Sean Burke knows a thing or two about playing for Team Canada.
The former NHL all-star goaltender has donned the red and white sweater over 140 times in his career.
He's won an Olympic silver medal, two World Championship golds, and a silver in the World Juniors.
He's been through it all. The pressure. The intensity. The ups and downs of playing for his country.
So when Burke says that experience is the first and foremost important requirement when picking this nation's net representative for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, he's probably right.
"I don't think you want to go into an Olympic games for Canada in Canada with someone who has very little experience," Burke told 24 hours. "Go with the guys who are playing well at this point in their careers and also has international success."
Although he didn't divulge his personal picks, the current Phoenix Coyotes goaltending coach says Canada can't go wrong when choosing their top three goaltenders.
"I don't think Canada will lose because of bad goaltending," he said. "They might not win, somebody else might steal the show, but Canada's goalies will be excellent, and of the guys they take, I don't see any of them caving under the pressure."
With one month left to go before Steve Yzerman names the men's team for the Olympics in Vancouver, many will get a brief preview tomorrow of the two most likely candidates to take the number one and two jobs in goal for Canada. It's Roberto Luongo versus Martin Brodeur.
But Burke says one head-to-head battle isn't going to sway the final decision.
"I think Team Canada probably has a great idea already who their three goalies are going to be and who they're going to play to begin with," he said.
"But maybe going into the Olympics if one of those guys gets really cold or has a tough spell, that might have something to do with them not starting."
