The Great White North Dream Team
Team Canada looks to repeat its Gold Medal performance in Turin at the next Olympic Games. The 2002 victory in Salt Lake City over the USA was the first in 50 years for the country that brought this great game to life.
Canada along with the Czech Republic and Russia are the early favorites, but in the one-game situation of the Olympics, many teams have a chance to surprise anyone. (Belarus’s impressive win over Sweden in the 2002 Olympic quarterfinals)
Canada seems to be the team to beat, and Brodeur is the main reason. Martin Broduer has a long list of achievements and a solid record in goal. In addition to the 2002 Olympic victory, he also led Canada to the World Cup title a year ago, is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and winner of the Vezina Trophy the past two seasons as the NHL’s best goaltender.
Canada also has forwards Dany Heatley (Ottawa) and Joe Thornton (San Jose), who are perennial leaders in the top 5 scorers in the NHL this year.
The Team Canada roster and the Great White North version of the “Dream Team”
goalkeepers
30 Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
1 Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers
35 Marty Turco, Dallas Stars
Defending
4 Rob Blake, Colorado Avalanche
52 Adam Foote, Columbus Blue Jackets
55 Ed Jovanovski, Vancouver Canucks
24 *Bryan McCabe, Toronto Maple Leafs
27 Scott Niedermayer, Mighty Ducks
44 Chris Pronger, Edmonton Oilers
6 Wade Redden, Ottawa Senators
28 Robyn Regehr, Calgary Flames
Forward
14 Todd Bertuzzi, Vancouver Canucks
9 Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes
33 Kris Draper, Detroit Red Wings
21 Simon Gagne, Philadelphia Flyers
15 Dany Heatley, Ottawa Senators
12 Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
40 Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning
61 Rick Nash, Columbus blue jackets
39 Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning
91 Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
94 Ryan Smyth, Edmonton Oilers
10 *Jason Spezza, Senators from Ottawa
22 *Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes
26 Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
97 Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
*Alternate players
Playing for Team Canada, managed by Pat Quinn, is a highly sought after position, and right now the talent pool is so large that it’s interesting to note that Eric Stall is an alternet. The team is led by Wayne Gretzky as CEO and Bob Nicholson as president.
Joe Sakic will be the captain of the Canadian men’s ice hockey team. Sakic has served as team captain with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche since 1992 and was Canada’s backup captain at both the 2002 Winter Olympics and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. The notable absence will be Mario Lemieux, who will be retired from hockey due to health and age. issues.
In the history of the Winter Olympics, the Canadian team has accumulated a total of 13 medals, seven gold in 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1948, 1952, 2002, four silver in 1936, 1960, 1992, 1994 and two bronze in 1956. , 1968.
Professional hockey players have only been allowed to participate in the Winter Olympics since 1998.
Current odds to win the men’s ice hockey gold medal at Bodog
Canada 6/5
Czech Republic 5/2
Sweden 4/1
Russia 5/1
United States 5/1
Slovakia 10/1
Finland 12/1
Switzerland 70/1
Germany 200/1
Latvia 200/1
Italy 400/1
Kazakhstan 450/1
While you won’t make a huge amount of money betting on Team Canada, it’s the safest bet on the board in my opinion! We will be following the 2006 Winter Olympics and will be posting Olympic men’s and women’s hockey plays.