Okay, so this isn't going to mean much to Mum and Dad, or Morag. Hell, it doesn't even mean much to hubby and he was born and bred in Canada. I know more about (ice) hockey than he does. Although everyone here makes fun of me for calling it ice hockey. Anyway...
Steve Yzerman, as the executive director of Team Canada, announced the roster for Team Canada. This is the team that is supposed to redeem the disappointment of Torino. Canada didn't make the Gold Medal game, in fact they finished out of the medals. Sweden won gold, Finland won Silver, the Czech Republic took the bronze and the Russians were 4th.
image CTV
So Canada is hungry for gold. Can they withstand the pressure? On home ice? No Canadian athlete has ever won gold at an Olympics on Canadian soil, not in Montreal in '76 or Calgary in '88.
This is a hockey nation, THE hockey nation. I thought Australia was obsessed by footy (or rugby depending on your state) but Canada is OBSESSED by hockey. So the expectations are for this team are high. Nothing less than Gold will satisfy Canadians.
Can they do it? I hope so. Their competition is expected to come from Russia, the US, Sweden and the Czech Republic.
So just who will be wearing the red and white jersey come February?
Goalies:
- Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils)
- Robert Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)
- Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Defense:
- Dan Boyle (San Jose Sharks)
- Drew Doughty (LA Kings)
- Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Scott Neidermayer (Anaheim Ducks)
- Chris Pronger (Anaheim Ducks)
- Brent Seabrook (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Shea Weber (Nashville Predators)
Forwards:
- Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins)
- Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
- Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks)
- Dany Heatly (San Jose Sharks)
- Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames)
- Patrick Marleau (San Jose Sharks)
- Brendan Morrow (Dallas Stars)
- Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets)
- Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks)
- Mike Richards (Philadelphia Flyers)
- Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes)
- Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks)
- Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)
We'll be watching from the local pub, or one of the live sites. Australia is not fielding a hockey team, so I can cheer for Canada without any guilt.