WJC: 2015 — Canada Roster Talk (Part IV)

[Tyler Biggs*]

Canadians complain about the drought, but let's be serious. The best Canadian junior players are always in the NHL.

Same deal again this season. Guys like Bo Horvat and Nathan Mackinnon are eligible but remain in the NHL. This is the case every season. Our best are too good for the junior tourny.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I know I was just using it as an example for the people who say he wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed of the US, when a lot of those same players will be suiting up for the US this year. It was only a year and a half ago anyways, so it still has relevance, as it was the 95 birth year that won the U-18's, and now they are in line for the World Juniors. But I the teams are definitely different, but I was just using it as an example to show Gauthier can perform in a tournament like this, and was an integral part of that teams success.

7 players from the U18 team are now on the U20 team. That is not a lot in my estimation and the U.S. is significantly stronger than that U18 team.

9 players from the Canadian U18 team are on the U20 team. Significantly stronger as well, but we'll see what team performs the best.

 

[maroon 6]

Canadians complain about the drought, but let's be serious. The best Canadian junior players are always in the NHL.

Same deal again this season. Guys like Bo Horvat and Nathan Mackinnon are eligible but remain in the NHL. This is the case every season. Our best are too good for the junior tourny.

Drouin and Ekblad

 

[1Gold Standard]

The bad news is Craig Button picked Canada over the USA in the final... that dolt wouldn't know a hockey player from a cheese sandwich. If he had picked the U.S. I'd be a lot more confident....But Go Canada Go. My favorite tourney of the year is here....

I'll be happy with a Canada-USA final.

 

[Habs Icing]

The bad news is Craig Button picked Canada over the USA in the final... that dolt wouldn't know a hockey player from a cheese sandwich. If he had picked the U.S. I'd be a lot more confident....But Go Canada Go. My favorite tourney of the year is here....

I'll be happy with a Canada-USA final.

From what I've seen of the exhibition games those two look like the two best teams. I would put Canada as the favourites because of the forwards and defence, but Fucale scares the bejesus out of me. And I haven't seen enough of Comrie.

 

[1Gold Standard]

From what I've seen of the exhibition games those two look like the two best teams. I would put Canada as the favourites because of the forwards and defence, but Fucale scares the bejesus out of me. And I haven't seen enough of Comrie.

I think Canada and the U.S. are the two best teams as well... although I give the U.S. a slight advantage based on better goaltending.

Fucale scares the bejesus out of me as well...and Hockey Canada's approach to how it picks goaltenders scares the bejesus out of me even more. If this team falls short of an appearance in the GMG, then people at HC need to start losing their jobs..and that starts at the top with Scott Salmond + a few others.

 

[xxxx]

@markhmasters
Canada not expected to skate tomorrow; after so much build-up they're eager to get going; Groulx: "It’s time to play. We'll be ready."

That sounds good, sounds like they just want to play and will come out with alot of energy.

I like it

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

It is finally here. Can't wait. Let's hope for a great tournament.

 

[DadBod]

Is Groulx going with the same lineup? Can we expect any tweaks?

 

[Get North]

Is Groulx going with the same lineup? Can we expect any tweaks?

Basically same lines except Petan went to C and Paul went to LW, Fabbri on the RW. Paul was on C previously, that's the only tweak.

 

[Bps21*]

Canadians complain about the drought, but let's be serious. The best Canadian junior players are always in the NHL.

Same deal again this season. Guys like Bo Horvat and Nathan Mackinnon are eligible but remain in the NHL. This is the case every season. Our best are too good for the junior tourny.

Wasn't Finland without several top players last year due to NHL stays and injury?

Didn't stop them.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Mission for Germany game: Lazar and McDavid both scoring a goal.

 

[Tv9924]

I can't wait for the New Years Eve game, it's gonna be one for the ages.

 

[Badger Mayhew*]

Lazar was easily the most invisible player outside of Gauthier. Not sure why him being on the team was such big news.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

All the posters who have been screaming (for years) for Hockey Canada to send their most skilled guys, are looking pretty smart.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Lazar was easily the most invisible player outside of Gauthier. Not sure why him being on the team was such big news.

It's one game. I expect him to deliver against Finland and USA for sure.

 

[mdobbs]

All the posters who have been (for years) screaming for Hockey Canada to send their most skilled guys, are looking pretty smart.

This the most dominant team I've seen since 09 and it could easily be better than them.

 

[CornWillis]

Lazar was easily the most invisible player outside of Gauthier. Not sure why him being on the team was such big news.

Gauthier wasn't invisible. He lost almost every single faceoff when that was one of his strong points. He fails in puck battles and when he has the puck he usually loses it quickly. He had a few good shifts but I noticed the Slovakians managed shots when he was on the ice.

He hasn't been horrible but there were better options.

 

[Proust*]

Lazar was easily the most invisible player outside of Gauthier. Not sure why him being on the team was such big news.

Lazar is not the kind of guy that is going to put up points in a 9-0 game. He's the guy that will score the GWG in a 2-1 game. He's the guy that will lead like an icebreaker when this team inevitably faces adversity. Lazar is a winner.

 

[leafsfuture]

Flashy and Lazar should never be used together. look at all his points from last years tournament. They were all in and around the net, "hockey plays".

Lazar wont light up a scoresheet, he doesnt have the speed or hands to. As others have said, he just gets the game. There is a reason he was our best "all-around guy" last year. There is also a reason he is in the NHL now.

That being said, i would like to see more from him. He shouldnt be losing as many puck battles as he has

 

[Ironslave]

Good game. I liked the depth and think McDavid Lazar and Richie will get going as their timing improves. I would leave the lines as they are with Gauthier bumped back to the 13th forward.

 

[Sonic Disturbance]

Canadians complain about the drought, but let's be serious. The best Canadian junior players are always in the NHL.

Same deal again this season. Guys like Bo Horvat and Nathan Mackinnon are eligible but remain in the NHL. This is the case every season. Our best are too good for the junior tourny.

Well, during the lockout year, this wasn't the case as we had guys like Hamilton and even RNH, who already had 60+ games in the NHL the previous year and we didn't even medal. On a unrelated note, it is scary that MacKinnon still eligible to play in the WJC after watching him tear up the NHL last year. It is also amusing that Crosby was eligible for the WJC in the same year he scored 120 points and won the Ross, Hart and Pearson.

 

[euro35]

I think Ritchies going to be on his best behaviour this tournament. I think its Viranen thats going to do something stupid and take a 10 or 15 game suspension. I'd like to have Ho-Sang over Point just to add more offense even though we aren't hurting with what we have (Domi, Duclair, Virtanen, Mcdavid) but it couldn't hurt. Gautheir is slow and hasn't really impressed me but then again he has. I don't have a problem with him being used on the PK. And having his size against the U.S can't hurt either. I'd just like to have Ho-Sang instead of Point or Fabbri but it's too late.

Yeah You wouldn't want Fabbri Or Point

 

[leafsfuture]

Well, during the lockout year, this wasn't the case as we had guys like Hamilton and even RNH, who already had 60+ games in the NHL the previous year and we didn't even medal. On a unrelated note, it is scary that MacKinnon still eligible to play in the WJC after watching him tear up the NHL last year. It is also amusing that Crosby was eligible for the WJC in the same year he scored 120 points and won the Ross, Hart and Pearson.

In 2013 we didnt need Dougie or the Nuge. We had the offence. We needed Ryan Murray. I remember everyone calling that the "Dream Team 2.0" LOL. We didnt have our best defence man, and 100% if he was healthy, Murray would have been Captain

There were also some questionable roster calls that year -- cutting Monahan and Shinkaruk and taking JC Lipon instead

 

[atrud66]

Just came back from the game. I know we only played Slovakia but some people made impressions while others didn't.

Jake Virtanen is awesome. He goes to all the dirty areas. You always see him driving the net and going to the corners to grab loose pucks. On the backcheck, he's always there taking the body. Not to mention that he has some pretty quick hands and a knack for putting the puck in the net. Vancouver has a good one.

Curtis Lazar has been horrible in the games against Switzerland and Slovakia. He hasn't been able to catch a pass and when he's had the puck, he's been too slow to release the puck or make another decision. Was expecting much more.

Connor McDavid has also had a bit of a hard time. He's slightly predictable. Whenever he enters the zone, he enters wide and then always drops the puck to the trailer at around the top of the circles or hashmarks. Basically he's forcing the play. When I watched Eichel today, he did the exact opposite. Eichel slowed the play down and took the time to make cerebral plays. Eichel played a really good first period but then played cocky the rest of the game. Anyways, McDavid isn't getting any help from Lazar.

Duclair and Domi are so much fun to watch. Duclair's speed is helping him blow by defensemen and it's also helping him force opposing defensemen to make mistakes and to lose the puck. Domi is shifty in his own right. He keeps putting the puck in the net even though it doesn't seem like his shot is too hard.

I continue to not be super impressed by Reinhart. He sees the play well and makes good passes but there really isn't any distinguishing factor.

Gauthier does not belong on this stage. He has a huge frame and yet he can't muscle people off the puck and he falls everywhere on the ice

Petan is awesome. Sees the play well and takes some chances despite his small frame

Fucale was very solid. He definitely was shaky in the first two exhibition games but that was not apparent in this one.

Go Canada Go!!!