Will Doughty be an Olympian?

Yes, I think Doughty will make the Canadian team. Here would be my roster as of right now, in no particular order nor pairing:

Brian Campbell, Drew Doughty
Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer
Shea Weber, Jay Bouwmeester

Alt. Duncan Keith

I think the following should be in the discussion but ultimately will not make the team because their game would not translate as well to the Olympics or they have a history of disappearing in the NHL playoffs:
Dion Phaneuf
Mike Green
Kevin Bieksa

I really can't see how Doughty makes it. It's not because he doesn't have talent, it is just because there is SO much other Canadian talent that is more experienced. Campbell, Bouwmeester, Weber, Phaneuf are locks. I am not sure Dan Boyle gets left off either.

If Doughty does get on the the team, it will be a TREMENDOUS accomplishment.

Pronger, Green, Weber, bouwmeester, Phaneuf, Campbell, Boyle........Maybe Doughty sneaks in if somebody is injured and he is playing well? That is not taking into consideration that if Neidermayer isnt retired, he is probably offered a spot. I am also probably missing a couple guys that should be on the list.

Brent Seabrook needs to be in that discussion.. He's playing very well and is a very underrated player. Mike Green, Jay-Bo, Weber, Boyle, Phaneuf, Pronger and the rest is a competition..

I'm not even sure about Brian Campbell in all honesty.. I'd take Doughty over him.. You can even put Vlasic in the discussion

I'm still thinking he's a long shot unless some things change this year. My guess...

Pronger / Weber
Bouwmeester / Neidermayer
Green / Keith

x - Boyle, Doughty, Phanuef, Burns

The fact that this is even a discussion is an amazing compliment to Drew. I would think they may try to find a spot for him as alternate just so he can get that experience under his belt for 2014 (if NHL players play in 2014).

i think drew makes it...the mere fact it's being discussed warrants some hypotheticals....but national teams always like to pick a young, burgeoning player and groom him for future competitions and let him gain great world experience early on...

i think doughty is this player team canada is eying for this role...world championship play, with it's bigger surfaces, predicates a mobile, speedy offensive d=man...drew has it all going for him and not only would an excellent addition...but provide good depth for the national team...

drew is a good investment for canada and it would make sense for all parties...i think he makes it as an alternate or 7th d-man...as TONY said above me...

I'd say the only way Drew makes the team is if they want to stack it with 1/2 young guys and 1/2 all stars. Which of the following would you say should NOT make the team?
Dion Phaneuf
Mike Green
Scott Niedermayer
Dan Boyle
Shea Weber
Sheldon Souray
Brian Campbell
Chris Pronger
If Drew was anything other than Canadian, he would make the national team without a doubt.

I believe Doughty will make it because he plays both zones so well. I love Mike Green, and he had a stellar season, but he is a defensive liability at times. If Green makes the team he will most likely be a Power Play specialist. Same can be said about Campbell at times, he is strong in the offensive zone but can be overwhelmed in the d-zone. Ideally Canada will want the most complete players, which is why Doughty will get serious recognition. For what it is worth...this would be my pairs.

Weber / Seabrook
Boyle / Phanuef
Doughty / Bouwmeister
Green

Injury Call Ups: Keith / Burns / Hamhuis / Campbell

I watched all of the Canadian games at the Worlds and Doughty got stronger as the tournament progressed probably playing his best game in the gold medal game. In fact he was being used as much as Shea Weber and in all situations. It was no mistake that he was played the most minutes in the game against Finland and I would not be surprised if he played the most against Russia.

For my lines I would definitely leave Pronger off the list and even like to leave Neidermeyer off, but we do need some experience.

In no particular order
Green/Campbell
Weber/Doughty
Phaneuf/Bowmeester

The 7th d-man could be Neidermeyer or someone else with a ton of experience.

Chris Pronger
Scott Niedermayer
Shea Weber
Dion Phaneuf
Jovanoski
Sheldon Souray

I am with PaulCat1969 on this. This is a real longshot....

A few things everyone has to remember:

The World Championships are a real mixed bag of talent. So exceling there does not mean you can do it versus the worlds best, as the 2010 Olympics will be. How much better will Russia be with Malkin, Semin, Ovechkin, Gonchar and Datsyuk?

Vancouver WILL NOT build an international sized ice surface for the 2010 Olympics. They are going with an regulation NHL sized ice surface. So the fact Drew has been good on NHL ice is more relevant than the fact he's been great on the bigger ice.

Every defencemen listed so far for the most part is an offensive specialist or a really solid two way guy. No one figured in defensive stalwarts like Willie Mitchell or Robyn Regehr. Regehr has represented Canada in international play six times, including the '04 World Cup & '06 Olympics, when it was best vs best.

Say what you want about the post season resumes of Campbell, Green and Boyle. I don't see how someone with no NHL playoff experiance somehow becomes a better candidate because of that. Can you imagine the field day the Canadian press would have with Yzerman if he picked Drew over one of those vets and they didn't get gold?

In 2006, Canada had 7 D-men so I'll pick 7 this time as well:

Shea Weber
Chris Pronger
Dion Phaneuf
Jay Bouwmeester
Robyn Regehr
Mike Green
Brian Campbell

Typically one or two players will be injured so options for replacements include:

Dan Boyle
Drew Doughty
Dan Hamhuis
Denis Wideman
Brent Burns
Duncan Keith
Ed Jovanoski
ME Vlasic
Kevin Bieksa

All I have to say is I wouldn't want to be the one choosing. It gets even more difficult when you get to centers.

Damen, are you sure that the ice in Vancouver is not already adaptable for international play? I know that some of the NHL rinks aren't, but I'd think that most, if not all, of the Canadian surfaces would be just because they put more emphasis on international action than Americans do.

Is the NHL going to be on a break during the 2010 Olympics? Otherwise, I don't see how it would be a given that all these great players would be released from their NHL teams.

Yes, the NHL will be stopping for the Olympics in February. I believe it's still undecided if the NHL players are going to the 2014 games in Russia, but they are going to the 2010 games. Although I'm sure the large contingent of Russian players in the league will beg the NHL to let them play in 2014. Right now it sounds like it probably depends on getting a concrete transfer agreement done between Russia and the NHL.

I personally can't see Doughty making the 2010 team, but I'd love it if he did. Just too many great defensemen in their prime ahead of him. If they do go in 2014 he should be a lock.

As a Kings fan and a Caps season ticket holder, I think Doughty has an outside shot.

Green, Phanuef, Weber and Campbell are certain. The rest is kind of a mix. Personally, I think B-meester is horribly over-rated. He logs a ton of minutes, but I've seen him several dozen times and he never wows me the way the others do. Pronger is great, but his style may not fit the bigger ice. Boyle's great, but frankly, he's not nearly as good as he was before the hand injury.

deadcatbounce-

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=2475698

The Canadian arguement was it will save money. But come on, we know it gives the two North American squads an advantage and anything to help the home team.