The 23-man roster that will represent Canada at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver has been set, or so it would seem if hockey analyst and former player/coach Pierre McGuire were executive director of Canada's men's hockey team.
With 365 days before the puck drops in the opening game of the tournament, McGuire
unveiled the players he believes should make up the men's national team - a list that includes 12 members of the old guard.
In the blue paint,
Martin Brodeur was selected to be the starting goaltender for the country's Olympic team. The 36-year-old has missed most of the 2008-09 NHL campaign following elbow surgery in November but with the Montreal native on the mend, McGuire feels his resume is too deep to ignore.
"A staple in the Canadian net since the 2002 Salt Lake City games,
Martin Brodeur is Canada's ultimate pressure-treated goaltender, winning three Stanley Cups, Olympic gold and a World Cup during a glittering professional career."
...
McGuire admitted that there were some very tough omissions when he completed his list.
?I think you have to start in goal, when you consider
Carey Price and
Steve Mason. I don't think anyone is going to debate
Martin Brodeur or
Roberto Luongo are going to be there so who gets to be the third guy. I give
Carey Price the edge because he's from BC. He's played in that rink before.?
McGuire also had a very difficult choice to make for his final forward spot.
?When you look at the forward position it's
Shane Doan versus
Jonathan Toews. Toews is a great leader and when you look at his performance in Leksand,Sweden during the World Juniors was unbelievable. But I've watched
Shane Doan play in international competitions; I've watched him be a leader. I know he has 22 goals this year for Phoenix. He's done all the little things right so I give him a bit of a veteran edge because of all the pressure that's going to be on this team in Vancouver. I think Doan can settle everything down and that's why he gets a bit of an edge.?
