Hockey Canada invites 46 to Orientation Camp for Vancouver Olympics.

Forget Osgood.....what about Marc Savard? He doesn't even get an invite? ......that's an insult.

 

Edmonton and Calgary are pretty much the same place anyway.

 

Savard's rep as a less-than-great (team) guy was an issue. So was his skating. So was the fact that, after nine seasons, this year was the first that his team made it to the second round of the playoffs. Then again, it took him eight seasons to get in the playoffs at all.

 

Don't forget it took him seven years to decide to be in shape for training camp.

 

The thing is there are only so many players they can invite so there are going to be some that feel snubbed, especially if they decide to bring in a few grinders/checkers like they have. The shit will inevitably hit the fan when they actually pick the team no matter who is chosen. As long as they don't stick a Rob Zammner on there ala 1998, it will be hard to really question the choices. As is always the case they could probably ice two teams for the Olympics and both be favourites for the podium.

 

fair enough, but his attitude has been great in Boston, and his numbers are great. I don't think he should make the team, but I'm surprised he wasn't invited. It should benefit the B's,.....he gets snubbed by Canada, and he's a FA soon.....he'll put up 110 pts. this year.

 

Mr Larry,

Yup, and sign him to a five-year deal and and he'll give you a 55-point year on another lottery team.

They could have invited another dozen players and he wouldn't be in the mix.

o-<

 

Yep. Like the US basketball team, no matter who you pick, there will be deserving players on the outside looking in, which is why it would not surprise me if other nations aren't "recruiting" some, the way that it happens in other Olympic sports.

And, of course, there's more to it than simply picking the top individual players. There are players who can contribute to the team game who may not make an all-star team, like in 2006, when Kris Draper made the team and Sidney Crosby did not.

Early on --- and I realize a lot can happen between now and then --- I put Russia as the favorite, Canada second and the U.S. third.

No one can match Russia's firepower. They won the last two worlds and can potentially add Ovechkin, Malkin and Sergei Gonchar to the mix with Kovalchuk, Kovalev and the rest. I'm guessing Evgeni Nabakov, Khabibulin or perhaps Ilya Bryzgalov will be in goal.

Canada will be great, as always, but I don't think the home ice advantage will be as great as some suspect. Simply because it's an NHL-size rink and all these players have played there before, so they aren't going to be intimidated.

U.S. has a formidable goaltending duo in Ryan Miller and Tim Thomas, who can steal a game on any given night. And enough firepower with the likes of Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, Dustin Brown, Zac Parise, etc.

Can't count out Sweden, either. Should be one hell of a tournament. The determining factor could well be if one or two stars get injured in the first half of the NHL season and can't go.

Gut feeling is that this could well be the last Olympics with a full crop of NHL players. I know a lot of the players want to play and the IIHF and IOC want them there, but there are just a lot of difficulties with the scheduling and such, particularly when the Olympics are outside of North America.

 

another dozen players? bullshit. Last season he was 4th among Canadians in pts., +25, 3rd in assists. You don't like him.....I'm actually not a huge fan, but there's not 58 Canadian players better than him.

 

Agreed. And Team Canada doesn't have that long to take the chance.

 

What about Blair Betts? I hear he's pretty good.

 

I'd build a team around Betts.

Not sure why Savard is considered a 55 point guy....since the lockout he's had 97, 96, 78 and an 88 point season.