Gold CanadaSilver RussiaBronze USA      

Anyone who gets hurt before the tournament needs to be subbed out for a healthy player who can skate.Shea Weber is a big kid who hits hard and has scored 20 from the blue-line. Drew Doughty is anchoring an LA defense that's becoming one of the stingiest in the league. He's playing twenty-three minutes a night and is a plus player in LA. Dion Phaneuf has tons of bad press and still doesn't always look responsible on his blue-line. Brent Seabrook might be the safer choice, but I'll accept the offensive skill. Mike Green fills my need for another top end offensive defenseman at the Olympics. You'd take Paul Coffey on your Olympic team and you need to take Mike Green as well despite some moments of panic he had in last years playoff.I'd stick with seven defenseman and Dan Hamhuis and Brent Seabrook would be my first choices as an eighth or injury replacement defenseman. GoaliesStarter: Roberto LuongoFirst Back-up: Chris MasonSecond Back-up: Martin BrodeurThis is a scary situation for Canada.

Martin Brodeur is getting too old to depend on in these situations. His numbers still warrant it, so I've chosen him to be on the team.Roberto Luongo hopefully won't turn out to be Canada's next Mike Liut. Hopefully, Canada will be good enough not to need the best goaltending to do well at these Olympics.My pick for the last year has been Steve Mason but right now he has worse numbers then Pascal Leclaire. I choose Chris Mason as Canada's second goalie because he had a great last year for St Louis and is doing well again this year.The Left BehindSome players I could luckily eliminate because of injury. Marc Savard, Cam Ward, Eric Staal, Ryan Smyth, Pierre Marc Bouchard, and Devin Setoguchi are all hurt. Vincent Lecavalier just isn't playing well enough to be considered Dustin Penner is too darn slow.

Martin St Louis is another guy having a good year but I just like the youth that Tavares and Stamkos bring, a little better. Brad Richards is having a great year as a playmaker in Dallas.He'd be on my list if Crosby, Richards(Mike), Getzlaf and Marleau weren't ahead of him Toews, Sharp and Cammalleri deserve consideration I just think Stamkos and Tavares are better. Bouwmeester likewise is a great skater but his offensive prowess doesn't justify his risk-taking.Robyn Regehr is slowing down a bit. Marty Turco, Ray Emery and Carey Price have all had good years so far.I just don't trust Price and Emery. Turco has a better track record but I'd probably pull him in to replace Brodeur as the veteran and Brodeur has better numbers and a better track record. Steve Mason has had a poor start to his sophomore year. Canada's chancesI think Canada at home will be under incredible pressure. The offense looks good and the defenseman seem fast, tough and skilled. Steve Yzerman might get his spot in the hall of fame revoked. There's no way Canada is the seventh best hockey nation in the world.

I'm calling them for the Gold. Gold: CanadaSilver: RussiaBronze: USA . weekly jobless claims, Wal-Mart sales hurt dollar Currencies Global Markets Dollar falls vs yen as risk aversion returns Stg bounces as BoE delivers 50 bps rate cut, as expected (Recasts, adds quotes, updates prices; changes byline,dateline, previous LONDON) By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK, Jan 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar tumbled againstthe yen on Thursday, as falling stocks worldwide and weak salesat U.S. The greenback also fell against the euro after the latestweekly data showed the number of Americans remaining onunemployment benefits rose to a 26-year high."That bit of optimism that lifted (the dollar) for thefirst few days faded after the FOMC minutes showed people justhow concerned the Fed was about the U.S. economic outlook,"said David Watt, senior currency strategist, at RBC CapitalMarkets in Toronto.