The Best of Manitoba

So what would a team of only Manitobans look like? The criteria for this team is you need to have played in the NHL or WHA and be born after 1950. This means they were born here and didnt move here; so Theo Flurry grew up in Russell but was born in Oxbow Saskatchewan, and Jordin Tootoo was born in Churchill but grew up in Nunavut.  There are current and former players and former players on this team. I’m also putting these players in the prime of their careers for this. This would be a pretty serviceable team . Would it beat a team Ontario or Quebec? No. But playing against the east coast provinces and the other prairie provinces they would be very close to the top and in my humble opinion they would probably get bronze in a national tournament.

Let’s get started with my top 12 forwards.

 

The top line would be

 

Patrick Sharp            Jonathan Toews         Mark Stone

(Winnipeg)                 (Winnipeg)               (Winnipeg)

 

Second line

Alexander Steen         Bobby Clarke             Ryan Reeves

(Winnipeg)                  (Flin Flon)                  (Winnipeg)

 

Third line

Dave  Semenko         Max domi            Jordin Tootoo

(Winnipeg)                (Winnipeg)            (Churchill)

 

Forth line

Dustin Penner         Travis Zajac             Reggie Leach

(Winkler)                  (Winnipeg)            (Riverton)

 

Left Defenseman             Right handed Defenseman

 

Duncan keith                 Al Hamilton

(Winnipeg)                    (Flin Flon)

 

Joel Edmondson            Ryan Pulock

(Brandon)                       (Dauphin)

 

Justin Falk                 Travis Hamonic

(Snowflake)                (Saint Malo)

 

Goaltending

 

Ron Hextall- The Starter

(Brondon)

 

James Reimer -The Backup

(Arborg)

 

Black Aces

 

Bill Ranford (Third string Goalie)

(Brandon)

 

Zach Whitecloud (seventh Defenseman)

 

Ted Irving Leftwing        Mike Keane Rightwing         Dale Weise Leftwing

(Winnipeg)                      (Winnipeg)                                 (Winnipeg)

 

Coaches

 

Barry Troz            Ralph Kruger

(Winnipeg)            (Winnipeg)

 

This team is tough and gritty just like the province most of us call home. The top line has so much talent they would have very little trouble scoring and not taking crap from anyone else; and if they have to take crap from other players there are 5 other players who won’t let that go. It would be a dream to see how mean this team could get and how many goals they could score.

 

I’m not a huge fan of the Defense; but I will say there’s a lot of offensive defensemen on this team and having the mind to play offensively could potentially be amazing. Less time in the defensive zone and some solid passes going up the ice. This grouping is not as mean as the forwards but I have a good feeling they will help out our goalies

 

Goaltenders

 

Our starter will be good to go, Hextall had great career for the 80’s and 90’s but you give that man the same equipment that goalies have today i think they’ll be fine but if not Riemer can take over as a damn good back-up

 

Coaches

Barry Trotz can get our team playing tighter defense and can get everyone to play harder.

Ralph Kruger is a good assistant coach who will get the guys to relax while also playing Trotz’s system.

 

I would genuinely believe in this team to play amazing against every other province. If I could time travel and steal everyone for a tournament of the provinces I would expect Manitoba to finish third or fourth. Which is really considering they would be playing heavy weights like Ontario and Quebec I would be so proud with a hypothetical bronze.