Mike Brophy

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy writes Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday on Sportsnet.ca and appears regularly on Hockeycentral.

Ryan Miller, some future Olympians?

Before we return to the 2009-10 season, some final thoughts on the Olympic games of a lifetime.

Oh well, back to the real world.

But before we throw ourselves headfirst into the NHL's trade deadline and the conclusion of the 2009-10 season, here are some final thoughts a Winter Games of a lifetime:

WIN OR ELSE

In the end it's hard to say what motivates Canadian hockey players more: the desire to win or the fear of losing. Frankly, I suspect it is the latter - and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Canadians continue to pride themselves on hockey being 'our' game, even though the rest of the world has caught up in terms of producing players with high-end skill. I wonder, though, when the Canadian and American men's teams went to their respective dressing rooms between the third period and overtime Sunday, did Team USA have any feelings of being just happy to be there and did Team Canada have a gut feeling of possibly letting down a nation? Fear is a great motivator.

SID THE KID VS. THE GR8 ONE

Let the debate rage on as to who is the best hockey player in the world. There is no doubt that Alexander Ovechkin is the most wildly entertaining player on the planet when he is hitting on all cylinders. His size and speed make him one of the most physically imposing players on the planet and his sheer desire to take control of games on his own sets him apart from most others. Chances are he'll win the NHL scoring race this year and quite possibly a third consecutive Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player. But Crosby has won a Stanley Cup and now owns an Olympic gold medal courtesy of his breath-taking overtime winner. Playing on a team that routinely tossed four lines over the boards, Crosby did not stand out in the Olympics as being heads and tails Canada's best player. But with the game and national pride on the line, was anybody surprised when he was the difference maker? Not a chance. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter who is better, Sid or Ovie, and there really is no discernable way to determine the distinction. What matters is hockey has a dynamic duo and we are all better off for that.

IT STARTS AT THE TOP

Observing Steve Yzerman's demeanor the past few months as Team Canada prepared for the 2010 Winter Games, I was completely confident Hockey Canada made the right choice in putting him in charge of the men's hockey team. That was certainly confirmed as Canada won the gold medal. Yzerman exudes a confidence and calmness that comes with being a champion. That was never more evident than Sunday, prior to the gold medal game, when Yzerman was asked what could decide the championship contest. "Composure," Yzerman said. And that, in a nutshell, was the difference. When Team USA tied the game in the final minute of regulation, Canada might have come apart at the seams. Instead, Team Canada returned to the ice and continued to play with the authority that ultimately decided the game in its favor. Yzerman's confidence and determination clearly filtered down to ice level. Yzerman learned from one of the great ones, Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland, and now it looks like he has a bright future in management lying ahead of him.

WILSON'S WORRIES

Should San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson be concerned? His goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, failed to answer the bell in Russia's quarterfinal game and his team's top scorer Joe Thornton, managed just one goal and two points in seven games for Canada. Given the Sharks history of playoff failures, a strong showing by both players in Vancouver would have possibly set up both for a strong conclusion to the NHL season. Now there will be questions about their ability to lead a team to glory.

SILVER LINING

It's often said you don't win a silver medal, but rather you lose the gold. That was not the case for Team USA. Team USA general manager Brian Burke bravely turned to his country's rising young stars when others might have been tempted to opt for experience and his hunch paid off. The United States cannot match Canada in terms of depth, but there is no doubt it comes close in terms of high-end talent. It should also be noted that Ron Wilson, who has yet to have his coaching influence felt in Toronto, produced a winning formula that was unquestionably enhanced by Ryan Miller's heroic goaltending.

HIDDEN GEM

If there were any doubts, it can now be said Jonathan Toews deserves to be counted among the game's best young players. Not only did he score an important goal in the gold medal game for Canada, he led the team in scoring with eight points and produced a team-best plus-9. Corey Perry also deserves a nod having scored four goals and getting better with each game after a slow start.