What's wrong with Team Canda?....No Crosby

[Mountaineer]

That's right. They could use his skill, speed and grit right now. There's really no one on that team that brings all three of those qualities to the table like Sid does, and I hope they continue to disappoint as a result.

[netwolf]

I wouldn't disagree that Crosby could help that team, but to suggest "There's really no one on that team that brings all three of those qualities to the table like Sid does" tells me you are suffering from Penguins myopia. Crosby is the best 18 year olf the league has seen in a while, but he's got a way to go before reaching "there's no one quite like him" status...

[jimjom]

I couldn't agree more. What he adds, even at 18, is what the Canadians are missing. Maybe you have 87 in the lineup-- and you don't lose to the Swiss.
Speculating is pointless, as the old-boy Canadian network is alive and well as evidenced by Bertuzzi's roster spot. 2010 will be Sid's year.

[jmh70]

It's not just Crosby, Canada needed all the top young players such as Phaneuf, Staal, and Spezza. Ignoring them because they are inexperienced was a stupid move by Gretzky.

[randy]

Dont forget Pat Quinn...or Hitchcock. I still say Captain Kangaroo had somethign to do with 87 being ignored.

[Defence21]

It's not just Crosby, Canada needed all the top young players such as Phaneuf, Staal, and Spezza. Ignoring them because they are inexperienced was a stupid move by Gretzky.

I don't think it necessarily was because of experience. Tell me which centers you would have cut to make room for these guys? Thornton, Richards, Lecavalier, Sakic? Of those, I'd say Sakic would be the most likely, but he is the captain, the heart and soul of the team. You could also make a case for Lecavalier and Richards, but they are both extremely talented, young players. So it would just be a swap.

One thing I think a lot of people, including myself early on, forget is that team Canada doesn't take the top players overall. They take the top players at each position. There's already a plethora of talented centers, so it's hard for these other guys to make the squad. You can't just carry 7 centers and deplete left wing or right wing. It just doesn't work that way. Plus, you have to remember that this team was put together primarliy at the beginning of the NHL season. At that time, no one knew what Crosby would do in the NHL. Spezza and Staal had good rookie seasons, but I don't think anyone expected the pair of them to explode as they have this season.

Sure, I'd love to see the younger players out there, but Team Canada was put together quite well, in my opinion. There are very few players I on that team who have played so poorly that they deserve to be replaced.

[Draftnik]

Crosby wasn't even a lead dog on the 05 Canadian WJC team. There is no way he would be a difference maker on the SR national team.

[netwolf]

Dont forget Pat Quinn...or Hitchcock. I still say Captain Kangaroo had somethign to do with 87 being ignored.

Yeah because even though Gretzky has an intense desire to win, he'd let that take back seat so Quinn or Hitchcock can grind their alleged axes. If Gretzky wanted Crosby there, he'd be there.

[wondermoose]

What's wrong with Team Canada? How about some outstanding goalies? It's like the Mighty Ducks getting to the finals a few years ago, they let Giguere do all the hard work! They're still the strongest team out there in my opinion...

[Bowser]

What is wrong with Canada?

Kris Draper, Todd Bertuzzi, Ryan Smyth and Jay Bouwmeester are Olympians over Crosby, Spezza, Staal and Phaneuf.

[NIN]

They havent scored a goal in two games primarily because their neutral zone speed is down right laughable. Look at what Finland was able to do to them in the N-zone....WOW . That's what I call, NOT RESPECTING THEIR SPEED.

What Canada is desperately lacking is exactly what Spezz, Staal, and Crosby have in abundance. ENERGY AND SPEED. Guys like Iginla, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Nash, and DOan are outstanding NHL players but when teams are just daring them to carry the play through the bigger rinks they look slow and disorganized. That has alittle to do with the coaching too but not much. Gretzky really went overboard with size and toughness when he could have so easily kept at least 2 of the above mentioned and demoted Nash and Doan to the taxi squad.

I never thought being a young superstar would be so tough? Staal is **** PHENOMENAL! How is he left out?? Unreal. I hope they lose BIGTIME.

[netwolf]

What is wrong with Canada?

Kris Draper, Todd Bertuzzi, Ryan Smyth and Jay Bouwmeester are Olympians over Crosby, Spezza, Staal and Phaneuf.

A little off-topic, but remember when Columbus traded up and took Nash over Bouwmeester and a lot of people thought they made a mistake? Not that Bouwmeester doesn't have time to develop into a top-notch defenseman, but McLean's lokoing pretty smart right now.

[Bowser]

Nash had immediate returns, thus the major reason Jackets selected him over Bouwmeester. I think Phaneuf is much further along at his age than JB and going to make a ton of teams wish they hadn't passed him over.