In looking at the two countries who faced off in the Gold Medal game in Vancouver two years ago, we recognize that Team Canada’s deep, experienced and talented blueline may have been the difference.
2010 Roster
Scott Niedermayer, 36 (Anaheim Ducks)
Chris Pronger, 35 (Philadelphia Flyers)
Shea Weber, 24 (Nashville Predators)
Drew Doughty, 20 (Los Angeles Kings)
Duncan Keith 26 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Dan Boyle, 33 (San Jose Sharks)
Brent Seabrook, 24 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Canada’s management team spearheaded by current Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman and Detroit Coach Mike Babcock selected seven defensemen for Vancouver, with a core of veterans. Pronger and Niedermayer both played on the 2002 Gold Medal winner in Salt Lake and were chosen in 2006 for the Olympics in Turin, Italy (Niedermayer withdrew with an injury before the games) and between them had won five Stanley Cups, while Boyle had won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004, was a reserve for Turin and had been selected to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 2007 and 2009.
Niedermayer retired at the end of the 2010 season, Pronger’s career is likely over as a result of post-concussion symptoms and Boyle will be 37 in 2014, so there will likely be a changeover of nearly half of the defensive corps for Sochi.
The remaining four from Vancouver are virtual locks at this point to make the team in 2014. Weber has been nominated for the Norris Trophy twice and been named to the NHL First All-Star Team the last two seasons, Doughty made the Olympics at 20 years old in 2010 and has a Stanley Cup championship under his belt, while the pairing of Seabrook and Keith are considered amongst the top two or three defensive pairings in the league.
2014 Possibles
Kris Letang, currently 25(Pittsburgh Penguins)
Alex Pietrangelo, currently 22(St. Louis Blues)
Dion Phaneuf, currently 27 (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Marc Staal, currently 25 (New York Rangers)
Brent Burns, currently 27 (San Jose Sharks)
Mike Green, currently 26 (Washington Capitals)
Dan Hamhuis, currently 29 (Vancouver Canucks)
Dan Girardi, currently 28 (New York Rangers)
Tyler Myers,currently 22 (Buffalo Sabres)
Brian Campbell, currently 31 (Florida Panthers)
It has to be remembered that it is unlikely that whoever is managing Team Canada will pick the seven most offensively talented blueliners for their defense corps. Weber is great at both ends of the ice, while Doughty, Seabrook and Keith would more aptly be categorized as being stronger at carrying the puck or creating scoring chances, which means that one or two of the remaining spots would have to go to a defenseman who has the mobility to play on the Olympic-sized ice surface in Sochi, but the size and strength to push around opposing forwards in the defensive zone.
Players like Girardi, Staal and Hamhuis may have a better chance to make the team because of their abilities as shot blockers and shutdown defenders.
Puck rushing defenseman like Green, Campbell, Letang and to a lesser extent Burns have traditionally not fared well in being chosen for Olympic teams since they are not as dependable defensively, but all have the ability to log tons of minutes in ice time, be power-play quarterbacks and play the up-tempo skating game that undoubtedly will happen in Sochi.
Along with Doughty, two other alums of the great defensive draft class of 2008 have legitimate shots at making the squad. Pietrangelo benefited from not being rushed by the Blues and has posted great numbers his first two pro seasons, as well as being named an NHL Second All-Star last season, while the 6’8” Myers won the Calder Trophy in 2010, put up similar numbers in 2011 and can dominate games at times, but he was hampered by injury problems last season that limited him to just 55 games.
Toronto’s Dion Phaneuf will likely be in the mix again in 2014, as he was in 2010. The Leafs captain was invited to the squad’s training camp in the summer of 2009 and was expected to make the team but in the end was not selected. While his peers have voted him the most overrated player in the league, Phaneuf appears to have returned to the form that made him an All-Star and Norris Trophy candidate, scoring 12 goals and 32 assists last season.
Who do you think will make the group that could aptly be named “The Magnificent Seven”???
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