Starting Roberto Luongo against the Germans Tuesday night and for the rest of the tournament is the easiest decision head coach Mike Babcock has had to make during these Olympic games. Martin Brodeur looked like an amateur playing against the United States Sunday night and was truly outclassed by his American counterpart Ryan Miller — a goalie seven years his junior.

Was it a surprise? Well, no. The page has been turned on a hockey generation and sadly Brodeur belongs more to the group of Sakic, Gretzky, Tkachuck and Chelios than he does to Crosby, Ovechkin, Kane and Keith. He’s old guard now — something Hockey Canada surely should have known coming into Vancouver.

Wasn’t this supposed to be the tournament where we right the wrongs we committed in 2006? Weren’t we supposed to be going with the new youth movement who are poised to lead Canadian hockey to success in the future instead of the veterans who had brought us success in the past?

Starting Brodeur against the Americans was the wrong move. Granted, that’s easy to say on Monday morning, but would the country truly have been outraged if Luongo got the start Sunday night? Would anyone have questioned Babcock for going with a proven goalie in his prime rather than a well-decorated veteran whose prime status is teetering from late to past?

The only reasons for Babcock to start Brodeur were his solid resume and past experience in the Olympics. But for all the weight that is placed on experience in international tournaments, the 2010 Olympic hockey competition has proven that this is a sport that is played in the now — not the past. Younger, faster, stronger, smarter. That’s the way the game is going. Babcock should have known that. For all his experience, the old dog Brodeur was overmatched by the new tricks of a young, fast, and skilled American team Sunday night.

Like I said, starting Luongo the rest of the way is the easy choice. The tough one? Who to play with Sidney Crosby.

Practically every player on this roster has been penciled in on the wing of the Pittsburgh Penguins captain and none of the combinations have yet to give Canada that dynamic top line they are looking for. An extraordinary top line isn’t necessary to win this tournament, but Babcock’s constant jumbling has shown he’s certainly looking for it.

For what it’s worth, here’s how I would draw it up for Tuesday night’s game versus the Germans:

Toews — Crosby — Iginla

Staal — Getzlaf — Nash

Heatley — Thornton — Marleau

Bergeron — Richards — Morrow

13th forward — Perry

Jonathan Toews is a young, unselfish player who has proven his dexterity for playmaking and a hunger for the net. He knows when to pass and when too shoot, unlike several players on this roster who can’t strike that balance. This team is flush with centres, so moving him to the wing should not be an issue. Him and Crosby are poets with the puck on their stick and should be able to feed off each other’s creativity in the offensive zone.

Jarome Iginla hasn’t been given a fair chance in this tournament. After scoring a hat trick in under ten minutes in his first game, Iginla was immediately banished to checking duty on the third and fourth lines for the games against Switzerland and the US. Some speculated he was hurt, which has been vehemently denied by Hockey Canada brass. Others have questioned his relationship with Babcock and whether that has landed him in his doghouse — a situation that would be extremely uncharacteristic of the unselfish Iginla.

No matter what the reason is for his demotion, Iginla deserves another chance to play with the big boys. He’s proven time and again in a Calgary Flames uniform that he can be in the right place at the right time to score goals, a point he further drove home against Norway in game one. Iginla’s scoring touch would be a great compliment for Toews and Crosby’s playmaking abilities.

Finally, Corey Perry’s tournament has been extremely underwhelming for me which is why he finds himself as my 13th forward. Canada doesn’t have the time to allow him to find his feet.

Meanwhile, Dallas Stars captain Brendan Morrow has been making the most of the few minutes he’s received so far, fore-checking hard, grinding opponents against the boards and defending actively in his own zone. He doesn’t show up on the score sheet too often, but his willingness to do the dirty work is something you won’t find from other members of this team. Plus, having someone on the ice willing to get their hands dirty can often lead to goals — see: Ovechkin’s hit on Jagr in the Russia-Czech game. Morrow has earned more ice time.