Part of it was due to it being a "gap Olympics" - kind of like the USA basketball team in 2004. One generation of stars/Gold winners were passing the torch to a new generation. By 2010 Crosby was a top 2 player, Weber was one of the best d-men in the league, Getzlaf/Perry had established themselves, Toews was emerging, Prongs, Iggy and Nieds were still elite and the last two left over form the previous generation.
Canada also left very talented guys like Niedermeyer, Crosby, Staal, Spezza etc. at home while taking Kris motherf***ing Draper.
It was hard to score against Draper. And for a classic 3rd liner, he didn't produce too bad.
But I sort of agree. I remember often the Canadian team was picked with an NHL regular season philosophy. They wanted their defensive forwards and their grinders in as well. If that is a mistake, I can't say. Probably depends on the game. Canada could certainly have picked more offense.
Draper was the reigning Selke winner in all fairness.
If I recall, alot of the players were friends with management. Rather than a transition a youth movement playing with veterans, the stuck with old grinders. I will never forget the pressor when it was asked why Crosby was not on the team. Answer was "he has plenty of opportunities to represent Canada in the future" which pissed me off. Meanwhile, Ovi was lighting it up on team Russia as a rookie.
In the end, the old veterans on that Olympic team just could not develop chemistry. Not sure if the 05 lockout had something to do with it.
If the NHL & IOC cant play nice, we may never see Crosby in the Olympics again
2022 is probably his last go around, if they make a deal.
Outside Boyle Brian Campbell is the only other name that came to mind to help Canada in that regard
Yea, it was weird time. By 2010 you had Weber, Keith and Doughty who had all established themselves as some of the best d-men in the league. In 2006 two were in the minors and one wasn't even in major junior yet.