Team Canada
No, not Paul Martin's team. I want to talk about something a little more interesting.
The World Cup of Hockey is scheduled for late summer and the rumours and suggestions for the team are being brought out. I'm going to go way out on a limb and give my predictions for Team Canada 2004.
The team will very closely resemble the Olympic team. The players that will not return are Theoren Fleury for obvious reasons, Lindros, Peca, Joseph, and Brewer for a drop in their play and Lemieux, and MacInnis for injury reasons. Shanahan and Nieuwendyk will be replaced for improved players - though Shanahan is the most likely of these players to return.
In net, Luongo will take Joseph's place as the third man. Brodeur will, of course, be the starter with Belfour backing him up.
The top five D are all returning players. Blake, Pronger, Jovanovski, Niedermayer and Foote will be joined by Redden and Morris and I am predicting Redden to get the nod at game time (the team will carry 7 D but dress 6). Scott Stevens will be mentioned often and could be a dark horse to take the 6th spot.
Centreing the four lines will be Thornton, Sakic, Yzerman, and Primeau respectively. I'm assuming Heatley will not be at top form yet or else he could take Yzerman's spot.
Wingers returning will be Iginla, Smyth, Kariya, Gagne, and Nolan. Bertuzzi and Tanguay will get spots. The last playing spot will be Shane Doan taking away Shanahan's chance. A thirteenth forward will be brought and will likely be a younger player such as Heatley, Carter, or Morrow.
The same coaching staff will return - Quinn with assistants Martin and Hitchcock.
There you have it. You're welcome Wayne.
The World Cup of Hockey is scheduled for late summer and the rumours and suggestions for the team are being brought out. I'm going to go way out on a limb and give my predictions for Team Canada 2004.
The team will very closely resemble the Olympic team. The players that will not return are Theoren Fleury for obvious reasons, Lindros, Peca, Joseph, and Brewer for a drop in their play and Lemieux, and MacInnis for injury reasons. Shanahan and Nieuwendyk will be replaced for improved players - though Shanahan is the most likely of these players to return.
In net, Luongo will take Joseph's place as the third man. Brodeur will, of course, be the starter with Belfour backing him up.
The top five D are all returning players. Blake, Pronger, Jovanovski, Niedermayer and Foote will be joined by Redden and Morris and I am predicting Redden to get the nod at game time (the team will carry 7 D but dress 6). Scott Stevens will be mentioned often and could be a dark horse to take the 6th spot.
Centreing the four lines will be Thornton, Sakic, Yzerman, and Primeau respectively. I'm assuming Heatley will not be at top form yet or else he could take Yzerman's spot.
Wingers returning will be Iginla, Smyth, Kariya, Gagne, and Nolan. Bertuzzi and Tanguay will get spots. The last playing spot will be Shane Doan taking away Shanahan's chance. A thirteenth forward will be brought and will likely be a younger player such as Heatley, Carter, or Morrow.
The same coaching staff will return - Quinn with assistants Martin and Hitchcock.
There you have it. You're welcome Wayne.
