This year is different  than most for a couple of reasons – 1) There won’t be as many players as usual to pick from; 2) It will be a hastily assembled team; and 3)  Players better answer when called upon.

The Lightning could have a lot of representation on Team Canada, especially with Tampa GM Steve Yzerman a key decision maker with Hockey Canada Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

To explain a little further:

1)  Usually, the Canadian team can be selected from the teams that do not make the playoffs as well as some who get beat in the first round.  That will not be the case this year.  Due to the lockout, the playoffs will not begin until April 30th, with the World Championships set to begin on May 3.  The first round will not be over until the team is well into the Worlds.

2)  With the regular season ending on April 27th, there will not be much time to get the team together and off to Stockholm, where Canada will play their round robin games.  This means that there will not be much time for practice and some of the European teams will have an advantage because many of their players, with a few NHL exceptions, will already have the better part of a month of practice together heading into the tournament.

3) The leadership group for this team will be the same decision makers that will be picking the Canadian team for the Sochi Olympics next year.  If a player is on the bubble and turns down the invite this year, that decision will be remembered when it is time for team selection for Sochi. The decision makers include Steve Yzerman (Tampa), Kevin Lowe (Edmonton), Doug Armstrong (St. Louis) and Ken Holland (Detroit) as well as Bob Nicholson and Brad Pascall from Hockey Canada.

So, with a number of teams already essentially eliminated and a bunch more on life support, here are some early candidates to get the call to represent Canada:

FORWARDS

Taylor Hall – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jordan Eberle

Eric Staal – Jordan Staal -Jeff Skinner

Martin St. Louis – Vincent Lecavalier – Steven Stamkos

Teddy Purcell – Cody Hodgson – Michael Cammalleri

Alex Tanguay – Matt Duchene – Jonathan Huberdeau

Mike Fisher – Claude Giroux – Scott Hartnell

P.A. Parenteau – Sam Gagner – Curtis Glencross

DEFENSE

Shea Weber  – Ryan Ellis

Brian Campbell – Erik Gudbranson

Justin Schultz – Mark Giordano

Dennis Wideman – Eric Brewer

GOALTENDERS

Devan Dubnyk

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

This list doesn’t include players from teams like the Stars, Coyotes, Blue Jackets, Devils, Jets or any team currently occupying playoff spots.

Players that could be available include Jamie Benn, Mike Smith, David Clarkson, Evander Kane, Andrew Ladd, Shane Doan, Stephan Robidas and Trevor Daley among many others.

While the forwards are very deep, just like the Olympic team, the defense isn’t really stacked.  And unless Smith is available and agrees to play, goaltending could be questionable as well.

It would be good for team Canada chemistry if they could get all of the units that might be familiar with each other, if not always playing together on a line, like the Edmonton, Carolina and Tampa units.

Any way, as long as players answer the call, Canada should have a pretty solid team.  And for most there is no reason to not say yes, since they are coming off a shortened season and wouldn’t have the usual 2-3 week-long break in between the end of their season and the beginning of Canadian camp this year.

February 5, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) play the puck during the third period of an NHL game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

So one year away, here is the team I would select.  As the NHL and NHLPA want the rosters expanded to 25 player for injury and logistical issues, that is what I will go with.  I will start with the “locks”, and move on to the “bubble” players and then list some outside shots who could make a dent over the next year, and then pick my team.

LOCKS – will be on the team

IN THE CONVERSATION – The players on this list will be in the conversation and the rest of the roster will likely be selected from this group

NEED MORE LOOKS – Over the next 6 months of hockey between February and December, these players could force the management of Team Canada to take a second look at them.

ON THE OUTS – Players that were on the team in Vancouver but not likely to get a look for 2014 either due to retirement, age, injury or a slip in level of play.

MY TEAM

So without further delay, here is the team I would take to Sochi if I were selecting it today.

FORWARDS

Steven Stamkos – Sidney Crosby – Jordan Eberle

Corey Perry – Jason Spezza – Rick Nash

Claude Giroux – Jonathan Toews – James Neal

Patrice Bergeron – Mike Richards – Scott Hartnell

John Tavares – Eric Staal

DEFENSEMEN

Drew Doughty   -   Shea Weber

Duncan Keith – Brent Seabrook

Alex Pietrangelo - Marc Staal

Kris Letang – Dan Girardi

GOALTENDERS

Carey Price

Roberto Luongo

Marc-Andre Fleury