Red or White? Pick a Winner!

[RGM81]

It really goes to show the depth of talent we Canadians get to enjoy when it comes to our hockey players. Take a look at these two rosters, which will be participating in the Team Canada orientation camp this week in Calgary:

Team Red (Name, Hometown, NHL team)

Goaltenders:
Roberto Luongo, Montreal, Vancouver Canucks
Cam Ward, Sherwood Park, Alta., Carolina Hurricanes

Defence
Dan Boyle, Ottawa, Ont., San Jose Sharks
Drew Doughty, London, Ont., Los Angeles Kings
Dan Hamhuis, Smithers, B.C., Nashville Predators
Dion Phaneuf, Edmonton, Alta., Calgary Flames
Chris Pronger, Dryden, Ont., Philadelphia Flyers
Robyn Regehr, Rosthern, Sask., Calgary Flames
Stéphane Robidas, Sherbrooke, Que., Dallas Stars
Brent Seabrook, Tsawwassen, B.C., Chicago Blackhawks

Forwards
Jeff Carter, London, Ont., Philadelphia Flyers
Dan Cleary, Carbonear, Nfld, Detroit Red Wings
Vincent Lecavalier, Ile-Bizard, Que., Tampa Bay Lightning
Milan Lucic, Vancouver, B.C., Boston Bruins
Patrick Marleau, Aneroid, Sask., San Jose Sharks
Corey Perry, Peterborough, Ont., Anaheim Ducks
Derek Roy, Rockland, Ont., Buffalo Sabres
Patrick Sharp, Thunder Bay, Ont., Chicago Blackhawks
Ryan Smyth, Banff, Alta., Los Angeles Kings
Jason Spezza, Mississauga, Ont., Ottawa Senators
Eric Staal, Thunder Bay, Ont., Carolina Hurricanes
Joe Thornton, St. Thomas, Ont., San Jose Sharks

Team White

Goaltenders
Martin Brodeur, Montreal, Que., New Jersey Devils
Marc-André Fleury, Sorel, Que., Pittsburgh Penguins
Steve Mason, Oakville, Ont., Columbus Blue Jackets

Defence
François Beauchemin, Sorel, Que., Toronto Maple Leafs
Jay Bouwmeester, Edmonton, Alta., Calgary Flames
Brent Burns, Ajax, Ont., Minnesota Wild
Mike Green, Calgary, Alta., Washington Capitals
Duncan Keith, Penticton, B.C., Chicago Blackhawks
Scott Niedermayer, Cranbrook, B.C., Anaheim Ducks
Marc Staal, Thunder Bay, Ont., New York Rangers
Shea Weber, Sicamous, B.C., Nashville Predators

Forward
Sidney Crosby, Cole Harbour, N.S., Pittsburgh Penguins
Shane Doan, Halkirk, Alta., Phoenix Coyotes
Simon Gagné, Ste-Foy, Que., Philadelphia Flyers
Dany Heatley, Calgary, Alta., Ottawa Senators
Jarome Iginla, St. Albert, Alta., Calgary Flames
Andy McDonald, Strathroy, Ont., St. Louis Blues
Brenden Morrow, Carlyle, Sask., Dallas Stars
Rick Nash, Brampton, Ont., Columbus Blue Jackets
Mike Richards, Kenora, Ont., Philadelphia Flyers
Martin St. Louis, Laval, Que., Tampa Bay Lightning
Jordan Staal, Thunder Bay, Ont., Pittsburgh Penguins
Jonathan Toews, Winnipeg, Man., Chicago Blackhawks

You'd have to think either one of those could compete for a medal. But we get to pick the best of each side and combine them into a single superteam!

As a fun exercise on a dull Monday, pick your Team Canada 2010 roster.

[30ranfordfan]

Here's who I'd take:

Goalies:
Brodeur
Fleury
x-Ward

Defense:
Neidermayer
Pronger
Bouwmeester
Weber
Boyle
Regehr
x-Keith

Fowards:
Crosby
Heatley
IginlaMorrow
Nash
Richards
Thornton
E. Staal
Lecavalier
Carter
Getzlaf (not @ the Camp.... he's hurt right now)
Smyth
x- Toews

[yzerman4me]

yeah that teams gonna be deadly my predictions tried to guess line combos

Crosby - lecavalier -Iginla
Nash - Thornton - Heatley
Carter-Richards(mike)-Staal
Doan-Toews/Getzlaf-Morrow

Pronger -Niedermayer
Weber - J-Bo
Phanueuf- Boyle/Keith

Brodeur/Luongo
Fleury

[ravens_creed]

Ooo, this is fun! I think I'd like to see:



#1 - Crosby - Carter - Iginla
(think they'll be able to score?)

#2 - Heatley - Lecavalier - St.Louis
(don't doubt that Heatley will make the team. He's super hungry, has everything to prove, and Hockey Canada is super faithful to the guy. Gotta love the familiarity that Vinny and Marty have already. You'd think they're on the way down, but add a hungry Heatley to that line and I think you've got a lethal combination of guys out to prove they're top-tier)

#3 - Perry - Getzlaf - Toews
(as doubtful as it is to happen, I really like the looks of this line. Again, you've got the familiarity that Perry and Getzlaf already have as one of the best lines in the NHL. Add on another of the NHL's big stars of the future, and I think this line is a prospect's dream on paper. Too bad it probably won't happen, though.)

#4 - Lucic - Thornton - Doan
(ummm, that's what my checking line would look like. In all fairness, to relegate a line like this as the 4th would be wrong. Chances are, this line would see a lot of ice time. I love the huge size factor here. Three big, tough, talented, top-character guys.)


THE DEFENSE:

Pronger - Niedermayer

Phaneuf - Regehr

Weber - Bouwmeester

(I think it's remarkable that 3 of Calgary's D make my final cut. It's mostly a product of pairings that make sense, however. I guess I'm all about using the familiarity factor to the most, because I still can't see a better number one line combo than the NHL's self-declared dirtiest player in the league and a guy like Niedermayer, the Paul Coffey of his generation (if his skating ability is the defining trait). I'm not even sure if Phaneuf and Regehr play together in Calgary, but that's a fierce pairing, and I like that Robin's presence back there might give Dion some more room to skate with it, or jump up in the rush, or pinch on a good play at the point. Regehr's the only D to make my 6 who isn't a do-it-all kind of player. He's a shut down guy, and I couldn't in good conscience leave a guy like that out of the lineup after thinking about what the top Russian, American and Swedish lines will look like (would anyone else love to see Ovechkin and Malkin on a line? And then there's Kovy...). Anyhow, for my final pairing, it came down to absolutely having to have Shea Weber and his shot for the PP. I like the matchup with Bouwmeester because of how Jay plays. His numbers usually disappoint most poolies, but he's super reliable in his own end and positionally, and his passing game is phenomenal, a good thing when his partner is a defined shooter.)


GOALIES:

Luongo (his time has come!)
Brodeur
Fleury (could end up being the true number 2 if management decides his cup last year was too recent to overlook, and the Devils make a stink about another potential Brodeur injury...)



So there you have it! My dream lines and the explanations to go with them. Nothing against them at all, but none of the Staal's cracked my lineup. Interesting!

[ravens_creed]

Nuts, I forgot Nash completely!

I guess Nash is in, Toews is out. Perry - Getzlaf - Nash (that's even better!)

[sholi2000]

I would love to see two Canadian teams in the Olympics :)

Those Russians are going to give them a go this year, should be very entertaining.

I'd like to see

Luongo in goal.

Crosby with the "C"

and after that I don't care much.

Except one player. I don't feel Ryan Smyth should be on the team. There are just too many players better than him.

Nice to finally see/hear something different.

Price for Vezina!

[Dergula]

Don't forget our fine american brothers! I think they will be in the mix as well. American Hockey is on the rise !!!

[HammerHawks]

Team White IMO...

[Brodeur_fan666]

Too much depth on both teams....very hard to decide which players should be there but Ryan Smyth shouldn't be there anymore : guys like Toews , Lucic or even Eric Staal are way better as we speak . Players who will be there almost 100% sure : Crosby , Lecavalier , Iginla and probably Heatley.

Brodeur and Luongo will be there as well. The 3rd one will probably be Fleury but won't see much ice time.

On Defense , there's too much choices : Pronger and Niedermayer should be in, but i think people are a little bit too much in love with Regehr. He's not that good. You can replace him anytime by Mike Green , Dan Boyle or Shea Weber. I would take any of those 3 way before Regehr.

[RGM81]

Hey Shane - if Carey comes out of the blocks like gangbusters (call it 15-5 in his first 20 games) and Ward and/or Fleury stumble a little, does he move up to the 3rd spot?