Team Canada Early Picks Seem Myopic

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If one was to believe the pundits after the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team orientation camp in August, they would accept that “no definite decisions” were made based on the performance of the players in Calgary, and that the performance of the players in the first half of the NHL season would make or break the case for who should be chosen.

I’m already starting to wonder.

One hundred days out of the Olympics, and one month into the 2009-10 NHL season, Pierre McGuire posts an article entitled "Pierre's Picks—100 Days Out ."

In short, he picks the following forwards:

FORWARDS
Rick Nash, Sidney Crosby, Martin St. Louis
Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry
Brenden Morrow, Mike Richards, Shane Doan
Patrick Marleau, Jordan Staal, Jarome Iginla
Patrick Sharp

WATCH LIST
Dany Heatley
Steven Stamkos
James Neal

I have immense respect for the analysis that Pierre offers, but I have to call foul in this instance.

My suspicion is that everyone has their “druther” list for the Team Canada roster. As in: “I’druther have Jeff Carter on the team that Joe Thornton.”

Yes, I fully understand that Team Canada, due to the depth of potential players, is bound to leave off some people's favorite talent. It’s just a harsh reality of having to pare down to a 20-something-man roster.

I also understand that it’s still early, and the actual roster won’t be announced until December 31st—and I DO know, that the decision won’t be made by Pierre McGuire.

But even after the strange omission of Marc Savard on the orientation camp invitation list, there appear to be glowing instances of myopia regarding who is Team Canada worthy.

I will address just one based on McGuire’s speculative post—Ryan Smyth.

As a fan of the Dallas Stars, I have no great affinity for Ryan Smyth—so this is no lobby for my favorite player—but, I have to wonder what a guy like Smyth needs to do to be seriously considered as a valid addition to the Team Canada short list.

Now, I don’t want get off on a Dennis Miller rant here, but…

Smyth is producing at an over point-per-game pace, he’s plus-eight, and he doesn’t even get a spot on Pierre’s “Watch List.” Harsh.

Admittedly, the other forwards on this list are all producing nicely, but none, save perhaps Shane Doan, have made the past sacrifices for Team Canada that Smyth has to date. For that alone he should get Rock over Scissors in this decision.

James Neal is having a great start to his season, and I like the guy a lot, but placing him on a roster before Captain Canada would be a gold medal mistake for Steve Yzerman…and a perplexing choice for a hockey mind as sharp as Pierre’s.  

That’s just my opinion—I could be wrong.

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