WC: 2015 — Team Canada

[1Gold Standard]

Really?

I always thought that the WHC ranked second only to the Olympics for European fans, followed by the rest in whatever order.

As far as Canadians are concerned, it's Olympics, World Cup, WJC and then WHC. It's not that the WHC is totally irrelevant (it's a great place for players to get experience for best-on-best events) but it's not something we mourn losing.

BTW, is that the Swedes' final roster for the WHC? Really weak squad. Are they not even waiting for the first round of the NHL playoffs to end?

As somebody who lived in Europe for 7 years and attended 3 WHC, I would have to say that the WHC far exceeds any Stanley Cup or Canada/World Cup for the European hockey fan. Perhaps for Swedish fans the Stanley Cup has some measure of importance given the Swede contingent in the NHL far exceeds any other European country. But the WHC is the show in Europe. It is losing luster though.

 

[tade]

What north americans fails to understand is that the other teams in this tournament also have b/c/d teams.

My country, Sweden, every year we have "****" teams, take a look at our team this year for exemple: http://www.swehockey.se/ImageVaultFiles/id_93038/cf_78/SWE_roster_RUS-SWE_no1.PDF

and still, we always reach Semifinal on pure heart and tactic. So you dont need dream-teams in this tournament.

And one more thing......Europeans dont think that WC is bigger than Olympics and our own league.....even WJC, World Cup and Stanley Cup is bigger to win. But, we do care about WC also, its a funny little tournament with heart.

In Europe? No it's not. WJC definitely not. I love this tournament but most people in Europe don't care about it (the wide public). World Cup would be up there but not the upcoming WC with some stupid teams like U23 North America and team "Rest of Europe". That is non-sense. Good for some all-star quality game but not for serious tournament and that's why I think It will fail in attention of fans from Europe & prestige itself compared to WHC. But lets not get to off-topic as this is thread for Team Canada...

 

[viach]

No RNH or Doughty for Canada ?
Injured ?

 

[1Gold Standard]

No RNH or Doughty for Canada ?
Injured ?

RNH injured. Doughty said he wasn't interested. I don't blame him. He's played a lot of hockey the past 3 years and he's earned a full summer off if that's his wish. If L.A. misses next year and he again declines, then I'll be disappointed.

 

[viach]

RNH injured. Doughty said he wasn't interested. I don't blame him. He's played a lot of hockey the past 3 years and he's earned a full summer off if that's his wish. If L.A. misses next year and he again declines, then I'll be disappointed.

Thanks

 

[LaGu]

What north americans fails to understand is that the other teams in this tournament also have b/c/d teams.

My country, Sweden, every year we have "****" teams, take a look at our team this year for exemple: http://www.swehockey.se/ImageVaultFiles/id_93038/cf_78/SWE_roster_RUS-SWE_no1.PDF

and still, we always reach Semifinal on pure heart and tactic. So you dont need dream-teams in this tournament.

And one more thing......Europeans dont think that WC is bigger than Olympics and our own league.....even WJC, World Cup and Stanley Cup is bigger to win. But, we do care about WC also, its a funny little tournament with heart.

edit: long post deleted, short answer: .

 

[1Gold Standard]

So Schenn is worse at LW than at RW? That is somewhat inconvenient given the makeup of the team.

Seeing the Preds are on the brink, how about James Neal for 2nd. line LW duties? It gives us a Top 9 of:

T HALL C GIROUX T SEGUIN
J NEAL M DUCHENE J EBERLE
R O’REILLY J SPEZZA T TOFFOLI

 

[Urbanskog]

And one more thing......Europeans dont think that WC is bigger than Olympics and our own league.....even WJC, World Cup and Stanley Cup is bigger to win. But, we do care about WC also, its a funny little tournament with heart.

Hah. At least in Finland the WJC is seen as a kids' tournament, World Cup is a horrible gimmicky aimed for North American fans and very few are going to stay up at night to watch the Stanley Cup finals.

 

[JackSlater]

Seeing the Preds are on the brink, how about James Neal for 2nd. line LW duties? It gives us a Top 9 of:

T HALL C GIROUX T SEGUIN
J NEAL M DUCHENE J EBERLE
R O’REILLY J SPEZZA T TOFFOLI

Neal would be good as a finisher on a team filled with playmakers, though he has the potential to lose his head in biggish moments. I would still hold out for Monahan though (if Calgary doesn't make it). Monahan could play numerous roles on the team, and has a much better chance of making a big boy team down the road.

 

[xxxx]

I think Calgary will win the series without a problem now. I would wait for either Tavares or Stamkos. Or maybe one of Little/Ladd/Scheifele. Stone or Turris also wouldn't be a bad option. A lot of possibilities here. Getting Tavares or Stamkos would be huge, but even players like Ladd or Turris could be very useful.

On defence, I think getting Boychuk or Myers would be awesome. Myers wasn't exactly great last year, and he might be better suited for NHL ice, but from what I've watched from the Anaheim-Winnipeg series, he's played very, very good hockey. Doesn't seem to make mistakes, and is playing great defensively imo.

 

[Lemonlimey]

I'm really looking forward to this tournament as an Avs fan. Those 4 players going from Colorado are motivated in a special way after this disappointing season. O'Reilly in particular I think could turn some heads if he plays the way he finished out the season, scoring 25 points in his final 20 games. He was just pumping the net, will probably cost us Provorov in the draft. I'm sad RNH won't go as it woulda been fun to see full Avs and Oilers forward lines.

 

[canuck2010]

Hah. At least in Finland the WJC is seen as a kids' tournament, World Cup is a horrible gimmicky aimed for North American fans and very few are going to stay up at night to watch the Stanley Cup finals.

I'm one North American fan that won't give the World Cup the time of day.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Neal would be good as a finisher on a team filled with playmakers, though he has the potential to lose his head in biggish moments. I would still hold out for Monahan though (if Calgary doesn't make it). Monahan could play numerous roles on the team, and has a much better chance of making a big boy team down the road.

Ya, I'd love me some Monahan as well. That dude is the 2nd coming of Towes. So glad Hartley had a heart to heart with him about 15 games in and told him, hey listen, Sean, your role here is to be more than just a defensive specialist. Never a big fan of his coaching, but I'll give him props here, he's got that team clicking and the Nucks are done like dinner.... I imagine it will be a few years before we get to see Monahan in a Canadian jersey.

No matter who Hockey Canada gets or doesn't get, I still have little faith that any team with practically zero preparation time can be successful in elimination games when your opponent has a 6 week head start and 6-8 extra exhibition games to get their **** together. I'd put money on TC winning a 1/4 final game this year just based solely on the law of averages, but beyond that, I wouldn't wager a donut.

 

[JackSlater]

Ya, I'd love me some Monahan as well. That dude is the 2nd coming of Towes. So glad Hartley had a heart to heart with him about 15 games in and told him, hey listen, Sean, your role here is to be more than just a defensive specialist. Never a big fan of his coaching, but I'll give him props here, he's got that team clicking and the Nucks are done like dinner.... I imagine it will be a few years before we get to see Monahan in a Canadian jersey.

No matter who Hockey Canada gets or doesn't get, I still have little faith that any team with practically zero preparation time can be successful in elimination games when your opponent has a 6 week head start and 6-8 extra exhibition games to get their **** together. I'd put money on TC winning a 1/4 final game this year just based solely on the law of averages, but beyond that, I wouldn't wager a donut.

If they win it's nice, if they lose it's fine. I'm already happy with things this year. They have a good mix of talented young players that will get some international experience, and we will get to see how they perform internationally and how well certain individuals perform with others.

 

[1Gold Standard]

If they win it's nice, if they lose it's fine. I'm already happy with things this year. They have a good mix of talented young players that will get some international experience, and we will get to see how they perform internationally and how well certain individuals perform with others.

The one positive thing I can say is, Tod Mcllenen is the best coach we've had at this tournament in a while.

 

[Budddy]

Patrice Bergeron told he is not invited as TC wanted to get "younger"

But Spezza is picked?

Would love Bergy there, but also would like him to get a rest too...

 

[1Gold Standard]

Patrice Bergeron told he is not invited as TC wanted to get "younger"

But Spezza is picked?

Would love Bergy there, but also would like him to get a rest too...

doesn't make much sense, Spezza is older and Bergeron is the far superior player. But HC opted for Alex Burrows one year over John Tavares. Hockey Canada makes decisions for reasons only they know but will try to convince everybody else it is for other reasons. Nobody buys it except maybe for True Hockey Fan.

 

[Alberta tough]

Patrice Bergeron told he is not invited as TC wanted to get "younger"

But Spezza is picked?

Would love Bergy there, but also would like him to get a rest too...

Link?

 

[connellc]

This is just more confirmation that hockey Canada isn't focused on putting the best team out there to win the tournament and to only use it as a developmental territory for the Olympics/World cup.

Over the last 5 years, Jason Spezza asked to play and got turned down (what year was that btw?). Same with Weber for insurance issues and now Bergeron for wanting a younger team. I guess Tavares has been turned down by Canada in the past too?

Overall, I'm cool with that, as long as they continue to win the best on best tournaments.

 

[1Gold Standard]

This is just more confirmation that hockey Canada isn't focused on putting the best team out there to win the tournament and to only use it as a developmental territory for the Olympics/World cup.

Over the last 5 years, Jason Spezza asked to play and got turned down (what year was that btw?). Same with Weber for insurance issues and now Bergeron for wanting a younger team. I guess Tavares has been turned down by Canada in the past too?

Overall, I'm cool with that, as long as they continue to win the best on best tournaments.

That was 2012 iirc. Spezza was 4th in league scoring and really thought he could be in contention for Sochi.

And I'm not so cool with it...eventually 1 of these 'best on best' tournaments is not going to go our way and it will be a long wait for another 'best on best' tournament to come around...if it ever does. And BTW I don't consider this revived World Cup a 'best on best' tournament now that the NHL has added the gimmicky teams. And another NHL Olympics is unlikely...so we'll have to wait.

but hey, it is what it is. The WHC is just a warm-up to that evening's NHL playoff action anyway.

 

[Budddy]

Link?

@HackswithHaggs: Patrice Bergeron said Chiarelli told him Hockey Canada wanted to "go younger" for world championships, so he wasn't expecting to play

 

[connellc]

That was 2012 iirc. Spezza was 4th in league scoring and really thought he could be in contention for Sochi.

And I'm not so cool with it...eventually 1 of these 'best on best' tournaments is not going to go our way and it will be a long wait for another 'best on best' tournament to come around...if it ever does. And BTW I don't consider this revived World Cup a 'best on best' tournament now that the NHL has added the gimmicky teams. And another NHL Olympics is unlikely...so we'll have to wait.

but hey, it is what it is. The WHC is just a warm-up to that evening's NHL playoff action anyway.

I tend to think Hockey Canada attitude is not unlike a like a college student who doesn't really take his studying seriously, parties late and is lackadaisical about his studies yet still aces the final exam. Bad habits are normally detrimental, but if he's still getting great grades, why change anything? Winning 4/5 best on best one game elimination is pretty incredible, so the results do speak for themselves. I'd rather defend Olympic gold than win 4 straight WC. JMO though.

Now, if we do find out that there won't be any true best on best, all bets are off and there wouldn't be any need to "develop" talent for a best on best that won't happen.

With that being said, it is a pity that a star player who is willing, capable and motivated to put on the Maple Leaf get's turned when he's willing to go. For most of the last decade, it's been the opposite.

 

[Budddy]

doesn't make much sense, Spezza is older and Bergeron is the far superior player. But HC opted for Alex Burrows one year over John Tavares. Hockey Canada makes decisions for reasons only they know but will try to convince everybody else it is for other reasons. Nobody buys it except maybe for True Hockey Fan.

Yeah...I thought it was odd too, especially with many offensive guys on the team that Bergy would be perfect to have...

 

[1Gold Standard]

I tend to think Hockey Canada attitude is not unlike a like a college student who doesn't really take his studying seriously, parties late and is lackadaisical about his studies yet still aces the final exam. Bad habits are normally detrimental, but if he's still getting great grades, why change anything? Winning 4/5 best on best one game elimination is pretty incredible, so the results do speak for themselves. I'd rather defend Olympic gold than win 4 straight WC. JMO though.

Now, if we do find out that there won't be any true best on best, all bets are off and there wouldn't be any need to "develop" talent for a best on best that won't happen.

With that being said, it is a pity that a star player who is willing, capable and motivated to put on the Maple Leaf get's turned when he's willing to go. For most of the last decade, it's been the opposite.

We can do both. Win Olympic gold and out of those 4 WHC have one or two other gold medals...maybe a bronze.

 

[xxxx]

Yeah, Bergeron could play, but he doesn't need to impress HC on international stage. He either is or isn't good in the NHL to make team canada, there is that. It's not like they didn't ask Seguin or MacKinnon, who are still young or haven't much experience with playing for Canada.