After a lengthy charter flight that travelled across nine time zones, the 25 members of Team Canada went through a loosely structured skate around at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia on Monday.
Although there is no way to know whether the combinations put together by head coach Mike Babcock and his staff will be the same used in their first game against Norway on Thursday, it does appear that Canada will rely upon players who play together in the NHL and their familiarity with each other to coalesce into a team in a very short time frame.
Winger Jeff Carter looks to have replaced the injured Steven Stamkos on a line with team captain Sidney Crosby and Pittsburgh Penguins linemate Chris Kunitz, while Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry skated with fellow 2010 alumnus Patrick Marleau. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp of the Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks were matched with big winger Rick Nash. The fourth line combo consisted of Jamie Benn, John Tavares and Olympic veteran Patrice Bergeron, with Colorado’s Matt Duchene and Tampa’s Martin St. Louis skating as extra forwards.
Hockey Canada executive director Steve Yzerman stated on Monday that St. Louis was asked to replace the injured Stamkos soon after the announcement of not being medically cleared by Tampa Bay Lightning doctors last Wednesday, but that the 38-year-old veteran needed to sleep on it before making his decision.
Team Canada on the ice pic.twitter.com/hwinxa2Aq1
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) February 10, 2014On defense, St. Louis Blues blueliners Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo are the only combo with previous playing experience, with the other pairings made up of left and right handed shooter. Chicago’s Duncan Keith was matched 2010 teammate Shea Weber, while first-time Olympian Mark-Edouard Vlasic was paired with Drew Doughty. PK Subban skated with Vancouver Canucks veteran Dan Hamhuis, but it appears that the 2013 Norris Trophy winner will begin the tournament in the press box.
Babcock was tight lipped regarding any decisions on his goaltending. Mike Smith is not expected to play a minute in the tournament unless injury or disaster strikes, leaving his choice between 2010 incumbent Roberto Luongo and newcomer Carey Price.
The fact that Luongo lost his five starts leading up to the Olympic break and allowed three goals or more in every game is not expected to change the conventional wisdom is that he will start the Team Canada’s opener against Norway, but he indicated to the media that he has not been informed yet if he is starting on Thursday.
Price won his last three games with Montreal before the hiatus for Sochi and is expected to start the second of back-to-back games against Austria on Friday before the coaching staff makes the decision which of the two will be the go-to guy the rest of the way.
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