Hockey: Canada Names Three Teams for Turin...
Or they should, anyways.
Team Canada has compiled a "short" list of 81 potential players for the Olympic hockey tournament in February. The reason was as a CYA for injuries or shaky play between the long list deadline (October 24th) and the short list deadline (December 22nd, and happy birthday to me).
Confession time: I've often made list of teams from various regions around the world, composed entirely of NHL players. There would be the standard teams (Russia, Sweden, United States etc.), and one from the rest of the world, but I'd do something a little different for Canada: teams would be regional. One from Ontario, one from Quebec, one from the praries, and one from the rest of the country (that last team is real glad Jason LaBarbara is working out). Tendicies cropped up, like centers coming from Ontario, and tough defencemen and captains from the West. Anyhow, these wouldn't produce the best teams, but I wouldn't be too quick to bet against them, either...
Most of these players named yesterday have no real chance of making the squad, much as I might love them to be there (hello, Scott Walker!) but it is nice to see them get a much deserved nod from the management team. There are a few dark horses who just might make it in this year, bad luck to others notwithstanding:
Steve Sullivan (and it's about time)
Michael Ryder
Dan Boyle
Sidney Crosby
What, Crosby a long shot? Yep, unless Mario Lemieux choses to step aside expressly for Crosby to take his spot. There just isn't (I don't think) the room for him, and there will be more than one Olympic camp invite in his future.
He has time, let him take it.
Team Canada has compiled a "short" list of 81 potential players for the Olympic hockey tournament in February. The reason was as a CYA for injuries or shaky play between the long list deadline (October 24th) and the short list deadline (December 22nd, and happy birthday to me).
Confession time: I've often made list of teams from various regions around the world, composed entirely of NHL players. There would be the standard teams (Russia, Sweden, United States etc.), and one from the rest of the world, but I'd do something a little different for Canada: teams would be regional. One from Ontario, one from Quebec, one from the praries, and one from the rest of the country (that last team is real glad Jason LaBarbara is working out). Tendicies cropped up, like centers coming from Ontario, and tough defencemen and captains from the West. Anyhow, these wouldn't produce the best teams, but I wouldn't be too quick to bet against them, either...
Most of these players named yesterday have no real chance of making the squad, much as I might love them to be there (hello, Scott Walker!) but it is nice to see them get a much deserved nod from the management team. There are a few dark horses who just might make it in this year, bad luck to others notwithstanding:
Steve Sullivan (and it's about time)
Michael Ryder
Dan Boyle
Sidney Crosby
What, Crosby a long shot? Yep, unless Mario Lemieux choses to step aside expressly for Crosby to take his spot. There just isn't (I don't think) the room for him, and there will be more than one Olympic camp invite in his future.
He has time, let him take it.
Labels: Hockey
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home