Subject: Olympic Chit Chat

Team Canada announced today as well as many other teams being announced. what y'all think?

Canada/Russia/Sweeden will be in the running for Gold, then I'd say Finland/USA are in the next tier, with Czech/Germany/Slovakia finishing behind those 5.

WTF I spelled gold medal gold metal....

Drinking and typing are horrible. You think the US is better than the Czechs?

Well we won't know until the USA roster is announced, but yes I do. Miller can steal games in goal, while the Czech goalies are streaky. They might light up, but there is also an equal chance they fall flat on their face. I also don't like their offense/defense compared to what I think the US will bring out.

I haven't liked any of the current US iterations as far as teamwork - thy just don't seem to have the glue that it takes, or lack of ego. Not sure which but I hope the team they let out is young and hungry.

I was shocked to see that Mike Green wasnt selected. I think thats a mistake. He is no slouch in defence. his plus minus is great, its not like he is all offence. There is no other D-man like him in the league. He makes hockey look easy.

I was equally surprised to see that Chris Drury was selected for team USA. He is having a dreadful season. I would also have picked Anderson over Quick. But that doesnt matter too much because Miller and Thomas are gonna be the only goalies that will see any action

They need Drury for the leadership and the 2-way game. They think they'll get the scoring from other people.

Quick is younger than Anderson, it's a "Congrats, this is your future" pick more than anything. I know a lot of local fans are upset about Modano being left off, but he is also having a dreadful season.

The article I read said he's "struggline in a 4th line role," ... if that's the case I think you start bringing along the younger players as this would have been his last anyway.

(should have read "struggling"

Modano should be in a role like Yzerman is for Canada. Gotta know when to walk away.

Modano couldn't sharpen Yzerman's skates.

Oh come on, don't be ridiculous with such comments. You end up losing credibility long term.

That is correct, but to be fair Modano isn't a 4th line type player. Truth is Dallas is developing strong centers, and he's being outplayed by Ribiero/Richards/Wandell/Peterson/Sutherby so rather than sitting him they put him on a wing to use his skills where they can.

Maybe Modano was a superior player with the puck on his stick in his prime vs. Yzerman's, ... maybe.

... but Yzerman won a cup on a broken leg, one of 3 Stanley Cup winning teams he captained while on his way to most consecutive seasons as one franchise's captain ... a record likely to never ever be broken. (He also got hit in the eye with a slapshot and still didn't retire while we're talking toughness.)

Modano is 150 goals behind Yzerman's 652. Yzerman's 3rd all-time in short-handed goals behind only Messier and Gretzky, 15th in PPG.

I don't really think it's close, but as they say on the Burger King commercial ... "that's more like an opinion."