Hey guys,
So obviously the bulk of evaluation by the front office of team Canada will take place during the first half of the NHL regular season. There will be so called “locks”, but many of the players selected will be a result of them having a strong first half to the 2013-14 season which pushed them onto the team. Without knowing which players will play well enough to make it, try to predict the team from this point in time, the pre-season. This is not who you would like to have on the team, it is which players you think Canada’s brass will select to represent the country in Sochi. Remember, it is a 25-man roster. Here is my prediction:
R. Nash – S. Crosby – S. Stamkos
J. Tavares – J. Toews – C. Giroux
E. Staal – R. Getzlaf – C. Perry
P. Sharp – P. Bergeron – J. Carter
M. Richards, L. Couture
D. Keith – S. Weber
P. Subban – D. Doughty
D. Hamhuis – A. Peitrangelo
K. Letang, M. Staal
R. Luongo
C. Price
C. Ward
Notes:
- Despite the fact that Giroux skipped team Canada’s orientation camp, I think he is simply too good to leave off the team.
- As long as the two Staals (Eric and Marc) can show they are not being held back due to their respective injuries, I see both of them making the team.
- I think Hamhuis, Carter, Sharp, Richards, and Couture will all push onto the team with strong play in the first half.
- The only non-camp invite to make the team will be Ward. I believe that he will bounce back from injury and play well in the first half.
Thoughts? What would your pre-season prediction be of team Canada for Sochi?