I also question the McCabe pick. Even if he only is taxi squad material. Given most of his points have been scored on the powerplay and not 5 on 5. This guy is terrible defensively. Just imagine him defending on olympic size ice.....Ugly!!!!

Jay1982 wrote:

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I'm actually kinda glad Crosby didnt go. He has started running his mouth when he shouldn't be. 

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Beware the ire of Nil!!!!!!

lol, don't get me wrong nil, Crosby is great, he's the real deal, however I dont agree with some of his comments he's made, I know 1st hand that he is a great person, and kind. I met him before he went to LA to be on Leno, I checked him in and escorted him to the aircraft leaving from Montreal, and had a good chat with him, something he probably does everywhere lol, but I didn't like a few comments he made in previous weeks.

Politics aside, another possibility  may have to do with rewarding the players for past performances.  I think the bond these players,coaches and management have built over the past olympics and World cups has obviously got to be considered as an integral part in selecting players. 

Some of the players that have been mentioned on this post don't deserve to be on Team Canada based on performance ,but chemistry is something that must not be overlooked.  These guys have played together and know what to expect...

Just look at the change in chemistry when Kovalev is in the line up with the Habs....

Sometimes talent is everything, just look at the Leafs over the past 30 years  and Rangers of recent past years...

Gretzky and company have to be given credit for thier knowledge and past accomplishments.

 

Karim wrote:

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Politics aside, another possibility  may have to do with rewarding the players for past performances.  I think the bond these players,coaches and management have built over the past olympics and World cups has obviously got to be considered as an integral part in selecting players.

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Good point.  Why is Draper on this team?  31 games, 7 pts, minus 6.  What about Nash?  He's only been in for 6 games this year, due to injuries.  I question only a few of the choices, and in the grand scheme of things, it is still a pretty good team, IMHO. 

evereyone is entitles to their own opinion but i totally disagree with a few of them on here....how could you not want bertuzzi on the team(aside from what happened), he is a force and while i understand he hasn't exactly played up to par, there is no denying his ability as a power forward.  check out his goal last night against edmonton, pure determination.

one of the great things about team canada is that it is so diverse...not many other teams can ice a team that has a dominant power forward, a brilliant defensive forward in draper, numerous goal scorers that also are responsible defensively....the list goes on....this is the main reason for our success and without guys like bertuzzi we are just another team.

and who cares what people think if we have bertuzzi or heatley on our team.  it is friggin hockey not ballet.  we entrusted the best hockey player of all time to put together team canada.  we put, for the most part, the best players on this team and i couldn't see this as being a problem for anyone especially when you look at recent scandals in the olympics with judges being bribed and drug violations....

i say sit back and enjoy our amazing team as we go for another gold

Karim wrote:

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but chemistry is something that must not be overlooked.
 

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I totally agree. What about the chemistry between Heatley and Spezza? They've been a deadly duo -- humiliating their opposition. It's hard to believe that they're not kept together.

I wouldn't have picked McCabe as equipment-boy. I would take Bowmeister over him in any on-ice situation.

Politics aside, the Doan pick is nuts. Staal has been making an ordinary team look fantastic.

Anyways, it's still a sick team.

And-O. For once you and I agree totally. To "reward" these guys by sending them to the Olympics is just plain wrong and it totally sends the wrong message to our youth.  It says "you can totally f**k up, het a slap on the wrist, and return to a normal life". Meanhile you leave guys like Crosby, who IS a good role model, home. There are 2 sets of rules in society. One for the working stiff and one for the highly paid athlete.

Sometimes things in life are more important than icing the most competitive hockey team. Someone needs to tell Hockey Canada that!

I agree with how bad it looks to have these two guys represent our country. Bertuzzi may have acted out of character but in life there are consequences. He should not be allowed to play.

Same with Heatly. He basically murdered someone. I actually feel sorry for him and am glad to see him return. He made a young man's really bad life choice and I don't think he deserves a life sentence like some of you guys. However, he should not represent our country. It really does send the wrong message to our kids. "screw up in life and kill someone...then come represent Canada and win a gold medal". I don't think so.

Both guys should have to wait until 2010 and demonstrate with on and off ice activity how to be a role model.

How do you guys feel about Shane Doan's racist remarks about French people? Do you think he should be there representing Canada after calling refs "F**king Frenchmen"?

Nil d wrote:

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barry33 wrote: And-O. For once you and I agree totally. To "reward" these guys by sending them to the Olympics is just plain wrong and it totally sends the wrong message to our youth.  It says "you can totally f**k up, het a slap on the wrist, and return to a normal life". Meanhile you leave guys like Crosby, who IS a good role model, home. There are 2 sets of rules in society. One for the working stiff and one for the highly paid athlete. Sometimes things in life are more important than icing the most competitive hockey team. Someone needs to tell Hockey Canada that! I get your point, barry, but isn't Sidney Crosby also a highly paid athlete?  

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Yes Crosby is. The key difference being that he did not cripple a player by jumping him from behind or drive a car while drinking at over 120 mph and killing a teamate. I stand by what I say. It is a total disgrace to have these guys representing our country. It nauseates me that young kids see these guys carryin on with their careers without missing a beat. Nauseates. I don't know what other way to put it.