Posts Tagged ‘Olympics’

Olympic Profile: Duncan Keith (Canada)

February 12th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Duncs

This is the final installment of player profiles for the six Blackhawks that will represent their nation at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Last up, Duncan Keith. Feel free to comment below. Previous Olympic Profiles: Tomas Kopecky, Brent Seabrook, Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

Birthplace – Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

International Experience – 2008 World Championships

A lot of the same things said about Brent Seabrook can be said about Duncan Keith – the two come as a pair these days. The difference between the two when it comes to their selection to the Canadian national team is that Keith made the roster on his own laurels. Of course there was always the chance a slow start could keep him from partaking in the Winter Games, but Keith was a lock. He also fits Steve Yzerman’s movement for new blood on Team Canada.

Anyway, the rapport between the dynamic duo of Keith and Seabrook should bode well for the Canadians. I would expect head coach, Mike Babcock, to keep the two paired on the blue – as well as the Sharks’ first line of Dany Healtey, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Keith and Seabrook should either be the second or third defensive paring on Team Canada. Keith can play in any on-ice situation, and could see a lot of playing time in the two weeks of Olympic play.

Barring a major upset, Team Canada should go deep on home ice. Around this time last season, Keith’s energy and ability level declined. The number of defensive lapses seems to have increased over the last month from Keith. He leads the Blackhawks in time-on-ice with an average of 26:39. Combine the number of games played in the Winter Games with the eighty-two game schedule of the regular NHL season – there is valid concern more so with Keith then any other Blackhawk participating in the Olympics due to his value to the team.

For the majority of his career, Keith was always overlooked. His international career doesn’t even compare to that of Patrick Kane. His only selection to his national team came in 2008 for the World Championships. Watching the way Keith plays the game, we know that he leaves it all out there on the ice. This season is already proving to be his best. Keith’s fifty-one points and plus/minus rating of +23 this season is best among the blue-liners selected to the Canadian Olympic squad.

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Olympic Profile: Patrick Kane (USA)

February 9th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Kane addresses media at training camp

This is the fifth installment of player profiles for the six Blackhawks that will represent their nation at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. It’s now Patrick Kanes’ turn. Stay tuned for the final installment later this week, and feel free to comment below. Previous Olympic Profiles: Tomas Kopecky, Brent Seabrook, Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews.

Birthplace – Buffalo, New York, United States

International Experience – 2007 World Junior Championships and 2008 World Championships

Like the Canadian Olympic team, the American general manager, Brian Burke, opted to overhaul the national team by inserting new blood on the roster. Only two players remain from the 2006 roster – defenseman Brian Rafalski and forward Chris Drury. On paper Team USA isn’t a favorite to place in the 2010 roster, but Burke is in the process of building an Olympic team that will be successful down the road. That is evident in the fact that only five players are over the age of thirty. The twenty-one year old Patrick Kane is a large part of the rebuilding, and is one of the few recognizable faces on Team USA.

Kane’s baby-faced mug is as recognizable to many hockey fans for more then just his on-ice performance. He was the cover boy for EA’s NHL10, his night out in Buffalo with cousin James resulted in his arrest for his altercation with a taxi driver and his recent shirtless limo ride through the streets of Vancouver. Kane has shown this season that he hasn’t allowed for any non-hockey related issues affect his play of the ice. If you weren’t paying attention he leads the Blackhawks in goals (22) and assists (40). Kane will do his talking on the ice when the Vancouver media presses him about pictures that surfaced after his last visit to the city.

Anyway, Kane is one of the better offensive talents on the American national team. He was a lock to make the squad, and should see time on the top line due to his playmaking and scoring ability. Kane should be used on the power play as well.

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Olympic Profile: Jonathan Toews (Canada)

February 5th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Smile for the camera

This is the fourth installment of player profiles for the six Blackhawks that will represent their nation at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. It’s now Jonathan Toews’ turn. Stay tuned for future installments, and feel free to comment below. Previous Olympic Profiles: Tomas Kopecky, Brent Seabrook and Marian Hossa.

Birthplace – Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

International Experience – 2006 World Junior Championships, 2007 World Junior Championships, 2007 World Championships and 2008 World Championships

Jonathan Toews is the present and future of Team Canada. His selection to the national team was almost a lock. There was always a real threat of getting beat out or losing a spot on the roster if he slumped early in the season. The twenty-one year old – the second youngest player on the roster after defenseman Drew Doughty – was a beneficiary of the Canadian team’s search for new blood after finishing in seventh place in the 2006 Winter Games.

Toews already has just as much international experience as Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith combined. Not only does Toews bring rare combination of experience and youth to Team Canada, but also his level of maturity and leadership was likely regarded as an asset.

It doesn’t hurt either when the Canadian general manager, Steve Yzerman, and head coach, Mike Babcock, have a hard on for Mr. Toews. Yzerman said this of Toews:

“He’s a great competitor, he’s physically strong, he’s really responsible in all areas of the game – like everything about him. He’s a tremendous young player so I don’t see any shortcomings in his game and he’s just going to get better and better every year.”

There are seven players on the Canadian Olympic team that regularly line up at center – Bergeron, Crosby, Getzlaf, Richards, Staal, Thornton and Toews – so there is not telling how he will be used on the center-rich roster. I don’t see Babcock moving Toews over the wing. Toews is only second on the team behind Patrice Bergeron (57.9%) in face-off wins at 57.4% – Sidney Crosby is right behind at 57.2%.

Toews can be use on the power play and penalty kill units – like he is in Chicago. He a great two-way forward, he creates his own scoring chances and he boasts a plus/minus of +19 – that is fifth highest on Team Canada.

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Olympic Profile: Marian Hossa (Slovakia)

February 1st, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

The Slovakian Hope

This is the third installment of player profiles for the six Blackhawks that will represent their nation at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. It’s now Marian Hossa’s turn. Stay tuned for future installments, and feel free to comment below. Previous Olympic Profiles: Tomas Kopecky and Brent Seabrook

Birthplace – Stara Lubovna, Slovakia

International Experience – 1997 World Junior Championships, 1997 World Championships, 1998 World Junior Championships, 1999 World Championships, 2001 World Championships, 2002 Olympics, 2004 World Championships, 2004 World Cup, 2005 World Championships, 2006 Olympics, 2006 World Championships and 2007 World Championships

At the ripe age of thirty-one, Marian Hossa is one of the elder statesmen on a young Blackhawk squad. In regards to the Slovakian Olympic team Hossa is just another veteran player with a lot of international experience on his resume. He has been selected to the national team ten times with two previous Olympic appearances. Hossa is one of three other players representing Slovakia for the third time in the Winter Games – only two players (Miroslav Satan and Lubomir Visnovsky) will be participating in their fourth. Hossa has played in a whopping seventy-four international games (World Juniors not included).

Hossa is one of the few elite players on the Slovakian roster, and was a lock to make the national team. After Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara and him there is a rather large drop off in talent. The rest of the roster is mostly made up of mediocre NHL talent (see Tomas Kopecky) and aged ex-NHLers playing in European hockey leagues. In his previous two Olympics appearances, Hossa played a total of eight games scoring nine goals and tallying seven assists (sixteen points).

Hossa will see a lot of ice time, and will have a huge workload if the Slovakian team hopes to beat some of the better/deeper national teams. He’ll get first-line minutes, and will be used on the power play, penalty kill and in all late game situations.

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Olympic Profile: Brent Seabrook (Canada)

January 26th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Team Canada's Seabrook

This is the second installment of player profiles for the six Blackhawks that will represent their nation at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. It’s now Brent Seabrook’s turn. Stay tuned for future installments, and feel free to comment below. Previous Olympic Profile: Tomas Kopecky

Birthplace – Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

International Experience – 2004 World Junior Championships, 2005 World Junior Championships and 2006 World Championships

After finishing seventh in Torino, Team Canada general manager, Steve Yzerman, knows that anything less then gold is unacceptable in front of the hometown crowd. Of the twenty-three players named to the Canadian roster fifteen are going to their first Olympics. Five of which are on defense (Dan Boyle was a reserve in 2006). Five of the blue-liners are twenty-six or younger. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook fit the mold and represent Team Canada’s youth movement.

Seabrook was a dark horse to make the Canadian Olympic roster, but when Yzerman and his cohorts selected the Richmond native to the national team it came as a surprise. The lack of production from the trio of Calgary defensemen, the need for a hard hitting defensive defenseman, the desire for new blood and his rapport with ‘lock’ Keith solidified his roster spot.

The twenty-four year old will have to cut down on some of the sloppy play that has plagued him this season. Seabrook has been a frequent contributor to turnovers and lapses in the neutral- and defensive-zone. Still, he is has a better defensive presence then his competition and has a plus/minus of +22, which makes him tied for eighth in the league.

Taking off my Blackhawk-colored glasses, Seabrook doesn’t make the team if it weren’t for the on-ice chemistry he has with Keith. I like the decision of Team Canada’s brass to keep Seabrook and Keith together. They go up against the opposing team’s best line every night, and are on the ice for over twenty minutes each game. The duo will be a second or third defensive paring.

With the firepower on Canada’s blue line, I wouldn’t expect Seabrook to see anytime on the power play. He should be used on the penalty kill though.

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Olympic Profile: Tomas Kopecky (Slovakia)

January 18th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Hossa and Kopecky

This is the first installment of player profiles for the six Blackhawks that will represent their nation at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Tomas Kopecky gets the honor of going first. Stay tuned for future installments, and feel free to comment below.

Birthplace – Ilava, Slovakia

International Experience – 2001 World Junior Championships and 2002 World Junior Championships

This is the first time in Tomas Kopecky’s career that he has made the men’s national team – the twenty-seven year old is ready to make the jump from the women’s squad. Kopecky’s play has picked up in the last month. He has been a source of energy that the fourth line lacked, and has been the reason why they have been productive of late. He (and Team Slovakia) will hope that his improved play will carry over into the Olympics.

When the Czechoslovakia split in 1993 it became apparent that most of the hockey talent was bred on in the Western half (the Czech Republic). There are a few elite hockey players on the team – Marian Hossa, Zdeno Chara and Marian Gaborik – but then there is a significant drop-off in talent level. The Slovakian talent pool is rather shallow, and the fact that Kopecky made the team is enough evidence to make the point.

I’m a little surprised that the Slovakian brass opted for Kopecky’s services over Marek Svatos – who has previous Olympic experience and has reached the thirty-goal plateau in the NHL. My guess is that Kopecky will fill a checking- or fourth line roll for the team.

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Kane Named To Team USA, Byfuglien Left Out

January 1st, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis

It was leaked earlier in the day by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers that Dustin Byfuglien was not included in the Brian Burke’s plans for the American Olympic team. As expected Patrick Kane was named to Team USA. This brings the Blackhawks total to six players participating in the Winter Games.

Team USA (1) – Patrick Kane

Team Slovakia (2) – Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky

Team Canada (3) – Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook

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Toews, Keith and Seabrook On Team Canada

December 30th, 2009 by Leigh Michael Dengis

Team Canada announced their Olympic roster this morning, and Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will represent their country in Vancouver at the Winter Games. Being selected over so many other capable players to represent their nation is easily a highlight in their young careers.

Steve Yzerman and the Canadian brass had a deep talent pool to choose from. Keith was a lock to make Team Canada. Seabrook could have made the team all his own, but his on-ice relationship with Keith solidified his spot on the roster. Toews was on the bubble regarding his selection to the team, but as I wrote last week his leadership and past international experience would make him as asset. I neglected to mention his plus/minus rating and his success in the face-off circle.

Team Finland –

No surprise here, Antti Niemi was left off the Finnish team’s roster. The Fins are pretty deep at the position when it comes to NHL talent.

WJC Update –

In Sweden’s 4-1 victory over Russia, Blackhawks prospect Marcus Kruger came away with just a plus/minus of +1. In three games Kruger has two assists, two penalty-minutes and a plus/minus of +5 in the tournament.

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Hossa And Kopecky Named To Slovakian Olympic Team

December 29th, 2009 by Leigh Michael Dengis

A couple Blackhawks got some good news today. Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky were selected to the Slovakian Olympic hockey team. They are the first Blackhawks chosen to represent their country at the Winter Games in Vancouver.

No one will question Hossa’s addition to the roster. The choice of picking Kopecky to the team might surprise many since he hasn’t done anything of value with Chicago, but he is one of the few Slovakian players in the NHL. Only two Slovakian NHL players didn’t make the team – Marek Svatos and Boris Valabik. When Czechoslovakia split in 1993, most of the hockey talent resided in the Czech Republic.

Team Canada will announce their Olympic squad tomorrow morning, and Team USA will announce theirs New Years Day during the Winter Classic broadcast.

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Canadian Orientation Camp Breaks

August 28th, 2009 by Leigh Michael Dengis
Still no smile for Mr. Toews

No smile, Mr. Toews?

Yesterday, the last day of training camp for the Canadian Olympic team in Calgary, Alberta, ended in a scrimmage – Team Red vs. Team White. Patrick Sharp and Brent Seabrook (Red) faced-off against Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews (White) at the Pentgrowth Saddledome. The exhibition game played out like a glorified all-star game in front of a sellout crowd.

Over the course of the four-day Olympic orientation camp each player showcased their skills hoping to make the national team. It’ll be tough for any player to crack the roster since the list of invitees to the Canadian camp is so deep.

There are a few locks to make Team Canada, and none of them are Blackhawks. The best case scenario would be if three of the four ‘Hawks at the camp made the Olympic roster – Sharp being the odd-man out. There are just too many talented forwards that would keep the goal-scoring, defensive savvy forward from skating in Vancouver come February.

The 2006 Winter Games in Italy were an embarrassment for Canada placing seventh overall. Steve Yzerman and Mike Babcock will do anything in order to avoid a similar fate in front of the home crowd in Vancouver. Youth and speed hopefully will be served this time around in order to keep up with the European squads. A clunker like Chris Pronger, whose game really doesn’t translate well to the international style of play, could be passed over by the Canadian brain-trust – a decision could benefit the younger Seabrook if that is the case.

Keith may be the Blackhawk with the best chance to represent Chicago. He posses speed and a sound defensive game that would be an asset to Team Canada. Keith has improved steadily each season since his rookie campaign, and is quietly one of the better all-around defensemen in the league. There are few of his Canadian counterparts that would trump Keith’s value on and off the ice to the national team.

Toews would also benefit from a youth movement. There are arguably about five men at center ahead of him on the depth chart, but it would benefit Team Canada if they make a spot of Toews on their roster. Just as he is considered the future of Chicago hockey, he is also the future of Canadian hockey. Toews already has some experience at the international level playing in the 2007 and 2008 World Championships. A roster spot should be made for him, even if it means moving someone over to the wing.

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