Olympic Hockey Teams Speculation

[Mr. TM]

Well there are a lot more Americans on this here forums, so this thread makes more sense than a Canadian one, also, it is a lot easier than a Canadian one. This has to do with Olympic Ice Hockey, Mens, and the Team USA Roster.

Team USA will look to put forth a great team, filled with youth and experience, and they have plenty of great players to choose from as 2010 approaches. So who will they choose to play for their team? Well, I think that the team will be focused around gritty play with scoring chances from the wings, as the Americans have some good left wingers ready to make the line up. But for every good left winger, you need that centermen to work as your quarterback.

Ryan Kesler
Center
Vancouver Canucks

There is no doubting this players skills now, in a great pace thus far in the NHL. The gritty player is showing his offense, leading Americans in points in the NHL with 16 (5-11). He is also great on the draw and should provide the skills needed to be a starting forward, possibly on the first line, with Parise or Brown and Kane on a great young, gritty and potentially explosive line.

 

[Mr. TM]

As the Olympics are approaching, it is always fun to look at the future of the Olympic Ice Hockey teams for me, and I am sure a few others (2-3). I did it with team USA, lets look at team Sweden. Who do you think will be making the team?

Henrik Sedin
Vancouver Canucks

He leads the NHL Swedes in points this year, at 24 right now. He also has 13 goals, which leads his country. Though all that said and done, he will make the team, but will probably either play on the second of third line. The one hope is that he has done that without Daniel this season, so it might give him a higher line.

 

[NSL]

King Henrik!

He was amazing the first time around, and I have no doubt he'll be starting in net for them again. It will suck seeing him go though. After the last Winter Olympics, his season was basically over. He went downhill quickly, and the team suffered big time.

I'd love to see him win a gold, but I'd much prefer the Rangers won a Stanley Cup first.

 

[simpsons_fanatic742]

Nicklas Lidstrom

The rock on defence, he will lead them in the Olympics. I wouldn't be surprised if he was named captain either. The best defenceman in the NHL and he will be a key player for the Swedes to repeat as gold medallists.

Jonas Gustavsson

He is going to challenge Henrik Lundvist for the starting job. He was great in the Swedish elite league and has played decent for the Leafs this year. He knows the international game and will be a great backup/starter for Team Sweden.

 

[Mr. TM]

What a horrible team they are going to have. With only 22 Russian players in the NHL at this moment, they are going to have to look to the KHL for support for their team. Luckily, they have two of the best players in Hockey. Russians in the NHL have been plagued by defensive abilities this year. That is why Maxim Afinogenov is my choice for the top line on team Russia. He plays good defense yet is extremely good at getting much needed points. He is a right wing, and by far the best Russian player at that position.

The line will also be equipped with Alexander Ovechkin who will be playing center. After missing close to a month, he is back and will be the man that team Russia looks to for scoring. Probably the best player in the NHL, if Afinogenov gets him the puck, he will score.

Who will center that line? I pick Pavel Datsyuk. He will provide the take-aways to get the puck up to Ovechkin, but this of course pushes Malkin to the second line.

 

[Mr. TM]

The Czechs are one of the more represented nations in the NHL and will have an easy time putting top players on their teams. That said, the first man I would want on my team is Tomas Kaberle of the Toronto. Not only does he lead defensemen from the great hockey nation in scoring, but he is tied for the lead in his nation in points for NHL players. Coming from a defensemen, that is pretty good, coming from a defensemen on a shitty team, that is great. He has a chance to finish the year with 90 points, on arguably the worst team in hockey and his -6 though below par, is still good considering the circumstances.

 

[CH David]

For the Czech Republic, I would have to say Patrick Elias would be a fantastic addition to the team. He is the all time leading for the Devil's and is an awesome stick handler. He is a definitive leader, and has won the Stanley Cup twice before, so he knows what it takes to win.

Also if he feels up to it, Jaromir Jagr would definitely be a choice. He is the best player to come out of the Czech Republic, scored the most goals and points if I'm not mistaken. Plus, who doesn't love a man with a mullet?

 

[CH David]

Niklas Hjalmarsson from the Hawks could be deserving of a nod for Team Sweden. Ever since he was called up last season to help replace Brent Sopel on defense, he has shown tremendous poise in his own end, and is very smart with the puck. He is very calm but quick and smooth when chasing the puck down for icing when pursued, and has good passing abilities. He should at least get a look over from the Swedish team.

 

[CH David]

One man that I think could make a splash is Ilya Kovalchuk. He has been a consistent point producer on a mediocre team. I don't think it is a question of if he is going to be on the team, rather which line he will play on. As the captain of the Thrashers, he has produced well. At least 40 goals in a season if you go back to 2003-2004 before the lockout, with 38 in 2002-2003. He is a very consistent player, obviously the best in Atlanta. He will most likely be a 2nd or 3rd line player, which isn't bad considering who is potentially on the top line.

 

[CH David]

I believe it is quite clear that Patrick Kane is making a case to be on Team USA. He has been a one man wrecking crew so far this season. He currently has 23 points (9-14) and has a +8 on the plus/minus rating. Easily one of the main reasons that the Blackhawks are where they are in the standings, and this year he is actually playing on the PK, which is surprising as he wasn't seen as a defensive player in his first two years. He has improved and matured a lot, and it is showing on the ice.

 

[a7xoff]

I gotta say a pretty obvious choice would be Zack Parise. If you've watched a Devils game you can figure out for yourself why. The guy is kind of like Ovie, he hounds the puck and HATES to see the other team with it. He started a little slow this year, but is now on par for possibly a 50+ in goals this year. Every year Zack seems to get better and better and I think the olympics would only further his determination and will to win. Parise, Kane, and Langenbrunner on a wing sounds like a solid line to me, but we'll have to wait and see. This year the possibility exists that three players that were on the Devils could be on the same line. Parise, Lagenbrunner, and Gomez.

 

[Mr. TM]

Haha, I thought I would do this one for fun. Team Switzerland will have little strength, and little goal scoring this Olympics, but they will be in it. But this year, this is a Swiss player who is actually making a name for himself. I hope he dresses and tries to rally his team like Kolzig would do for the German team. Be that shinning light for them as a skater. And that man is of course New York Islander Mark Streit. He has 13 points this year, nothing great, but still, he could find himself leading the Swiss in scoring come February.

 

[Mr. TM]

The Olympic teams have been announced. I hope to give a good look at all the teams, as I have a broad view of the IIHF. I guess I should look at Team Canada, the team I will cheer about and I notice one thing right away. Where are the Flames? The Flames have a lot of great Canadian players, but none have made team Canada. No Dion, Jay, Robyn, none. The former Canadian trio that Tampa boasted of Vinny, Martin, and Brad Richards were also left off the team. Canada has one cancer that I dislike on it, and he is wearing an A, and that is Chris Pronger. I see Luongo getting the first game, as a tester, if he does well, he starts game two. If he doesnt do well, it will be Brodeur from there on out.

 

[simpsons_fanatic742]

Team Canada once again looks strong for the Olympics, but as we know by now looks can be deceiving (Turin Olympics). 2 players who made it surprised me in Bergeron and Doughty. Their both skilled players, but I didn't think that Hockey Canada would make the jump and select them. Doughty is still only a 20 year old, but has international experience and has shown poise and maturity already. He's also a stand up defenceman so he's a good choice. Bergeron has had a great season so far and it seems like that was enough to crack a very tough roster. He has chemistry with Crosby already from the World Juniors and they could very well be linemates in Vancouver. Once again the offence is solid and should light up the score board.

The defence is also solid led by Neidermayer, the captain of Team Canada. Pronger, Weber, and Boyle make up the top four defencemen followed by Keith, Seabrook, and Doughty. That's a great defensive core and one that should both score and shut down opposing players. I don't know why you're effy about Pronger TM, he's one of the best defenceman right now and an intimidating force on the blue line.

Brodeur, Luongo, and Fleury are the 3 goalies for Team Canada. Right now it is Brodeur's job to lose I believe. Babcock has stated they he will ride the hot goalie so if you play well you keep on playing. The round robin we could see both Luongo and Brodeur play, but in the end I believe Brodeur will take the starting job.

 

[Mr. TM]

I am always iffy on Pronger, he can be such a troublesome player for his own team, but yes, he can be even more troublesome for his opponents, so that is alright. I just really have not been a fan of him, and I don't want him on my team, got it punk?

Doughty did surprise me, but really, this is something positive for the team, shows that Hockey Canada is about putting together the best team, not putting forth the old guns. I think he will fit in nicely on the team.l

 

[simpsons_fanatic742]

I think Doughty making the team shows that Canada didn't want to make the same mistake as they did in Turin. The team in Turin was not the best lineup that they could put out and they went for the more experienced roster other than the young guns. Eric Staal and Sidney Crosby did not make that team and that was the big move that most people thought wasn't a good one.

This year they went Staal and Crosby, but also Toews and Doughty which to me shows that they aren't going to shy away from a player because of age and hopefully that moves helps Team Canada in the long run.

 

[Mr. TM]

Team USA was announced today, and we witnessed what I consider a weak US team. The team lacks heart, but has youth that might give it the boast it need. I am pleased to see Keslermake the team even after he has dipped down lately. One just has to look at their goalies to question them. Thomas is good, but Quick made the team! Canadas third string goalie is the Stanley Cup champion, compared to US teams third string goalie being a new comer.