Crosby, Fleury named to Team Canada

Crosby, Fleury named to Team Canada

12:20pm - Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 by DePaoli

As expected goaltender Marc Andre Fleury and Sidney Crosby were named to Team Canada today. Canada goes into the 2010 Winter Olympics as the favorites to win gold.

Sidney Crosby was named an alternate captain. Penguins center Jordan Staal was not named to the team.

"This is a pretty special honor. I'm pretty proud to be apart of it, " Sidney Crosby said today on being selected to Team Canada.

Team Canada Roster

Goalies

Martin Brodeur

Roberto Luongo

Marc-Andre Fleury

*As expected, Brodeur, Fleury and Luongo were named to the team. Martin Brodeur will go in as Canada's No.1. Marc Andre Fleury has made a strong argument to be Canada's No. 2 goaltender, however, all indications are Luongo will be the primary backup.

Defensemen

Dan Boyle

Drew Doughty

Duncan Keith

Scott Niedermayer - Named Captain

Chris Pronger - Alternate Captain

Brent Seabrook

Shea Weber

*No big surprises on the backend. Brent Seabrooke may be a surprise to some but there's been a lot of talk in recent weeks that Seabrook was a lock to the make the team.

Drew Doughty is believed to have earned the final spot over Jay Bouwmeester who was left off the squad.

Scott Niedermayer has been named captain with Chris Pronger being named an alternate captain.

Team Canada reps went with more of a defensive squad, leaving high scoring defenseman Mike Green off the team.

Forwards

Patrice Bergeron

Sidney Crosby

Ryan Getzlaf

Dany Heatley

Jarome Iginla

Patrick Marleau

Brenden Morrow

Rick Nash

Mike Richards

Corey Perry

Eric Staal

Joe Thornton

Jonathan Toews

*Crosby headlines a group of dynamic forwards as the franchise center is expected to play alongside Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash. That will be a sight to see in itself.

However, there were a few somewhat surprising selections as Patrice Bergeron, Brenden Morrow, Eric Staal and Mike Richards were all on the bubble coming into the final week of evaluations.

Among the players left off the roster; Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis, Mike Fisher, Jordan Staal, Ryan Smyth, and Vincent Lecavalier. Lecavalier was a no brainer while Staal, Stamkos, St. Louis and Fisher were believed to have been in the mix until the end. Injuries cost Ryan Smyth a spot on the team as Smyth was on pace for a breakout year.

A players versatility to play all forward positions, played a strong factor in a player like Patrice Bergeron making the team over others.

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Comments

Not surprised to see a few defensive pairings that have quite a bit of chemistry together. I forget who it was on the NHL Network or VS said that in a short amount of time, you need Chemistry fast. Pronger obviously had alot of time on the PP with Scott past few years in Anaheim and now you have Seabrook and Keith which i think will be pretty decent tandum.

12/30/2009 12:26pm

jbpitt11

Too bad for Jordan...his time will come though. HArd to argue against any of those forwards.

12/30/2009 12:46pm

deakka

J.Staal could have gotten a spot instead of Morrow imo. But lets hope he just decides to keep working harder and not gets frustrated and starts to play bad.

12/30/2009 12:49pm

dirtmccurt

Wow, 8 centers on the team. Can't wait to see how Crosby does with two awesome wingers

12/30/2009 12:58pm

Schmidty0818

Canada is so stacked. It's almost not fair. Let's go USA!

12/30/2009 1:03pm

TITLETOWN

who is the other A Captain?

12/30/2009 1:13pm

dirtmccurt

Pronger, Crosby and Iginla

12/30/2009 1:20pm

seabs926

Pronger, Iginla, and Crosby have the A.

12/30/2009 1:24pm

burghcity19

Congrats

12/30/2009 1:43pm

Coulson

OH CANADA, WE STAND ON GUARD FOR THEE!

12/30/2009 2:07pm

Schmidty0818

No Dion Phaneuf either. I'm kind of surprised by that.

12/30/2009 3:21pm

Kachowski

I thought for sure Canada had the gold. Until the team was announced...very disappointed.

12/30/2009 3:29pm

Samtheman

instead of eric jordan shouldve made the team

12/30/2009 3:34pm

jbpitt11

I'm obviously rooting for the US but I just think it's going to be sick hockey all the way around. Should be awesome.

12/30/2009 3:57pm

ryurko

Toews is a stretch. Sorry there are better canadians than him to play on line 4.

12/30/2009 4:04pm

dirtmccurt

I thought the same about Toews, Smyth or Penner would have been a better choice

12/30/2009 4:13pm

Samtheman

what about jordan over eric ?

12/30/2009 4:20pm

Vargo

USA USA USA!

12/30/2009 4:23pm

jaluco

Instead of Morrow?!? You're out of your mind.

12/30/2009 5:06pm

jaluco

Jordon over Eric. No.

12/30/2009 5:09pm

Samtheman

eric didnt proove nothing this year

12/30/2009 5:20pm

jaluco

Why does he have to? He's already proven plenty over his career. Look at Niedermayer - talk about another guy getting in on reputation. Thta's just the way it works. Staal put in 40 goals last year - you don't leave that kind of talent behind because he's playing on a struggling team this year.

12/30/2009 5:26pm

↑ previous comments ↑

Samtheman

its simple reason carolina looses cuz his struggling this year he plays good carolina wins his the franchise his the guy for that team look he did 5 points that night and they won vs capitals but to mee jordan shouldve bee na good 4th liner

12/30/2009 5:34pm

Samtheman

maybe next oplimpics wil lsee all 3 staal brothers in the team lol

12/30/2009 5:34pm

zerocool6687

Im sorry.... as much of a fan of Jordan as I am there is no way he gets the nod over his brother. Eric has proven to be very capable in his own end yet brings an offensive game that Jordan never will. IMO Jordans game will pick up however Erics is and always will be stronger. IMO this team was not quite made up of pure rep as some would believe either... guys like Doan and Lecavalier would have been named if that was the case. Niedermayers rep may have definitely helped his case however he is still a great leader, a very good defender and has still put up some decent numbers. I think Steve took the players that he thinks gives the team the best chance of winning, not the guys that are on the best team or that are there cuz they were there in the past a-la-the 06 team!

12/30/2009 5:52pm

zerocool6687

FTR jaluco the rep comments are in no way directed at you personally... I have seen a lot of that kinda chat all over the net, I did however reference your post as a spring board to make my point!

12/30/2009 6:21pm

jaluco

No offense taken.

12/30/2009 10:11pm