In Part One, I detailed the eight defencemen and three
goaltenders who will be on the blue line and in net for Canada’s run at
back-to-back men’s hockey gold when the Sochi Winter Olympics get underway in
about a moth, and also my thoughts on each of the selected players.
Now, in Part Two, I present the fourteen forwards,
superstars all, who the entire country
hope will be scoring the goals that will propel the team towards that top step
in the medal dais, and my thoughts on each one.
Forwards
Sidney Crosby: Absolutely automatic. The best player in the world currently, and perhaps the best player we’ve seen since the days of Wayne Gretzky, Crosby is a guy you either love or hate – as a Rangers fan, I don’t like him – but no one can deny his talent. Will probably be captain of this team.
Jamie Benn: The Dallas Stars captain has had a brilliant season (career-best form, without a doubt) and has the singular honour of being the only player not invited to the Team Canada Olympic orientation camp in August 2013 to make the team. If he used it as motivation, well, it’s worked nicely. Put him on the ice at left wing – it doesn’t matter with whom – and you can almost count on something good happening.
Patrice Bergeron: Old reliable up in Boston, Bergeron is a face-off demon and a handy penalty-killer. Had a solid 2010 tournament, and is back for his second go. Some concern about his lack of speed given the Olympic-sized ice, but his well-proven ability to win key face-offs, particularly late when a game is on the line, is what likely pushed him over the edge and onto the team.
Jeff Carter: Things didn’t work out in Philadelphia or Columbus but a blockbuster trade sent Carter to Los Angeles and he won a Stanley Cup there in 2012, en route to becoming one of the league’s best forwards. I must admit I didn’t see Carter as being in the frame, but it’s not a bad choice at all. His Stanley Cup performance in ’12 is all the proof the Team Canada brass needed to know that he can lift his game when it’s big-time out there. Also, a strong skater. That big ice thing again, you know?
Matt Duchene: This guy is quick – like, lightning-quick. He’s got speed to burn, which will be a major asset on the bigger ice surfaces the Sochi tournament will be played on. He should blossom on Olympic ice. One of the guys who’ve been the driving force between the Colorado Avalanche’s impressive and unexpected start to the season, he’s traveling along at about a point a game at the moment, and will greatly benefit from playing amongst guys like Crosby and Toews.
Ryan Getzlaf: Anaheim are the surprise packets of the NHL this year and a lot of it is due to the offensive drive from Getzlaf and others. A guy who is having a season that should garner him some consideration for MVP, and can turn the entire course of a game with one deft play. A scoring threat like few others in the League. Fits comfortably in my Top Ten best players in the world.
Chris Kunitz: Fantastic chemistry with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh has propelled Kunitz, a two-time Stanley Cup winner who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, to the Canadian Olympic team in 2014. In a short tournament, getting lines and connections right is key. Not afraid to mix it up physically, and a brilliant guy to have feeding Sid the Kid. You have to imagine that #87 had some sort of input.
Patrick Marleau: Figured we’d have at least two, or maybe three, San Jose Sharks forwards, but Jumbo Joe Thornton was omitted and Logan Couture had surgery, which puts him out of the frame. Often maligned for his lack of playoff form, Marleau is nonetheless a dangerous player, who has represented Canada in World Championships before and knows his way to the net. Probably would have gone for Giroux or Eric Staal ahead of Marleau, but that’s just me.
Rick Nash: Interesting choice, given that he is having a subpar season with the New York Rangers – believe me, I’m not happy about it – but Nash is the sort of guy who can get going and put up eye-popping numbers. Hopefully he finds his form in Sochi and brings it home to New York City with him. Regardless of his NHL play, a superstar who’s tough to leave out of a team like this.
Corey Perry: Another of the shining lights in Anaheim, Perry’s all-around ability and the fact that he is part of why the Ducks are as good as any other team in the league, gets him on the plane to Sochi. A good 2010 tournament doesn’t hurt, either. Dangerous on the power play. Dangerous at five-on-five. A superstar.
Patrick Sharp: The Blackhawks star is having as good a season as anyone in the National Hockey League at the moment. Has no trouble finding the net, scoring a couple of hat tricks over the last month, and is second in the NHL goal scoring race. He’s in a rich vein of form on a winning team, factors which would’ve made it mighty hard for Yzerman and co to leave him out. Good chemistry with Toews, and can play either wing. Plug him in and watch him go.
Steven Stamkos: A risky choice, if only because the Tampa Bay Lightning star hasn’t played in nearly two months. Scheduled for x-rays later in the week, all Canadian eyes – and, undoubtedly, the eyes of other nations’, too – will be on the results, as, when healthy, Stamkos is exactly the sort of game-changer who could make a huge impact on the relatively short tournament. On the flip side, bringing in a player who’s underdone as opposed to a guy who’s 100% fit could have huge implications on Canada’s tilt at Gold. Will be an interesting few weeks.
John Tavares: A standout performer on the New York Islanders over the last few seasons, this is a well-deserved call-up for Tavares, who’s toiled on a team rife with front office and personnel issues. There’s nothing I don’t absolutely love about JT: great skater with a brilliant hockey mind and – like so many of his Canadian teammates – a budding superstar who’d be a fully-fledged superstar if he was on a better team.
Jonathan Toews: The Blackhawk captain is another superstar, who will probably get a nod as associate captain. Was named the Vancouver 2010 tournament’s top forward and hasn’t put a foot wrong since then. The defending Stanley Cup-winning captain (his second championship) was probably the second guy pencilled in after Crosby, way back in summer. No way can you leave this guy out.
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