Nitzy's Hockey Den All-Time Team Canada

Here we go. I found out this afternoon that TSN will be publishing their All-Time Team Canada after they did the seven Canadian NHL teams recently. According to Craig Button they are using players from Olympics, Canada Cups, World Cups and World Championships. I'm not certain if TSN will be considering the Summit Series, but I am. Also, Button says there is no positional requirements on this squad as is usual in international team selection. This is also a 23-man roster, same as international play.
Goalies
I gave the nod to Bill Ranford on the strength of a 17-1 record and 1.61 average in the '91 Canada Cup and '93 and '94 World Championships. He backstopped Canada to it's first World Championship Gold in 33 years and was also stellar in the Canada Cup. Speaking of that, Grant Fuhr almost single-handedly kept Canada in games against the Soviets in the '87 Canada Cup. He also played in the '84 tourney and Rendezvous '87 putting up an 8-2-3 record overall and 3.39 avg. My third goalie is Carey Price who over the 2014 Olympic victory and 2016 World Cup win, has a record of 10-0 with a goals average of 0.92. Not bad. The last cut in net was Martin Brodeur who has a 12-4 mark and 1.88 average over 3 Olympics a World Cup and a Worlds. His 2010 performance in the Olympics is the main thing keeping him off this squad. Others considered were Rogie Vachon and Tony Esposito.
Defence
Paul Coffey and Scott Niedermayer would likely be the greatest skating pair of defenders ever paired. Coffey won 3 Canada Cups and produced 38 points in 43 International games. Niedermayer won 2 Olympics a World Cup and a World Championship, picking up 16 points over 36 games. Bobby Orr just has to make this squad, his MVP during the 1976 Canada Cup was his only international play, but for me that's enough. Denis Potvin was almost as great as Orr in that tournament and also played in the '81 Canada Cup. His 16 points in this 14 games is good enough for this team. The shutdown pair on D is Ray Bourque and Larry Robinson, and you're not going to get much better than that. They, of course could also help in the other end of the rink as shown by Bourque's 20 points in 30 international matches. My extra defenceman was a tough choice. I thought hard about Chris Pronger who played in 4 Olympics as well as the victorious '97 Worlds team. However I opted for Larry Murphy won 2 Canada Cups and played in 3 Worlds, putting up 19 points in 33 games. Plus, he was "The Decoy" on the '87 Canada Cup winning goal.
Forwards
Speaking of Gretzky and Lemieux, they are easy choices for the top forward line; Gretzky scoring 86 points in 57 international games, Lemieux 42 in 31. The Left Wing may surprise in Dany Heatley. He amazingly played in 6 World Championships between 2002 and 2009, as well as the '04 World Cup and '06 and '10 Olympics. His 44 goals, 74 points in 71 games to go with an Olympic and 2 Worlds Golds give him the coveted spot beside #66 and #99.
Phil Esposito, the heart and soul of Team Canada '72 also played in the '76 Canada Cup and '77 Worlds, and all he did was produce. 18 goals and 30 points in those 25 games make him the only member of the Summit Series on the All-Time team. Espo however has to shift to Left Wing to accommodate Sid the Kid. Crosby's international resume speaks for itself. Gold in '15 Worlds, '16 World Cup and of course 2010 and 2014 Olympics. 20 goals and 48 points in 37 games, AND the Golden Goal solidify his spot. Mike Bossy earns the next Right Wing spot on the strength of two Canada Cup Golds and 15 goals over 18 international games.
Rick Nash is another two-time Olympic Gold medalist and played in 4 World Championships, winning in 2007. Overall in 44 games he scored 25 goals and 51 points. Burnaby Joe Sakic centres the so-called third line with 48 games under his international belt and 22 goals and 41 points. Eric Lindros moves to the wing with his '02 Olympics, '91 Canada Cup wins and 25 goals, 45 points in 36 games.
The "checking line" consists of Captain Canada Ryan Smyth and his 78 international games and Jarome Iginla with his four separate Golds and 14 goals in 36 games. They are centred by Mark Messier won 3 Canada Cups and played 40 international games total, putting up 33 points.
My extra forward is Jonathan Toews with 28 points in 37 games to go with 2 Olympic Golds and '07 World Championship. The last cuts at forward included Dale Hawerchuk (34 points in 47 games), Paul Kariya (39 pts in 30 games), Steve Yzerman (50 pts in 48 games), Theo Fleury (38 points in 44 games), Shane Doan (38 points in 61 games), Michel Goulet (26 points in 28 games), Rick Tocchet, Bobby Clarke and John Tonelli. Lots of talent.
Foundational Player
Jackie McLeod and Fran Huck were stalwarts of Canadian World Championship and Olympic teams in the 60's and Harry Watson scored a ridiculous 36 goals and 50 points in only 5 games in the 1924 Olympics. I had to go with Paul Henderson for this spot though. Playing in both the '72 and '74 Summit Series against the Soviets, Henderson scored 9 goals over 15 games, including perhaps the biggest goal in Canadian history. He's my foundational player.

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