CALGARY - Canada's men's Olympic hockey hierarchy unveiled the 46 candidates for the 2010 team Thursday morning and with a few interesting exceptions, it was pretty much as advertised.

Canada's overall depth in men's hockey meant that many qualified candidates had to be eliminated early on in the process. Even now, they are only halfway to the final roster number of 23, something that coach Mike Babcock suggested would be a difficult and challenging prospect.

Executive director Steve Yzerman said that he, in conjunction with Babcock's staff, whittled down their preliminary player list to what they deemed a workable number - 46 - so the coaches could run a proper and manageable orientation camp, which will be held in Calgary during the final week of August.

Among the players chosen were two who spent most of last season on the injured list - Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow and Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic - and will bear watching. Sakic's presence on the team does not necessarily mean he is coming back to play next season, according to Yzerman, who said he spoke to the veteran centre to let him know about his inclusion on the orientation camp roster.

Sakic, a pivotal force on the 2002 Olympic championship team, would be a candidate for the captaincy if he plays next season, along with Jarome Iginla, Sidney Crosby and Scott Niedermayer.

According to Yzerman, "I didn't ask him (Sakic) what his plans were. I understand the process he's going through; because I went through it myself recently. I told him, whenever he came to his decision, that's fine with me, and not to feel any pressure."

As for Morrow, who is coming off major surgery and otherwise probably would have been a lock for a spot based on his performance in the 2008 playoffs, Yzerman suggested that much would depend upon his play in the first two months of the NHL season, to see how quickly he can regain his top form.

Yzerman said both Morrow and Minnesota Wild defenceman Brent Burns were in the same boat - players who missed a lot of time due to injury.

"I felt they're both very, very good players. Brenden Morrow's playoffs two years ago were outstanding. He brings real skill, grit and heart to a team. If he can get back to playing at the level he was at before he hurt his knee, he'd be a good addition. For him, it's important to get off to a good start."

In getting his roster down to 46 names, Yzerman was obliged to leave a number of high-profile NHL players off the team, including the Boston Bruins' Marc Savard, who was ninth overall in NHL scoring last season and No. 4 among Canadian-born players.

Also omitted was Jason Spezza, the Ottawa Senators' top center, who was on the taxi squad for the 2006 Olympics in Turin, and at one juncture in his career, was mentioned in the same breath as Carolina Hurricanes centre Eric Staal.

Staal and his younger brothers Jordan, a member of last year's Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, and Marc, a defenceman on the New York Rangers' team, were all invited to the camp.

Savard's teammate in Boston, Milan Lucic, was named to the roster. His presence on the roster, along with that of the Red Wings' Daniel Cleary, created something of a surprise and a stir.

Asked about Lucic's aggressive playing style and how that meshes with traditional international hockey, Yzerman answered: "You say muscle. I'm not bringing someone in to go out and beat up the other team. That's not the way you're going to be effective in the tournament. But big, strong fast players give you an advantage. He has the potential to really add a dimension to our team that can be beneficial."

As for Cleary, the only member of Yzerman's and Babcock's Detroit team on the roster, Yzerman said: "The way he is used in Detroit, he plays all three different forward positions. He's used on both power play and penalty killing. He can go from playing on the top line to playing a checking role on the third line, so he's a versatile guy that can play in different roles."

Drew Doughty, who played big minutes this season as an NHL rookie for the Los Angeles Kings, was also chosen. He would Canada's youngest player at 19, if he cracked the line-up.

Joining Doughty at the camp will be fellow rookie Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year last year.

Chris Osgood, who plays for Yzerman's Red Wings and played in the Stanley Cup final in each of the past two years, was not extended an invitation, but the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury was.

The general consensus is that Canada's goaltenders will be veterans Martin Brodeur of the Devils and Roberto Luongo of the Canucks, although Yzerman suggested the No. 1 job was up for grabs, depending upon how the first half of the NHL season unfolds.

Both Yzerman and Babcock stressed over and over that Canada's depth in men's hockey is so great that it could potentially ice two teams in the Olympics, and both would be competitive.

"Hockey sense is important," said Yzerman. "Skating ability is important - plus competitiveness, versatility and guys that are responsible players."

The deadline for naming the final roster is Dec. 31, although Canada can make changes right up until the 2010 Games begin in Vancouver in February.

No team since the United States in 1980 has won a gold medal in men's hockey as the host country.

In all, five goaltenders, 16 defencemen and 25 forwards were chosen. Of the 46, 40 have played for Canada previously in senior international experience, either at the Olympics, IIHF World Championship or World Cup of Hockey/Canada Cup, while 36 of the 46 players played for either the National Junior Team or National Men's Under-18 Team.

The goalies consist of Martin Brodeur (Montreal, Que./New Jersey, NHL); Marc-André Fleury (Sorel, Que./Pittsburgh, NHL); Roberto Luongo (Montreal, Que./Vancouver, NHL); Steve Mason (Oakville, Ont./Columbus, NHL) and Cam Ward (Sherwood Park, Alta./Carolina, NHL). Brodeur was Canada's starter both in 2002, when it won the gold medal in Salt Lake City; and again four years later in Turin, when it lost in the quarter-finals to Russia.

Among defencemen, there were a handful of returnees from previous Olympics or World Cup teams, including Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Robyn Regehr, Jay Bouwmeester and Dan Boyle. The others chosen: Francois Beauchemin, Brent Burns, Doughty, Mike Green, Dan Hamhuis, Duncan Keith, Dion Phaneuf, Stephane Robidas, Brent Seabrook, Marc Staal and Shea Weber. Left off the roster: Brian Campbell and Sheldon Souray, who scored 52 and 53 points respectively for Chicago and Edmonton last season; as well as veteran Rob Blake, a two-time former Olympian.

Up front, the 25 forwards were: Jeff Carter, Dan Cleary, Sidney Crosby, Shane Doan, Simon Gagne, Ryan Getzlaf, Dany Heatley, Jarome Iginla, Vincent Lecavalier, Milan Lucic, Patrick Marleau, Andy McDonald, Morrow, Rick Nash, Corey Perry, Mike Richards, Roy, Sakic, Patrick Sharp, Ryan Smyth, Martin St. Louis, the Staal brothers Eric and Jordan, Joe Thornton and Jonathan Toews.

Yzerman also stressed that any bubble player who started the next NHL season well, he could be added to the Olympic team, citing the example of Iginla in 2002, who attended the orientation camp as an alternate and eventually made the team and finished on the No. 1 line with Sakic and Gagne. Tampa's Stamkos was cited as an example of a player who may fit that criteria.