casper
12-18-2009, 12:21 PM
HODGEMAIL: WHO'S YOUR NO. 1 PICK FOR TEAM CANADA?
TSN.CA STAFF
TSN's Dave Hodge sounds off on all the hockey issues of the day in a segment this season called Hodgemail. Write in to answer Dave's weekly question and watch the NHL on TSN to see if he reads your response.
Sidney Crosby or Jarome Iginla?
Martin Brodeur or Roberto Luongo?
There are a lot of options for Steve Yzerman when it comes to selecting Team Canada for the upcoming Olympics.
While there has been a great deal of debate on which players on the bubble could make the team, is there one player that Canada can't win without?
Could it be Sidney Crosby, who missed out on an Olympic experience in 2006, but has since led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup win?
What about Martin Brodeur, who is poised to become to the NHL's all-time shutout leader, on top of being the all-time wins leader, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, and a four-time Vezina Trophy winner?
Or is it someone else like Roberto Luongo or Mike Green?
Here was Dave's question to you: "If Canada's Olympic roster selection were a draft, who would be your No. 1 pick?"
And here are the answers that Dave liked best:
"You build your team around five qualities: leadership, youth, grit, talent and experience. Sidney Crosby has all five. Without a doubt, he is Team Canada's No. 1 player." - Sean
"The obvious pick is Scott Niedermayer. He has the most international experience, he has won everything there is to win, and he should be the team captain." - Paolo
"Iginla's a great leader who plays hard and scores goals. There aren't many players who can one-time the puck like he can...save for Dany Heatley and a few Russians." - Nick
"My No. 1 pick is Rick Nash. His physical frame, his strength and his soft hands fit the Team Canada mould perfectly." - Brennan
"Marty Brodeur is No. 1 here and No. 1 all-time. When he's bad, he's fine, and when he's good, he wins, even with average teams." - Dan
"It would have to be Brodeur. In a short tournament, goaltending can be the single biggest difference, especially with the depth Canada has. Put Canada's top 6 defenders in front of him and he should be our golden ticket." - Nick
"Sidney Crosby, you need a guy who has won the biggest games and he has done so. He has also felt defeat in those biggest games so he knows what you need to do to win in those situations." - Matt
"I believe the number one pick should be Sidney Crosby for one simple reason: he symbolizes everyone's view of a great Canadian hockey player!" - Matthew
"Ryan Getzlaf, no question about it. He can do it all, and has proven that he rises to every challenge. Getzlaf takes too many minor penalties, but he is too smart a player to penalize his team on the grandest stage." - Ben
And Dave's Reply To All:
Team Canada will be well above average, and at the risk of trying too hard to pick someone other than Sidney Crosby or Marty Brodeur, my choice is Joe Thornton.
After all, he is the NHL's scoring leader thanks to a league-leading 37 assists. And Thornton's value to Team Canada comes mostly from that playmaking ability - whether it's San Jose teammates Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau or two other wingers, Joe is the player most capable of centering a line made for scoring, and he would be the most important ingredient on any power play unit Team Canada builds. With past Olympics in mind, Canada needs to score, and the goal-scorers need Thornton to set them up.
TSN.CA STAFF
TSN's Dave Hodge sounds off on all the hockey issues of the day in a segment this season called Hodgemail. Write in to answer Dave's weekly question and watch the NHL on TSN to see if he reads your response.
Sidney Crosby or Jarome Iginla?
Martin Brodeur or Roberto Luongo?
There are a lot of options for Steve Yzerman when it comes to selecting Team Canada for the upcoming Olympics.
While there has been a great deal of debate on which players on the bubble could make the team, is there one player that Canada can't win without?
Could it be Sidney Crosby, who missed out on an Olympic experience in 2006, but has since led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup win?
What about Martin Brodeur, who is poised to become to the NHL's all-time shutout leader, on top of being the all-time wins leader, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, and a four-time Vezina Trophy winner?
Or is it someone else like Roberto Luongo or Mike Green?
Here was Dave's question to you: "If Canada's Olympic roster selection were a draft, who would be your No. 1 pick?"
And here are the answers that Dave liked best:
"You build your team around five qualities: leadership, youth, grit, talent and experience. Sidney Crosby has all five. Without a doubt, he is Team Canada's No. 1 player." - Sean
"The obvious pick is Scott Niedermayer. He has the most international experience, he has won everything there is to win, and he should be the team captain." - Paolo
"Iginla's a great leader who plays hard and scores goals. There aren't many players who can one-time the puck like he can...save for Dany Heatley and a few Russians." - Nick
"My No. 1 pick is Rick Nash. His physical frame, his strength and his soft hands fit the Team Canada mould perfectly." - Brennan
"Marty Brodeur is No. 1 here and No. 1 all-time. When he's bad, he's fine, and when he's good, he wins, even with average teams." - Dan
"It would have to be Brodeur. In a short tournament, goaltending can be the single biggest difference, especially with the depth Canada has. Put Canada's top 6 defenders in front of him and he should be our golden ticket." - Nick
"Sidney Crosby, you need a guy who has won the biggest games and he has done so. He has also felt defeat in those biggest games so he knows what you need to do to win in those situations." - Matt
"I believe the number one pick should be Sidney Crosby for one simple reason: he symbolizes everyone's view of a great Canadian hockey player!" - Matthew
"Ryan Getzlaf, no question about it. He can do it all, and has proven that he rises to every challenge. Getzlaf takes too many minor penalties, but he is too smart a player to penalize his team on the grandest stage." - Ben
And Dave's Reply To All:
Team Canada will be well above average, and at the risk of trying too hard to pick someone other than Sidney Crosby or Marty Brodeur, my choice is Joe Thornton.
After all, he is the NHL's scoring leader thanks to a league-leading 37 assists. And Thornton's value to Team Canada comes mostly from that playmaking ability - whether it's San Jose teammates Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau or two other wingers, Joe is the player most capable of centering a line made for scoring, and he would be the most important ingredient on any power play unit Team Canada builds. With past Olympics in mind, Canada needs to score, and the goal-scorers need Thornton to set them up.