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WJC: 2015 — Canada Roster Talk (Part IV)

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leafsfuture said:
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
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Lazar has taken a step backwards because he was rushed to the NHL and simplified his game to the point where all his creativity has vanished.
 
Lines must be re-worked. We simply cant have McDavid's line not producing.

Domi - Reinhart - Duclair - Nothing to change here. These 3 look excellent together.
Fabbri - McDavid - Virtanen - The same line we were expecting to see before Lazar was released. Lazar and Ritchie just aren't good enough offensively to be McDavid's wingers.
Petan - Lazar - Point - Lazar as a shutdown centre, however, would be dynamite.
Ritchie - Paul - Crouse - Solid 4th line.
Gauthier - Why was this guy taken?
 
Gauthier had another excellent. Was also impressed with Domi and Petan.
 
The team has looked GREAT. Just great. If the McDavid line can start clicking, we could really be a force.

Anyone else think today doesn't "feel" like a Friday? Between Christmas being on a Thursday and the World Juniors starting today... my week is all screwed up. :(
 
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DanrikCarter said:
Lines must be re-worked. We simply cant have McDavid's line not producing.

Domi - Reinhart - Duclair - Nothing to change here. These 3 look excellent together.
Fabbri - McDavid - Virtanen - The same line we were expecting to see before Lazar was released. Lazar and Ritchie just aren't good enough offensively to be McDavid's wingers.
Petan - Lazar - Point - Lazar as a shutdown centre, however, would be dynamite.
Ritchie - Paul - Crouse - Solid 4th line.
Gauthier - Why was this guy taken?
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The third line had good chemistry, I don't think we should tamper with that.

Domi-Reinhart-Duclair
Virtanen-McDavid-Lazar
Fabbri-Petan-Point
Crouse-Paul-Ritchie
 
DoubleDouble said:
Gauthier had another excellent. Was also impressed with Domi and Petan.
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Another sub-par performance by Gauthier. He had a tough time staying upright, let a lone being an asset in any other facet of the game.

I agree with Bob Mackenzie, "You put Gauthier as the 13th Forward and things happen".
 
Sharpshooter1 said:
Another sub-par performance by Gauthier. He had a tough time staying upright, let a lone being an asset in any other facet of the game.

I agree with Bob Mackenzie, "You put Gauthier as the 13th Forward and things happen".
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You will see his true value when there is actually someone to shutdown. I bet you will see him out there against Kapenen and Eichel.
 
DoubleDouble said:
You will see his true value when there is actually someone to shutdown. I bet you will see him out there against Kapenen and Eichel.
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I don't believe i'll see him out there against Eichel, but if I do, at least I can confidently say that i've seen it all now.
 
biturbo19 said:
The problem with keeping Gauthier as the "extra forward", is that you can't get him enough ice time in that role to play the "specialist" part he was ostensibly brought along for. You can't have Gauthier sitting there doing nothing for half a period, then toss him out at a critical moment for a 5 on 3 PK faceoff, or a defensive zone draw in the last minute of the game, one goal lead, extra attacker out...because he's going to be stone cold and completely out of the pace of the game (which is an issue for Gauthier to begin with).

And because Gauthier is so limited offensively, and not particularly versatile...you can't just sprinkle him in for a shift here and there with a bunch of different lines to keep him in the game, as you can with someone like Point for example who can play Center or Wing, on pretty much any line, without looking out of place. You're not going to sub the "13th forward" in for a shift on McDavid's Wing if your spare is Gauthier.

And Gauthier simply isn't the "best option" at this level, for matching up against opponent's top lines. So you've got a "checking line" that you don't really use to "check" top competition consistently. :dunno:

With the "Men's Team" from the Olympics, our "checking specialists" were key players, guys who played a lot...Toews, Bergeron being the go-to guys for matchups. But also guys who don't look out of place if you want to say, give Bergeron a shift on the top-line wing with Crosby, or 4th line center or anything in between, to keep him in the game. Gauthier is not that.

Now that we're stuck with Gauthier though, i'm not really sure what you do with him, other than just have him spend the majority of the game sitting there twiddling his thumbs as insurance against an injury/misconduct/otherwise unavailable player...move somebody else up the lineup, and slot him in on the 4th line if you have to. Basically handicapping yourself to 12 forwards.

Or...just continue to play him as the "4th line Center" and live with the fact that the line isn't as effective as it could be, and hope that throwing that unit out there cold in a critical situation doesn't burn us too badly. Neither is a particularly attractive option to me.

That "defensive specialist" and "PK ace" role is just such a difficult one for most players to jump into fresh off the bench cold, out of the flow of the game, the legs not really going, etc. You're talking about basically the "toughest minutes" as an assignment, while only playing ~2 actual shifts per period? Disaster waiting to happen imo. It just doesn't work very well at this level, with players used to playing 20+ minutes a night.
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I think your reaching on what role I said I would give him. If he was an extra forward he should not be used as the main defensive/checking option in that role. With that said imo you have no choice but to give him the odd shift to keep him in the game with the 3rd or 4th line, let him take a few defensive zone faceoffs, and give him some pk duties (keep him on the 2nd pk unit), beyond that I dont know what else you do with an extra forward, thats kind of what the extra forward is usually stuck doing, being a role player with limited ice time (and certainly not in critical situations). Given his strengths include his defensive game, I dont know what else you do with him if you dont use him on the Pk or faceoff duties and i dont really see a solution in your post either other then you dont like any of the solutions. I suppose as you suggest (while questioning it) just keep him on the 4th line and keep point as the extra forward? Imo then your under not utilizing point enough who has shown good chemistry and skill on the 4th line (even bob mckenzie mentioned that line came alive with him). If you really dont want him on the pk and are worried about him on the Pk with limited ice time then simply give him a few defensive zone starts (and it does not have to be a critical 5 on 3 or a last minute tie game defensive zone start either, nobody suggested that) . Other then that I dont know what the soltuion is. The topic of wether he should even be with the team is another conversation discussed at length already i wont rehash again, he would not have been in my line up, but he is on tc.
 
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If Virtanen isn't playing with McDavid tomorrow, I really have to question Groulx. The kid is just flatout impressive and a better option than Lazar or Ritchie.
 
Only one game but happy to see the offensive talent on display and unlike most years the players stayed disciplined which is always one of the problem areas making the leap to international refs

Big change over last year where it was basically the Jonathan Drouin 'I'm Too Cool to be playing Jrs' Show
 
Was having someone like Gauthier really better than someone like MDC? Shocked that Crouse made it as well...but then again not shocked, they never take simply the best players.
 
long time since I've been impressed by my junior team...

BUT still worried about Ritchie and Gauthier and even with the shutout, Fucale remains a question mark. The power rankings haven't changed yet... I still give the Americans the edge...subject to change on NYE. Boy, is that going to be 1 hell of a game.

Lazar should not be concerning himself about loosening up or easing the pressure on McDavid. Every time the camera finds him on the bench he is just looking at McDavid with a stupid goofy grin on his face. It annoys the hell out of me, I'm sure it is even more so for McDavid. Get your game face on, Lazar! McDavid can handle the pressure.
 
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DoubleDouble said:
You will see his true value when there is actually someone to shutdown. I bet you will see him out there against Kapenen and Eichel.
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Well seeing as how Eichel will probably play 20 minutes for the US I sure as hell don't want Gauthier playing 20 minutes for us. Tough to be a shut down guy when you can't do much else. Would rather see Canada go strength against strength and put the Domi-Reinhart- Duclair line out everyone Eichel's on the ice. They may not be Selke forwards but they'll have the puck so much that it'll take away Eichel's time with it and force him to expend some energy playing in his own zone.

Gawd just picturing Gauthier trying to skate with Eichel gives me nightmares. And probably him too. Do the kid a favour and don't wish that sort of thing on him, it really isn't kind.
 
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