Looking up and down Team Canada’s roster and it is a virtual NHL All-Star team.  You want a superstar, Sidney Crosby, how about a future Hall of Famer, Martin Brodeur, an up and coming star, Ryan Getzlaf, power forward, Rick Nash.  Canada is a locked and loaded team that will be playing on home ice.  Hard to see how they aren’t the favorites to bring home the Gold.

Roster

Forwards:

Patrice Bergeron                              Boston Bruins

Sidney Crosby                                   Pittsburgh Penguins

Ryan Getzlaf                                      Anaheim Ducks

Dany Heatley                                     San Jose Sharks

Jarome Iginla                                     Calgary Flames

Patrick Marleau                                                San Jose Sharks

Brenden Morrow                             Dallas Stars

Rick Nash                                             Columbus Blue Jackets

Corey Perry                                        Anaheim Ducks

Mike Richards                                    Philadelphia Flyers

Eric Staal                                              Carolina Hurricanes

Joe Thornton                                     San Jose Sharks

Jonathan Toews                               Chicago Blackhawks

Review:

What else can you say about this set of forwards except, WOW.  You’re talking pretty much the who’s who of the NHL.  What may be even more important than the star power that Team Canada possesses is that the team shouldn’t have a problem meshing with one another.  The Sharks entire top line is on the team and will play together.  The Ducks Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will also play on the same line as will the Blackhawks Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.  You may think this doesn’t matter, but in a short series where teams don’t have months to jell, the quicker you get in sync with your linemates, the better your chances of winning.

Defensemen:

Dan Boyle                                            San Jose Sharks

Drew Doughty                                   Los Angeles Kings

Duncan Keith                                     Chicago Blackhawks

Scott Niedermayer                          Anaheim Ducks

Chris Pronger                                     Philadelphia Flyers

Brent Seabrook                                                Chicago Blackhawks

Shea Weber                                       Chicago Blackhawks

Review:

Team Canada is so deep on defense that they didn’t even bother to take the best offensive defenseman in the NHL right now in Mike Green of the Washington Capitals.  They have a nice mix of veterans in Pronger and Niedermayer to go along with the youth and fleet skating ability of Shea Weber and Duncan Keith.  One does wonder if someone like a Pronger will have difficulty on the bigger ice surface, but if you want a plower in front of your goaltender, then he is your man.

Goalies:

Martin Brodeur                                 New Jersey Devils

Roberto Luongo                                               Vancouver Canucks

Marc-Andre Fleury                          Pittsburgh Penguins

Review:

You talk about options.  Canada can go with perhaps the greatest goaltender of all time in Brodeur.  Perhaps they would rather go with last year’s Stanley cup winner and big time money goaltender in Fleury, who seems to play his best when the games mean the most.  Or maybe, just maybe, they want to go with someone who could be the best goaltender in the game today in Luongo.  I wouldn’t mind being the Coach who has to make this decision.

Prediction:

From top to bottom this is the best team in the tournament.  That being said, anything can happen in a one game elimination tournament, but playing in front of their home fans I’m going with Team Canada to bring home the Gold medal