This week I watched Kings Ransom, the Peter Berg directed documentary about the Wayne Gretzky trade to Los Angeles.

I remember the day well.

Well, aside from the written sound effects on screen - POW! BANG! SLAP! (all of you 'old-schoolers' out there, I know you follow me) - there was his partner-in-crime, Robin.

As a goalie in the NHL, you also need a partner-in-crime.

This week's work: Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs | Saturday, Nov. 21, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT (CBC, CBCSports.ca)

That is the only way to describe the goal that clinched a berth in the World Cup for France on Wednesday night in the Stade de France in Paris.

The Canadians have some tough roster decisions, of course, although as we mentioned more and more of that roster could be penned, not penciled in. The selection of the American roster could be a tad more complicated.

For starters, this is a team in transition, retiring the old guard and bringing on the next generation. Burke admits his will likely be the youngest team in the Olympic tournament and the changing of the guard was inevitable.

Last year Sam Mitchell learned this, as 'Melo was his Alamo and ticket to early retirement after a 132-93 drubbing in December.

Jay Triano is on much safer ground, however, even though his team collapsed in the second half of an 130-112 loss Tuesday night.

I first met Brendan while training for the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. In fact, it was a few months before and we were launching the first-ever Maple Frosted Wheaties for General Mills. I’ll admit it, the cereal was average and was a take off from the American version of Wheaties, but the experience of the photo shoot was incredible.

Canada’s best and brightest will be on hand to compete.

In the wake of Manny Pacquiao's destruction of Miguel Cotto, the drums are beating for Pacquiao to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a meeting of the fighters all boxing observers agree are at the top of the pound-for-pound list (though the order is up for debate).

There are six weeks and a couple of days before the roster must be confirmed. That's plenty of time for someone to play their way on, or off the roster, but it's also not that much time. It will fly by for Yzerman, general manager of the team, and Babcock, the head coach, and the rest of their staff.

So here is how we see the roster barring the unforeseen, such as serious injury, of course.

The biggest surprise came in the women’s free program with the defeat in that segment of world champion Yu-Na Kim of Korea by American Rachael Flatt.

Sure, there was the original fascination with hockey gods in sparkling outfits, dancing daintily without pads. Maybe we shared a secret hope for an untimely pratfall. At the outset we were a bit like voyeurs waiting for the proverbial train wreck to happen.

It never did.