Turn on and tune out

Howdy Twentyteners!

Hope the jolly fat man found you all well this Christmas! I for one made off like a bandit, but that's not what this post is about...

This week marks one of the years most exciting times for Canadian hockey fans, when the IIHF World Junior tournament kicks off. These youngsters always provide a lot of excitement to the fans, and all in all, it's a great tournament if you enjoy watching hockey.

The problem of course with the tournament, much like the upcoming Olympic hockey tournament, is that the games are on TSN, which of course means you get a healthy serving of Miller and McGuire, with a side of Randorf, which never goes down well after a big Christmas dinner and the accompanying sweets.

Have no fear, as I am here with the solution to your woes! It's a very simple solution, and this World Junior tournament is the perfect time to practice before the Olympics in February.

When you turn your TV to the TSN station, locate the button labeled "Mute" on your remote. Press it once and your ears will not be subjected to the auditory vomit spewed by the TSN play-by-play crews.

What's that? You don't HAVE a mute button? No worries, I've got you covered!

If you're still living in the stone ages without a mute button, simply locate the "volume down" button on the remote control and hold it down until sound ceases to come from your television set.

We here at Canada Twenty Ten are always here to help... so you're welcome.

WHA*mute*...

Interesting notes from Dreger

I woke up this morning and groggily turned on the television to see Sportscentre talking about our beloved team. I was still half asleep while I listened to this, and I was too lazy to wait to watch it again in the unforgivably long morning loop (really, this new girl they have on there MAY be more annoying than McGuire... I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'...).

Babcock had a quick interview where he said that about "95% of the team HAS been decided on". Darren Dreger expanded on this, with just a single week left to go before the announcement:

• Phaneuf will NOT be on the team
• The 7th defenseman will be one of Green, Bouwmeester or Doughty
  
• There are about 18 guys fighting for the last 3 spots on the team. Martin St. Louis is one of those guys (my heart is breaking... /sarcasm). Apparently Milan Lucic is being strongly considered for a spot on the squad

The time of the announcement is nearing, and it looks like the pieces are all falling into place...

WHAMMO!!

PERFECTLY TIMED UPDATE: Just after publishing the story, I checked out the CTV Olympics site, and came across this article, which says the field has been narrowed to 15 forwards and 8 defensemen. When asked, Steve Yzerman did not confirm nor deny that all of those players attended camp this summer... the plot thickens

Stevie Y? Stevie Claus!

Tomorrow begins canadatwentyten's 100 day countdown to the beginning of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, and the beginning of team twentyten's drive for GOLD.

As reported, Steve Yzerman will convene a meeting of the minds this week to find out where everyone stands on who's in...and who's out come February.

While the rest of us twentyteners celebrate the birth of our savior, Santa Claus, Yzerman and the Hockey Canada brass are expected to celebrate the Christmas season by naming the final 23-man roster. Who will wake up to find that awesome new "Go Go Power Wheels" under their tree, and who will wake up to find a lump of coal in their stocking?

This week's meeting will give our braintrust an opportunity check their naughty and nice list and ponder some of the difficult questions they will have to face come the Christmas season. Questions such as:

- Is Vinny Lecavalier really interested in making this team?
- Is Mike Green actually worth a bag of pucks?
- Is Marc Andre Fleury for real...I mean for real for real?
- Does heart matter (Marty St. Louis reference)?
- Do we need Captain Canada?
- Do we need the other Captain Canada?
...and most important of all
- What did Pierre's last team look like? Because we really don't want our team to be the same as his!

A twist of fate

...and in a cruel twist of fate, my fate is now tied to his fate...and the fate with which he is tied to that of his teammate.

Confused?

Well, some of you may remember this post from several weeks back where I stated my belief that Dany Heatley's fate with Team Canada was tied to that of his new teammate in San Jose, Joe Thornton.

Ya see, I have been on bubble all summer as to what my true feeling for, and about, Dany Heatley are...ever since the beginnings of his acrimonious departure from Ottawa. I was, and still remain uncertain as to whether or not he can overcome the drama and regain the prior form that had Sens fan cheering to "The Heat is on" more nights than not at ScotiaBank Place
(*anyone who's ever been to a Sens game in which Heatley has produced a goal knows what I'm talking about)

But to get back to my lament atop this post...imagine my excitement when I returned home from school this evening, to find that the hockey pool which I had, in vein, tried to organize with friends local and beyond (to agonizing avail!) had expanded in my absense into a 15 team league, just in time for the draft. (I was off talking about Cognitive Dissonance in my Organizational Behaviour class). As Dewey put it once I found out the size of the league, "Yipityyipyipyipwhoo!"

And what spot on the draft order was I to hold, when all things were said and done???...but the 14th spot overall...Yes as "fate" would have it, I was given my favorite number, my number of identity so to speak, just ask any of the Dolan's Wanderers or STU Tommies out there...

As the draft snaked to me it became cloudier and cloudier who I should take..."And with the 14th pick overall, McGuire's Monsters (yes, I admit to making a mockery of myself and my team) select...from the Boston Bruins...Marc Savard.

Marc Savard??? Where is he going you might be asking yourself right now. I thought this was about Heatley...and feelings of ambivalence and doubt. Well, hold on I say, because as the draft further snaked its way through 15 and 16 and back to me at 17, it became clear that I had a decision to make. Would I hold firm in my beleifs, beleifs rooted in my value of "team" and "being a good teammate", or would I error on the side of my cognitive dissonance (how ironic you are all thinking I'm sure) and take with my second pick someone quite able to fill the net and bring McGuire's Monsters to the promised land in the "Bob Cole's Lost Souls" fantasy hockey league.

...yep you guess it...I took Heatley.

So you see where I stand. Once confused, angry and doubtful; I now allow the fate of my fastasy hockey season to rest with the one player I most did not want it to rest with. A player, that I hoped would fail and therefore be easy pickings for future blog posts about failed expectations and about how "arrogance will get you nowhere" but face down in a ditch bloodied and broken (a bit much?).

I now rest my fate in the fate of another man, who's fate is tied to that of another man even. In the hopes of both: a Gold Medal in Vancouver, and $200 big ones in April.

WHAMMO!!

Top 10 - Things never heard in the Twentyten house

I thought it would be fun to come up with something a little different for this post. Matty and I talk. We talk a lot. We discuss a wide range of subjects with an tone that can only be described as cynical sarcastic. It would be too difficult to write all of the great lines we come up with, and there are some dandies, but it would just be too hard to choose the best. So instead, in true David Letterman style, I present you with the top 10 things NOT heard in the Twentyten household...

10. Let's not BBQ this week...

9. I wish Hal Gill was on our side for the games

8. "The Quiz" is so much better without Torts

7. Sweet! "Friday Night Football" is on!

6. Chris Osgood wasn't nominated for the Vezina?! WTF?!

5. Come quick!! Sportsnet Connected is starting!!

4. What a stellar defensive play from Wade Redden!

3. Let's not watch sports tonight...

2. I'm sick of Onrait and O'Toole...

... and the number 1 thing you'll never hear in the Twentyten house is...

1. Nice one! McGuire and Miller in '1-Up, 1-Down' tonight!

WHAMMO!

Why must they do this to me???

First Pierre McGuire...and now Nick Kypreos

Same questions...same nonsense.

...Same feeling of nausea inside.

Fire Pierre McGuire

For those unfamiliar; this post is inspired by this blog.

Once again, our friends (and obvious twentyteners) at CTV have allowed Pierre McGuire to have his say on our twentyten team. I cringe every time I read anything written or spoken by the man, and alas…this time was not much better.

Below, I highlight some of the contradictory, blatantly obvious, and rambling musings of McGuire's article

When asked what he thought about the five goalies selected to camp:

“Those are the five that should be there.” Those are the five best right now that are Canadian…”

Really Pierre…Really??? You agree that those five are the best five to be there…really? Why don’t I take you you back to an article from only two weeks ago (June 26) where you discussed the potential goalies who could make up the twentyten roster. (Found Here).

To recount: Brodeur, Luongo, Ward, Fleury…and oh who? Price and Osgood? …and, oh wait a minute, no mention of Mason.

So, let me get this straight Pierre.The five chosen for camp are the best Canadians right now. There have been no games played since your last musings two weeks ago when you included two goalies who were not invited, and did not include the goalie that canadatwentyten.blogspot.com correctly predicted would be invited

When asked if he saw any players not invited to camp, playing their way onto the team:

“I could see Marc Savard because he'll be watching Milan Lucic a lot…”

I don’t even know what that is supposed to mean. Those two, in case you haven’t notice O Shiny Bald One, play very different types of games. I fail to see how Savard will make the team by watching Lucic.

“Ed Jovanovski if he has a tremendous start to the year. Maybe Chris Phillips if he has an amazing start…”

OH COMMON!! If these guys aren’t even in the top 16, they aren’t going to be in the final seven.

When asked why he thought Steven Stamkos was left off the camp roster:

“When you look at it, Ryan Getzlaf right now is ahead of Steven Stamkos…”

That’s not insightful…that’s painstakingly obvious. To recap: Getzlaf, almost a point a game through four NHL seasons (91 & 82 the past two) and not to mention a Stanley Cup. Stamkos: yes, a nice hockey player and soon to be All-Star, but really Pierre…
really???

When asked about possible defesive pairing taking shape:

“Phaneuf and Weber in the 2005 world juniors were an unbelievable tandem against Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin during the whole tournament and in the gold medal game.”

I just laughed at this one, in light of a recent post by Dewey.

When asked about Brian Burke calling Chelios personally and extending an invitation to an off-ice role:

“Steve doesn't have to call and apologize to anyone. This isn't highschool hockey or the local house league. These are big time players. Anyone that plays hockey for money understands. It's a cold hard world.” …then just rambles on and on and on.

Nevermind the non-sensical nature of his response here. I have already made clear…several time…how Stevie Y can reach out to a certain hockey icon and offer him an off-ice post with the twentyten team.

Pierre’s final words of wisdom:

“Anyone that's a fan of Canadian hockey should be impressed.”

Close Pierre, close. But it shoulda been, “And if you’re a fan of Canadian hockey, get excited…”

Keyboard Cat... play our friend Pierre away...

Line juggling

As Matty and I sat around last night thinking up who could possibly make up the "grind line" (post on that to come soon, rest assured). I questioned whether or not the name "grind line" still held relevance and what other names you might possibly be able to give such a line. Unfortunately, we were unable to come up with any real great names for our grinders, but we did manage to come up with some pretty interesting line possibilities for Coach Babcock to try out at this summer's orientation camp. We know that Nash, Healtey and Getzlaf will more than likely be the number two line after their showing at the worlds a couple of years ago, but these lineups we thought up were a little more unorthodox, and we believe could bring some real spark to the twentyten team.

Hockey Canada has already taken a bunch of our suggestions for who to bring to camp, while also overlooking a few (no matter how much they deny it), but they might as well try some of these lineup combinations, which we would love to see.

The Staal Line - So obvious that it almost makes me sick. You take the three Staal kids, you throw them on the ice together and you watch the magic happen as it did on the outdoor rink oh so many years ago in Thunder Bay. While the naysayers may argue that Marc is a defenseman, I don't think it matters. He could play opposite of Eric, and the two of them could flank brother Jordan. It's crazy enough that it just might work.

The Poutine Line - Our friends in Quebec were not represented as much as some may have thought, with the exclusion of Savard and Briere to name a couple, but that doesn't mean team twentyten isn't laden with French talent up front. Simon Gagne would be the fries for the line, a solid base, while Vinny Lecavilier and Martin St-Louis would top it off with gravy and curds, which work so well together. I know that I have said that I didn't think St-Louis should be on the team (or even at the camp), but on a line like this, it would just be so delici... good, I mean good.

The Goals of the Year Line - Nash, Toews, Getzlaf. These three guys are all absolute beauty players who, over the past few seasons in the NHL, have scored some of the nicest goals we've ever seen. Putting them on a line together would no doubt cause a cataclysmic effect on the ice, the likes of which we've never seen leading to some of the greatest goals in the history of everything.

The 'Extra Maple Syrup' Line - It hasn't been talked about much, but one of the players overlooked to come to camp for a goaltending spot was on JC Petit. The competition was fierce though, and not even we had him pegged to make it to camp, so his omission by the brass is forgiven. However, in honor of JC comes this line. Marty St-Louis again plays on this line, with Andy McDonald and... uh... well, there's not really another "small" guy that I can find going to camp, so we'll just take any of the guys off what is an undersized American team. It may be a bit of a problem getting them on to the Canadian team, but I mean, to see what would resemble a Timbits Hockey squad on the ice at camp would be a once in a lifetime event.

The 'Pierre McGuire Just Blew His Load' Defensive Pairing - The only non-offensive grouping on this list, and because Pierre loves everyone, it was probably the hardest one to pick. However, that being said, we really couldn't figure out who would cause McGuirre to go off on a string of "kaboom" and "whammos" like would Dion Phaneuf and Shea Weber. It was this tandem that really led to a lot of Pete's ridiculous sayings back in 2005 when the World Juniors were played in Grand Forks, Michigan. Here, the defensive pairing not only led Canada to Gold then, which is the color we're all expecting to see in Vancouver, but it also led to the now famous "Double Dion", just another intolerable call from our old 'buddy' McGuire. If you're a fan of Canadian Hockey, then you're excited at the prospect of these two playing together again.

That's all we have for now, but with 46 guys, there are sure to be other creative ideas out there. What about you? Got any good line ideas?

Masked men in the words of Stanley Cup winning Assistant Coach, Pierre McGuire

Here, yo boy (Dewey), Pierre McGuire talks up Canada's twentyten goalies.

I agree that Price has played poorly and is outta contention. Osgood is also a "non-starter" (to steal the oft-used words of Brian Burke) in any twentyten talk.

Brodeur and Roberto are in, I think. That leaves Ward, Fleury...and what about Mason, Pierre? - he deserves mention - to compete for the third spot.

Oh...and if you're a fan of any of the 30 NHL teams, get excited because undoubtedly that team's first round pick will provide a huge boost to the overall dexterity, mobility, heart, intensity, active-stick ability, KABOOMability of that team. (Yes...that's a McGuire bash in advance of this evening's draft)

"Serious" consideration

Matty's Post from just the other day led us all to this link from our old friend Pierre McGuire where he talks about the possible defensemen for team TwentyTen. Here's his piece on Chris Pronger:

Chris Pronger (Anaheim Ducks) - He has to be seriously considered because of his veteran presence and the fact that he had a good playoff. He's a big game player. He also called me after I named my team [in February] and said "I'm going to make this team. I know I'm not on that list and I don't deserve to be on the list right now, but I'm going to be there."

First off, I'm surprised that a guy like Pronger would be that worried about what old P might think about who is and isn't on his team, and I really am not just looking to rain all over his parade in the hours leading up to what is one of his most exciting events of the year, the NHL draft (although I'm sure he'll have us all excited tomorrow night as our respective teams draft their future all-stars), but REALLY? "Has to seriously be considered?". Matty and I were talking about this tonight, and neither of us think there's anyway that you can't have Pronger on the team. Forget his veteran leadership, forget his "big game" ability. While those definitely contribute, so does fact that Chris Pronger is considered one of the dirtiest players in the NHL.

While his presence on the ice alone may not strike fear in the hearts of our European foes and what is sure to be an undersized squad of US opponents, he will be in their minds when they step onto the ice with him. It's things like this that give Canada a great advantage when they can get opposing players off their game. While I don't have access to the players directly, I'm sure that a quick survey with players from Canada and abroad, if I asked "name one defenseman you would love to have on your team, but would hate to be playing against", the name Chris Pronger would come up more times than not.

Oh, and he's also a pretty good defenseman with a more than decent shot from the point.

Come on Pete, this guy's gotta be on the team.

Mr. Clean talks forwards meow

Oh thank the good lord that Pierre McGuire is still talking twentyten hockey...forwards this time.

Oh Pierre, what an insightful comment you make about Sid.

Also...count how many times he uses the word "unbelievable" in his assessment of players. Yet another one to add the McGuire lexicon...along with KaBoom, active-stick, dexterity, Double-Dion and the like.

Mr. Active Stick talks D-Men

Pierre McGuire...boo!!!

Just for the record, I think Pronger is a lock.

Proud to Support the Cause

A recent "tweet" from Matty that I saw was pointing to the blog "Of Moose and Men", a blog for our current town Halifax Mooseheads.

Without really getting a chance to read much of their content, I have to name it one of the greatest blogs on the web. Why such a quick praise?

Check out this post.

We here at CanadaTwentyTen are proud to support this noble cause, and if you're a fan of hockey, get excited like you would if you're a Buffalo Sabres fan and they've just drafted Tyler Myers and spread the word!! Join the "No McGuire's Club" today!



Quick Note: I can also be followed on Twitter here.

My rebuttal

Easy there partner…I’m pretty sure I didn’t go as far as to say that I’d be cheering for the Americans if Marty St. Louis was on the team (although I do love that Parise, and wish he were one of ours). I mean honestly, he’s not in the immediate mix for me either, but let’s not discount the guy completely. Remember now, “heart” seems to be something in high value at the upper reaches of Canadian leadership lately (as Michaelle Jean has shown us), and the guy does have a ring.

I guess though, that I take bigger issue with your boy Dion Phaneuf being left off the roster. Did I miss something here? Is the guy actually a question mark with the 2010 team? Would Stevie Y actually do that to Pierre McGuire?

As far as the three goalies go, I would hope that all three of them could keep their egos in-check. Ward may not be the #3, but then again…he may well be.

I Remain Unimpressed

As my esteemed colleague wrote earlier today, Eric Duhatschek named his choice for 2010. It's nice to see someone respected in the hockey world name a team... (I said respected so McGuire's list is out the window).

... but he didn't do that much better...

Let's start with the goaltenders. This is probably the easiest argument to make. Right Duhatschek has Brodeur, Luongo and Ward as his guys between the pipes. I have no problem with those guys, but do you honestly think that Ward will want to go there and sit as the third guy?

HECK NO! The guy has a ring, which is more than Luongo can say. We've had a situation similar to this before where the always classy Pat Roy stepped aside and said that he wouldn't be the third guy. I'm not saying Ward is an old guy, but as the youngest of the 3 I hardly believe he will be willing to take a spot reserved for what is usually there for a young kid who can play, but will spend the entire tournament from wherever it will be that players will watch games from in 2010.

Next up is Marty, and I don't mean the goalie here...

Honestly, Martin St. Louis has got to be the most over rated player in professional hockey today. Did anyone see Canada's IIHF Gold medal match with the Russians, where every time he got the puck he just would up and blasted shots into the opposing players shins? "HEY MARTY, HE'S GOT SHIN PADS ON AND YOU'RE A SCRAWNY PUNK!! YOU WON'T HURT HIM OR PUT IT THROUGH HIM!", I yelled at him through my television multiple times throughout the game.

I'm absolutely sick of hearing how Marty will make this team. Everyone wants to talk about how much "heart" the guy has... I will tell you exactly why this means NOTHING in two simple words: Captain Planet.

Remember the old cartoon? We always made fun of little Mogli or whatever his name was. His friends had the power to control earth, to start fire, to uproot the earth and to manipulate the wind. Mogli had the power of heart, which I to this day could never understand how it fits in. If you want to take a hockey player with heart, be my guest, but I'd take a fire breathing one any day over St. Louis. I'm not sure that last sentence even made sense, but I'm more certain it did and that it was absolute genius. If you want to try and make the argument that any one guy on that team doesn't want it as much as Marty you can, it's a free country, but it's absolute garbage because there won't be one player on that team not willing to make every sacrifice necessary, and they sure as hell can find a better player than him to fill a roster spot.

In closing, I don't think there's any player that I want less to see on Team Canada than Martin St. Louis. I made this comment to Matty last night and added, "If he's on the team, I'm cheering for the Americans". A bit harsh to say the least, but I'm 90% ready to do just that...

Green means go...home

First of all...Dewey, I concur, a McGuire-less/Miller-less Olympic broadcast would be a gold medal in itself for all Canadians.

Secondly...I pose the question, "Do we need Mike Green on our Olympic Team?" 31 goals and 73 points in 68 games would suggest that he is a lock (+24 to boot). However, the guy has been nothing if not ordinary for the Capitals thus far in the playoffs and at times looks terrible containing and defending some of the games elites in Sid, Geno and the gang.

I suggest that with the likes of Weber and Phaneuf just to name two big shots, Canada is well-stacked in the area of offensively able D-men.

Green, for my mind, is at best the 7th guy on the blue line and really only used in PP situations...but even then will they need him with the guys I've mentioned above...not to further mention the ability of many of the potential forwards on the team to play the point with the man advantage.

I'm not saying he's a "no go" for certain. He'll certainly be at the camp...he'll almost definitely be on the taxi squad at least...but on the 7-man defensive unit...we shall have to wait and see. I mean...he's no McCabe (not nearly that terrible) but we all know what kind of decision that turned out to be in '06.

Finally, Go Bruins!!

One Paragraph on Our Friend Pierre

Apparently Pierre McGuire is on the short list to become the next GM of the Minnesota Wild. As staunchly opposed as we are here to Pierre McGuire, this would mean that he would have no part of the play-by-play broadcast of the gold medal game. Maybe he would even bring Gord Miller along to be assistant GM. That being said, we can think of no better man for the job, Minnesota, you're making the right choice!

While we're on the topic...

While we're on the topic of Mcguire bashing, Luke my friend, let me just say that I'm 100% certain that you will not...I repeat WILL NOT see me dancin around the kitchen, head-shavin, screamin WHAMMO...and DOUBLE DION, while using my dexterity, courage, vision and leadership to keep my ACTIVE STICK in the passing lanes.

Back to the task at hand...what about Eric Staal lately. I have to admit that, until a day or two ago, I did not have him on my team. But seriously, the Bruins...my beloved Bruins, and Chara especially are running around mad trying to contain him. He's giving such sorry excuses for hockey players like Jussi Jokinen and Sergei Samsonov all the time and daylight they need on the ice to pass for NHLers in the eyes of most experts.

Gotta say proudly that this may be my first disagreement with Mr. Mcguire...and that as it stands now, Staal is definitely on the team

Take Your Team and...

So a couple of months ago, someone's friend (definitely not mine), Pierre McGuire unveiled his choices for the 2010 team that we are trying to predict here... The picks are as follows...

Goaltenders
Brodeur
Luongo
Price

Defence Pairings
Bouwmeester - Niedermayer
Phaneuf - Weber
Burns - Green
Boyle

Forward Lines
Crosby – Lecavalier - Iginla
Heatley – Getzlaf - Nash
Carter – Thornton - Gagne
Morrow – Richards - Doan
Savard

Here at canadatwentyten we are nothing if not completely opposed to Pierre McGuire (don't even get us started on having to listen to him and Gord Miller while we enjoy the 2010 games), and our team will hopefully look nothing like his*. If it does, Matt has assured me he will shave his head and walk around like in idiot in order to honor the "great Pierre-ino", who obviously we want to be.

I don't really want to see him have to do this, but way to take one for the team buddy! We all appreciate your enthusiasm.

*"nothing like his" being used in the sense here that we don't want to be anything like McGuire, there is nothing wrong with the skills of any of the great Canadian boys on the team, we just really don't like Pierre...