ACHARYA: MEETING THE GOLD CUP STANDARD, AND WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF SCOTT WAS AT VAN 2010?

Neil Acharya weighs in on a couple subjects this Monday a.m.

Tonight's match between Canada and Haiti at the Gold Cup might be one of the biggest soccer matches this country has ever played.

Although Canada has played in the World Cup and even won the Gold Cup, it is safe to say soccer is finally receiving the forward surge that enthusiasts of the sport have talked of and dreamed about for years. First-year MLS club Toronto FC has been great for Soccer in Canada and they play to rabid fans who sell out BMO Field.

It is no stretch to imagine there will be plenty of fans and casual supporters that will be using this Gold Cup to see what all the fuss is about. Canada took a leap forward on Wednesday defeating Costa Rica but then killed the momentum, buckling to the upstart Guadeloupe.

Tonight's match is match is pivotal in harnessing the momentum that Toronto FC has garnered and a serious run in this tournament will finally help Canada gain the respect it covets in the world's most popular game.

GREAT SCOTT

There has been talk that Scott Niedermayer could retire after leading the Anaheim Ducks to the Stanley Cup. It says here no such thing will happen. Not only is Niedermeyer coming off a tremendous season, capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup, he also enjoyed the highest point total of his career.

Out of any NHL team that has won the Cup in over the past three seasons, Anaheim is the best suited for a repeat. Farther down the line, in 2010, the Olympics will be in Vancouver. Although he already has an Olympic gold medal, can you imagine Niedermayer playing in front of a rabid audience in his home province? He’ll be 37 years old by then, but Steve Yzerman was playing his 19th season during the 2002 Salt Lake gold medal run with Canada and Chris Chelios captained the U.S. Olympic hockey team well into his 40s.

Niedermayer is currently playing some the best hockey of his life. I'm predicting he will be in Vancouver with a letter on his sweater.