I meant to do this Wednesday, but I didn't want to mail in another SNH post. Here are the players that Canada is taking to Sochi, by position:
Goalies:
Name
|
Club
|
Roberto Luongo
|
Vancouver Canucks
|
Carey Price
|
Montreal Canadiens
|
Mike Smith
|
Phoenix Coyotes
|
I can't be the only Canadian not worried about the goalie situation. Yes, the world has caught up (and even surpass in some instances) Canada in net, but we still have a few quality goalies, and for
Defence:
Name
|
Club
|
Jay Bouwmeester
|
St. Louis Blues
|
Drew Doughty
|
Los Angeles Kings
|
Dan Hamhuis
|
Vancouver Canucks
|
Duncan Keith
|
Chicago Blackhawks
|
Alex Pietrangelo
|
St. Louis Blues
|
P.K. Subban
|
Montreal Canadiens
|
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
|
San Jose Sharks
|
Shea Weber
|
Nashville Predators
|
First off: P-K! P-K! P-K! After months of speculating that he won't be on the team, Subban gets a spot on Canada's blueline (if he gets playing time remains to be seen). Bouwmeester gets bumped up to the main roster after being a reserve in 2010. Hamhuis, Pietranglo and Vlasic round off the newbies to the squad. Doughty, Keith and Weber are the only returnees on defence. One snub was Brent Seabrook, who was left off mostly because there were questions of his speed and how that will factor on the bigger ice. Dan Boyle was another guy on the 2010 team that didn't make this team. As for the pairings, Boumeester-Pietranglo is a given, I'm guessing Hamhuis is reunited with Weber and Keith is paired with Doughty, leaving Subban and Vlasic on the outside. Overall the defence is solid.
Forwards:
Name
|
Club
|
Jamie Benn
|
Dallas Stars
|
Patrice Bergeron
|
Boston Bruins
|
Jeff Carter
|
Los Angeles Kings
|
Sidney Crosby
|
Pittsburgh Penguins
|
Matt Duchene
|
Colorado Avalanche
|
Ryan Getzlaf
|
Anaheim Ducks
|
Chris Kunitz
|
Pittsburgh Penguins
|
Patrick Marleau
|
San Jose Sharks
|
Rick Nash
|
New York Rangers
|
Corey Perry
|
Anaheim Ducks
|
Patrick Sharp
|
Chicago Blackhawks
|
Steven Stamkos
|
Tampa Bay Lightning
|
John Tavares
|
New York Islanders
|
Jonathan Toews
|
Chicago Blackhawks
|
Hard to complain about this group of forwards. A few good pairs (Getzlaf-Perry, Toews-Sharp, Crosby-guy that hangs onto him in Pittsburgh) plus all the depth at centre a team could ever wish for. I'm just salivating at the possible line combinations. But we can't have a breakdown without being negative, and sadly it isn't all roses and unicorns. A few of the more-regarded snubs include Claude Giroux, Martin St. Louis and Taylor Hall, while I think Future Swiss Superstar(TM) Joe Thornton should have been on the team once more before repping Switzerland in 2018. As for guys who probably shouldn't have made the team, Nash and Kunitz are the ones who stand out. Nash isn't having the best of years, but is probably on the team since he was on it in 2010 and has represented Canada numerous times in the World Championship. As for Kunitz, it's all Crosby('s fault). Kunitz is a good player, but to say he got on the team on his own merit is kind of ridiculous. Crosby can be paired with virtually anyone and instantly they are a better player. Kunitz just happens to be that guy who gets to benefit by being on Crosby's wing. Other than that, Benn and Duchene have played their way onto the team, Stamkos should be fully healed by the time the tournament opens. This crop of forwards are going to be hard to contain.
Suspension Of The Week
Derek MacKenzie gets three games for boarding Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Yes, this did happen last week, but were I didn't do this segment last week its gets pushed to this week. Back to the hit, OEL's back was to MacKenzie the whole time, so MacKenzie doesn't have the "he turned his back" excuse. And MacKenzie just lays into OEL, doing the exact opposite of minimizing the impact of the hit. The three games is starting to be the standard for first-time boarding offenders.
Tyler Myers gets three games for going high on Dainius Zubrus. This one looks so avoidable. Myers is originally low, and looks to line up Zubrus' chest almost perfectly...then he straightens up and it ends with Zubrus eating Myers elbow. Myers does have three inches over Zubrus, but in this case it's not a factor. I'm a bit surprised that Myers only got three, mostly because he is considered a repeat offender. Three does sound good otherwise.
Derek MacKenzie is our Suspension of the Week winner, mostly for this image:
Can we get a closer look at MacKenzie?
If that isn't the look of a guy going in for the kill then I don't know what is (also, sorry for the not-so-good quality).
Lineup Notables
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Montreal Canadiens
Chicago: Nikolai Khabibulin (shoulder) is out. Corey Crawford is in net.
Montreal: Alex Galchenyuk (hand), Ryan White (upper body) and Drew Drewiske (shoulder) are out while George Parros (concussion) is questionable. Carey Price starts.
Ottawa Senators vs. Nashville Predators
Ottawa: Chris Neil (hamstring) is out. Craig Anderson will start.
Nashville: Pekka Rinne (hip) is out while Patric Hornqvist (lower body) is questionable. Marek Mazanec might start.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Winnipeg Jets
Columbus: Marian Gaborik (collarbone), Blake Comeau (knee), Jared Boll (ankle) and Jack Skille (upper body) are out. Derek MacKenzie is suspended. Curtis McElhinney might be in net.
Winnipeg: Jim Slater (groin), Matt Halischuk (upper body), Paul Postma (leg) and Grant Clitsome (illness) are out. Ondrej Pavelec gets the start.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Calgary Flames
Pittsburgh: Pascal Dupuis (knee), Beau Bennett (wrist), Andrew Ebbett (ankle), Chris Conner (hand), Jayson Megna (lower body), Paul Martin () and Tomas Vokoun (blood clot) are out. Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start.
Calgary: Curtis Glencross (high ankle sprain), Blair Jones (torn meniscus), David Jones (eye) and Kris Russell (MCL sprain) are out. Reto Berra will start tonight.
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