Back in February I rolled out my All-Time Team USA Stars roster. This weekend we learned Jamie Benn expects to suit up for Team Canada in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey tournament. Therefore, I figured it’s time to look at the Stars All-Time Team Canada roster.
Of course any All-Time Canadian Stars roster will have a spot for Benn. The captain is coming off another outstanding season. He’s also rehabbing after another post season surgery. Last summer it was the hips. This summer it’s the abdomen. It’s starting to sound like a modern-day Steve Austin story. However, don’t call him The Six Million Dollar Man, Benn signed an eight-year $76M contract extension on July 15th.
Now let’s look at the rest of my All-Time Team Canada Stars roster.
All-Time Team Canada Stars Forwards
A few high-profile Canadians were left off the roster (e.g.Eric Lindros and Pierre Turgeon) because their tenure in Dallas was fairly brief. The first three lines ooze offense. Joe Nieuwendyk, Brenden Morrow, Jamie Benn and Patrick Sharp have all won Olympic gold for Team Canada. Meanwhile,Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza paced Team Canada to gold in the 2015 IIHF tournament. Spezza led all scorers with 14 points. Seguin led all goal scorers with nine. The fourth line could be an All-Time Agititator line. Lastly I decided to add a fifth line of All-Time Stars Grinders.
All-Time Team Canada Stars Defense
Mark Tinordi Darryl Sydor
Trevor Daley Phillipe Boucher
Richard Matvichuk Grant Ledyard
Stephane Robidas
The top pair features Mark Tinordi and the underrated Darryl Sydor. Tinordi was the Stars’ first captain and won gold as a member of Team Canada during the 1991 Canada Cup. Trevor Daley and Richard Matvichuk add Cup winning experience to the second and third pairs with the reliable Stephane Robidas rounding out the seven.
All-Time Team Canada Stars Goaltenders
Eddie Belfour
Marty Turco
Eddie Belfour backstopped the Stars’ Stanley Cup winning team. The following season he came up one win short of a second Cup. Belfour won Olympic gold with Team Canada. Marty Turco was an easy choice as Belfour’s backup. Turco holds franchise records for wins (262), Shutouts (40) and Saves (11,420).