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Post by CentreHice on Dec 21, 2005 16:14:35 GMT -5
Perhaps this is more of a "No-Habs Related Hockey" thread.
Just watched The Score cross-Canada pre-lim to the big announcement of our men's Olympic Team.
They started in Vancouver where Jovanovski and Bertuzzi are awaiting the call. Then on to Calgary where Iginla and Regehr are expected to make it.
On to Edmonton....Ryan Smyth and Chris Pronger.
Then to Toronto...perhaps the most ludicrous report ever. "Here in Toronto as many as 5 Maple Leafs made the Team Canada long list...among them, Eddie Belfour, Eric Lindros, Jeff O'Neill, and Jason Allison. But the person with the greatest chance to get the call is Leaf defenseman, Bryan McCabe. McCabe said he wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make it." Making the Leafs sound like the greatest team, with 5 players waiting for a call....gimme a break.
Ottawa next....Spezza, Heatley, and Redden.
But wait....don't stop the report there....hey come back....what about the report from Montreal? Nothing to report. Apparently Theodore isn't even on the radar screen....not even a whisper a la Lindros, O'Neill, or Allison (who have as much chance as I do).
I didn't expect Theo to make it, but at least he should have got a mention as an outside possibility. No, let's only mention Leafs' long-listers so they can crow about something else that means nothing.
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Post by CentreHice on Dec 21, 2005 17:52:16 GMT -5
Men's Team
Goalies: Luongo, Brodeur, Turco
Defense: Blake, Foote, Niedermayer, Pronger, Redden, Regehr, Jovanovski
Forwards: Doan, Draper, Gagner, Heatley, Iginla, Lecavalier, Nash, Richards, Smyth, St. Louis, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Sakic
Alternates: McCabe, Spezza, Staal
Sounds like an unbeatable team to me.....but also one which has been decided upon for some time, and not, in all instances based upon this year's play: St. Louis, Doan, Bertuzzi, Draper, Luongo. You could argue that Spezza and Staal would be far more dangerous than St. Louis and Doan (Gretz fave..no doubt)....
You can't argue Draper's heart and PK prowess.....but Luongo is the ultimate patronage appointment.
Bertuzzi seems to be the only player who had been afforded a chance to "play his way onto the team in the past couple of weeks"......"we're a very forgiving country"...."this is a big chance for Todd"......hmmmm....he seems to be getting all the sympathy and our hearts go out to him. Meanwhile, is Steve Moore skating yet? I know, I'm still bitter about the whole thing...but who's kidding who? As soon as Bertuzzi was reinstated, he was on the team.
Don't give us the "he played his way onto this team in the past couple of weeks" stuff.....using that logic, Luongo and Doan wouldn't be anywhere near Italy come February.
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Post by jkr on Dec 21, 2005 18:04:03 GMT -5
I saw this too & wondered - if they are mentioning Belfour than Theodore deserves at least a passing mention. He would be higher on the list than Belfour. It was stupid to mention all those names. They know that only McCabe had a chance. Maybe they left Montreal out because they don't have enough reporters to cover the whole country.  |
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Post by Skilly on Dec 21, 2005 22:07:32 GMT -5
With no person from Montreal on the Team Canada or Hockey Canada executive, this is about what I expected. (Van. Tambellini ..... Edm. Lowe ..... Cal. MaCDonald ..... Tor. Quinn ..... Ott (used to have Martin , do they have anyone now? ...... Mtl.  No one NADA zilch ... Was glad that Sidney didnt get a call just because he is Sidney. Bertuzzi may still not be on the team. The COA has to approve the team and they are calling an emergency meeting tonight to discuss whether they will accept Bertuzzi's inclusion on the team. I heard on TSN the other night that the COA called Gretzky and told him not to include Bertuzzi and save the country any embassassing fall-out this might cause .... Gretzky after having publicly stating that Bertuzzi was a no-brainer and would be on the team obviously called their bluff. Now let's wait to see what happens. |
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Post by CentreHice on Dec 21, 2005 22:38:39 GMT -5
When you go down the list of Canadian-born Habs, I see only Theodore who had even a glimmer of hope. Begin could be on my Team Canada any day to play a Kris Draper role, but that would never happen.
Gretzky and the boys are going with their favorites....and proven winners. Bertuzzi would have been on the previous edition for sure. Like I said, as soon as the NHL reinstated him, he was on the team.
What really irks me are the panelists who make excuses for the inclusion of Luongo.... "Oh, he's the future, he's an elite goalie. And you don't want to leave a bad taste in his mouth by excluding him just because he plays behind a porous Florida defense. Put that Team Canada defense in front of him and watch what he can do."
You could say that about Theo, Legace, Fernandez, Joseph, Roloson....
I have seen Luongo let in his share of real stinkers this year....regardless of the defense in front of him.
They're saying the same thing about Brodeur too....about the Stevens-less and Niedermayer-less Devil's defense. Come on....Brodeur didn't even have to put his pads on to make this team....#1 no less.
Let's face it...Canada could ice two national teams and they'd both stand a good chance of winning gold. It's not the talent/character/heart of the selected players that I question....it's the notion that they think we believe it was based on this year's play in all cases...and the excuses they give when it defies logic.
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Post by Cranky on Dec 22, 2005 0:07:52 GMT -5
There was a time...... There was a time, when one could not field any All Star team without taking half of the Hab's roster. There was a time when you went to the Canada Russian series knowing that the Hab's stars would carry the load. There was a time when the NHL top ten in scoring read like the Hab's line-up. There was a time when the Hab's players walked proud and mighty on all the world stages. There was a time, when Hab's ruled the world. There was a time even God put on a pair of skates to play for the Hab's. But that time has passed.........Promised Land turned into the House of Twist.....dreams stored in a body bag.......memories fading from twelve year acid wash........hope poisoned by barrels of cynicism. *cries* Maybe on day.......  |
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Post by seventeen on Dec 22, 2005 2:55:01 GMT -5
We could have Kovalev, Perezhogin and Markov on the Russian team, Koivu on Finland, Zednik and Bulis (can you believe it?) on the Slovak team. Hey, we're well represented in the Olympics.
Bertuzzi has been dominating the last 2 to 3 weeks. An easy choice in my opinion. Some of the other guys....not so. Richards, St. Louis, or Lecavalier could all have been replaced by Staal. Blake, blah. Foote, blah. Of course, if you leave them off, you end up with McCabe so I'd rather have Foote and Blake.
So it seems no one today is any better than the same guys from 2002. Wrong decision. I loved the 02 team because it was different and deserving. This one is too "union seniority' based for my liking.
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Post by Polarice on Dec 22, 2005 7:23:10 GMT -5
Nobody on the Habs deserved to play on team Canada. Souray stuggles and Ryder looks bad, Theo had a slim chance but had to play well to get in.
BTW Rodgers Sportsnet said the Theo is the #4 goaltender. Whatever that means? Maybe if one of the tenders go down then he gets the call? Who knows?
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Post by blny on Dec 22, 2005 8:22:23 GMT -5
I didnt' expect any habs to make the squad. Our two most likely players haven't been playing near well enough. If the games were in the last NHL season Theo and Souray likely would be on the team. Souray would have been most likely in the role that McCabe finds himself in now.
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Post by CentreHice on Dec 22, 2005 8:25:34 GMT -5
Seniority based, indeed. Good thing Yzerman and Lemieux had the class and dignity to take themselves out of the loop.....otherwise they'd be on the team too. And who would've been left off? Smyth? Doan? Draper? St. Louis?
As for Bertuzzi being dominant the past two weeks...I'm not saying he shouldn't be on the team, just that it wouldn't have mattered if he'd been injured.
I also noticed that the players were announced in alphabetical order....
D-men: Blake, Foote, Niedermayer, Pronger, Redden, Regehr.
Forwards: Doan, Draper, Gagner, Healtey, Iginla, Lecavalier, Nash, Richards, Smith, St. Louis, Thornton....and THEN they said Bertuzzi.....why? Building suspense, because the announcement was in Vancouver? Because otherwise he'd have been first on the list, and putting him near the end made it look like he just squeaked in? Optics.
The only one left to be mentioned was Sakic which, as our captain, was appropriate.
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Post by olematelot on Dec 22, 2005 10:08:46 GMT -5
As the media predicted, it doesn't matter who they picked, there will always be controversy. Speaking of controversy whoever mention Ryder looks bad, what was meant by that. Oh wait I understand he only has 16 goals.
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Post by olematelot on Dec 22, 2005 10:10:18 GMT -5
We could have Kovalev, Perezhogin and Markov on the Russian team, Koivu on Finland, Zednik and Bulis (can you believe it?) on the Slovak team. Hey, we're well represented in the Olympics. Bertuzzi has been dominating the last 2 to 3 weeks. An easy choice in my opinion. Some of the other guys....not so. Richards, St. Louis, or Lecavalier could all have been replaced by Staal. Blake, blah. Foote, blah. Of course, if you leave them off, you end up with McCabe so I'd rather have Foote and Blake. So it seems no one today is any better than the same guys from 2002. Wrong decision. I loved the 02 team because it was different and deserving. This one is too "union seniority' based for my liking. Bulis is a Czech and yes he did make the team. |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Dec 22, 2005 11:50:19 GMT -5
Nobody on the Habs deserved to play on team Canada. Souray stuggles and Ryder looks bad, Theo had a slim chance but had to play well to get in. BTW Rodgers Sportsnet said the Theo is the #4 goaltender. Whatever that means? Maybe if one of the tenders go down then he gets the call? Who knows? I think they meant #4 after Huet, Danis and Price. |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Dec 22, 2005 12:17:21 GMT -5
As the media predicted, it doesn't matter who they picked, there will always be controversy. Speaking of controversy whoever mention Ryder looks bad, what was meant by that. Oh wait I understand he only has 16 goals. If Team Canada wants a well rounded team that includes, speed, scorers, checkers and specialists they missed out on a Hab who deserves to be on the team (and I don't mean Ryder). This player distinguished himself as the best at what he does. Finely honed skills, focused on a single narrow contribution where he excells. Dagenais should be on the team as the shootout specialist (LOL). Never really thought of him as the only Hab to make Team Canada. (apparently neither did Wayne) ;D |
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Post by roke on Dec 22, 2005 13:30:21 GMT -5
As the media predicted, it doesn't matter who they picked, there will always be controversy. Speaking of controversy whoever mention Ryder looks bad, what was meant by that. Oh wait I understand he only has 16 goals. If Team Canada wants a well rounded team that includes, speed, scorers, checkers and specialists they missed out on a Hab who deserves to be on the team (and I don't mean Ryder). This player distinguished himself as the best at what he does. Finely honed skills, focused on a single narrow contribution where he excells. Dagenais should be on the team as the shootout specialist (LOL). Never really thought of him as the only Hab to make Team Canada. (apparently neither did Wayne) ;D |
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Post by CentreHice on Dec 22, 2005 16:20:08 GMT -5
I spent three hours in Toronto traffic today, listening to Sports Radio....and it was wall-to-wall Bertuzzi this and Bertuzzi that. 100% of the sports' commentators/personalities/hosts said, "Give it a rest. He's done his time. Let him get on with his life. It's over."
So go ahead, Todd.....make us proud.
Bill Watters' and Jeff Marek's big point for Bertuzzi's inclusion was, and I quote: "Perezhogin will likely play for Russia and you won't hear a whisper about him trying to take Stafford's head off."
Anson Carter, Bertuzzi's Canuck teammate, said: "Everybody in the room was happy for Bert. He's had so many bad things happen to him in the last year.....it's great to see something good happen for him."
Bill Watters actually said, "Bertuzzi isn't what you'd call a mean player....he's not that tough....he doesn't get in a lot of fights. Sure he's big and strong...but he's not what I'd call tough." That's the spin of the day, friends.
So I give up.....yes, Bertuzzi is a great hockey player, and his presence will no doubt do Canada well. He's paid the NHL penalty, even the Vancouver court's......civil case to come yet. He IS truly sorry (only a sociopath wouldn't be)....and he has tried to apologize to Moore several times.
He's done all he can do to this point. It'll haunt him for the rest of his life. Perhaps that is justice in itself.
Here's the real battle. It was the NHL that reinstated Bertuzzi, making him available. Gretzky took the best players available. Can't blame Gretzky for that. If anyone has a beef, it's with the NHL.
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Post by MC Habber on Dec 22, 2005 16:55:29 GMT -5
I didnt' expect any habs to make the squad. Our two most likely players haven't been playing near well enough. If the games were in the last NHL season Theo and Souray likely would be on the team. Souray would have been most likely in the role that McCabe finds himself in now. Interestingly, Pierre McGuire picked a Team Canada 2 from players left off of the real team, and while it did not include Souray, it did include Craig Rivet. |
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Post by MC Habber on Dec 22, 2005 19:06:39 GMT -5
Jan Bulis L 6'2 208 3/18/78 Pardubice, Czech Republic
Saku Koivu L 5'10 181 11/23/74 Turku, Finland
Richard Zednik L 6'0 200 1/6/76 Bystrica, Slovakia
Mark Streit R 5'11 198 12/11/77 Englisberg, Switzerland
So far. Team Russia has yet to be announced.
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Post by Habit on Dec 25, 2005 15:01:02 GMT -5
I didnt' expect any habs to make the squad. Our two most likely players haven't been playing near well enough. If the games were in the last NHL season Theo and Souray likely would be on the team. Souray would have been most likely in the role that McCabe finds himself in now. Isn't the Habs equipment manager going? |
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Post by seventeen on Dec 26, 2005 17:40:05 GMT -5
Jan Bulis L 6'2 208 3/18/78 Pardubice, Czech Republic Saku Koivu L 5'10 181 11/23/74 Turku, Finland Richard Zednik L 6'0 200 1/6/76 Bystrica, Slovakia Mark Streit R 5'11 198 12/11/77 Englisberg, Switzerland So far. Team Russia has yet to be announced. It wouldn't be surprising to see Perezhogin's name on that Russian roster in addition to the slam dunks Kovalev and Markov. If so, one really has to wonder why a guy who can make the roster of an Olympic contender, plays 4 minutes a game for his mediocre NHL team. Naturally, AP hasn't been selected to anything yet. |
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No one NADA zilch ...
