On a side note: Really? Ego and finances? Isn't that why they have lockouts?)
So until then, I have composed a roster with a few things to note:
- NO NHL PLAYERS!!!
- Must be playing in Europe. This is mostly out of laziness since I'm sure Hockey Canada can send a team of AHLers, I just don't want to weed out which ones aren't on NHL contracts.
- NHL/International experience isn't necessary, but very helpful.
- I tried to put players in their position. Centre overseas it really good so I moved a few over to the wings. For defence I don't know which side they play, so I just placed them on a side.
- The forward lines are mostly a complete guess on where every player would fit. Defence and goalies are more accurate in my opinion.
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Left Wing
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Centre
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Right Wing
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Alexander Giroux
(Kloten Flyers)
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Josh Holden
(EV Zug)
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Simon Gamache
(HC Fribourg-Gotteron)
|
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Nigel Dawes
(Barys Astana)
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Stephen Dixon
(Lokomotiv Yaroslavl)
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Kurtis McLean
(SC Langnau Tigers)
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George “Bud” Holloway
(Skelleftea AIK)
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Justin Azevedo
(Lukko Rauma)
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Brian Willsie
(TPS Turku)
|
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Jacob Micflikier
(EHC Biel)
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Glen Metropolit
(HC Lugano)
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Byron Ritchie
(SC Bern)
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Yannick Lehoux
(Alder Mannheim)
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Left wing is pretty solid. Giroux was always an offensive dynamos in the minors but could not transition to the NHL. Dawes usually maintained a spot on an NHL roster before going to Europe. Micflikier and Holloway were good in the minors before continuing their careers overseas.
Like I mentioned above, the Centre position had a lot to choice from. Josh Holden was impressive in the Spengler Cup, and is usually good in the NLA (Switzerland). Stephen Dixon has been great in the SM-liiga (Finland) the past couple season, which was good enough for him to earn a spot back in the KHL (AND HE'S A GOOD OLD NOVA SCOTIAN BOY!*). Azevedo was doing well in the AHL before posting a point per game in Finland. Metropolit doesn't need an explanation to be on the team. Lehoux earns the spare forward spot.
Right wing was a bit weak, and needed a few centres to move over. WIlliams just started playing in Switzerland this year, so his experience will be welcomed. Gamache has a good career in Switzerland. McLean has been near a point per game player in the SM-liiga and NLA in the past couple seasons. Ritchie played well in the Spengler Cup (before getting suspended).
*Cherry voice needed.
Defence/Goalies
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Left Defence
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Right Defence
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Goaltender
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Chris Campoli
(Geneve-Servette HC)
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Brent Sopel
(Salavat Yulayev Ufa)
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Alex Auld
(EC Red Bull Salzburg)
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Ritchie Regehr
(MODO)
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Kyle Cumiskey
(MODO)
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Curtis Sanford
(Lokomotiv Yaroslavl)
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Micki Dupont
(Kloten Flyers)
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Cory Murphy
(Dinamo Minsk)
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Michael Garnett
(Traktor Chelyabinsk)
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Maxim Noreau
(HC Ambri-Piotta)
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The top pairing is easy to understand. Since Sopel and Campoli aren't too far removed from the NHL, which is helpful. Regehr and Cumiskey are teammate at MODO, so it makes sense to have them in a pairing. Dupont, Noreau, and Roche are usually Spengler Cup mainstays, and are the most impressive out of the NLA. Kevin Dallman would have taken a roster spot, except he decided to try and help Kazakhstan qualify.
Goaltending is almost self-explanatory. Alex Auld and Curtis Sanford were serviceable backups when they were in the NHL. Auld gets the nod mostly based on experience. Garnett has had good numbers in the KHL, and since the Olympics are in Russia, he will be familiar with the atmosphere.
Blog Note
While both the EHT and Olympic Qualifying ended today, I won't be able to get the respective reviews for them up until Friday at the earliest. For now, congrats to Finland for winning this round of the EHT and to Austria, Latvia, and Slovenia for qualifying for the Olympics.
Lineup Notables
Edmonton Oilers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Edmonton: Shawn Horcoff (hand), Eric Belanger (foot), Ryan Jones (eye), Anton Lander (foot), and Andy Sutton (knee) are out while Darcy Horidchuk (concussion) and Mark Fistric (back) are questionable. Devan Dubnyk is in net.
Columbus: Cam Atkinson (lower body), James Wisniewski (concussion), Adrian Aucoin (lower body), and John Moore are out. Sergie "Goalie Bob" Bobrovsky is probably going to start.
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