By Matt Reynolds
About a month ago, Team Canada released their preliminary camp roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Out of the 47 players invited, 25 were forwards, 17 were defensemen and 5 were goalies. As always, Canada enters the tournament as favourites, but there are certainly some questions heading into the new season.
1. Who's the starting goalie?
The 5 goalies invited to camp were Corey Crawford (CHI), Roberto Luongo (VAN), Carey Price (MTL), Mike Smith (PHX) and Braden Holtby (WSH). While there are some talented names on that list, there's no denying that Canadian goaltending has significantly declined over the past 10 or so years, back when Marty Brodeur was in his prime. In 2010, Roberto Luongo took over for the struggling Brodeur and helped lead Canada to an unforgettable gold medal win. However, unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years, you will have noticed that Luongo experienced a slight fall from grace before being renamed the starter for the Canucks in a shocking Draft Day trade that sent Cory Schneider to the New Jersey Devils. Luongo still has a lot to prove going into this season, but still had 2 solid starts in this year's playoffs despite the Canucks' dismal effort against the San Jose Sharks.
Then there is the other favourite, Blackhawks starter Corey Crawford, who recently helped lead Chicago to their second Stanley Cup in four seasons. Crawford had his ups and downs, but was overall a solid starter during the playoffs who had some consideration for the Conn Smythe trophy. Patrick Kane, who won the Conn Smythe, even said in a post-game interview that he though Crawford had been snubbed. This marked Crawford's third year as the Blackhawks' starter. He took over for Antti Niemi, who signed with the Sharks shortly after winning the Cup with Chicago in the previous season. Crawford's first 2 years were pretty similar-- a stellar but not standout regular season followed by a somewhat shaky first round elimination. He did not look good against the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2012 playoffs but clearly silenced some critics this year. Going into this season, Corey Crawford would be my favourite as the Team Canada starter in Sochi.
But let's look at the other three- Carey Price, Mike Smith and Braden Holtby. Carey Price had a very forgettable playoffs this year, as the Montreal Canadiens were steamrolled in 5 games by the Ottawa Senators. His regular seasons have been generally good, but he has experienced some struggles in the postseason. Mike Smith and Braden Holtby, however, are 2 goalies that have shone in the playoffs recently, both having formidable runs in 2012. They both had solid seasons in 2013, but Mike Smith's Coyotes failed to make the playoffs while Holtby and the Caps were eliminated in the first round. Braden Holtby's 2013 stats stand out the most, with 23 wins, a 2.58 GAA and a .920 save percentage. Another goalie that was left out of camp that could make the team as the third goaltender is Cam Ward, who was limited to just 17 games this season because of injury. Ward has, however, posted very consistent stats over the past few years. In the end, Holtby would be my pick for the team's third goalie, but watch out for Ward this season.
2. Who's the captain?
When you look at the players invited to camp, 2 people stand out to you as probable captains for the team-- Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews. Canada has the benefit of having the two best players in the league right now, who also happen to be 2 of the best captains in the league (despite what you may hear some people say about Crosby). Since it is highly unlikely that Jarome Iginla will make Team Canada this year, expect Crosby and Toews to be the two favourites to don the "C."
However, there is one other player that has a real shot at captaincy. Martin St. Louis, winner of the Art Ross Trophy in 2013 is the unanimous choice to take over as captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning after Vinny Lecavalier was bought out. He is the oldest player at camp at the age of 38. He is a very well-known player who some people have thought would be a much better captain than Vincent Lecavalier. It should come as no surprise if he is given the "C" this season with Tampa Bay, and his leadership skills and veteran presence should merit him at the very least an "A" in Sochi.
3. Who else is on the team?
Entering the 2013-2014 season, there is no doubt that Canada has the best group of forwards in the league. Unfortunately, they can only choose 13 of them to play at Sochi. There are some names who are locks for the team (barring injury), i.e. Crosby, Stamkos, Toews, Tavares and Giroux. Defensemen such as P.K. Subban, Kris Letang and Duncan Keith are also incredibly likely to make the team. The rest, however, will be very difficult to choose, especially depending on how the upcoming season goes. Heading into the season, these would be my lines for Team Canada.
LW-C-RW
St.Louis-Crosby-Stamkos
E. Staal-Toews-Getzlaf
Hall-Tavares-Eberle
Bergeron-Giroux-Neal
Couture
LD-RD
Subban-Keith
Letang-Pietrangelo
Doughty-Weber
Hamhuis
All of this, of course, depends on what happens in this upcoming season, but these are some of the best players in the league and they should be motivated to play their very best if they want to earn a spot with the team. Go Canada Go!
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