WJC: 2015 — Canada Roster Talk (Part II)

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Lol'd hard at the Virtanen snub ^^

Gonna be a joke if they make him play with Gauthier. That guy was ****ing trash last year.

 

[Regina Pat]

I don't know if it was just an oversight on your part, but there's no way, barring injury, that Virtanen isn't on the final roster, particularly with a dearth of natural right wingers.

Oversight. Klimchuk or Point out for him.

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Looks like Petan is on the outside looking in so far. I don't think he's been 100% since being trucked in October.

I think it's more that he and McDavid are considered locks, so they aren't working them too hard.

Here's my take on a line up:

Fabbri - McDavid - Duclair
Dal Colle - Petan - Domi
Ritchie - Reinhart - Virtanen
Klimchuk - Chartier - Point

Morrissey - Bowey
Nurse - Theodore
Fleury - Hicketts

Comrie
Fucale

 

[86Habs]

Per Mark Masters

Domi-Reinhart-Duclair
Dal Colle-Dickinson-Point
Ritchie-Gauthier-Virtanen
Elie-Paul-Baptiste
Klimchuk-Chartier-Fabbri
Petan-McDavid-Crouse

Nurse-Theodore
Heatherington-Hicketts
Morin-Bigras
Fleury-Sanheim
Morrissey-Bowey

Its hard to draw any firm conclusions on this practice roster. Fabbri on the right side is interesting (given he's a natural center, but a LHed shot), as is Petan on the McDavid's wing with Crouse (which could be good or bad for Petan depending on how you read it). The Gauthier line is probably modeled on the Getzlaf-Perry-Benn "big boy" line from the Olympics, but I believe Ritchie and Virtanen would compliment a center with a stronger offensive acumen much more than a defensive center like Gauthier, and in a lineup that may be a bit short on size, I'd lean towards spreading what size I do have around a bit more. Still, its probably worth a look at camp, it could be a good possession line.

The defense looks strong, I think there are really only two spots up for grabs between Morin, Sanheim, Bigras, Heatherington and Hicketts. Edge to the first two for now, perhaps.

 

[Canucks LB]

snub virtanen? I see him on the third line. It's obvious they are putting him there just encase Horvat comes to the WJC, and plays center on that line with Virtanen and ritchie

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Fabbri-McDavid-Virtanen
Dal Colle-Reinhart-Duclair
Domi-Petan-Baptiste
Dickinson-Gauthier-Ritchie

Bowey-Nurse
Theodore-Fleury
Morrissey-Morin

Personally, I'd put Chartier/Paul in the 4C spot before Gauthier, but Hockey Canada tends to keep returning players. Obviously, this is assuming Horvat isn't sent down, otherwise bump Petan down and take out Gauthier.

 

[JayKing]

Fabbri-McDavid-Virtanen
Dal Colle-Reinhart-Duclair
Domi-Petan-Baptiste
Dickinson-Gauthier-Ritchie

Bowey-Nurse
Theodore-Fleury
Morrissey-Morin

Personally, I'd put Chartier/Paul in the 4C spot before Gauthier, but Hockey Canada tends to keep returning players. Obviously, this is assuming Horvat isn't sent down, otherwise bump Petan down and take out Gauthier.

Probably you not paying attention but you have Bowey on the left when he's the only natural RHD at camp.

I also would not be surprised if Chartier and Gauthier split time on that line with Gauthier getting most of the d-zone starts and Chartier getting the o-zone starts.

and I've said it a few times but I just can't see Duclair not being on the 1st line.

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Probably you not paying attention but you have Bowey on the left when he's the only natural RHD at camp.

I also would not be surprised if Chartier and Gauthier split time on that line with Gauthier getting most of the d-zone starts and Chartier getting the o-zone starts.

and I've said it a few times but I just can't see Duclair not being on the 1st line.

Yeah, I flipped Bowey and Nurse by mistake.

 

[allan5oh]

I thouhgt it was a grenade.

You would think so by the reaction here.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

You would think so by the reaction here.

By the reaction here you'd think they set up a Tiger Tank in the rink and they had to block AP 105mm shells it's firing. And McDavid is the first one in line.

 

[Tripod]

Its hard to draw any firm conclusions on this practice roster. Fabbri on the right side is interesting (given he's a natural center, but a LHed shot), as is Petan on the McDavid's wing with Crouse (which could be good or bad for Petan depending on how you read it). The Gauthier line is probably modeled on the Getzlaf-Perry-Benn "big boy" line from the Olympics, but I believe Ritchie and Virtanen would compliment a center with a stronger offensive acumen much more than a defensive center like Gauthier, and in a lineup that may be a bit short on size, I'd lean towards spreading what size I do have around a bit more. Still, its probably worth a look at camp, it could be a good possession line.

The defense looks strong, I think there are really only two spots up for grabs between Morin, Sanheim, Bigras, Heatherington and Hicketts. Edge to the first two for now, perhaps.

Anyone have input on seeing them at practice yet? I agree they are part of bubble guys....not locks.

 

[allan5oh]

http://www.tsn.ca/he-can-t-play-yet-but-mcdavid-has-his-game-face-on-1.158067

A little later in the practice the team was put through a shot-blocking drill. The assistant coaches fired foam pucks at players from a few feet away. McDavid, who has not yet been cleared for contact, wanted to be part of it. But after McDavid blocked his first shot head coach Benoit Groulx intervened asking the favourite to go first in the next NHL Draft to sit out the drill.

"I told him, 'You know what? I don't want my face on TV tomorrow [because you got hurt] for this reason so get out of there!" Groulx said with a chuckle.

"I just went once, so I guess 1-for-1 so that makes me 100 per cent," McDavid said with a wry grin.

 

[Leviathan899]

my concern is not the foam pucks BUD! It's a ridiculous drill. waste of time. And that's what the 4th reminder by you of foam pucks. You must be a HC staffer, intern sent here to defend the idiots in charge at HC and the POE

How exactly is practicing a key component of team defense a "waste of time"?. Canada is bound to have points in our games where we are hemmed in our own zone, and the wingers and defense need to know how the coaching staff wants them pressuring the points, where to be after you block a shot, etc. Hardly a waste of time, considering they have a ton of time to practice everything else. All teams practice this sort of thing, it is important. I'm sure they will spend lots of time over the next two weeks practicing powerpays, penalty killing, breakouts, neutral zone play, how they want to fore check and pressure the puck carrier, etc.

How would the team practicing this drill lower your expectations? When anyone who pays attention to this forum would know that your expectations are already very low, because you dislike everything about Hockey Canada. You were spoiled when we were winning gold medals year after year, and now that we aren't winning and other countries are developing better talent, you just harp on Hockey Canada without offering any ways you would fix things.

 

[BigBen]

I don't hate HC. I hate the bureaucratic simpletons who work there...well, 1 in particular.

as for the rest of it, John Tortorella and last year's Vancouver Canucks demonstrated the silliness of this as a team-wide tactic. If an elite level player, deserving enough to make the team, has this in his repertoire, then by all means, he can go out and perform it, but team wide... ya I don't want McDavid or Reinhart or whoever flopping around out there if that's not what they normally do.

It clearly didn't cross your mind that that's probably why they're blocking shots in the first place; most guys on this team are skilled and aren't used to blocking shots. It's better to practice it with soft pucks for 5-10 minutes rather than have a guy block a shot with his face or neck this tournament.

It's bloody hilarious hearing some people like this guy, who has probably never coached in his entire life, think he knows what Team Canada should and shouldn't be practising.

 

[xxxx]

You would think so by the reaction here.

haha, true

 

[Chernobyl Mobile]

Drouin not playing at WJC.

Here it is: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/24881495/lightning-wont-loan-jonathan-drouin-to-canada-for-world-juniors

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Here it is: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/24881495/lightning-wont-loan-jonathan-drouin-to-canada-for-world-juniors

We know. It sucks but what can we do about it.

 

[EXTRAS]

Could anyone see OHL Defenseman Wood making the team next year?

 

[Ho Borvat]

snub virtanen? I see him on the third line. It's obvious they are putting him there just encase Horvat comes to the WJC, and plays center on that line with Virtanen and ritchie

Godddd I hope they release him sooo badddddd.

If you could get him between Virtanen and Ritchie I don't know how teams would contend with that size.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Could anyone see OHL Defenseman Wood making the team next year?

Would probably need to work on his skating a fair bit.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

Godddd I hope they release him sooo badddddd.

If you could get him between Virtanen and Ritchie I don't know how teams would contend with that size.

Spoiler alert: They won't be able to.

It's the youngster Benn-Getzlaf-Perry line

 

[euro35]

Oversight. Klimchuk or Point out for him.

It seems a lot of people on here believe that Virtanen is a skill guy

Im going to say different the plays he makes in whl won't work at this level

I think team Canada takes him! Not sure if posters will feel the same

after the tourney as they do now. Great third line guy but not a playmaker

 

[1Gold Standard]

It clearly didn't cross your mind that that's probably why they're blocking shots in the first place; most guys on this team are skilled and aren't used to blocking shots. It's better to practice it with soft pucks for 5-10 minutes rather than have a guy block a shot with his face or neck this tournament.

It's bloody hilarious hearing some people like this guy, who has probably never coached in his entire life, think he knows what Team Canada should and shouldn't be practising.

I think the boys at Hockey Canada are big enough to take a little criticism, so should you. suck it up.

and in the spirit of Hockey Canada and the continuing pimping out of our junior players to their corporate partners, all my criticism is brought to you by Bob's Burger truck.

 

[kp61c]

Here it is: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/24881495/lightning-wont-loan-jonathan-drouin-to-canada-for-world-juniors

thank you to god

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

Cross our fingers that Mackinnon is loaned