WJC: 2015 — Canada Roster Talk (Part IV)

[Bankerguy]

This is why it would have been great to see the Canucks lend Horvat to Team Canada. He would have shut down Eichel and contributed at both ends of the ice.

Agree 100%. Horvat should be there. Him replacing Gauthier would make Canada so much stronger.

Horvat would likely be the best faceoff man in the tourny. Put someone like Curtis Lazar on his wing and tell him to shut down Nylander, Kapanen, Eichel and he'll get the job done...along with scoring a few goals.

 

[CanaFan]

Agree 100%. Horvat should be there. Him replacing Gauthier would make Canada so much stronger.

Horvat would likely be the best faceoff man in the tourny. Put someone like Curtis Lazar on his wing and tell him to shut down Nylander, Kapanen, Eichel and he'll get the job done...along with scoring a few goals.

Horvat would have been ideal but I think we have the personel to ice a tremendous shut down line on this team already. I'd move Lazar off the McDavid line where he isn't really clicking and have him centre a hard shut down line with Paul and Virtanen. Lazar gives you all the speed and defensive IQ to neutralize a guy like Eichel while Virtanen and Paul would bang and grind all over the ice. Try Point out with McD and Ritchie and see if the extra creativity helps spark that line.

 

[199991]

Virtanen like so much to have the puck, so he always keeps it for himself.

 

[Sharpshooter]

Virtanen like so much to have the puck, so he always keeps it for himself.

It's understandable when you're on the 4th line and didn't have as much offensive talent to play alongside. I noticed however, and contrary to your opinion, that Virtanen was passing puck quite a bit yesterday. It was noticeable to myself at least, that he tried to make more plays, passes, and play a support role to his linemates, with his positioning, when his linemates had the puck. It also helped i'm sure that his linemates yesterday were better than being bogged down with Gauthier.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

Virtanen like so much to have the puck, so he always keeps it for himself.

Probably because the play dies on the sticks of his linemates.
Whenever Virtanen is on the ice, he's been the best player on the ice. His line is holding him back.

The canucks are so lucky to have this kid. I'm scared at what he might become in the NHL.

 

[blendini]

Virtanen like so much to have the puck, so he always keeps it for himself.

I don't really know what you're trying to say, but it kind of sounds like you're implying that he never passes the puck.

2g and 4a during the training camp; along with 1g and 1a last night tells a different story.

Yeah, yeah...he's a north/south player, but when he get's in tight to the goal, he can make some very nice passes.

That 4th line would look pretty grim without him.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Virtanen looks really good. Kid has speed to burn. McDavid looks like he loves to work down low

 

[86Habs]

I'm not overly concerned with McDavid's performance, but if I were Groulx I'd start looking at shuffling the lines up a bit tonight if the chemistry of that line doesn't improve by, say, the 2nd period. Ritchie doesn't have the pace to play with McDavid, and while Lazar has been decent (perhaps a bit underwhelming) I think his skillset would be more useful on another line. Petan and Fabbri were very impressive together last night, and both have the speed and offensive instincts and finishing ability to hang with, and compliment McDavid. I'd consider moving them up with McDavid as his wingers and rolling with:

Domi - Reinhart - Duclair
Petan - McDavid - Fabbri
Paul - Lazar - Virtanen
Crouse - Point - Ritchie

The emergence of Point allows Petan to be moved up to the wing, as the Point line is in essence a 4th scoring line with great size on the wings. Ritchie would be able to play a more limited, focused game on this line and should benefit from the cycle game with Crouse and Point's playmaking ability. The Lazar line would, in theory, be an elite possession line and better fits Lazar's style and strengths. It also accomplishes getting Virtanen on the ice more (and with better offensive talent) but he would still be able to utilizehis speed and aggresiveness to drive the offense on that line from the wing. Aside from the Reinhart line, I've been most impressed with Virtanen's play so far. Paul has been very good, and that line would theoretically be able to play against the opposition's top line or benefit from very favourable matchups, depending on Groulx's preference.

 

[CanaFan]

I'm not overly concerned with McDavid's performance, but if I were Groulx I'd start looking at shuffling the lines up a bit tonight if the chemistry of that line doesn't improve by, say, the 2nd period. Ritchie doesn't have the pace to play with McDavid, and while Lazar has been decent (perhaps a bit underwhelming) I think his skillset would be more useful on another line. Petan and Fabbri were very impressive together last night, and both have the speed and offensive instincts and finishing ability to hang with, and compliment McDavid. I'd consider moving them up with McDavid as his wingers and rolling with:

Domi - Reinhart - Duclair
Petan - McDavid - Fabbri
Paul - Lazar - Virtanen
Crouse - Point - Ritchie

The emergence of Point allows Petan to be moved up to the wing, as the Point line is in essence a 4th scoring line with great size on the wings. Ritchie would be able to play a more limited, focused game on this line and should benefit from the cycle game with Crouse and Point's playmaking ability. The Lazar line would, in theory, be an elite possession line and better fits Lazar's style and strengths. It also accomplishes getting Virtanen on the ice more (and with better offensive talent) but he would still be able to utilizehis speed and aggresiveness to drive the offense on that line from the wing. Aside from the Reinhart line, I've been most impressed with Virtanen's play so far. Paul has been very good, and that line would theoretically be able to play against the opposition's top line or benefit from very favourable matchups, depending on Groulx's preference.

I agree that could be a very good shut down line and one that you could play the heavy minutes (18-20) required to go up against another team's top line. Also like what it does in getting Fabbri back with McDavid and creates a pretty solid looking 4th line as well.

 

[Leafs Win The Cup]

imo gauthier should be put with mcdavid and they can jumpstart eachother. Gauthier is PPG centre in the QMJHL and can be shifted to the wing to provide his elite level two way play. While chipping in goals alongside McDavid. Would make a studly second line with Petan

 

[CornWillis]

Virtanen like so much to have the puck, so he always keeps it for himself.

Gauthier loses the puck if he doesn't miss Virtanen's pass completely. No point passing to him when the offence literally dies on his stick.


Virtanen set up Paul with a goal. He knows how to use his teammates if they're good.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Let's all stop singling out our favourite teams prospects and just route for team Canada as a whole!!!

 

[Alerion]

Gauthier loses the puck if he doesn't miss Virtanen's pass completely. No point passing to him when the offence literally dies on his stick.


Virtanen set up Paul with a goal. He knows how to use his teammates if they're good.

Virtanen shot the puck and Paul scored on the rebound. He had a good game but those aren't the same thing.

 

[Virtanen18]

I know people don't want to change the lines just because the McDavid line isn't going, but we have nothing to lose against the Germans. Would definitely switch Ritchie and Virtanen.

 

[Alerion]

I know people don't want to change the lines just because the McDavid line isn't going, but we have nothing to lose against the Germans. Would definitely switch Ritchie and Virtanen.

I'm fine with that but the 1st and 3rd lines should be untouchable at the moment.

 

[MISC*]

I don't mind Virtanen on the 4th line. Kind of opens up a lot of ice for him as he's not going against the top dmen from the other teams.

People are noticing him in a good way. Doesn't matter if he's on the 1st or 4th line. If you play well you get noticed. It's a great threat to have him down there.

 

[Sharpshooter]

Let's all stop singling out our favourite teams prospects and just route for team Canada as a whole!!!

I would agree with the part about rooting for the team as a whole. I think, and I speak for myself, when I say that pretty much every poster here roots for the team as a whole to do well, and win the tourney.

For many posters, it doesn't seem to be just about singling out their own favourite team's prospect, and that's just my opinion of course. I think many TC fans have singled out players from teams in Canada and the US. Many people have been coming around on Domi, for instance, myself included. Others, including myself have been quite impressed by Duclair, Reinhart, Morrisey, Paul, Petan, Virtanen and at times McDavid. The prospects that have deserved the positive singling out have received it, from posters who appreciate their performance thus far.

Other prospects, have been singled out because of their lack of performance. It's not to say that posters wouldn't support them as part of Team Canada, or that posters wouldn't recognize those players, by singling them out, if they turned their game around, or had a solid performance in any game. I think many posters are hoping and waiting for that to happen, and when it doesn't, we notice it, and then discuss it, or at least question the use of that player in their present position, or inclusion on any particular line or even the team.

But, I believe, at the end of the day, even with the singling out of good or poor performances, most, if not all posters are certainly in full support of Team Canada as a whole, and are rooting for them every shift and game. None of us like to hear that a prospect of your favourite team isn't performing well, but sometimes that's just the reality. Hopefully it isn't taken to heart, and hopefully people recognize that sometimes players simply have bad tournament performances, but go on to be good players for their pro-club, and vice-versa.

 

[GroundskeeperWillie*]

Gauthier is team Canada

 

[chunkylover53]

imo gauthier should be put with mcdavid and they can jumpstart eachother. Gauthier is PPG centre in the QMJHL and can be shifted to the wing to provide his elite level two way play. While chipping in goals alongside McDavid. Would make a studly second line with Petan

What the hell? There are much better players to spark McDavid than Gauthier on this team. Plus if they wanted to do that with Gauthier he wouldn't have made the team at all because there would be better players. Gauthier plays a niche role and that's what got him on the team (though I don't agree with it, it is what it is...)

 

[CanaFan]

Virtanen shot the puck and Paul scored on the rebound. He had a good game but those aren't the same thing.

Except the puck didn't hit the goalie, it went straight through the crease to Paul where he fought off a check to flip the puck in. Might have been intended as a shot (seems likely knowing Virtanen's tendencies) but it wound up as more of a pass. He was throwing the puck into the slot all night (several times at least) so who knows, maybe he did mean it as a pass. Worked out either way (though credit to Paul for having the strength and hands to turn that into a goal).

The thing with Virtanen is he's never going to be confused with having Reinhart's patience or Petan's vision but he does create a lot of play around the net. Some call his game "direct" and I think that is accurate. Shots on net, drive to net, passes to net. Different but seems to work.

 

[WhiteCurse]

imo gauthier should be put with mcdavid and they can jumpstart eachother. Gauthier is PPG centre in the QMJHL and can be shifted to the wing to provide his elite level two way play. While chipping in goals alongside McDavid. Would make a studly second line with Petan

This is why Gauthier is getting mass hate, post like this and anything DD post. We all know he made the team as a FO Pk guy. Trying to force his lack of puck skills up lines is just crazy

 

[GroundskeeperWillie*]

After watching Gauthier make the team, is Ho-Sang still too much of a one dimensional player?

 

[JackSlater]

After watching Gauthier make the team, is Ho-Sang still too much of a one dimensional player?

If Gauthier brings what he is supposed to, then he is at least a useful asset. That is a big if though. Ho Sang would be redundant, given that this team already has superior players who can do the exact same things.

The main thing for today against Germany should be to see if there is anything to the McDavid line. If they can't impress today (not just score a goal or two, but actually look somewhat cohesive) then the lineup should be shaken up somewhat. If Petan's line looks good again though I wouldn't mess with them. Petan looked great as centre of his line, and if McDavid's line can't get something going they should just cede some ice time to Petan's line. Six games are not enough to force things.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

imo gauthier should be put with mcdavid and they can jumpstart eachother. Gauthier is PPG centre in the QMJHL and can be shifted to the wing to provide his elite level two way play. While chipping in goals alongside McDavid. Would make a studly second line with Petan

As an American I love this idea.

In reality, they really need to get Fabbri back with McDavid. Love the idea of having Petan or even Point in there as well, who has shown great puck retrieval skills. That makes 2 very very dangerous scoring lines.

Duclair - Reinhart - Domi
Petan - McDavid - Fabbri
Point - Lazar - Virtanen
Crouse - Paul - Ritchie

That would be a much stronger lineup, with a sick 3rd line and huge 4th line.

 

[GroundskeeperWillie*]

this team already has superior players who can do the exact same things.

I'm not talking about what the other players on this team bring to the table. I'm talking about Gauthier.