BY ALEX FLETCHER – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
Each spring, hockey fans are glued to the television – and every other outlet of information – for two months as they navigate through the whirlwind known as the National Hockey League playoffs. However, around the same time each year, another tournament that features a few of the NHL’s best players takes place: the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championship.
This year’s edition of the tournament, which will take place in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden, is slated to run from May fourth through the 20th. The 2012 World Championship is particularly important because it will determine the seeding for men’s ice hockey at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Within the next week, Team Canada, led by general manager Kevin Lowe, should announce its roster. This blog will outline what that line-up might look like.
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Although, invariably, some players turn down invitations to the tournament, I have arranged a 20-skater, three-goaltender roster using all healthy candidates, so as to avoid the guessing game of who might tell Lowe, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Besides, this year might see fewer rejections because of the chance to audition for a spot in Sochi.
Finally, it is worth noting that, while the vast majority of players selected to the actual roster will be from NHL teams that missed the playoffs, it is highly likely that, as in past years, Team Canada will later add a couple of players from teams eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
But, because I cannot gaze into a crystal ball and tell you with 100 per cent certainty which teams will be eliminated in the first round, this roster is comprised solely of players from non-playoff teams.
FORWARDS
Rick Nash / Ryan Getzlaf / Corey Perry
Getzlaf and Perry have already expressed their interest in participating in the tournament this year. Although both they and Nash are coming off of utterly disappointing seasons (an average of 59 points between the three of them), they were all part of Team Canada’s Gold Medal-winning squad at the 2010 Winter Olympics. And, with all three well over six-feet tall, they should form an imposing trio and help power the Canadian offence, as they have before, with 64 points in 50 games at previous World Championships.
Martin St. Louis / Steven Stamkos / Jarome Iginla
It’s far from certain that St. Louis and Iginla, the two oldest players on this roster, would accept invitations. If they do, however, Iginla, who remains a physical presence and a dangerous scorer, will undoubtedly help St. Louis and Stamkos continue the magic they have made all year long in Tampa Bay. With 85 goals and 171 points between them, the Lightning stars were one of the NHL’s highest-scoring duos this year.
John Tavares / Eric Staal / Jordan Eberle
Tavares and Eberle, both just 21, have already participated in two World Championships, to go along with Staal’s couple of appearances. The two young stars also managed breakout NHL seasons this year, with a combined total of 157 points in 160 games. If lined up together, the three will be lethal around opposing nets, as each of them is highly adept at both setting up plays and finishing them off.
Jamie Benn / Ryan O’Reilly / Evander Kane
If this is as close as Canada gets to a checking line, the squad should be in good shape. Although these three are young – Benn, at 22, is the oldest -, they have all represented Canada in tournaments before. In fact, Kane has already played in two World Championships. In addition, they are incredibly gritty (371 hits between them this NHL season) and have been trusted to kill penalties for their NHL teams. Oh, and this trio can score – or, at least, that’s what their combined 175 points this past season suggest.
Extra: Jeff Skinner
Other candidates: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Dany Heatley, Derek Roy, Andrew Ladd, Cal Clutterbuck, Tyler Ennis
There is certainly no shortage of talent to choose from up front. Even if multiple players turn down offers to play for Team Canada, this year’s roster should be loaded. I picked Skinner, the swift and skilled 19-year-old who potted six points at last year’s World Championship, as the extra, but it would be pretty tough to go wrong with Nugent-Hopkins, Ladd, or any other of at least a dozen skaters.
DEFENCEMEN
Mark Giordano / Jay Bouwmeester
Both Bouwmeester and Giordano, members of the Calgary Flames, are strong skaters and puck-movers, which are important skills on the larger ice surfaces in Europe. Both have also played in the World Championship before – Bouwmeester in 2003, 2004, and 2008, and Giordano in 2010. Given that Bouwmeester has opted out of the last three tournaments, it’s unlikely that he’ll participate in this one. But if he does, the familiarity he has with Giordano could prove to be useful.
Josh Gorges / P.K. Subban
Another pair of teammates, and the Montreal Canadiens’ top defensive pairing, Gorges and Subban could line up together in May. Gorges led the NHL in blocked shots this season by about 25 per cent, while Subban continued to develop his all-around game and finished among the top-20 NHLers in average ice time. Although neither has played for Team Canada at the World Championship, both suited up for the World Juniors.
Dion Phaneuf / Travis Hamonic
These two could be doling out pain to Canada’s opponents. With a combined 384 hits this past NHL season, to go along with two heavy point shots, they’re sure to leave a few opposing players looking black and blue and seeing red and white. At 21, Hamonic is young, but he was a member of the 2010 Canadian World Junior team. Phaneuf participated in two World Junior tournaments and another two World Championships, including last year’s. He’ll be auditioning for a spot in Sochi.
Extra: Robyn Regehr
Other candidates: Francois Beauchemin, Nick Schultz, Eric Brewer
Although Canada’s depth on defence isn’t as impressive as it is at forward, there are nevertheless a few solid veterans to choose from. I selected 31-year-old shutdown specialist Regehr as my extra, though he is a candidate to turn down an invite: he hasn’t played in either of the past two tournaments despite his team missing the playoffs both times.
GOALTENDERS
Cam Ward / Josh Harding
It’s entirely possible that both of these goaltenders turn down invites to this year’s tournament. Ward did exactly that last season, after participating in both the 2007 and 2008 World Championships, while Harding, a pending unrestricted free agent, might not want to risk injuring himself and hurting his chances at a new contract. They are certainly Canada’s best chances in goal, though. Perhaps Ward will feel pressure to participate in order to help make his case for a spot at the 2014 Olympics.
Extra: Devan Dubnyk
Other candidates: Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Chris Mason, Matt Hackett
Like on defence, Canada’s goaltending depth isn’t all that flattering. I chose the 6’6″ Dubnyk, an Edmonton Oilers’ goaltender and member of two previous Canadian World Championship entries, as my extra, though he has suggested that he may not be able to participate this time around. Should that be the case, Canada could look to a veteran like Giguere, or maybe a youngster like Hackett.
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