I was listening to Live From Wayne Gretzky's Saturday afternoon, and heard the 10th iteration of a discussion that's been going on for months on talk radio: should Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman be on the Canadian Olympic hockey team? Here's the gist of the "problem", from Bob McKenzie:

Slice it however you like, the first 12 forward positions appear to be spoken for and we haven't even mentioned Mario Lemieux or Steve Yzerman, who because of their stature in this game, especially with Gretzky, get to call their own shot. They're on the team unless they say otherwise.

If Lemieux and Yzerman do speak up and bow out gracefully, perhaps one of Staal, Spezza or Crosby gets the call.

So the idea is this (and again, I've heard this from a dozen hockey pundits): they deserve to be on the team, and they don't deserve to be on the team. Apparently no one has the balls to just say, "I disagree with Wayne Gretzky--these two guys are no longer worthy of being on the team, regardless of what they want themselves." Why not? Why is everyone engaging in this surreal meta-commentary, instead of analysing what they think would be best for the team, then stating an opinion?

The thing that really gets me is this underlying wish that Stevie and Mario will "bow out gracefully". Here's the Yzerman half of the angle:

It is Lemieux and Detroit's Steve Yzerman who are most often mentioned as players who have been surpassed by Canada's young talent. But Gretzky has publicly promised both players spots on Team Canada.

Unlike Lemieux, Yzerman last week did not sound as if he was prepared to let Gretzky and the rest of Team Canada's brain trust off the hook by withdrawing.

"They're picking the team," said Yzerman, who has two goals and four assists in 14 games. "If my play between now and then merits a spot, I'll be there. If it doesn't, I won't."

Now pardon me, but that does sound like Yzerman is "letting them off the hook". How much more grace do you want? He's asking to be chosen, or not, on merit, with no references to any promises, or career contributions, or anything else. The disagreement, or controversy, here is simply this: McKenzie and friends don't think Yzerman can contribute as well as 13 other forwards, whereas Yzerman thinks he can. And as it happens, I agree with Yzerman.

Try thinking of it this way: what did Yzerman bring to the table in 2002 that he can't bring now? Very little, in my mind. He's still an excellent defensive forward who's won 3 Stanley Cups. He'll play whatever role Quinn wants him to. He's not as good offensively as he was 15 years ago, but he can still be dangerous skating in the direction of the opposing team's goal, and unlike some other checking centres, he can sure as hell bang a puck into an open net.

Steve Yzerman would not be a liability to the Canadian Olympic team in any way. (In contrast to (obviously) Mario, Spezza, or even Crosby, who hasn't proved himself (yet) to be very rigourous in the defensive end).

For all of Mario's good points, and past contributions, I don't think he would be a good selection. However, Gretzky has said that it's up to him, and so it shall be. Here's what I hope happens, and I think I'll use it as a prediction, too:

Lemieux bows out with the understanding that Crosby will be selected in "his place". Yzerman is selected to the team, amid some controversy (I'd guess Spezza is a definite No, and Staal is probably left looking in as well). Then Canada wins the gold, Yzerman plays well, and we wonder what all the fuss was about.

Note: Update-slash-reversal here.