| 10 January 2010
When Team Canada released the 2010 Men's Olympic hockey team, twitter exploded with so-and-so was snubbed or so-and-so doesn't deserve a spot. There were also the few trying to be the voice of reason and rationalize both the picks and non-picks. For the most part, I stayed out of it.
As a Coyotes fan, my twitter consisted of mostly Shane Doan talk. Most Phoenix fans were angry, a few were not. Me? I was upset but not overly pissed. I get that picking an Olympic team is a huge task and you will not be able to please everyone. I do want Shane on the Olympic team, I think he deserves it. But if he were on, who would have been the player left off? When Patrice Bergeron got injured, everyone was clamoring to say so-and-so should replace him. He is the obvious choice. But what if he is able to play? What if he didn't get hurt? Who do I think Shane Doan would replace?
This is such a loaded question because I truly believe that each player was chosen (or not chosen) for a reason. I may not understand all the reasoning but I know there is a reason. This is my disclaimer on my choices: I am not a stats person, which makes me much less qualified to make this decision. I go by what I see in games because I feel that is a better measurement. To me stats don't always tell the whole story. Numbers can always be manipulated to show what you want them to show (see: Enron, Tyco, WorldCom etc). I could look up all the stats in the world but that usually won't change my opinion (see: my hatred of Jovo).
In looking at the forwards on the team, the RW are Jerome Iginla and Corey Perry. Out of those two, I would choose Doan to replace Perry, mostly because he is a Duck and I have massive respect for Iginla. He is pretty much like the Doaner of the Flames (gotta love my reasonings eh?). The LW include Heatley, Marleau, Morrow and Nash. Talented LW. I want to say replace Heatley with Doan. Doan is a much better leader and less selfish, but Heatley can score more. Nash, I just hate him because of his amazing goals on the Coyotes, but he is just damn good. Marleau and Morrow: I am pretty indifferent on both of them. I don't really follow either of them, so I do not feel qualified to make an opinion on either of them. Out of the two, I would say Doan would replace Morrow but only because we have seen the Sharks more this year then the Stars so far. Centers: Bergeron, Crosby, Getzlaf, Richards, Staal, Thornton and Toews. Out of this list, I would say Staal, just because he hasn't had his best season so far (I say this because my friend constantly bitches about how bad he is for her fantasy team haha).
The largest fan argument I have seen for Shane being left off is his slow start to this season. Shane Doan? A slow start? What? No.... Shane would NEVER have a slow start! /sarcasmhere Doan has notoriously been a slow starter. Last season was an abnormality. This season is typical. When does Shane pick up the pace and really start getting his points? January and Februay. That is perfect timing for the Olympics. He has already started to play much better. He has played exceptionally better these last few games. He got two goals in the Oilers game, one being the game winner in OT.
Although, after last night I am not so sure about this point. See, Shane Doan cut his hair. Hair? Yes, hair. Shane Doan normally cuts his hair short in the summer and lets it grow long over the season. The longer it gets, the better he plays. This year he came to camp with long hair. He got off to a slow start. Now he goes and cuts his hair mid-season and he has a horrible game last night.
Team Canada knows Shane and they know how well he performs for them (although, I'm telling you... this hair cut thing has really thrown him off). He has always answered the call of his Country. He has always been there for them (no thanks to all the years of Coyotes poor play). He has helped Team Canada win two gold and two silver medals in Worlds. He has also gotten the game winner for one of those games and scored a hattrick (something he can't do in the NHL) in another game. He also participated in the 2006 Olympics team, which did not even place in the top three. Shane Doan needs the chance to make it right, to earn what he deserves, something big and shiny.
Shane Doan would have been a solid choice for Team Canada. He does not disappoint. He would have played his heart out for Team Canada and he would have made a difference in a game (much like he does day-in and day-out on the Coyotes). You could not ask for a better player then Shane. He is a solid player, an excellent leader and a great guy to have in the locker room. Yes, he cut his hair but hopefully that will not affect his play for the second half of the season. Yes, he got off to a slow start but that is typical for him. This probably would have been his last chance to play for Team Canada in the Olympics. Even if NHLers play in four years, Shane Doan may be past his prime by then. He will be 37. Sure guys like Robert Lang are still playing at that age but they are not serving their Country. It would have been nice to see Shane Doan win the gold and a Stanley Cup during his career. I guess we will just have to settle for the latter.
Jenna Volden covers the Phoenix Coyotes at Hipchecks in addition to her work on Bloguin's Olympic Hockey Blog.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
