Pick your Olympic Team

[SteveinToronto]

Ok, three months to go, and who would you choose? I'll go  

Brodeur
Fleury
Luongo as the third

You can't suggest Marty isn't playing well this season and the guy has the hardware to back up his selection.

Niedermayer
Pronger
Boyle
Bouwmeester
Phaneuf
Keith
Doughty

I'm not sold on Phaneuf, but, on a small surface, and with hitting more important this Olympics than in past years, I think he could be an force. As well, I think Doughty has played himself on this team this year, and will be a mainstay for Canada in the future

Nash - Crosby - Iginla
Stamkos - Getzlaf - Perry
Heatley - Thorton - Carter
Mike Richards - Toews - Eric Staal

Shane Doan as the alternate. i think Stamkos would play up to being in the Olympics, especially, again, on NHL ice. That also helps Perry, who I wouldn't pick if this was in Europe, but he and Getzlaf work so well together.

This looks like a Gold medal team

[MarkinBuffalo]

Damn, Canada finished in 7th in Torino.  Do you guys think the Sweeds are gonna repeat?

[SteveinToronto]

No

[Willy Loman]

USA will pwn them

if not we will just nuclear canada and claim you had WMDs

[Jokey]

Fleury should be starting in goal, simple as that.

Vinnie Lecavalier needs to be on this team as well.

[SteveinToronto]

I don't think Lecavalier is playing well enough to displace any of the guys I picked. He's not even the best Canadian on his team. 

Who would you drop?

[Jokey]

I'd probably cut Carter and find a spot for Vinnie. There's no room for Rob Zamner types this time.

[SteveinToronto]

Carter = Rob Zamuner

[whitbycrew]

Patrick Sharpe should be on the team.  He's one of the best two way players in the NHL and will fill the Zamanur role better than Rob did.  Eric Staal has played like shite this season and is battling injury and personal issues - he'd be the first guy that I'd drop from the list that Steve provided.

There must be a D man who could possibly crack this lineup.  Too bad Mike Komisarek is American 

[Jokey]

Patrick Sharpe should be on the team.  He's one of the best two way players in the NHL and will fill the Zamanur role better than Rob did.  Eric Staal has played like shite this season and is battling injury and personal issues - he'd be the first guy that I'd drop from the list that Steve provided.

"Two way" hockey failed in 1998, no need to revisit that again.

[whitbycrew]

You need someone to kill penalties and to shut down the opposition's top players.  Sharp isn't simply a good two way guy - he's another one of the game's next stars.  My point is that Staal isn't playing well enough to earn a spot on the team & IMO Sharp is playing better than even the likes of Vinny...

[Soloman]

Re: Pick your Olympic Team:
My second choice is - Go Canada 

First Choice - Team H1H1
Seriously - my hope is that H1 sends the all of those Oly_Scam enabling tards a freakin packing. 
I'd even settle for horridly foul weather and avalanches o plenty.

[SteveinToronto]

You need someone to kill penalties and to shut down the opposition's top players.  Sharp isn't simply a good two way guy - he's another one of the game's next stars.  My point is that Staal isn't playing well enough to earn a spot on the team & IMO Sharp is playing better than even the likes of Vinny...

I'd agree.

[Jokey]

You can't base someone's performance on a hot or cold month early in the season when the games don't matter. Hell, Chris Kontos had great months of October, it doesn't mean anything.

[whitbycrew]

You can't base someone's performance on a hot or cold month early in the season when the games don't matter. Hell, Chris Kontos had great months of October, it doesn't mean anything.

Unfortunately the coaching staff has told the players that they are.  Stick with the decision and ride the hot hand.  I don't see any reason to pick Eric Staal to the team (unless as an alternate) if he's playing as poorly as he's been. (Apparently his sister-in-law has just been diagnosed with cancer, and that has also had an affect on his game this season) 

STOCK FALLING:

ERIC STAAL F Carolina

Good players, like captains at sea, sometimes go down with the ship. That seems to be the case with Staal, who has been having a horrible first month on a Carolina Hurricanes club that has been just gawd-awful. Staal is getting dragged down along with many of his lesser teammates. Wednesday's 5-2 home ice loss to the St. Louis Blues was miserable for the big centre, who had one shot on goal and was -4 on the night. Staal has three goals and two assists in 11 games. Still lots of time for Staal to turn his season around, and he is expected to be a player for Canada in Vancouver, but Staal and his team have to get their act together. The 'Canes October record is 2-6-1-2, for seven points. That's Maple Leafs territory, people. And now Staal is out, likely for a few a games, with the dreaded "upper body" injury. Good grief.

http://www.canada.com/life/Olympic+hockey+players+watch/2178067/story.html