Steve Stamkos, Jeff Carter and Jay Bouwmeester are just a few of the names who could have made team Canada but didn’t.

Had Canada lost, those final roster spots would have been scrutinized until the Sochi Olympics in 2014.  However, that wasn’t the case, and the Team Canada brass can be confident that they selected the right players to get the job done.

The same could be said about the United States despite them not winning gold. They came in as underdogs and few experts picked them to even play for a medal. To come within an overtime goal of a gold medal is a tremendous accomplishment for a country that fared even worse than Canada in the 2006 Turin Olympics.

The US decided to part ways with the likes of Mike Modano, Bill Guerin and Chris Chelios for a younger, more vibrant group. Led by Patrick Kane and Ryan Miller, this new group representing the red, white and blue finished admirably by playing fast, hard hockey.

It got me thinking about how powerful a team could be created if the two teams combined to make an all star team.

Even though the United States beat Canada in the round robin and took the gold medal game to overtime, Canada had far more fire power than their neighbors to the south. Just to create a roster controversy when one is not necessary, below is the roster of what Team North America would have been comprised of – in my opinion.

Forward
Nash-Crosby-Iginla
Kane-Toews-Parise
Heatley-Thornton-Getzlaf
Kesler-Richards-Perry
Extra – Morrow

Defense
Pronger-Niedermayer
Weber-Doughty
Seabrook-Keith
Boyle

Goalies
Ryan Miller
Roberto Luongo
Martin Brodeur

As you have likely noticed, there really was not much to change from Team Canada to Team North America.  The Canadians had tremendous depth and there was not much room to improve.

It was tough to remove players like Eric Staal and Patrick Marleau from the roster but as the Olympics proved, Ryan Kesler is a dynamic two way player who agitates with the best of them.  And if it was not for Patrick Kane’s determined back check on Sidney Crosby’s breakaway with 5 minutes left, overtime probably would not have been needed. Not to mention Kane’s offensive flair and the obvious chemistry that he shares with Blackhawks teammate Jonathon Toews.

The US was notably weak on defense and this is especially evident by none of the US defenders being able to crack Team North America’s line up. Brian Rafalski had a great tournament but his veteran presence is not needed when you have a stud in Scott Niedermayer already back there.

Goaltending was an easy pick and if Team North America existed there never would be as much as a sniff of controversy.

Ryan Miller has been head and shoulders above everyone else in the league this past season and he would have been named the starting goalie. The only controversy would have been who sits in the press box and who sits on the end of the bench.

It is unlikely that we will ever see a competition involving Team North America but you never know. The All-Star game used to be North America vs. the World, or if there is ever another strike maybe they will start up a traveling tournament team.

Until then one can only imagine what this continents best players could accomplish if they are playing with each other instead of against.

For Open Ice Hockey, this is Mike Zelek – Please Enjoy Responsibly.

A gold medal game between the US and Canada, for the third time since the women’s tournament was adopted at the Nagano games in 1998.

In 1998, the US defeated Canada 3-1 in the gold medal game, the second time in the tournament that they beat their rivals.

In Salt Lake City in 2002 it was the Canadian’s turn for revenge, defeating the US 3-2 in the most thrilling women’s hockey game ever.

Now, eight years later, the two high-profile superpowers are facing each other once again.  And really, is anyone very excited about this game?

Will it prove that one of these teams as the best in the world?

The answer is yes.  But for how long?  Until they meet up again within the next year at the World Championships?

These Olympic Games have only solidified that the mediocrity in women’s hockey has become completely ridiculous.

I know there has been much made about this topic, and what could be done to improve the game.  But I’m at the point now where there is only one thing they can do to help the sport gain national interest.

Include hitting.

Not the small rub-outs along the boards, but open ice checks, just like men’s hockey.

Watching the Canada/Finland semi-final game the other night, there was a play were Canadian forward Gillian Apps leveled one of the Finish defencemen along the boards.

There was no penalty called, and for the first time – potentially ever – I thought to myself, “wow, that was a really nice hit, I wish they could do that more often.”

Sticking with the topic of hitting in women’s hockey, I am a strong believer that it would make the game more competitive and bring the lopsided scores closer together.

For teams that aren’t as quick as the Americans or Canadians, they could use their size to hit these players off the puck, rather than getting stepped around on a consistent basis.

The thought four years ago was that there were advances being made in the game after Sweden’s upset of the Americans in the semi-final.  However, that thought is out the window now that both the US and Canada rolled over Sweden and Finland handily in the semi’s this year.

In 2002, I remember there was a sense of “we have to beat them, it’s our game.”  Now, and even in 2006, it feels as though there is a “who cares” feeling surrounding the Gold medal matchup.

Maybe if there were slight alterations to the game, people would get those butterflies back that were felt in Salt Lake City.

The Canadians will be looking for redemption once again in this tournament, having lost to the Russians in the Quarterfinals at the Torino games in 2006.

It will be much more than a Sidney Crosby/Alex Ovechkin battle.  The two NHL superstars will be the main focus, however, it will be the supporting casts that will determine which team moves on to the semi-finals Friday afternoon.

With the battle set, it’s time to look back at some of the history between the Canadians and the Russians since the 80’s Olympics.

1980
Russia: Won the Silver
Canada: Finished 6th
Notes: Canada and Russia met in the preliminary round with Russia winning.  Canada missed out on final round by tie-breaking rule to Finland. Soviets were upset by USA but rebounded to beat Sweden in final game to take silver.

1984
Russia: Won the Gold
Canada: Finished 4th
Notes: In the round robin, Canada was shutout by the Russians in the final game.  The Canadians were then shutout two games in a row; once in the semi-final game and then again in the bronze medal game.

1988
Russia: Won the Gold
Canada: Finished 4th
Notes: The Russians continued their dominanace on the International stage, with the KLM line combining for 39 points in 8 games.  Russia beat Canada in the last game of the round-robin.

1992
Soviet Union/Russian Unified Team: Gold – beat the Canadians 3-1 in the final
Canada: Won Silver
Notes: Joe Juneau and Eric Lindros stood out for the Canadians, scoring 15 and 11 points respectively.  Andrei Khomutov tied two other players for the scoring lead in the tournament with seven goals.

2006:
Canada: Finished 7th.  Lost 2-0 to Russia in quarterfinals
Russia: Finished 4th.  Won 2-0 over Canada in quarterfinals, lost to Czech Republic in bronze medal game
Notes: Alexander Ovechkin scored the game-winner against Canada.  It was the first time Canada failed to reach semifinals since full participation of NHL players began in 1998.

Overall, every game that the Russians and Canadians have played in in the Olympics has lived up to the hype.

With Canadian ambassador Wayne Gretzky predicting the Canadians victorious over the Russians in a potential Gold medal game, tied in with playing on home soil, the pressure is even higher now for the them to win.

But, with Ovechkin and co. looking to break up the party once again, it remains to be seen what will unfold Wednesday.

The only thing for certain is that the puck will drop at 4:30 PST/7:30 EST time at Canada Hockey Place.

I suggest you cuddle up beside a  TV because it should be another unforgettable game.

Stellar goaltending from Martin Gerber, a patient, yet frustrating style of play, and a throng of stupid penalties from the Canadians allowed the Swiss to skate away with victory in ’06; even though they were outshot 49-18.

Canadian born Paul DiPietro was the hero, potting both Swiss goals, while star NHL defenceman Mark Streit had an assist on the second goal. The other two players who factored in on the goals, Goran Bezina and Patric Della Rossa, did not make this year’s roster.

Gerber completely shut down the Canadian offence from every angle, including on all five of the much maligned Canadian power plays.

These Olympics feel different though.

The Swiss for instance were coming into their game against Canada in 2006 riding a big upset of the Czech’s; whereas this year they’ll play after a 3-1 loss at the hands of the Americans.

As for the Canadians, even though it’s early, they seem to have found three lines bursting with chemistry, something they lacked entirely in 2006.

No player recorded a hat-trick or more than two goals the entire tournament. Jarome Iginla erased that last night.

The highest amount of assists scored by one player for Canada in the tournament was Todd Bertuzzi with three. Sidney Crosby tied that against the Norwegians.

Neither Martin Brodeur nor Roberto Luongo recorded a shutout in the five games played. Luongo accomplished that easily last night as well.

Aside from the statistical analysis, it was clear on the ice last night that as the game went on the lines Mike Babcock and his coaching staff put together had the right mix of youth and experience.

The “San Jose Sharks” line consisting of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Dany Heatley dominated the play every time they were on the ice.

The combination of the Anaheim Ducks forwards Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, along with Carolina Hurricanes’ Eric Staal seemed to gel a little more as the game went on.

And the top line of Crosby, Iginla, and Rick Nash – after a minor tweaking by Babcock swapping Patrice Bergeron for Iginla – scored arguably the prettiest goal of the tournament in the third period.

It’s obviously farfetched to think that the Canadians are cured of all of their scoring woes from the previous Olympics; it was the Norwegians after all.

But if this was a sign of things to come in the tournament; the quick, sharp passing, excellent coaching decisions, and solid goaltending, the Canadians could indeed be very tough to beat in this tournament.

The real test begins tomorrow night in their attempt to exorcise the demons from the loss in ’06.

If you live in Canada, you know first hand how this country is blessed with superior hockey talent compared to other parts of the world.  Being able to ice two teams at the Olympics, and be competitive, I don’t think any other country could do.

With yesterday’s announcement of the Olympic team, there were  additions and omissions that were not only surprising, but debatable.  And, until the tournament gets underway, critics will scrutinize the picks that Steve Yzerman and co. made.  This will continue until the tournament is done, and Canada either brings home the gold, or another disappointing finish a la 2006.

As you can see in the upcoming roster, Canada left off some high profile veteran players, as well as some younger players that have been having amazing seasons.  On paper, this team could rival the best in the world, albeit probably finish fifth or sixth, but would be competitive enough to put on a show.

Without further ado, Team Canada 2!

*Omissions: Stephen Weiss, Nathan Horton, Dustin Penner, Brooks Laich, John Tavares, Milan Lucic*

Jeff Carter: Apparently there was much deliberation over whether to take Carter or his Philadelphia teammate Mike Richards.  With all the troubles that Philly has had this season, they were leaning towards Carter since he has stayed out of most of the discussion.  In the end, Team Canada brass took Richards, leaving Carter available for this team.

Vincent Lecavalier: “Vinny” has been playing lights out recently.  He has six points in his last five games, but besides that, he has been dominant on the ice, carrying the play whenever he touches the puck.  Although he is 12th in the league in assists, his first 25 games killed his chances of making the big squad, but was plenty good enough for Team Canada 2.

Mike Fisher: With Patrice Bergeron coming out of left field and being named to the big team, many believed that Fisher was robbed of his chance.  I wasn’t one of these people, as having one good season and being engaged to a hot country singer does not put him over the likes of Martin St. Louis or Brad Richards, proven veterans in the NHL and international play.

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Mike Green: The biggest knock on Green is well documented.  Although he’s on pace to be the highest scoring defenceman for the second year in a row, he has a terrible knock on him for being bad defensively.  They decided to go with Drew Doughty over Green, as they felt that Doughty could do everything that Green does, but is more responsible in his own zone and can play against the opposition’s best players.

Jay Bouwmeester: Besides having somewhat of a sub-par season in Calgary, the word on the street, and from looking at the chosen roster, is that Yzerman wanted to build a team that has some already established chemistry among the players.  This is where Brent Seabrook was taken over Bouwmeester, allowing him to play with his Blackhawk defence partner Duncan Keith.

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Cam Ward: An injury earlier in the season, combined with the solid play of Marc-Andre Fleury, killed Ward’s chances of making the big squad.  On this team, there is no clear cut number one goalie, as Roloson has been playing well on the island, and Price has had his dominant moments in Montreal

To view my initial selections, click here.

Without further ado, with two hours left until decision time, here are my final picks for Team Canada 2010

Possible replacements: Mike Fisher, Martin St. Louis, Brad Richards

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Possible replacements: Drew Doughty, Brent Seabrook

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Jordan Staal has been replaced by Shane Doan.  My first inclination was to have Ryan Smyth take his position, however now that he’s hurt, and with Doan’s continuous great play, he has earned the fourth line grinder spot that he’s excelled in so many times before.

Eric Staal is still hanging onto his position along side Getzlaf and Perry, however if he does not produce now that he’s back from injury, a player like Patrick Marleau or Steven Stamkos will get a major push to fit into that second line role.

*denotes new addition

Cold

Brendan Morrow: Struggling recently to find his offensive game, the usually consistent Morrow only has two points in his last five games.  Although he’ll be counted on more for his defensive play, he is usually near a point-a-game pace by this point.  Players with more points than him?  Look to the likes of Tomas Plekanec, Maxim Afinogenov, and Brooks Laich.

Hot

Corey Perry: Perry has been on FIRE this season and looks like he won’t be slowing down any time soon.  He is fifth right now in league scoring with 28 points in 22 games, and has flourished alongside Ryan Getzlaf in Anaheim.  Look for these two to play together in a pivotal scoring role for Canada.

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Cold

Chris Pronger: Right after I put him onto the squad, Pronger goes and has a tumultuous five game stretch where he only have one point and was even plus/minus.  His sturdy defensive play has earned him Norris Trophy talk, but with the offensive numbers going down, it’s hard to keep him in that consideration.  He should make Team Canada, and should play with Scott Niedermeyer, both of whom are very comfortable with each other after playing together in Anaheim.

Hot

Duncan Keith: After a slow start to his season, Keith has ramped it up the last five games, scoring eight points and is +9.  He has almost surely locked himself down a spot on Team Canada, as long as he continues his strong play and does not get injured.  He has helped the Chicago Blackhawks to eight straight wins, and should be rewarded with a brand new contract in the coming weeks.  If not, he will be a sought after defenceman come free agency this summer.

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*Taxi Squad: There will be no taxi squad this year.  Players can be added  up until the Olympics only if a roster player is injured.

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Bubble Players

On Fire

Patrick Marleau: It’s almost nearing a lock that the entire line form San Jose will go to Vancouver if they keep up the torrid pace they’re all on.  Marleau has 27 points in 26 games, including nine power play points, something that is very key at the Olympic games.  If Eric Staal continues to flutter, look for Marleau to move into his spot.

Brad Richards: Richards continues to fly under Team Canada’s radar.  No one at length has spoken of the numbers he’s putting up on a strong Dallas team right now.  Sitting sixth in the league in scoring with 30 points in 22 games, Richards should begin to get consideration for the third checking spot now that Ryan Smyth is down with an injury.
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Heating-Up

Steven Stamkos: Can this kid make any more of a statement to Steve Yzerman that he wants on this year’s team?  Stamkos has 26 points in 22 games, including 15 goals; none prettier than the goal of the year candidate against Anaheim.  Many think, including myself, that Stamkos will be this year’s version of Crosby in 2006, when he tore up the league and was left off the roster.

*Dustin Penner: It’s time that Penner is done being ignored.  Granted, I don’t think he will make the team, but after having a bounce back year in which no one expected him to do anything, he should at least be considered.  He has 26 points in 25 games to lead the struggling Oilers.

Vincent Lecavalier: Vinny has started playing better recently with six points in his last five games.  He is starting to pick up his game at the right time, but it’s not helping that he’s being outdone by his 19-year-old line mate Stamkos.

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Cold As Ice

Dan Cleary: Cleary has been struggling mightily lately.  After heating up in early November, Clearly only has two points in his last five games and was a -3.  Considered a long shot to make the team, he was invited to camp based on his play from the last two Stanley Cup playoffs.  Not to say Clearly doesn’t have a chance, but unless he picks it up, or there are some serious injuries to the checking line on the team, he could be out of the running

Ryan Smyth: Smyth’s Olympic chances were starting to become big news in Canada, with the veteran forward playing resurgent hockey in Los Angeles.  However, an upper body injury has likely forced him out of the lineup for an extended period, and potentially off of Team Canada’s radar completely.

There has been a change – on defence – with some major players on forward in jeopardy of losing their spots to others who have been lights out so far this season.

A few names have been shifted around, with one being added to the mid-card section.  Not a Leaf player (are ya kidding me?), but someone they have been up close and personal with over the past few seasons.

*denotes new addition

Highlighted Players:

Eric Staal: Now that Staal is out with an injury, it is really uncertain whether he will make this team or not.  The only good news for Staal is that Yzerman has pushed the deadline back.  This gives him time to fully recover, and come back with a vengeance.  If he can pull the Hurricanes out of the gutter, he will definitely secure a spot.

Jonathan Toews: Toews still hasn’t returned from injury, but he’s very close.  If he returns to the pace that he was on before he got hurt, then he’s got a spot on my Team Canada 100%.

Ryan Getzlaf: What’’s wrong with Getzlaf?  Granted he has 12 points in 13 games, but one goal?  ONE goal?  This guy will be counted on to score goals for the 2010 team.  His spot really isn’t in jeopardy, but he desperately needs to start finding the back of the net again.

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Highlighted Players:

Shea Weber: Just as Weber starts to pick it up, he gets injured.  He shouldn’t be out very long, and when he gets back, he will be counted on to drag the Predators out of a major rut in the Western Conference.

*Chris Pronger: Pronger is playing as strong as ever.  He has 11 points in 12 games and is a +8.  He jumps ahead of Dion Phaneuf on my squad, who could be bumped in favour of the more experienced Pronger.

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*Taxi Squad: There will be no taxi squad this year.  Players can be added  up until the Olympics only if a roster player is injured.

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Bubble Players

Standouts

Ryan Smyth: He is up to 19 points in 15 games; good enough for sixth overall in the entire league.  I’m still hesitant to put him onto my squad, but if he continues to put up numbers, there is no way that he can be ignored any longer.

Patrick Marleau: It seems as though getting rid of the “C” on Marleau’s jersey was the best thing that could have happened.  He has 22 points in 17 games, and is making a major case to make the squad.  Playing with Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton has also helped, as this could be a projected line for the Olympics if they continue their solid chemistry.
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Mid-Card

Brad Richards: Another solid week for Richards, as he pushed himself into the top ten in scoring in the league.  Richards has 13 assists and 18 points in 13 games played.  If he stays un-injured, he could push players like Jordan Staal or Jonathan Toews off the projected roster.

Steven Stamkos: Another solid week for Stamkos.  He started it off against the Senators, scoring a beautiful goal, en route to a 5-1 win.  He has scored 11 goals on the season, pushing him into a tie for second overall in the league.  If he keeps up this pace, guys like Ryan Getzlaf and Eric Staal should be worried.

Martin St. Louis: St.Louis regressed a bit this past week.  Although he had two assists, tying him for seventh overall in the league, in three games, he lacked the jump that pushed him to an explosive start to the season.  As long as he and Stamkos keep clicking, St.Louis will get a solid look for the team.

*Jason Spezza: Spezza returned from his back injury to lead the Senators to a 3-2 overtime win against the Lightning Thursday night.  He scored his first goal of the season, and added two assists, to push his point total on the season to 11.  Most impressive is that Spezza is playing more responsible in his own zone, and has had experience playing on the 4th line at the World Championships a few years ago.  It is possible to toy around with the idea of Spezza stealing a 12th or 13th spot from someone.  Just not yet.

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Rough-Go’s

Vincent Lecavalier: Scoring his second goal of the season in front of Team Canada brass on Tuesday against the Leafs didn’t do anything to harm his status.  But other than that, he looked lost and enthused the entire game.  Steven Stamkos has passed him as the go to player on the Lightning, and Lecavalier still can’t score.  Was demoted last week to the fourth line to try and wake him up.

Highlighted Players:

Eric Staal: Very very slow start for Staal this season.  Whether it be compared to last season where he started off slow, or the lack of Eric Cole on his wing, Staal needs to produce more if he wants to secure his spot on the team.  He is about 75% guaranteed a spot no matter what, but there is that 25% of wiggle room for Steve Yzerman and co. to change their minds and go with more of a hot hand.

Jonathan Toews: After being demolished by a check from Cancuks defenseman Willie Mitchell, Toews has been out ever since with a concussion.  All signs are pointing towards a full recovery.  However, with a kid on the bubble to be a 13th forward, he will need to come back and prove he belongs after this setback.

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Highlighted Players:

Shea Weber: After a slow start – on a terrible team – Weber has started to play at the pace where he began last season.  He has six points in ten games, and is a +/- 0 for a team that has surrendered almost twice as many goals as they have scored.  If he continues his strong play on a weak team, he should be a lock for Team Canada.

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Highlighted Players

Marc-Andre Fleury: This guy has been flat out unbelievable this season.  Coming off the long playoff run to the Stanley Cup, many thought he would suffer the post-cup hangover like many goalies do at the beginning of the season.  However, Fleury is second in the league in wins with nine, and looks to be putting separation between him and Cam Ward for the third spot.

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Taxi Squad: Shane Doan, Patrick Sharp, Chris Pronger

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Bubble Players

Standouts

Ryan Smyth: Smyth has another impressive week.  He potted a goal and four assists, allowing the Kings to keep pace with the rest of the Western Conference.  Continued play like this will for sure give Smyth a legitmate chance of making the roster.

Martin St. Louis: Another solid week for St. Louis as his ten assists now put him sixth overall in the league.  His 13 points rank him 19th overall, but with the continued maturation of Seven Stamkos and if Vinny Lecavalier can wake up, there’s no reason to think that St. Louis could make the team.

Patrick Marleau: Marleau continued his strong play this past week, scoring nine points in six games played and was also named the leagues third star of the week.  Like the rest of the bubble players, he will need to continue his torrid scoring pace if he wants to make the team.
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Mid-Card

Brad Richards: He has simply been on fire through his first ten games this season.  He has 15 points in ten games, and is a solid +7, helping Dallas to fifth in the conference right now.  He is a solid two-way player, and could be placed in a fourth line checking role, or on the top powerplay…he’s just that versatile.

Steven Stamkos: A short week for the Lightning, but Stamkos still put up three points in two games, pushing his total to eleven on the year.  He ranks tenth in the league in goals, and with the injury to a young guy in Toews, Stamkos could be the one to fill that goal scoring spot as the 13th forward.

Andy McDonald: A regression week for McDonald, as he only picked up one point in four games played.  He needs to pick up the offence if he wants to even be considered for the final spots.

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Rough-Go’s

Vincent Lecavalier: Vinny still hasn’t had an eye-opener week yet.  It was a slow week for the Lightning as mentioned, and he put up two points in two games.  He is almost on a point per game pace, however he will need much more than that if he wants to lock up a spot on the team.  Especially with others playing much better than him.

Milan Lucic: His broken hand has all but ended the dream of Lucic making this year’s squad.  He should for sure be there in 2014 – if they’re allowed to go.

Marc Savard:  Like Lucic, his injury has all but solidified that the only team he will be playing for this year is the Bruins…when he’s healthy.

Basically, it will begin with the picks that I see making the squad come the 29th, as well as a list of the players on the bubble. Then, once the week has ended, I will update which players have either lost/gained stock with their performances

My prospective team selections (As of October 18th):

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Taxi Squad: Shane Doan, Patrick Sharp, Drew Doughty

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Bubble Players

Standouts

Ryan Smyth: Smyth did the most for his stock this week out of everyone on the bubble.  He potted five goals and five assists, while playing over 20 minutes per game.  On a team where the grinder spots are up for grabs, Captain Canada will look to keep this hot streak going.

Martin St. Louis: Coming off a week with 11 points in seven games, St.Louis has started off this season on fire.  He will need to keep up this pace if he wants to snag a right wing spot from someone on the projected roster

Steven Stamkos: A long shot to make the team, Stamkos put up eight points in seven games so far this season.  Even though he most likely wont make the team due to his age, he will definitely get a solid look from Steve Yzerman if he continues to produce.
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Mid-Card

Patrick Marleau: Marleau had a solid start in his first eight games, scoring seven points.  After being stripped of the captaincy, there was some uncertainty if Marleau would produce this season.  He is, and will need to catch fire even more to be considered for a spot.

Marc Savard: Even though he was not invited to the orientation camp, not considering Savard for the team would be a travesty.  Savard is known as a passer, but in his first seven games he has four goals and seven points.  If the Bruins continue to struggle, but Savard puts up big numbers, he could be a wild card pick as a 13th forward.

Andy McDonald: An head scratching pick made by the Yzerman administration for the orientation camp. McDonald has also had a solid start to the season; six points in six games.  He – like Marleau – will need to light it up if he wants to get consideration for the center-loaded position on the team.
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Rough-Go’s

Vincent Lecavalier: Coming back from season-ending surgery, Lecavalier has the most to prove out of this group to be bumped onto the squad. Even though he scored six points in seven games, the other major bubble player – Joe Thornton – is leading the league in scoring.  He will need to ramp up his game if he wants to be in Vancouver.

Milan Lucic: Another eye-opening pick for the orientation camp.  Lucic has had a not so great start to the season.  He is not known for his scoring prowess, but the fight and determination that Lucic is known for bringing has been lacking through his first six games. His chances to make the team are now greatly jeopardized due to him breaking a finger over the weekend.

Jason Spezza: Spezza is not doing himself any favours with his start to the 2009-10 campaign.  He has four points in seven games and has been demoted to the second line.  Not only does teammate Mike Fisher have more points than Spezza, but is a +2 compared to Spezza’s -2.