NHL players vying for Canadian Olympic spot

With so many NHL stars hailing from Canada, the process of choosing an Olympic men's hockey team seems to draw nearly as much scrutiny as the games played on the ice.

The debate figures to heat up starting this weekend, as 47 players convene in Calgary for Team Canada's invitation-only orientation camp, which runs Aug. 25-28.

Only about half of those men will earn the right to help Canada defend its gold medal when the Sochi Games open in February, and uninvited players can still get in if they make a strong enough impression before the Dec. 31 deadline for countries to submit their rosters.

Fifteen of the 23 players from Canada’s 2010 Olympic title team are currently on the short list, so the Sochi squad figures to be a mix of familiar faces and new blood.

Here's a look at the players invited to the Canadian camp, courtesy of The Canadian Press.