The 2010 Winter Olympic celebration takes on nation-wide prominence Friday when the torch relay begins its 106-day journey across Canada.

The flame, lit in an ancient ceremony in Greece on Oct. 22, begins its Canadian journey in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia and only 70 kilometers from Vancouver, the site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. From there, the torch will travel 45,000 kilometers in a coast-to-coast tour -- “the long way,” as the official Web site puts it -- before returning to Vancouver for the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 12.

Along the way, more than 12,000 torchbearers are expected to carry the flame through 1,030 communities in every province and territory. The Olympic flame symbolizes the principles of peace, brotherhood and friendship, the foundation on which the Games are built.

Medal-winning Canadian Olympians Simon Whitfield and Catriona Le May Doan were the first torchbearers to hold the Olympic flame aloft on Canadian soil on Friday.

The route is heralded as the longest Olympic torch relay to take place in a single country in the history of the modern Games. The Vancouver Organizing Committee boasts that more than 90 percent of Canadians will be within a one-hour drive of the relay.

Some may even be lucky enough to see a couple NHL players carry the flame. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and former Canucks great Trevor Linden are two athletes confirmed to participate in the relay.

Crosby's leg is slated for Nov. 18 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Penguins play the Senators the following day in Ottawa.

"I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame in my home province of Nova Scotia," Crosby, who hails from Cole Harbour, said. "The torch relay will pass through so many communities and hands on the way to Vancouver and I'm privileged to be part of that special group as the Olympic Flame makes its way to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games."

Crosby is a shoo-in to represent Canada in his first Winter Games appearance. He has also played in the IIHF World Junior Championship and World Championship.

Linden, who played 19 seasons in the NHL with Vancouver, the Islanders, Montreal and Washington, represented Canada in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, the first Games in which active NHL players were allowed to participate.

"(It) will be a huge honor and really be a real highlight for me," Linden said. "(I) consider myself a real West Coaster and love this area and I think for Canadians, we're extremely proud of our country.

"We're hosting the world here in a few short months, so it's going to be a lot of fun. And as I, being a Canadian as every Canadian is, we're looking forward to showing our beautiful country off."

Though not yet announced, it’s expected that additional past and present NHLers will participate in the torch relay.

"Our goal with these celebrations has always been to bring the magic and excitement of the Olympic Spirit home to millions of Canadians no matter where they live and truly make these Canada's Games," said John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. "Our celebration communities are so excited to welcome the Olympic flame and they've planned some truly memorable and inspirational entertainment for the crowds."

The 2010 Olympic Torch was designed by Bombardier and is 37.125 inches (94.5 centimeters) long and 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms). It is made of stainless steel and aluminum.

Contact Rocky Bonanno at rbonanno@nhl.com