(Credit: Joe Makarski): Could Brad Marchand make Team Canada and reprsent his home country in the 2014 Winter Games?

With the 2014 Winter Olympics now less than a year away, and talks between the National Hockey League and International Ice Hockey Federation progressing on allowing NHL players to play in the 2014 games, there has been a lot of buzz of late surrounding which players will have the honor of representing their respective countries in Sochi come next February.

Last month during CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada telecast, CBC analyst and former Bruin P.J. Stock threw out the idea of Brad Marchand playing for Team Canada in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Many people around the game of hockey laughed at Stock’s idea, but when you take a closer look at it and breakdown the numbers game, maybe Stock is not so crazy after all.

Below are the point total breakdowns of Team Canada’s 13 forwards since the 2010-11 NHL season which was the first full season after the 2010 Olympic games and was also Brad Marchand’s first full NHL season (played in 20 games during the 2009-10 season).

Stats are through March 25 and do not include playoffs.

Brad Marchand: 182 games, 62 goals, 59 assists, 121 points

Patrice Bergeron: 191 games, 52 goals, 95 assists, 147 points
Sidney Crosby: 95 games, 53 goals, 102 assists, 155 points
Ryan Getzlaf: 179 games, 41 goals, 127 assists, 166 points
Dany Heatley: 192 games, 58 goals, 76 assists, 134 points
Jarome Iginla: 193 games, 83 goals, 91 assists, 174 points
Patrick Marleau: 194 games, 82 goals, 78 assists, 160 points
Brenden Morrow: 168 games, 50 goals, 43 assists, 93 points
Rick Nash: 183 games, 72 goals, 78 assists, 150 points
Corey Perry: 188 games, 96 goals, 86 assists, 182 points
Mike Richards: 186 games, 48 goals, 82 assists, 130 points
Eric Staal: 193 games, 71 goals, 110 assists, 181 points
Joe Thornton: 192 games, 44 goals, 131 assists, 175 points
Jonathan Toews: 169 games, 76 goals, 87 assists, 163 points

As you can see from this list, Marchand ranks seventh in goals, twelfth in assists and twelfth in points. Its obvious Marchand would be added for goal-scoring purposes. Let’s take a look at some new faces who will challenge for a roster spot on Team Canada.

Steven Stamkos: 195 games, 126 goals, 126 assists, 252 points
Tyler Seguin: 185 games, 50 goals, 61 assists, 111 points
Claude Giroux: 189 games, 62 goals, 134 assists, 196 points
Jamie Benn: 164 games, 54 goals, 87 assists, 141 points
Taylor Hall: 153 games, 55 goals, 66 assists, 121 points
Jordan Eberle: 177 games, 59 goals, 80 assists, 139 points
Ryan Nugent Hopkins: 89 games, 20 goals, 43 assists, 63 points
John Tavares: 193 games, 79 goals, 103 assists, 182 points
James Neal: 191 games, 79 goals, 77 assists, 156 points

Among possible candidates Marchand ranks tied for fifth in goals, eighth in assists and tied for seventh in points. It looks like Steve Yzerman and company may go with a younger roster which could spell the end of Olympic runs for guys like Thornton, Iginla, Morrow, Marleau and Heatley. With Stamkos and Tavares locks to make Team Canada, it could be difficult for Marchand to make the team, but it’s not completely unlikely.

With Bergeron likely to make the team for the second time in a row, and Tyler Seguin a legimate threat to make the team, Team Canada could add Marchand to the equation and go with a full Bruins line. It wouldn’t be such a bad choice seeing the numbers the trio have put up together playing as a line.

A good finish to the 2013 season, and a solid start in 2013-14 can only improve Marchand’s chances of making Team Canada next winter.