Was It a Snub?: Part 2 - Lucic not chosen for Team Canada
When Team USA revealed their Olympic hockey roster for the Sochi Games, Bruins young-gun Torey Krug did not make the final cut, raising the question if Team USA made a mistake in leaving the 22-year-old defensemen off the roster.
With the reveal of the Team Canada roster, there were a few notable names left off the list, too. Those include Flyers captain Claude Giroux, Sharks' skaters Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, and Lightning captain Martin St. Louis.
And Bruins winger Milan Lucic.
Lucic was not chosen for Team Canada, and it seems in his place Rick Nash, who plays with a similar size and speed as Lucic, will skate for his country instead.
With the Olympic games being played on larger European ice sheets, Lucic's hulking style of play could get 'lost' in a setting where speed will be of the essence. But if anyone has watched Lucic play, it is well-known that his burst of speed can leave skaters in the dust, as is a perfect example in this goal from the Leafs in December.
Skip ahead to the 2:22 mark. Lucic skates out of his own zone, beating Leafs captain Dion Phaneuff with a slick stick handle and charges up the ice. He shields the puck from Carl Gunnarson in the zone, before zipping a pass straight to Jarome Iginla for the tap in goal in the crease.
Add that to Lucic's size and power when parked in front of the net or in the corners, it's easy to imagine how Lucic could have helped Team Canada in the upcoming games.
And Lucic even has a former teammate in the corner for him, old friend and former Bruins center Marc Savard took to Twitter to voice his opinion on the matter:
In the end, the braintrust of Team Canada, which includes Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli, opted to go with Nash's goal scoring track record and his experience in international play, in which he won Gold in 2010, as well as multiple medals in the World Championships.
So was the Lucic omission a snub, or simply a result of Team Canada being too stacked with talent, leaving the fact that many professionals had to be shutout?
With the reveal of the Team Canada roster, there were a few notable names left off the list, too. Those include Flyers captain Claude Giroux, Sharks' skaters Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, and Lightning captain Martin St. Louis.
And Bruins winger Milan Lucic.
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| photo via cbsboston.com |
Lucic was not chosen for Team Canada, and it seems in his place Rick Nash, who plays with a similar size and speed as Lucic, will skate for his country instead.
With the Olympic games being played on larger European ice sheets, Lucic's hulking style of play could get 'lost' in a setting where speed will be of the essence. But if anyone has watched Lucic play, it is well-known that his burst of speed can leave skaters in the dust, as is a perfect example in this goal from the Leafs in December.
Skip ahead to the 2:22 mark. Lucic skates out of his own zone, beating Leafs captain Dion Phaneuff with a slick stick handle and charges up the ice. He shields the puck from Carl Gunnarson in the zone, before zipping a pass straight to Jarome Iginla for the tap in goal in the crease.
Add that to Lucic's size and power when parked in front of the net or in the corners, it's easy to imagine how Lucic could have helped Team Canada in the upcoming games.
And Lucic even has a former teammate in the corner for him, old friend and former Bruins center Marc Savard took to Twitter to voice his opinion on the matter:
Congrats to all who made Team Canada Rick Nash great guy but correct me if I'm wrong I'd take Lucic all day over him !!!!!!!!
— marc savard (@MSavvy91) January 7, 2014
If you say Nash is faster make them race? Lucic Stanley Cup and Stanley Cup runner up!!!! Sorry but what have you done for me lately Ricky
— marc savard (@MSavvy91) January 7, 2014
Maybe I'm showing a little favour towards Luch but he deserved this Nash great player but not lately #GoCanada
— marc savard (@MSavvy91) January 7, 2014
In the end, the braintrust of Team Canada, which includes Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli, opted to go with Nash's goal scoring track record and his experience in international play, in which he won Gold in 2010, as well as multiple medals in the World Championships.
So was the Lucic omission a snub, or simply a result of Team Canada being too stacked with talent, leaving the fact that many professionals had to be shutout?
