Coming into the Sochi games as the defending gold medalists after their overtime victory against USA in Vancouver, Canada is again the team to beat. Their roster is a who’s who of the NHL elite and the team will certainly be a force in Sochi.
Sidney Crosby will captain the team, but one of the big issues facing Canada is who to pair Crosby with. Chris Kunitz, his linemate in Pittsburgh, will likely occupy one wing. Martin St. Louis may see some time on his line, but much of the round robin portion of the tournament will likely be a chance for coach Mike Babcock to mix and match to see who works best with Sid the Kid. The team’s other lines are no less dangerous, with household names like Jonathan Toews, Corey Perry, Rick Nash and John Tavares also included on the roster.
On defense, super shooter Shea Weber will be a valuable asset with his canon-like slapshot, and the bigger ice surface could create more room for him to fully unload that rocket. PK Subban gets his first Olympics nod, but his immaturity and cockiness could cost the Canadians.
It’s tough to say who will get the starting job in net, but with Roberto Luongo’s poor track record in big games, Price will likely get the opportunity. Even if Price falters, Luongo, and third strong backup Mike Smith, are both more than capable to handle the load.
Here’s Canada’s full roster:
Forwards
J. Benn
P. Bergeron
J. Carter
S. Crosby
M. Duchene
R. Getzlaf
C. Kunitz
P. Marleau
R. Nash
C. Perry
P. Sharp
M. St. Louis
J. Tavares
J. Toews
Defense
J. Bouwmeester
D. Doughty
D. Hamhuis
D. Keith
A. Pietrangelo
P. Subban
M. Vlasic
S. Weber
Goalies
R. Luongo
C. Price
M. Smith
