Canadian men's hockey team goes for gold at the Olympics without usual star power

No Sidney Crosby, no Connor McDavid and no Nathan McKinnon. 

Hockey Canada officially announced its men's team roster on Tuesday and it's certainly lacking star power.

Then again, we knew that would be the case when the NHL announced a month ago that they wouldn't be sending their players to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

Meet Team Canada! 🇨🇦

25 men have been selected to represent 🇨🇦 at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

ROSTER ➡️ https://t.co/d8OVCa3Ceh@TeamCanada | #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/pcIv42Qkf6

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 25, 2022

What Canada does have is a veteran leader in Eric Staal.  After going to the Stanley Cup finals last season with the Montreal Canadiens, Staal become an unrestricted free agent.  He's been staying in shape hoping to get a call from an NHL team so he could play again this season.

When that didn't happen, Staal says he jumped at the chance to represent his country one more time.

"Obviously, this opportunity was too good to pass up, and I'm looking forward to this chance to represent our country and go for a gold medal," Staal said.

PROVEN WINNER

Staal is a proven winner and a member of the so-called Triple Gold Club after winning a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes, a gold at the World Hockey Champions and an Olympic gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

He says he'll do all he can to help Team Canada bring home another gold medal.

"For me personally, it's just about performing and, in the right moments, knowing what to say and knowing what it's gong to take," the 37-year-old said.

"It's a tough tournament to win and you have to have everything to line up correctly. You need to be the best team in the end."

BRINGING THE TEAM TOGETHER

Team Canada will spend a week in Davos, Switzerland. 

They don't have much time to practice as they leave for Beijing, China, next week.

Veteran coach Claude Julien will be behind the bench for Team Canada. 

He says having Staal will play a big role in bringing the team together.

"You know, you need people like that to lead the way, and I think he's got the right attitude, that he's going to do that for us, and help this team gel together," Julien said.

SETTING YOUR EGO ASIDE

General Manager Shane Doan said because this year's team won't have the usual fire power, they'll have to rely on hard work and grit to get the job done.

Doan believes Canada will have the advantage over other countries in one department.

"Usually, it's the idea that 'we're Canadian' and I know that's a cliché but it's that ability to kind of set your ego aside and it's not all about you," Doan said.

"You'll probably hear us say that a few times. It's not about you, it's about Team Canada."

FLAMES FLAVOUR

Team Canada will have a bit of Calgary Flames flavour to it; Corban Knight, Adam Cracknell, Ben Street and Tyler Wotherspoon – who all suited up for the Flames in the 2013-14 season – were officially named to the roster on Tuesday.