IIHF World ChampionshipDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
I'm not typically one to make projections four years out (and before watching these Olympics, which will impact who does/doesn't make the 2014 team), but here goes for Canada:
Goal: (in no particular order)
Fleury
Luongo
Ward
Defence:
Out - Pronger, Niedermayer, Boyle - all due to age/retirement
In - Bouwmeester, Green, Myers
Weber - Doughty
Bouwmeester - Myers
Keith - Seabrook
Green
Forwards:
Out - Iginla (37 yrs old); Marleau (35 yrs old); Thornton (35 yrs old); Morrow (35 yrs old).
In - Stamkos, Carter, Duchene, Hall
Staal - Crosby - Stamkos
Nash - Getzlaf - Perry
Hall - Toews - Heatley
Richards - Carter - Bergeron
Duchene
I think guys like Tavares, Duchene, Stamkos will be there for sure, but I'm not sure Jordan Staal will be there... and its possible Lecavalier could be there(Assuming he regains form)
In the big ice in Russia, Phaneuf and Seabrook might not be there. Green will probably be on the top 6 six and my homer darhorse PK Subban might sneak in...
that's why I said haha. He was playing for the Tri-City Americans in the USHL. Sorry, maybe I should have used the sarcasm emoticon instead of the haha.
theres no way fleury takes starting job from luongo. ever.
Lou will be just about 35 by the next one so he'd be on the downside most likely of his career...while MAF will be just 29 and in his prime most likely, could have another cup too but Luongo as well.
This is interesting for Canada because there's a few really good players right now who might get edged out by younger guys, depending on how they develop.
Almost impossible to predict though. Maybe the production of Nash, Staal, or Richards goes through the floor. There'll maybe be a player who's middling now who will be a late-blooming All-Star in 2014. Maybe Iginla makes the cut as the old/experienced/captain guy. Maybe some of these highly touted young guys aren't as good as we thought they would be. Who knows?
Thanks, I forgot about Getzlaf and Perry though... possible remove Heatley (he could possibly be on the decline by then), and add Getzy to the 4th line and Perry as a 13th forward.
I'm not sure how good Heatley and Thornton will be 4 years from now same with Luongo. I didn't realize I chose so many centers but the most talented players play that position. I doubt you could name a winger that is almost a lock for a roster spot, centers are the deepest and most talented. As for Keith I feel it is a one time thing for him. About Cody Hodgson people would have laughed at Bergeron 4 years ago but where is he now, on the olympic squad likely on the first line riding shotgun with Crosby. They are similar types of players and I think Cody coukd be slightly better than Bergeron.
uh, 4 years ago Bergeron was in the middle of a 31 goal 73 point season.
To put it in perspective a bit, Jonathan Toews and Drew Doughty are the only guys on team Canada that weren't playing in the NHL before the 2006 Olympics. Toews, J Staal, Lucic, Doughty and M Staal are the only players invited to the orientation camp that weren't playing in the NHL before the 2006 Olympics.
Not saying Hodgson has no chance, but there are a number of players outside of the NHL right now that I would say have a much better chance of making team Canada in 2014. Guys like Hall and Seguin, maybe 2011s like Nugent-Hopkins or Couturier.
