Midwinter Break Day 4

Its only Thursday and I can't take this week off nonsense. I mean, its nice that there is still good hockey to watch - I enjoyed Dallas/Phoenix on Monday - but its not the same as the Rangers. And I apologize to all of my readers, I know there is nothing worse than going to a site and seeing the same content. But without the Blueshirts, I've had to focus on real work, which is good because real work pays money, and money pays for Rangers tickets and my European vacation this fall. And that will likely mean good coverage of games that you won't see anywhere else ... don't worry, this isn't the first time I pimped this blog and it won't be the last.

So as I go a little stir crazy, here is something to help tide things over until Saturday - something I promised back in December - the Scotty Hockey 2010 -2 Canadian Olympic Team:

Offense:
Dany Heatley-Sidney Crosby-Jarome Iginla
Rick Nash-Joe Thornton-Ryan Getzlaf
Jon Toews-Vinny Lecavalier-Marty St. Louis
Brendan Morrow-Jason Arnott-Eric Staal
Defense:
Chris Pronger-Dion Phaneuf
Wade Redden-Jay Buowmeester
Duncan Keith-Kris Letang
Goalies:
Roberto Luongo
JS Giguere
Carey Price

For some reference, here is the 2006 team that went to Torino. I had to do some jockeying - there are a lot of super-high quality centers but I think these end up being balanced, exciting lines.

Some names were left out - Jason Spezza (one of my favourite players) being one of them, Marty Brodeur another (man do I hope he will be retired by then) and even Sam Gagner being another (in two years he will be a STUD) - but Canada has an embarrassment of riches and, with the games being played in the smaller NHL-sized rinks, they are sure to go big with a checking line.

On that checking line I have Stars captain Morrow, who is gritty and good on both ends of the rink, Arnott, who is huge but will be a little old by 2010 and Staal, who is learning how to be a solid, well rounded players by one of the best (and one of the most underrated), Rod Brind'Amour. The three scoring lines pretty much speak for themselves: Cindy, Killer Heatley and Iggy are three of the top five players in the NHL. Nash and Thornton worked magic together in Davos and Getzlaf is probably going to turn into a better version of Cam Neely (one of my favourite players) only as a center. Vinny and Marty are the crutch that holds Tampa Bay up and Toews would be rookie of the year if he didn't get hurt. He is easily the best Blackhawk since Jeremy Roenick and two more years will turn him into a superstar.

On defense Pronger, Phaneuf and Redden are three of the best in the game today, Buowmeester would be great if he wasn't on Florida, Letang and Keith are the future. In two years they will have the NHL game down and should dominate; Letang very well may be the Paul Coffey to Cindy's Gretzky. Damn I hate her.

In net are Luongo, Jiggy and Price. I have Price there only because the third spot rarely sees action and is there more for the experience. Should the NHL return to the Olympics in Russia in 2014, then he would be very, very important to that squad. Luongo and Jiggy are simply two of the best goaltenders in the league. I gotta mention it again, but I do hope that Maaaaarrrrrty will have retired by 2010. Otherwise toss out Jiggy and hand the starting gig to Maaaaarrrrrty because he is one of the top three goaltenders of all time. Yes, that really, really, really hurt me to type that - and not because of my bum wrist. He is good. Ok? I admitted it. And he may very well lead Canada to victory in 2010, in front of a home crowd.

But I sure as hell hope not ...