TSN Got It Wrong

Earlier this week, the writers at TSN published a list of their projected starting lineup for the 2014 Team Canada Olympic roster. Co-authors on this piece included Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, James Duthie, Pierre Lebrun, and Ray Ferraro. In the world of hockey, these guys are considered among the very best in their knowledge of players, teams, and the game itself.

So how did they get it so wrong?

Here's what they projected the lineup to be: 
Kunitz-Crosby-Stamkos
E. Staal-Toews-Nash
Couture-Tavares-Giroux
Sharp-Getzlaf-Carter
E: St. Louis, Bergeron

Keith-Doughty
Staal-Weber
Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo
E: Boyle, Subban

Luongo
Price
E: Smith

Okay, so obviously this team is good. VERY good. It's team Canada. But there are so serious snubs to this roster and more than a couple players should be insulted.

Here's how I would do the lines if I were in charge:

E. Staal-Crosby-Nash
Crosby and Nash had some great chemistry last Olympics and in juniors, and you've got to see if they can rekindle it. Staal and Nash are both big bodies that can open up some space for Crosby to work his magic.
St. Louis-Stamkos-Tavares
St. Louis is probably the biggest snub of the TSN roster. He wasn't even invited in 2009, which is a travesty. This time around, he's playing the best hockey of his career and has unbelievable chemistry with Stamkos. Add Tavares and you've got potentially the deadliest line at Sochi.
Hall-Toews-Giroux
By now everyone knows how big I am on Hall. He plays a complete, competitive game and will fit in perfectly on the big stage. Toews is a leader through and through and Giroux, assuming he's healthy by then, would round out probably the line with the biggest heart on the team.
Neal-Bergeron-Perry
None of these guys were on the TSN list. This line could cause havoc for the opposing teams. Bergeron is a must-have for his faceoff prowess and PK skills. But he's also an underrated playmaker who will be set up between Neal and Perry, two elite goal scorers that like to play physical.
Extras: Sharp, Couture

Keith-Doughty
I'm fine with this pairing. Both elite, well rounded defensemen that can log a lot of minutes, play physical, and provide some offensive punch.
Weber-Subban
Better keep your head up when skating against this pair. Both love to land big hits and have two of the hardest shots in the league. This is also likely the top PP combo.
Staal-Letang
I like Mark Staal a lot as a shutdown d-man. He's very hard to play against and you need gritty, stay at home guys like him on the ice. Pair him up with Letang, a highly skilled, highly mobile player, and you've got a great, balanced third pair.
Extras: Boyle, Pietrangelo

Crawford
The guy just won the Stanley Cup with elite numbers. Some say he's only as good as the team in front of him. To that I say: have you seen the team in front of him?
Luongo
He's a bit of a mental case and his confidence is probably shot, but just looking at what he did in the 2010 Olympics he deserves a roster spot.
Price
Can be the best goalie in the world when he's on his game. You can make a strong argument for him as number 1, but he hasn't had enough postseason success to declare him good under pressure.

All in all, I think this is a much better team than the one the TSN guys put out. It will depend on what happens during the first three months of the season, but this looks good to me. What do you guys think?