Olympics Watch: Canadians off to hot starts

by James Mirtle on Oct 30, 2009 1:20 PM CDT Comment 20 comments

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Rather than take a look at the usual suspects for Team Canada at the Olympics, I figured it might be worthwhile to simply look at which Canadian players are impressing in the early going this season. I'll try and get a similar look at some of the other teams up here in the next week or so.

Goal

	Player	Team	GP	GS	W	L	OT	GAA	Sv%
1	Jose Theodore	WSH	8	7	3	2	2	2.47	0.922
2	M-A Fleury	PIT	10	10	9	1	0	2.07	0.921
3	Marty Turco	DAL	9	9	4	2	3	2.26	0.917
4	Chris Mason	STL	7	7	3	3	1	2.69	0.913
5	Martin Brodeur	NJD	10	10	6	4	0	2.57	0.909
6	D. Roloson	NYI	6	6	2	1	3	2.96	0.906
7	Ray Emery	PHI	9	9	5	3	1	2.62	0.906
8	Cam Ward	CAR	11	11	2	6	3	2.89	0.905
9	Pascal Leclaire	OTT	8	8	4	2	1	2.72	0.902
10	R. Luongo	VAN	12	12	6	6	0	2.79	0.902

Something tells me Jose Theodore's going to be out of luck when it comes time to pick the team in December, but Marc-Andre Fleury is getting a lot of attention so far given his Cup-winning performance in the spring. He's the favourite to join Marty Brodeur and Roberto Luongo, if he's healthy, on the team.

Defence

	Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-
1	Dan Boyle	SJS	13	2	11	13	1
2	Michael Del Zotto	NYR	13	4	8	12	4
3	Drew Doughty	LAK	14	2	10	12	2
4	Mike Green	WSH	12	2	8	10	5
5	Ed Jovanovski	PHX	12	4	6	10	3
6	Dion Phaneuf	CGY	11	5	4	9	0
7	Kyle Quincey	COL	13	2	6	8	6
8	Duncan Keith	CHI	12	3	5	8	5
9	Jason Demers	SJS	13	0	8	8	5
10	Chris Pronger	PHI	10	2	6	8	4
11	Shea Weber	NSH	12	4	4	8	2

Perhaps the most interesting name here is Doughty, who has picked up his game from where he was last season as a rookie. If not these Olympics, he looks like he'll be there down the road (assuming NHLers go).

Boyle, meanwhile, is playing his way onto the team, even while playing with a broken thumb, while players like Keith and Weber continue to make their case. Picking the blueline won't be easy for the Team Canada brass given Phaneuf, Jay Bouwmeester, Robyn Regehr and Scott Niedermayer are in the running, too.

Forward

	Player	Team	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PPG	+/-
1	Brad Richards	DAL	C	10	5	10	15	1.50	7
2	Dustin Penner	EDM	R	13	9	10	19	1.46	9
3	S. Stamkos	TBL	C	10	9	5	14	1.40	3
4	Martin St. Louis	TBL	R	10	3	11	14	1.40	-3
5	Rick Nash	CBJ	R	11	6	9	15	1.36	-2
6	Patrick Marleau	SJS	C	13	10	7	17	1.31	3
7	Joe Thornton	SJS	C	13	3	14	17	1.31	-3
8	Rene Bourque	CGY	L	11	5	9	14	1.27	-2
9	Rich Peverley	ATL	C	9	5	6	11	1.22	1
10	Sidney Crosby	PIT	C	12	9	5	14	1.17	9
11	James Neal	DAL	L	12	7	7	14	1.17	7
12	Dany Heatley	SJS	L	13	8	7	15	1.15	-2
13	J.P. Dumont	NSH	R	8	3	6	9	1.12	2
14	Corey Perry	ANA	R	10	5	6	11	1.10	-1
15	Mike Richards	PHI	C	10	6	5	11	1.10	-3
16	Ryan Smyth	LAK	L	14	6	9	15	1.07	3

More interesting names. Do you take, for example, Steve Stamkos, even though he wasn't at the orientation camp? Have Brad Richards and Patrick Marleau worked themselves into the equation? And do you bring back that old standby, Captain Canada, after his hot start with the Kings?

Needless to say, it's going to be incredibly interesting who they take, as some previously unheralded candidates are making strong cases so far. It's still early, but then again, they have to pick this team in another six or seven weeks, so I imagine they're keeping an eye on this, just as we are.

I've bolded the players listed who I think are strong candidates to make the team.

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The other thing worth watching is the injuries that seem to be making their way through the league in waves. Luongo’s rib injury has already been mentioned, but here’s a few more:

Milan Lucic was invited to the orientation camp, but will missing a month and a half at the beginning of the year with a broken finger kill his (albeit slim) chance at making the final roster?

Marc Savard wasn’t invited to the orientation camp, but four quality campaigns under his belt since the lockout, he could be justifiably considered among the names of Canada’s top centres. However, like Lucic, he’s also missing time. In his case, it’s a broken foot.

Jonathan Toews has a good shot to make the roster, but you have to expect that Team Canada staff will be watching closely to see how he continues to recover from this concussion.

Perhaps the biggest blow will be on the left side, where Simon Gagne might be ruled out thanks to hernia surgery. A veteran of the past two Olympic teams, Gagne had a strong bounce-back year last season after his 2007-08 campaign was plagued by injury. Almost cruel foreshadowing: he had to leave the orientation camp this summer with groin problems, now those same problems might have him off Canada’s team.

-Kevin Forbes
Hockey's Future

by kforbes on Oct 30, 2009 1:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I’d need a bigger sample before I went away from the names you’ve bolded; even Ryan Smyth needs to keep up his pace to stay on there. That said, if Stamkos is anywhere near 27 goals after 30 games, he’d damn well better be on the team. I don’t want a repeat of Nagano or Turin where we leave our hottest skill players at home (in favour of slumping former stars) and then can’t score.

On D, I think Doughty needs to be at worst the seventh defenceman. He’s going to be very good for a long time.

I've been looking at the sky

by Back In Black on Oct 30, 2009 2:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bigger sample maybe, but Canada picks their team in December.

These players basically have a month to make their final case. In terms of using the 09-10 season as an audition for a spot on the team, we’re pretty much approaching the halfway mark. If a player is going to get hot and force his way onto the team, he either needs to be playing well now or start extremely soon.

-Kevin Forbes
Hockey's Future

by kforbes on Oct 30, 2009 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, yes

But 25-30 games is a better judge than 10, and I’m just not about to argue that Bourque and Peverly should be on Team Canada ahead of Iginla and Getzlaf because they had a good 10 game run.

On the other hand, if Bourque is still on pace for a 100 point season after 30 games, he’d better get some consideration.

I've been looking at the sky

by Back In Black on Oct 30, 2009 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will be the biggest Team Canada fan if Boyle and Marleau make the team.

"It ain't over till it's over." - Yogi Berra

by 49er16 on Oct 30, 2009 4:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Same here

Well, only if Pavelski doesn’t make Team USA. Because I am kind of nationalistic, and Pavelski is one of my favorite players.

But seriously. Boyle has been playing with a broken thumb, and Marleau is currently centering a line consisting of Manny Malhotra and Jamie McGinn (rather than playing LW with Pavelski and Clowe/Setoguchi), and yet they are both doing extremely well. I mean, hell, Marleau is tied for second in the league in goals. Even if his pace drops off a bit, he’s still making a great case to be on the team.

"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe
Proud member of the "Don't Trade Marleau" Club
Fools and Sages

by mymclife on Oct 30, 2009 5:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would laugh, cry, and laugh some more if Theo’s name even comes up in serious discussion. Who ever thought a month ago that he would be leading in any statistical category besides “L”?

by RedBirdie on Oct 30, 2009 5:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

i would have thought he’d have a GAA between 3 or 4…

by no ah on Oct 30, 2009 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It would make for interesting discussion though if he’s a leading Vezina candidate come December and clearly in 2002 form.

by red army line on Nov 1, 2009 5:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

it would make us less twitchy, woulnd’t it? Solid goaltending is something we haven’t seen in DC since, oh, 2002ish.

by RedBirdie on Nov 1, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He’s historically good in the first round and poor in the second round, IIRC from a playoff preview FanPost. Still not gonna make me less twitchy. You know what is? A healthy Young Guns-led Caps team that wins their ECQF in anything shorter than 7 games.

by red army line on Nov 1, 2009 1:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I feel it would be a major oversight to not have Drew Doughty on this hockey team. He may be young but he is undoubtedly one of Canada’s top 7 defenceman. His points totals are not an aberration.

by therealdeal on Oct 30, 2009 6:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

But how is his defence? Serious question.

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by Doogie2K on Oct 31, 2009 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn’t say “undoubtedly”—Canada is seriously deep at every position. I think it would be good for Yzerman to use him as a 7th D though. I tell ya, that kid could captain Team Canada someday.

by red army line on Nov 1, 2009 5:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But especially deep on the blueline – the list of players that won’t go would make a better blueline than just about every other team is going to send.

by Knee high to a duck on Nov 2, 2009 10:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think very good. He was arguably the best defenceman at the World Champs for Canada and I am not surprised at all to see the point totals for him because he is incredibly poised with the puck. He does not look like a 20 year old.

That said, I haven’t actually seen him this season. Here are the Kings’ advanced stats sorted by TOI.

http://www.behindthenet.ca/2009/new_5_on_5.php?sort=5&section=goals&mingp=10&mintoi=&team=L.A&pos=

Interesting to note Doughty’s position on the various metrics and then to look at his defensive partner’s metrics. I think we can probably say Doughty is driving some fairly positive results.

by therealdeal on Oct 31, 2009 10:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Jay Feaster with his take:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/29013-Jay-Feasters-Blog-Looking-at-Team-Canada-after-a-month-of-hockey.html

-Kevin Forbes
Hockey's Future

by kforbes on Nov 2, 2009 4:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Please no Mike Green. The Canadians will have enough fire power on offense they don’t need a major liability on defense like him.

by genomachine-O on Nov 3, 2009 2:14 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Right now, even though it will never happen, Fleury should be starting. I don’t think theres anyway Brodeur doesn’t start right or wrong, but Fleury will get his chance because Luongos going to be #3.

by genomachine-O on Nov 3, 2009 2:16 PM CST reply actions 0 recs