NHL Super Series
I was thinking recently about how different the Super Series would be if Mr Tretiak had had his way and NHL players had competed. So I decided to make up what I think the rosters would’ve been.First off, Team Russia:
Forwards:
Alexander Ovechkin-Evgeni Malkin-Alexander Semin
Ilya Kovalchuk-Pavel Datsyuk-Alexander Radulov
Vyachaslav Kozlov-Victor Kozlov-Maxim Afinagenov
Alex Kovalev-Alexei Yashin-Sergei Fedorov
The first line is your young guns line, the superstars of tomorrow, I hope Semin can play right wing.
The second line are established superstars, except for Radulov, who is also an up and comer.
Third line is the defensive conscience, the “checking” line. They can also score.
The fourth line is for the veterans. Have loads of experience and talent, But questionable work ethic.
Defense:
Sergei Gonchar-Sergei Zubov
Anton Volchenkov-Danny Markov
Andrei Markov-Dimitri Kalinin
A very well rounded defense core in my opinion
The first pairing, is just really offensive, pucking moving defenseman, who can make plays and score goals, real offensive quaterbacks.
The second pairing, is just a monster of checking and defense.
The third, is balanced, Both are all around players, with a good dose of offense and defense.
Goal:
Evgeni Nabokov
Ilya Bryzgalov
Real easy choice, as there isn’t a whole lot of Russian goalies in the NHL.
And now for Team Canada:
Forards:
Dany Heatley-Sidney Crosby-Vincent Lecavalier
Simon Gagne-Joe Thornton-Martin St Louis
Ryan Smyth-Rod Brind’Amour-Jarome Iginla
Brendan Shanahan-Joe Sakic-Jason Pomminville
First line is just…scary. The Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophy winners, along with back to back 50 goal, 100 point scorer Heatley.(I know Lecavalier is a natural center, but hey, if you can play center, you can play the wing. The team is just too deep at center to have him there.)
Second line, Joe Thornton is a monster play-maker, and Simon Gagne was a 40 goal scorer on a horrible team. and St Louis can score goals and make plays as well as anybody.
Third line, not really a checking line, although Brind’Amour recently won back to back Selke awards, he is also a point per game player, and Smyth and Iginla are just tough hard working guys who can put the puck in the net.
Fourth Line, the Veteran line. I hate to put Joe Sakic on the 4th line, but the team is that deep. He has to be one the team though, he’s a great leader and clutch player. Shanahan, again is there for the experience leadership, and he can still play. He would have had close to 40 goals if he hadn’t gotten injured. the RW spot was between Pomminville and Jonathon Cheechoo, both were close when it came to goals and points, but Pomminville had the better plus-minus, so i gave him the spot.
Defense:
Scott Neidermeyer-Chris Pronger
Chris Phillips-Robyn Regehr
Dion Phaneuf-Shea Weber
How’s that for a defense? Two Norris trophy nominees(plus a Con Smythe) in Neidermeyer and Pronger, who were huge reasons for Anaheim winning the Cup. Two of the highest scoring defenseman in the league.(Pronger would’ve easily been second or even first in defensman scorers if he had played a full season)
And then Phillips and Regehr, the shut down pair.
And Phaneuf and Weber, two up and comers, both are probably the future for Team Canada’s defense. They should be given a shot here, to give them valuable experience for the future
Goal:
Roberto Luongo
Martin Brodeur
As great as Brodeur is, I think it may be time to pass the torch to Luongo, but I would still keep him on as the back-up, because a team with Brodeur is automatically better then a team without.
I know I left out some great players, and the choices I made were hard. How do you leave out guys like Jason Spezza, Daniel Briere, Jay Boumeester, Dan Boyle etc? But in the end, I picked the players who I thought would be the most beneficial to the team.
Oh, and I think I’ll make a prediction. I think that the series would be a bit closer, but Canada would win in the end.
Anyway, I made up these rosters for myself originally, but then decided to post it, for no real reason.
So anyway, hose are jusy my ideas of possible rosters, what are yours?