Craig Anderson's Elite Play Not Enough for Avalanche Goalie to Represent Country

The Winter Olympics: a-two week competition in which the best athletes represent their respective countries with the dreams of winning Olympic gold.

Craig Anderson, goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche, will not be partaking in those Olympics thanks to a colossal misjudgment of his skills.

Entering the break, Anderson's Avalanche sit sixth in the Western Conference with 76 points, only a tiebreaker separating them from the division-leading Vancouver Canucks.

Without Anderson, Colorado wouldn't be sniffing a playoff spot.

His 31 wins are tied for fourth in the NHL, and his six shutouts are tied for second. Most importantly, he's managed to keep a top-notch save percentage (.924) with a very average defensive squad in front of him.

When Team USA was announced after the Winter Classic game on Jan. 1, USA general manager Brian Burke said that there was a tough decision to be made between Jonathan Quick and Craig Anderson, but he ultimately went with the 23-year-old Quick because he was younger than the 28-year-old Anderson.

Other than the fact that it's nonsensical to suggest Anderson won't be playing at a high level in four years, USA management's error wasn't choosing Quick, but instead not looking to see if there was a different elephant in the room.

Tim Thomas shouldn't be on Team USA.

After winning the Vezina Trophy only a year ago, the Boston Bruins netminder sports a losing record and has only started one game in February, losing the starting job to up-and-comer Tuukka Rask. Since his 2-1 win on New Year's Day, Thomas has started 10 games, going 2-6-2 while being pulled three times.

Hindsight is 20/20, but Anderson's 19 wins at the time the roster was announced were still six more than the 13 wins Thomas currently has.

Many will argue Thomas's experience makes him valuable to the team, but just how valuable is experience in a short tournament like the Olympics, especially when the product on the ice isn't satisfactory? Experience sure didn't help the 2006 men's ice hockey team.

Ryan Miller will start the majority of USA's games anyway, but if he injures himself or plays himself out of the starting role, Anderson deserved to have a shot at carrying the team to a medal.

Yes, Anderson could sure use the two-week rest, but when looking back at his career many years down the road, which do you think would be more memorable: a two-week vacation or representing his country in the Olympic games?

USA Goaltenders by the Numbers

Wins

Jonathan Quick: 35

Craig Anderson: 31

Ryan Miller: 30

Jimmy Howard: 21

Tim Thomas: 13

GAA

Ryan Miller: 2.16

Jimmy Howard: 2.28

Craig Anderson: 2.42

Tim Thomas: 2.52

Jonathan Quick: 2.53

SV%

Ryan Miller: .930

Jimmy Howard: .927

Craig Anderson: .924

Tim Thomas: .915

Jonathan Quick: .907

Shutouts

Craig Anderson: 6

Ryan Miller: 5

Tim Thomas: 4

Jonathan Quick: 2

Jimmy Howard: 1

Saves

Craig Anderson: 1,551

Ryan Miller: 1,486

Jonathan Quick: 1,361

Jimmy Howard: 1,229

Tim Thomas: 914