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!

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!!