With the Sochi Olympics a little less than a year away, here are my projected rosters for the so-called “Big 6”. I will give 13 forwards, 7 defencemen and 3 goaltenders. Feel free to comment or discuss my selections.
Canada
Forwards: Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux, Mike Richards, Eric Staal, Rick Nash, Jordan Eberle, John Tavares, Patrick Marleau, Corey Perry, Joe Thornton, Ryan Getzlaf
Defense: Shea Weber, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Alex Pietrangelo, Drew Doughty, Kris Letang, Marc Staal
Goaltenders: Roberto Luongo, Carey Price, Marc-Andre Fleury
United States
Forwards: Bobby Ryan, Zach Parise, Phil Kessel, Patrick Kane, David Backes, Dustin Brown, Joe Pavelski, Ryan Callahan, James van Riemsdyk, Max Pacioretty, Ryan Kesler, TJ Oshie, Paul Stastny
Defense: Jack Johnson, Erik Johnson, Ryan McDonagh, Ryan Suter, John Carlson, Keith Yandle, Kevin Shattenkirk
Goaltenders: Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, Cory Schneider
Russia
Forwards: Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk, Alex Semin, Vladimir Tarasenko, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Radulov, Nail Yakupov, Artem Anisimov, Nikolai Kulemin, Maxim Afinogenov, Sergei Mozyakin
Defense: Sergei Gonchar, Andrei Markov, Dmitri Kulikov, Fedor Tyutin, Nikita Nikitin, Slava Voynov, Alexei Emelin
Goaltenders: Ilya Bryzgalov, Evgeni Nabokov, Semyon Varlamov
Sweden
Forwards: Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Loui Eriksson, Henrik Zetterberg, Nicklas Backstrom, Johan Franzen, Gabriel Landeskog, Patric Hornqvist, Patrik Berglund, Alex Steen, Mika Zibanejad, Carl Soderberg, Mikael Backlund
Defense: Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Alex Edler, Tobias Enstrom, Jonathan Ericsson, Niklas Kronwall
Goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Viktor Fasth, Anders Lindback
Finland
Forwards: Mikael Granlund, Teuvo Teravainen, Mikko Koivu, Saku Koivu, Jussi Jokinen, Olli Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu, Valtteri Filppula, Teemu Selanne, Aleksander Barkov, Joel Armia, Leo Komarov, Lauri Korpikoski
Defense: Kimmo Timonen, Joni Pitkanen, Sami Salo, Toni Lydman, Sami Lepisto, Sami Vatanen, Rasmus Ristolainen
Goaltenders: Tuukka Rask, Niklas Backstrom, Pekka Rinne
Czech Republic
Forwards: Tomas Plekanec, Roman Cervenka, Jaromir Jagr (because I can), David Krejci, Milan Michalek, Ales Hemsky, Tomas Fleischmann, Patrik Elias, Martin Erat, Martin Havlat, Jakub Voracek, Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata
Defense: Zbynek Michalek, Rusty Klesla, Ladislav Smid, Jan Hejda, Filip Kuba, Marek Zidlicky, Tomas Kaberle/Roman Polak
Goaltenders: Tomas Vokoun, Ondrej Pavelec, Michal Neuvirth
Slovakia
Forwards: Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa, Tomas Kopecky, Miro Satan, Marcel Hossa, Michal Handzus, Marko Dano, Richard Panik, Michel Miklik, Mario Bliznak, Tomas Tatar, Martin Cibak, Branko Radivojevic/Tomas Jurco
Defense: Zdeno Chara, Lubomir Visnovsky, Andrej Meszaros, Andrej Sekera, Milan Jurcina, Dominik Granak, Ivan Baranka
Goaltenders: Jaroslav Halak, Peter Budaj, Jaroslav Janus
For HockeyLand Canada,
RK, Esq.
Hockeyland Canada 
Really great article. Personally, I have a bias against San Jose Sharks although I recognize they have been there before. They simply don’t come up big in big games. Instead, I’d take a Taylor Hall and see what he looks like beside your boy Sid Crosby. Also, Milan Lucic brings the finesse and speed you need on the big ice while being able to punish the opposition. D is perfect, and G is bang on. I think Carey Price is the favourite at this stage, unless Bobby Lou can win the title somehow this year.
Other players from your lists I’d love to see make it include; the Persian Prince himself Mika Zibanejad, the best player in the world not in the NHL Yevgeny Kuznetsov, and the most underrated man in hockey, TJ Oshie. Good Work!
I also like nuge and or hallsy there. but probably only ebs gets the call
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