Poll of the Week

[BigTed3]

We've taken Price, Luongo, and Ward to play goal.

Now who do you want playing defence for Team Canada? Obviously there are more than 15 candidates, but we're presenting the 15 guys who we feel have the best chance of making the team in 2014. If you feel strongly about another candidate, feel free to write him in! Please choose a total of 6 guys (including any write-ins) and happy voting.

[FirstStar]

I chose Doughty (has experience from vancouver games), Subban (for obvious reasons, good 2-way dman), Letang (good 2 way dman), Keith(exprience, solid dman), Weber (he's a beast and experience) and Pietrangelo(young but another good 2 way dman) .

i would've gone for marc Staal, but who knows if he'll be healthy when the Olympics come around.

Hamilton was good at the jr's, but we already have young blood. Most my choices have been on the young side, with Keith, seabrook and Weber probably being the oldest.

With my list we have 4 returning dmen from the vancouver games... Doughty, Keith, Weber and Seabrook. Despite Letang, Subban and Pietrangelo appearing for the first time, they are solid dmen who should not have an issue, plus they'll be well surrounded by veteran guys.

So far I have :

1-Doughty

2-Subban

3-Letang

4-Keith

5-Seabrook

6-Weber

7-Pietrangelo

[BigTed3]

To me, Doughty, Subban, Letang, and Weber should be locks. I think they might very well be the top 4 D men in the league, outside of Karlsson.

With the other two positions, I took Keith, who has international experience and has great puck skills and I took Girardi, who will probably fly under most people's radars. Girardi doesn't have the same offensive upside as a lot of those other guys, but he's a veteran player who can excel on the PK and as a shutdown player. If we were choosing our reserves as well, my next two guys up would be Seabrook and Pietrangelo, and while I would be happy to have any of the 8 guys I listed, I feel like creating a good mix of players is just as important as the strength of each individual player.

[powerplay2009]

I like what Yzerman did last time around, and try to build around chemistry. I send almost the same D corps as last year, with a few changes.

Keith and Seabrook from Chicago because they were great last time, are both incredibly underrated (IMO of course). They should have great chemistry.

Doughty and Weber.

The rest for me are Subban, Letang, and Peitrangelo. I heard you can send an 8th defenseman this time, and if so I think the next guy is wide open, though I would lean towards Staal if he's healthy.

I'm also going to throw Dan Boyle's name out there. He is still an offensive stud, who is also pretty darn good defensively. He may be a bit undersized, but his game would adapt really well to the wide ice and its not like being undersized is a challenge for him anymore anyway. He would have a great veteran and leadership presence, a la Rob Neidermeyer in 2010, minus the C on his jersey. I could honestly see him instead of Peitrangelo or Letang, and I would be okay with it.

For my pairings, in no particular order, I would go with these, keeping in mind I have no idea who is rightys or leftys or who plays on what side or any of that nonsense I am too lazy to figure out:

Keith-Seabrook

Doughty-Subban

Weber-Letang

1 (or possibly 2) of Peitrangelo, Boyle, and Staal

[BigTed3]

4 guys running ahead right now, but a tight battle for the last couple of spots... a few more days to vote and then we'll start adding the forwards to our roster.

[BigTed3]

For anyone else who wants to vote, your time is running out... choose your top 6 defencemen for the Sochi Team Canada Olympic team.

[jennifer_rocket]

My six were:

• Doughty.
• Subban.
• Letang.
• Seabrook.
• Weber.
• Pietrangelo.

[KeepsItReal]

Something that people have to take into consideration is what hand the d-men are.

Doughty, Letang, Subban, Weber and Pietrangelo are all right handed.

I personally can't see them going with 5 right handed guys in their top 6.

Keith is a leftie so he's a lock, most like Seabrook will be there too since that gives the team a legit pairing with experience playing with each other.

But would the team go with one left handed guy? That seems really risky to me. I fully believe that the 5 guys listed above, all rihgt handed, all undoubtedly deserve to be on the team and may very well be the 5 best Canadian d-men as well, but I just can't see them loading up that much at right handed.

So who gets left out?

My pick is for Hamhuis to be on the team.

[BigTed3]

Something that people have to take into consideration is what hand the d-men are.

Doughty, Letang, Subban, Weber and Pietrangelo are all right handed.

I personally can't see them going with 5 right handed guys in their top 6.

Keith is a leftie so he's a lock, most like Seabrook will be there too since that gives the team a legit pairing with experience playing with each other.

But would the team go with one left handed guy? That seems really risky to me. I fully believe that the 5 guys listed above, all rihgt handed, all undoubtedly deserve to be on the team and may very well be the 5 best Canadian d-men as well, but I just can't see them loading up that much at right handed.

So who gets left out?

My pick is for Hamhuis to be on the team.

Good point about the handedness of players, it's something we rarely take into consideration on an international scale event like this. Most of the time, I think we assume that players of that caliber will be able to adapt well, but that's not necessarily always the case.

[KeepsItReal]

Good point about the handedness of players, it's something we rarely take into consideration on an international scale event like this. Most of the time, I think we assume that players of that caliber will be able to adapt well, but that's not necessarily always the case.

Honestly, if it was in North America I think it would be MUCH less of an issue...but it's a big adjustment for a RH guy to play on the Left Side just on NHL ice, let alone with the 4 metre (13 odd feet) wider dimensions.

So, it's a definite dilemma, and I think it's almost certain that one of the great young d-men is left off of the team.

Although I believe they can dress 7 d-men and have 8 on the team, so it may be that one of the young guys is used moreso for PP time than anything else.

I'm torn who to choose for the top 6, good poll!

[Noob616]

Phaneuf, Subban, Weber, Keith, Letang, Pietrangelo.

Not trolling with the Phaneuf vote, he's an easy guy to hate but he's quietly become a top d-man again.

[BigTed3]

Phaneuf, Subban, Weber, Keith, Letang, Pietrangelo.

Not trolling with the Phaneuf vote, he's an easy guy to hate but he's quietly become a top d-man again.

Phaneuf over Doughty? I wouldn't do it, although I certainly agree with you that Phaneuf is a better player than we like to admit. I think he'll get consideration but I'm not sure he's suited to the international game as well as some of the other guys: he's not as good a skater and his physical transgressions may be subject to higher scrutiny from the international referees.

[Manatee-X]

Phaneuf over Doughty? I wouldn't do it, although I certainly agree with you that Phaneuf is a better player than we like to admit. I think he'll get consideration but I'm not sure he's suited to the international game as well as some of the other guys: he's not as good a skater and his physical transgressions may be subject to higher scrutiny from the international referees.

Are you forgetting the Double Dion?

[jedimaas]

If had to guess, I would say we would take the following 7 players for sure:

Doughty

Subban

Letang

Seabrook

Keith

Weber

Pietrangelo

Obviously only 6 are playing at a time, but if healthy, I cant see how any of those 7 are overlooked. Its almost obscene how much talent we have on the blueline when you consider a guy like Weber is probably 4th or 5th on most people's lists. If only we had that much depth in goal! Mind you, we only really need one great goalie. We need 6+ great dmen.

Guys like Staal, Phaneuf and Hamhuis will probably get a look for that last spot (we usually take 8, right?) although Id be interested to give Dougie Hamilton some experience because I think he's going to be elite in a few years' time.

[KeepsItReal]

Phaneuf, Subban, Weber, Keith, Letang, Pietrangelo.

Not trolling with the Phaneuf vote, he's an easy guy to hate but he's quietly become a top d-man again.

The Canadian team needs a defensive stalwart, Phaneuf isn't that. He just isn't a smart player on the ice.

He could be a top 5 d-man in the league with all of his skill set, but his head just isn't there.

[habfreak]

I just changed my vote and dropped Keith and Petrangelo in favour of Girardi and Staal. I forgot we don't have a Brodeur or the old Luongo in net anymore

[BigTed3]

Poll is now locked. You've chosen Subban, Letang, Weber, Doughty, Keith, and Pietrangelo.

Centers are up next!