President. Prime Minister? There’s more politicking in picking the U.S. and Canadian Olympic teams. Especially, when it comes to choosing a goaltender. You can weep trying to figure out goalies. Up in the Great White North, the crease crisis took a sudden turn last week when Patrick Roy opted to skip the Games.

Roy says he needs the rest. He says he wants to see his 12-year-old-son, Jonathan, play in a Pee Wee tournament on Quebec. Common sense says Roy was miffed that he wasn’t already named to the club.

In fairness to Wayne Gretzky and Team USA boss Craig Patrick, selecting a goaltender is dicey deal, whether it’s for the Olympics or a pond hockey game. Unlike Gretzky, Patrick opted to name a goalie-Nashville stopper Mike Dunham-among his early choices. Now, just two months before the Games begin, Dunham sports a very unsightly .887 save percentage through his first 16 games in Music City. So, despite his spotty play, Dunham owns one of the three spots in the American net. Luckily for Patrick, Rangers goalie Mike Richter is back from injury and ready to assume the No. 1 job.

Who would you name as your goaltender if you were building a hockey team? Of course, there are different reasons for choosing different goaltenders. You might be a GM in need of a stopper with big-game, short-series experience; you might want a tender for the long haul of the upcoming playoffs. Or, you might want to build your team with youth. With that in mind, here’s my top 5 list in three different circumstances.

If I had to win one game:

1. Patrick Roy. He’s been there, done that. In a one-game deal, Roy would be the top choice. Gretzky might regret not selecting Roy during the summer. But, then again, I don’t know why Scotty Bowman isn’t coaching the Canadian team. Oh well, that’s something for another column.

2. Dominik Hasek. They don’t call him the Dominator for nothing.

3. Mike Richter. He’s won a Stanley Cup and a World Cup. When he’s hot, he’s almost unbeatable. And, lately, he’s been hot.

4. Marty Brodeur. He already has won two Cup and he’s not even 30.

5. Ed Belfour. Yeah, he’s a little nutty, but he can be so damn focused. He carried the Stars to a Cup and back-to-back trips to the finals.

If I’m in the Stanley Cup finals in June:

1. Dominik Hasek. He wants to add the last piece to his legend so he’ll be revved. So far, things are working out nicely in Detroit. It’ll be a bit tougher come spring. Still, I’ll take my chances with the Dominator.

2. Curtis Joseph. Cujo, who’ll likely end up as Canada’s Olympic starter, wants a Cup ring something fierce. Also, Joseph could be playing for a new contract. Throughout his career, Cujo has played behind weak defenses. I wonder how he’d do playing behind a good D.

3. Ed Belfour. Like Cujo, Eddie the Eagle could be playing for a new contract. He can still carry a team for a long stretch.

4. Chris Osgood. This guy deserves a little more respect. He’s already won a pair of Cups (one as a starter), so he understands the playoff grind. It wasn’t his fault that Detroit got knocked out in the first round last spring.

5. Patrick Roy. No knock on Mr. Roy, but he’s never won back-to-back Cups, so I figure he might be due for a down playoffs. Nobody gets rich betting against Roy.

If I want to build for the future:

1. Roberto Luongo. Behind an awful Panthers team, his .925 save percentage is among the best in the league … now! This 22-year-old is a franchise player who’s gonna be around for a long time.

2. Martin Biron. The easy-going Sabres stopper is filling the monster void left by Dominik Hasek. At 24, he’s ready for the tough assignment.

3. Evgeni Nabokov. The Calder Trophy winner has some playoff experience under his pads. At 26, he could be the goalie that leads the Sharks to their first Stanley Cup.

4. Jose Theodore. This 25-year-old is doing some nice work in Montreal. This season, he owns a 2.12 GAA and a .927 save percentage. And, he brings a little attitude to the crease.

5. Dan Blackburn. Just think, on May 20, 2004, he’ll be able to walk into a New York tavern and buy a beer, legally! The very cool 18-year-old is doing a nice job in his rookie season behind a Ranger team that gives up a lot of shots. Right now, he backs up Mike Richter. Someday, he’ll replace him.

Now, of course, these are just my picks. What are yours? Drop me a note and let me know.

E.J. Hradek writes puck for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.