Btw, an interesting interview with Babcock, was made in December.
http://www.sikids.com/blogs/2014/01...ws-coach-mike-babcock-team-canada-mens-hockey
http://www.sikids.com/blogs/2014/01...ws-coach-mike-babcock-team-canada-mens-hockey
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lawrence
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- May 19, 2012
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It's not having the redundancy of having another smallish player. We are not here to form a NHL all star team, this is serious stuff, and their objective here was to form the "best" team they can.
Canada team look like this
Patrick Sharp 6'0
Stamkos 6'0
Crosby 5'11
Kunitz 6'0
Tavares 6'0
Duchene 5'11
We have enough guys to make up for the scoring of 5'5 St.Louis. He shouldn't be the difference between a Gold Medal or not. The rest are 6'2 + plus guys that can skate. Marleu's role I believe will be a shut down role, him being 6'2 220 pounds is probably a shut down role.
I also don't get what the big deal is here. St.Louis has 50 points in 50 games, Marleu has 46 points in 49 games. We have enough weapons to not have a St.Louis on the team.
marleau plays with joe thornton and joe pavalski While st-louis didnt have stamkos most of the season and still lead the team.
Also guys like jaime benn are not greats skaters...
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Marleau plays with neither Thornton nor Pavelski. Marleau is absolutely the right choice over St. Louis. While St. Louis had 4 goals against the Sharks, two of them were on the PP, and the two at even strength were both when Marleau wasn't on the ice, despite the fact that Marleau and St. Louis were hard-matched against each other all night. Marleau had two points at even strength (and one on the PP) against St. Louis and dominated him in Corsi and in scoring chances. You could say that they played with similar linemates as Johnson + Palat probably = Wingels + Nieto.
Marleau is bigger, faster, and better defensively, than St .Louis and can play center, and is scoring at almost as high a pace as St. Louis. And don't give me the linemate excuse because Marleau has spent a lot of the season with guys like Kennedy, Havlat, Sheppard, Wingels, and Nieto and never plays with either Thornton or Pavelski except on the PP.
Bjorn Le
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ESPION
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fsanford
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Why? Carter plays on a team that emphasizes defense first and forwards need to be able to back check and play some sore of defensive game. Carter has developed into a solid defensive forward, and still manages to score goals at a very good clip.
He is a big body that can play center or wing, which gives Canada some flexibility in the event of injury.
Guess will see what happens, guys who built the team know what kind of players they wanted and how the parts would fit together.
fsanford
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Why? Carter plays on a team that emphasizes defense first and forwards need to be able to back check and play some sore of defensive game. Carter has developed into a solid defensive forward, and still manages to score goals at a very good clip.
He is a big body that can play center or wing, which gives Canada some flexibility in the event of injury.
Guess will see what happens, guys who built the team know what kind of players they wanted and how the parts would fit together. You don't want to put all sub 6' guys out there.
Why? Carter is better defensively then either of them. Skates just as fast, and is another option at Center. He's scoring his points on a team that is very defensive and is on pace to score 40 goals even after having missed 10 games.
Some of you are acting like the sky is falling because you're fanboys and your favourite players didn't get selected. The difference between the players you're arguing about is very minimal and it's often qualities that one player brings that another doesn't which is why they were selected.
Carter is great at Faceoffs, a very good PK'er, has a lot more size, and moves just as quick and still scores just as many goals all the while giving the Canadian team another option at Center on a line if the other gets waved out, etc.
Thank god stat boys don't pick hockey teams.
CanadienShark
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Marleau didn't make it over St. Louis. MSL is a RW. Marleau is a C/LW. Marleau is exceptional defensively, versatile (can play up and down the lineup), awesome offensively, has a great shot, is a phenomenal skater, and the list goes on... I'd take Kunitz and Nash off the team for sure. Then MSL, Couture and Giroux fight for those two spots. Carter I'm iffy about. Personally, I'd have Couture over Benn, Kunitz, Nash and Carter, but Couture is my 2nd favourite player so I'm somewhat biased.
St. Louis is 5 foot 8 and not 5 foot 5. At the end of the day, i would rather have him than a 6 foot 2 guy like Benn who looked slow on the big ice at the World Championships last year and did not overly impress. I do not care how tall St. Louis is. He deserved to be there on his merit and the fact that he is more skilled, a faster skater and a better all-around player than guys like Kunitz and Benn.
Canuck21t
Registered User
The only position we're weak at is goaltending, but I think we'll manage.
he looked really slow at the a few years ago at the worlds and is probly the slowest guy after tavares
Can you really keep a straight face saying that when you're building a team, for any reason, you'd take Carter over Giroux? That's just laughable, I'm sorry, but it is.
Kunitz being on the team is an absolute joke.
Bjorn Le
Hobocop
He was hurt, neither him or Tavares were the slowest guys. Benn keeps up foot speed wise with his linemates Seguin and Nichushkin who are some of the best skaters in the league. His skating is excellent.
JackSlater
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- Apr 27, 2010
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This is the first I have heard that Benn was injured during the 2012 WC, where he was too slow and largely ineffective.
You just said that. You're building a team. I understand that you don't get it, but they certainly left Giroux off for a reason and I would bet my house that the reason was pretty legitimate and important.
I don't see anything wrong with Kunitz being on the team. Not a thing. Yzerman, Babcock, and co. did choose him, that's what matters. He's one of the best 25 skaters in Canada that will battle for a gold. That's the most important to me.
Novak Djokovic
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Nihiliste
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I don't remember him being hurt, but I think a lot of the guys in the WC suffered from don't-really-give-a-****-itis so it's hard to read too much into it.
Lol, no to MAF. The goalie selections are fine.
I think many people here are overlooking what else MSL brings to the team. Not only is the guy a great offensive player but he also plays with so much heart and leadership. I'd take him on the team over Carter/Kunitz anyday.
you make them out to be weak...its not true...look at the weight of the players you mention
Patrick Sharp 6.1 200 pounds
Stamkos 6.0 195
Crosby 5.11 200
Kunitz 6.0 200
Tavares 6.0 200
Duchene 5.11 200
These guys are the lightest, that being said, 200 pounds and compact is pretty good, its not as though they weigh 170
Kunitz is a pitbull
These guys are solid - i don't know which are the daintiest...but over all they are pretty solid
Yes. My question...
Why is Jordie Benn on Team Canada??? How the hell did he make this team??? He sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[spoil]I have officially run out of things to talk about. I have resorted to trying to be funny - and I am sure someone else has already said it. I wish the tournament would start.[/spoil]
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