USA Olympic Team

[Pittsburgh]

Goaltenders:

Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres)
Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings)
Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins)

Defensemen:

Erik Johnson (St Louis Blues)
Jack Johnson (Los Angeles Kings)
Mike Komisarek (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Paul Martin (New Jersey Devils)
Brooks Orpik (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Brian Rafalski (Detroit Red Wings)
Ryan Suter (Nashville Predators)

Forwards:

David Backes (St. Louis Blues)
Dustin Brown (Los Angeles Kings)
Ryan Callahan (New York Rangers)
Chris Drury (New York Rangers)
Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks)
Ryan Kesler (Vancouver Canucks)
Phil Kessel (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Jamie Langenbrunner (New Jersey Devils)
Ryan Malone (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Zack Parise (New Jersey Devils)
Joe Pavelski (San Jose Sharks)
Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks)
Paul Stastny (Colorado Avalanche)

[RuthlessBurgher]

It will be fun to root for Brooks and the U.S. against Malkin, Gonchar and the other Commie bastages (well, not anymore, but still...), plus Sid, Flower, and the rest of the hosers, knobs, and Eh-holes from the Great White North.

[Pittsburgh]

I'm still trying to figure out how Chris Drury made that team with his five goals, nine assists and -8. Maybe I'm being biased, but I'll take Bill Guerin with his thirteen goals, sixteen assists and +4. That's not to mention his leadership qualities or the experience he brings to the table when it comes to the olympic games.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I think Jordan Staal would have been a heck of a penalty killer for the team to the North of us. You don't want only All-Stars...you want to be able to build a complete team. Plus, being able to play him and his brother Eric together on a line would have been cool.

[Pittsburgh]

Staal could still possibly make that team. Bergeron went down last night with what appeared to be a serious hand injury, so that could open up a spot depending on how serious the injury ends up being. At the same time, you could make a case for a number of guys who deserve to be on team Canada. Players like Doan, Lecavalier, St. Louis, Fisher, Carter, Stamkos and Sharp to name just a few.

While it has been stated a number of times over these last few weeks, Canada could literally throw together two teams for the olympic games and that should be expected considering it's their national game. When you can afford to leave off defensemen named Phaneuf, Green and Bouwmeester and the forwards already mentioned, you know things are going well with your team. That is one very scary team and I feel Yzerman got it right unlike Gretzy the last time around.

In the end, I see Canada taking gold and the Russians taking silver. Bronze will be very interesting to watch. There are a number of good teams out there who could easily take bronze including the United States, Sweden, Finland and Czech Republic. My sleeper team is Slovakia. Although when all is said and done, I feel Sweden will take bronze.

[Pittsburgh]

So it's sounding like Bergeron is fine and is expected to miss only two weeks. Also, congratulations to team USA on beating team Canada in the WJC. I was unable to watch the game because I was at the Pens game, but I recorded it and plan on watching it tonight. I heard it was one hell of a game.

It's off topic, but the Capitals naming Ovechkin captain? I can only imagine what the pre game speeches will sound like...

"Okay guy's. Here's game plan. Give me puck all the time, I shoot. You backcheck and help defense, I skate around in neutral zone and wait for pass.".

I respect the guy's offensive abilities, but he is not captain material in my opinion. Since they traded away what they considered their team captain in Chris Clark, I would have given the captaincy to Mike Knuble.