Bobby Clarke, Keith Jones pick Crosby as Canada's captain

[ivand87]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=297234



Flyers fans --->

Good stuff. Someone send this to The Joke over at A2Y. Oh and I realize there's a thread about Richards' boyfriend picking Crosby, Fleury and Staal, but I think this is worthy of a new thread.

[mac5155]

lulz. this means it wont happen.

[Bob McKenzie]

Unless Clark and Jones just think Canada will fail to beat Russia and Crosby losing as captain will throw him off for the rest of the season in their minds...

Niedermayer probably should be the pick. I think Sid would do a fine job if he were Captain but Niedermayer has a lot of experience you can't make up for and also being one of the best defensemen in the game doesn't hurt either.

[ivand87]

Niedermayer probably should be the pick. I think Sid would do a fine job if he were Captain but Niedermayer has a lot of experience you can't make up for and also being one of the best defensemen in the game doesn't hurt either.

Yeah, I probably agree with that. As long as Sid gets an A, I'm fine with that. At the same time, if Crosby is indeed chosen to captain Team Canada, I think they'll be fine and Sid would let guys like Niedermayer and Iginla be more vocal leaders than he can be at his age. It's really kind of a technicality because Canada is gonna be so loaded, they'll probably win and only Russia can beat them.

If it ends up being Canada vs. Russia in the Gold Medal game it could be the most epic game ever.

[André]

That is too funny. Another thing to remind Crosby-bashing Flyers fans of =)

[Steve]

Since I'm rooting for USA, I hope they pick Mike Richards as their captain.

They should make Iginla the captain though.

[jeffshly]

How funny is it that Bobby Clarke wants a whiner and crybaby named Cindy serving as his country's team captain? Proof positive that the entire Flyers organization hate playing against him, but would love to have him.

[letsgoalpens]

Since I'm rooting for USA, I hope they pick Mike Richards as their captain.

They should make Iginla the captain though.

I agree, Iggy is my pick. He is everything a captain should be imo. Hopefully he will lead Team Canada to gold as the captain because it is looking less and less like he is going to get a cup in Calgary. I hope he is able to get a cup one day, he is a guy that deserves it imo.

[Stan Potash]

oh man, what if canada and russia play in the gold medal game and ovechkin takes a run at sid? can you imagine what would be going through malkin's head at that moment?

but back to the point, i don't really think sid should be the captain of team canada. he's still too young for that.

[bhaw]

It's been said before, but putting a C on someone for this team is simply because they have to have one. The team will be full of leaders. The part that makes sense with Crosby is that he should easily be on the team for the next 4 or 5 Olympics. If they can start him as the C now, that will be a lot of consistency going forward. Niedermayer is likely on his last Olympics. He can lead, but they have to pass the C off again next time. I see it making a lot of sense from that perspective... consistency over the next 2 decades.

[crayz]

I think the fans and media are making way to big of a deal over this...I really don't think the players care either way. They know who the best players are and who to listen to...

[Three Stars]

Ovechkin should be the captain of the Russian team.

They should sew the "C" to the shoulder of his jersey, so he...

[Froggy]

[Pavel Bure]

Babcock already said that Scott Niedermayer will be captain.

[wm0712]

Babcock already said that Scott Niedermayer will be captain.

where?

[Mongoose87]

Ovechkin should be the captain of the Russian team.

They should sew the "C" to the shoulder of his jersey, so he...

I see what you did there.

[DocEmrick]

Oh yeah?

[Gaucho]

Ovechkin should be the captain of the Russian team.

They should sew the "C" to the shoulder of his jersey, so he...

Well played.

[superstartreatment]

I understand alot of people are considering Russia as the favorite and thats all in fine that is there opinion. But I was just wondering who will be playing the stay at home D man positions and who will be playing goal? Canada is a favorite with the balance of players Babcock and Yzerman will select but, will they be able to withstand the pressure of playing in their own country? USA, Sweeden , and the Checz are the teams that could verry well be the sleeping giants. My prediction USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pavel Bure]

Babcock already said that Scott Niedermayer will be captain.

where?

Not officially but barring injury it's pretty obvious who Babcock is going to make captain.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... index.html

But if you listened closely enough to a new conference, it was obvious whom Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman and Babcock are ready to settle as captain: Scott Niedermayer.

Now, nobody actually came out and said the defenseman, who has won a Memorial Cup, an Olympics, world championships and Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks, is going to be the official leader of this team. There are 46 players at Canada's Olympic camp and theoretically no jobs are safe (although that Red Team fourth line of Ryan Smyth, Derek Roy and Patrick Sharp looks like a long shot.) But Niedermayer, paired on the Team White defense with Duncan Keith, is as much of a lock as Crosby, Iginla, Martin Brodeur, Ryan Getzlaf and the rest of the usual suspects.

If you care to connect the dots, you will see that Niedermayer played for Canada in the 2002 Olympics and was a big part of its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years, but when he did not take part in the 2006 because of an injury -- Jay Bouwmeester was his replacement -- Canada failed to win a medal. Apparently Yzerman and Babcock can follow that trail without the benefit of loyal Herald readers.

"I think Scott Niedermayer would be a pretty good [candidate]," said Babcock in response to a question from a TV fellow who had handicapped it as a two-horse race for the captaincy, Crosby and Iginla. "What I see [in this group] is a whole ton of young players and guys who have been through this before. There's going to be an environment that expects success. I think that guys who have been there before have a chance to calm [things] down. Everybody on this team is a leader in their own way. Saying that, the guys who have been through that before will be the stabilizing force, much like it was in the past when we had success."

[Three Stars]

I would have no problem with C- Niedermayer, A- Iginla, A- Crosby.

[puckeye]

I love Sid but I have no problem with him going without a letter in his first Olympics.

[pressure=9Pa]

I love Sid but I have no problem with him going without a letter in his first Olympics.

I would agree, but the fact he was snubbed 4 years ago plays into this. Had he been on the roster in 06, and be an "A" in 2010, it would set him up for a C in 2014 (assuming NHLers play).

[Steve]

oh man, what if canada and russia play in the gold medal game and ovechkin takes a run at sid? can you imagine what would be going through malkin's head at that moment?

but back to the point, i don't really think sid should be the captain of team canada. he's still too young for that.

Isn't it going to be strange to see Sid going up against Geno & Sarge? And hopefully Sid does skate with Nash and Iginla on his line - those are two of my favorite non-Pens in the league.

I really really can not wait for Canada vrs Russia. I've posted this like 4 times here, i'll keep saying it. It's going to be a war, and I hope Canada wins it. (between those two teams, and it has nothing to do with Sid or Geno - although I will root for Russia against Sweden etc because of Geno)

go USA!

[Sams_Dog]

No, no, no.