I still think Nash makes it on TEam Canada allegiance...terrible mistake ahead
- drexel

I think you are right as well, I hope they dont go that way, as good as Nash can be when he is on his game and healthy, he just doesnt look right this year

Okposo's fist legit showing he was worth taking a top 10 pick. Last year he had 4 goals. Need more of a consistent showing. Faulk and Martin ahead of Yandle is just laughable. Pacioretty in favor of Bobby Ryan is a disgrace.
- tomburton99

I Agree Yandle should be on the team. However, I think people don't realize just how good Paul Martin is. Probably the most solid PMD the Americans have. Orpik imo has no place on this team.

The Bobby Ryan snub is utterly ridiculous.

I Agree Yandle should be on the team. However, I think people don't realize just how good Paul Martin is. Probably the most solid PMD the Americans have. Orpik imo has no place on this team.

The Bobby Ryan snub is utterly ridiculous.
- Rawrski8771

I agree with your assessment of Orpik. Martin is underrated.

Seems to me that in an international tourney like the Olympics, where they call everything (and some things, like clean body checks, that aren't even penalties), you would want to make sure you have a PP specialist on the back end.

Carlsson, Martin and Suter are all right on the PP, but none of them compare to Yandle.

Even if the guy only plays 5-10 mins at evens, he would still be valuable on the PP.

To me, this US team is going to struggle to score goals (compared to Sweden, Russia, Canada) so leaving off pure offensive players like Yandle and Ryan doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Unless Bylsma's plan is to play the trap and ride Ryan Miller.

Seems to me that in an international tourney like the Olympics, where they call everything (and some things, like clean body checks, that aren't even penalties), you would want to make sure you have a PP specialist on the back end.

Carlsson, Martin and Suter are all right on the PP, but none of them compare to Yandle.

Even if the guy only plays 5-10 mins at evens, he would still be valuable on the PP.

To me, this US team is going to struggle to score goals (compared to Sweden, Russia, Canada) so leaving off pure offensive players like Yandle and Ryan doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Unless Bylsma's plan is to play the trap and ride Ryan Miller.
- Charliebox

Agreed, you never know with Dan, ugh.

Do you have Miller as our lock #1? I wonder how the Miller and Quick debate will play out.

Taylor Hall,Taylor Hall,Taylor Hall,Taylor Taylor Hall.
where is Hall, team canada needs Taylor to be in this, hell Edmonton needs him in this...
I know he dosent play for Toronto but you cant contiue to give players in the west the shaft.

Agreed, you never know with Dan, ugh.

Do you have Miller as our lock #1? I wonder how the Miller and Quick debate will play out.
- Rawrski8771

To me, you have to give it to Miller to start. He's having a great season - .927 save % on a garbage team compared to Quick's .905. He's also the man that pretty much singlehandedly won the US the silver last time around. Clearly, he performs on the big stage.

Thank God Eklund is not in charge of picking Team Canada What a moron

Thank God Eklund is not in charge of picking Team Canada What a moron
- broncohorvath

Cant blame him, after all he is American..

Would much rather see Hall than Nash on this team, as long as Benn is ahead of both of them

Benn - Getzlaf - Perry as our line 4 not too shabby eh?

Thank God Eklund is not in charge of picking Team Canada What a moron
- broncohorvath

I don't think I would want the job of picking Team Canada.

Canada is so stacked that they are expected to win. Anything less than Gold is a disappointment. If they don't win, the picks will be questioned.

The US will be lucky to get anything better than a Bronze so even though, IMO, they made a huge mistake leaving off Yandle and Ryan, there isn't the same expectations on them.

Would much rather see Hall than Nash on this team, as long as Benn is ahead of both of them

Benn - Getzlaf - Perry as our line 4 not too shabby eh?
- FinAddict

I like it. Rick Nash is so overrated it's not even funny.

Team Canada should not look at who the best players are, but more who would make the best team. For example I would include as many guys that aleady have chemistry ie St. Louis-Stamkos, Crosby-Kunitz, Getzlaf-Perry, Giroux-Richards Sharp-Towes.

Kunitz-Crosby-Tavares
Hall-Stamkos-St.Louis
Giroux-Getzlaf-Perry
Richards-Towes-Sharp

Gives you 4 stong scoring lines with each line having some kind of chemistry, and a great defesive 4th line to match up against the other teams top lines.

Team Canada should not look at who the best players are, but more who would make the best team. For example I would include as many guys that aleady have chemistry ie St. Louis-Stamkos, Crosby-Kunitz, Getzlaf-Perry, Giroux-Richards Sharp-Towes.

Kunitz-Crosby-Tavares
Hall-Stamkos-St.Louis
Giroux-Getzlaf-Perry
Richards-Towes-Sharp

Gives you 4 stong scoring lines with each line having some kind of chemistry, and a great defesive 4th line to match up against the other teams top lines.
- youarewrong

definitely good to move a guy recovering from broken leg to a new position

St. Louise for his final Olympics. Giroux and Sharp. Thornton as well. These guys all deserve it and have shown to be perennial producers and serve Canada at the international level.

I seriously hope Kunitz does not make team Canada. Everybody is raving about how this guy is a production king, could play alongside Crosby because they have chemistry blah blah blah.

You put anybody with Crosby and they'll contribute in large numbers. Even if we take someone like E. Stall or J. Benn. You don't think guys like these with their shots won't snipe goals with Crosby spoon feeding them in a tournament?

Kunitz comes off as a free-loader from another players excellence - and no chance he'd have the size and strength to go against Team USA in the corners when you look at the size they locked for the Olympics.

since the start of the 11-12 season Pacioretty has 125 points
Ryan has 136 points


coin toss and my guess is the coaches like Pacioretty's consistent work ethic more
- homiedclown

Pacioretty has 4 assists this year. Not 4 over the last month over that week, 4 total. Pacioretty has had one 30 goal season and has only played on one World Championship roster. He and Wheeler ahead of Ryan is an absolute joke.

I think you are right as well, I hope they dont go that way, as good as Nash can be when he is on his game and healthy, he just doesnt look right this year
- DDM-Coga

Agreed Nash is on the team:

For my money

Kunitz Crosby Stamkos
Sharp Toews Giroux
Tavares Getzlaf perry
Couture. Bergeron staal
Duchene
St. Louis
Neal [ if stamkos can't play]

I seriously hope Kunitz does not make team Canada. Everybody is raving about how this guy is a production king, could play alongside Crosby because they have chemistry blah blah blah.

You put anybody with Crosby and they'll contribute in large numbers. Even if we take someone like E. Stall or J. Benn. You don't think guys like these with their shots won't snipe goals with Crosby spoon feeding them in a tournament?

Kunitz comes off as a free-loader from another players excellence - and no chance he'd have the size and strength to go against Team USA in the corners when you look at the size they locked for the Olympics.
- keithward

FINALLY!!!! SOMEONE ELSE WHO SEES IT! LIKE (frank)!!!! LOL. Kunitz IS SO MASSIVELY OVERRATED because he plays with Crosby. If Kunitz was so good why wasn't he on the 2010 team?! Why didn't he generate this buzz when he was in Anaheim!? WAKE UP PEOPLE AND NHL GMs LOL, the guys is an average to decent player at best. You put ANYONE with Sid and they light it up, guaranteed. Look at what Sid did for Pascal Dupuis, another duster who put up good numbers along Sid.

Team Canada should not look at who the best players are, but more who would make the best team. For example I would include as many guys that aleady have chemistry ie St. Louis-Stamkos, Crosby-Kunitz, Getzlaf-Perry, Giroux-Richards Sharp-Towes.

Kunitz-Crosby-Tavares
Hall-Stamkos-St.Louis
Giroux-Getzlaf-Perry
Richards-Towes-Sharp

Gives you 4 stong scoring lines with each line having some kind of chemistry, and a great defesive 4th line to match up against the other teams top lines.
- youarewrong

I get that but seriously I don't think you need to worry about what these guys are going to be doing on the other side of the puck with the amount of room they will have. This isn't a north american rink I think it will be very hard for a team focusing on shutting down teams more then they are scoring to succeed especially when you look at what some of these guys already do on the smaller rinks what do you think they could do on huge rink it makes it that much easier to burn guys. Obviously you need to play defense but I don't think on the big rinks that should be your main focus along with grinding games out there is to much room to do much of any grinding out there. I could be very wrong but I find it hard to see the U.S do much of anything. I also feel like outside of Kessel Kane and Maybe Parise who can really fly out there for them ? Dustin Brown Ryan Callahan and David Backes are going to have a hard time going against players that are much faster and that's not to say those guys aren't fast but they aren't as fast as a lot of guys on other teams and obviously Canada has the Perry's and Getzlafs that are in the same category but those are better players and might be able to make up their lack of game breaking speed with being more skilled.

Benn Crosby Perry
Tavares Stamkos Giroux
Duchene toews getzlaf
Couture Bergeron seguin

Hall + burns

Benn Crosby Perry
Tavares Stamkos Giroux
Duchene toews getzlaf
Couture Bergeron seguin

Hall + burns
- Scooby_Doo

It's funny you mention Burns. I heard a couple talking about him too. Not sure he'd be a good choice with the others available.

I Agree Yandle should be on the team. However, I think people don't realize just how good Paul Martin is. Probably the most solid PMD the Americans have. Orpik imo has no place on this team.

The Bobby Ryan snub is utterly ridiculous.
- Rawrski8771

http://espn.go.com/olympi...-sochi-olympics-was-named

Thornton too slow for the big ice...too bad...but Sharp has to be there
- drexel

Agreed. Couture and Sharp have to be there for their two way game.

Crosby - Toews - Giroux
Stamkos - Tavares - Perry
Sharp - Bergeron - Duchene
Thornton - Getzlaf - Burns

Couture + Richards extras