If he doesn’t already have it, Steve Yzerman—the man charged with assembling Canada’s men’s Olympic hockey team—would do well to get Alex Burrows’s phone number. It’s both impossible and pointless to second-guess Yzerman’s original selections before the Olympic hockey tournament even begins, but there is no question that Burrows has earned the right to be included in such discussions should Team Canada need a last-minute injury replacement.

Not only did the Vancouver Canucks forward have more goals (25) this season at the end of January than all but three players named to the Canadian roster, Burrows has also become one of the National Hockey League’s top penalty killers and a legitimate threat to score shorthanded almost every time he hops over the boards in that role. And it’s in that capacity that Burrows could surely contribute to the Canadian cause.

A spectacular individual effort in Toronto on January 30 was his league-leading fourth shorthanded goal of the season. It sparked the Canucks to a thrilling come-from-behind 5-3 win over the Leafs, and for Burrows, it was part of a career-high four points on the night. It also capped a 12-month run (from February 2009 through January 2010) in which the undrafted 28-year-old had 42 goals and 77 points, and was an astounding plus-53 in 86 regular-season games.

Hockey Canada wants players who are at the top of their game when they arrive here for the team’s tournament opener against Norway on February 16. Well, no one in hockey is much hotter than Burrows. Playing a big role on the best line in the National Hockey League with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Burrows had 15 goals and 22 points in 13 games last month. Much of that production came with a league-wide spotlight shining on him after his highly publicized run-in with and criticism of referee Stéphane Auger after a January 11 loss to Nashville. If Hockey Canada had any concerns that Burrows might wilt under such scrutiny after saying what he said, he zipped his lip and let his actions speak for themselves. He was unflappable through the firestorm, and he’d be the same way competing on the biggest stage in hockey.

Compare that with the recent form of Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron or Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow—two guys who made Team Canada and are likely to be asked to play grinding roles on that squad. (Certainly, neither will be among Canada’s top nine forwards.) Both Bergeron and Morrow have gone into hiding, managing just one goal apiece while logging top-line minutes for their respective teams in January.

This isn’t to suggest that those players haven’t earned the right to represent their country. Both Morrow and Bergeron are solid pros who will surely show up and do what’s asked of them by Team Canada head coach Mike Babcock and his coaching staff. The last thing Canada needs, however, is players who are struggling when they get here. But if ever there was a guy who could provide a spark, be a huge fan favourite playing games in his home rink, and buy into the team concept in a limited role, Burrows is certainly the man for the job.

And if it came down to Canada against Sweden at any point in the tournament, it would be wildly fascinating to watch Burrows try to undo all the good he’s done playing with the Sedins by trying to shut them down. No one on the planet has a better feel for the way those two are playing the game these days. Surely, with so much at stake for his country, Burrows would be willing to share some secrets. It would be equally entertaining to watch Burrows and Ryan Kesler go head-to-head in a showdown between Canada and the U.S.

With the countdown on to the Games, there is still a chance that one of the players named to Canada’s roster on December 30 will be injured and unable to compete. But the likelihood of Burrows getting the nod as the replacement seems remote. With the depth of talent this country boasts, players like the Tampa trio of Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, and Vincent Lecavalier, Dallas’s Brad Richards, and Philadelphia Flyer Jeff Carter would likely all garner more consideration than Burrows.

Mired in a nine-game goal-scoring drought when Yzerman unveiled his initial roster, Burrows didn’t deserve to be included among Canada’s best 13 forwards. The same can’t be said right now. And it’s a credit to a guy who doesn’t get enough credit for what he brings to the rink every night that he has played his way onto Hockey Canada’s replacement radar.

Doubters will point to the opportunity Burrows has been given playing with the Sedins. But he’s not the only guy in hockey who plays with good linemates, and if he hadn’t held up his end of the bargain, he, like others before him who were not the right fit, wouldn’t have remained on that line. Burrows doesn’t kill penalties with the twins, and much of the success he’s had in those situations has simply been the result of his own hard work. And that’s where he could be a key contributor in the Canadian effort to strike gold on February 28.

In a short tournament played on NHL-sized ice, Burrows’s mix of speed, skill, and relentless puck pursuit could make him a pretty valuable guy to have on the roster. It doesn’t seem like it will happen, though. Then again, when Hockey Canada assigned numbers for the Olympic team, no one was given number 14. At least no one has been given it yet. So maybe it’s sitting there, waiting for Burrows after all.

Jeff Paterson is a talk-show host on Vancouver’s all-sports radio, Team 1040. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/patersonjeff/.