World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team Canada (Part III)

[bansheebeat]

What do you mean worse players? With the logjam of natural centers Hall was a MUCH better choice than a one dimensional , slow , Jumbo Joe at 37. Especially since we've had trouble finding linemates for Sid in the past...and Hall has shown great chemistry with Crosby...

This is just a bewildering statement. I like Hall as much as the next guy but there aren't many players in the game right now (not to mention in the last 10-15 years) who control the game the way that Thornton does. I'm not even sure what you mean by one-dimensional. The best passer in the last decade is one-dimensional because he doesn't score 30-40 goals a year? For his size and age, Thornton is actually a fine skater and his reach still makes him a tremendously effective back-checker. More importantly, you could put him against the fastest line in the tournament and he'll be the one controlling the pace of the game. Not the other team.

It's a shame some people still can't appreciate what a special player Thornton is. I think the playoffs + the World Cup might be tough on his body come next April, but he certainly deserves to be on this team right now.

 

[wishywashy19]

Yeah, that I do not understand.

For a hockey game not involving either the Pittsburgh Penguins/Team U.S.A you would think they will have a difficult time even getting the place half filled.

What the hell is all that about?
Someone must know why we would travel to Pittsburgh and play Russia

 

[Scotty B]

This is just a bewildering statement. I like Hall as much as the next guy but there aren't many players in the game right now (not to mention in the last 10-15 years) who control the game the way that Thornton does. I'm not even sure what you mean by one-dimensional. The best passer in the last decade is one-dimensional because he doesn't score 30-40 goals a year? For his size and age, Thornton is actually a fine skater and his reach still makes him a tremendously effective back-checker. More importantly, you could put him against the fastest line in the tournament and he'll be the one controlling the pace of the game. Not the other team.

It's a shame some people still can't appreciate what a special player Thornton is. I think the playoffs + the World Cup might be tough on his body come next April, but he certainly deserves to be on this team right now.

By one dimensional, I mean he's a natural center, who really doesn't belong on the wing...too slow, not a good shot, too old a dog to learn new tricks, yadda yadda...

We already had a logjam of centers, albeit quite a few who have no problem playing wing...I wanted Hall a natural left winger and a dynamic skater ( which seems to be the direction the game is going )to complement Crosby and was baffled by an over the hill J. Thornton selection...I still think Hall woulda been a better choice...even if Big Joe has shown chemistry with Seguin and Duchene...Why are some still having trouble understanding my reasoning?

 

[Stjonnypopo]

Difference in game 1 from top to bottom among forwards.

11:21 for couture, 17:32 for getzlaf.

Difference in game 2 from top to bottom among forwards.

10:59 for duchene, 16:42 for getzlaf.

Are you trying to prove me wrong or prove me right?

 

[Barrie22]

By one dimensional, I mean he's a natural center, who really doesn't belong on the wing...too slow, not a good shot, too old a dog to learn new tricks, yadda yadda...

We already had a logjam of centers, albeit quite a few who have no problem playing wing...I wanted Hall a natural left winger and a dynamic skater ( which seems to be the direction the game is going )to complement Crosby and was baffled by an over the hill J. Thornton selection...I still think Hall woulda been a better choice...even if Big Joe has shown chemistry with Seguin and Duchene...Why are some still having trouble understanding my reasoning?

Someone needs to watch thornton more often. Thornton is not slow, thornton has a great shot actually.

And thornton in his career has been able to play and quickly learn new coaches strategies better then any shark player past or present.

Thornton is also much much better of a possesion player then hall is. And is much better of a defensive player then hall.

And going from center to wing is easy. It would be a problem if thornton was a wing and asked to be a center on team canada but that is not the case.

And about taking natural wingers over players that can play both center and wing (any center can play wing) is that if for some reason certain lines do not work out then they can be changed with any one on the team, not just certain players.

 

[Barrie22]

Are you trying to prove me wrong or prove me right?

Neither, was just posting the differences. Even if they are not that drastic. Outside of getzlaf being the top and couture and douchene were the bottom, every one else was relatively close (all within 1 or 2 minutes).

 

[Nordic*]

If you could make the best possible defence from Swedish and Canadian players, what would it look like?

 

[Barrie22]

If you could make the best possible defence from Swedish and Canadian players, what would it look like?

Hedman, karlsson, larsson
Burns, doughty, vlasic

 

[slobbergob]

Hedman, karlsson, larsson
Burns, doughty, vlasic

I take OEL over Larsson, Burns and maybe Vlasic.

 

[Nordic*]

Hedman, karlsson, larsson
Burns, doughty, vlasic

Larsson = OEL, right?

 

[Nordic*]

And btw, how sexy wouldn't this top-6 be.

Doughty-Karlsson

OEL-Subban

Letang-Hedman

Good luck stopping those guys, haha..

 

[Barrie22]

Larsson = OEL, right?

Right. Oliver ekman larsson

 

[Barrie22]

I take OEL over Larsson, Burns and maybe Vlasic.

How do you take someone over themselves?

 

[Scotty B]

Someone needs to watch thornton more often. Thornton is not slow, thornton has a great shot actually.

And thornton in his career has been able to play and quickly learn new coaches strategies better then any shark player past or present.

Thornton is also much much better of a possesion player then hall is. And is much better of a defensive player then hall.

And going from center to wing is easy. It would be a problem if thornton was a wing and asked to be a center on team canada but that is not the case.

And about taking natural wingers over players that can play both center and wing (any center can play wing) is that if for some reason certain lines do not work out then they can be changed with any one on the team, not just certain players.

So I guess Gezlaf can play wing too eh? And neither he, nor Big Joe, are slow? They're both dynamic skaters ? Good to know...and if you already have a logjam at center, well then...just add one more, and leave the likes of a Hall at home ...Cause any center could play better on Crosby's wing than a natural left winger, who's shown great chemistry with Sid in the past? Wow it's all starting to make sense...

Maybe next time , our ( cough, cough ) braintrust, should bring in 13 centers? Would that be MORE to your liking?

 

[Barrie22]

So I guess Gezlaf can play wing too eh? And neither he, nor Big Joe, are slow? They're both dynamic skaters ? Good to know...and if you already have a logjam at center, well then...just add one more, and leave the likes of a Hall at home ...Cause any center could play better on Crosby's wing than a natural left winger, who's shown great chemistry with Sid in the past? Wow it's all starting to make sense...

Maybe next time , our ( cough, cough ) braintrust, should bring in 13 centers? Would that be MORE to your liking?

Thornton is not slow. He is not a speedster by any stretch of the imagination either but thornton can move when he wants to. Just with his size and ability to hold onto the puck with defenders on him he doesn't have to show his speed that often.

So the only reasoning you can bring up is natural winger and speed as why hall should be there over thornton.

 

[slobbergob]

How do you take someone over themselves?

It's almost like there's another Swedish defensemen with the last name Larsson, one not prefaced with "ekman".


Thought you were just a really big Adam Larsson fan.

 

[Barrie22]

It's almost like there's another Swedish defensemen with the last name Larsson, one not prefaced with "ekman".


Thought you were just a really big Adam Larsson fan.

That larsson didn't make the sweden team according to the score sheets from the 2 exhibition games.

And not even close to a larsson fan, i laughed so hard at edmonton for trading hall for him. Worst trade ever.

 

[Scotty B]

That larsson didn't make the sweden team according to the score sheets from the 2 exhibition games.

And not even close to a larsson fan, i laughed so hard at edmonton for trading hall for him. Worst trade ever.

Shipping Seguin outa Boston was a bonehead move too...wonder if there's any connection ?

 

[Barrie22]

Shipping Seguin outa Boston was a bonehead move too...wonder if there's any connection ?

I don't think there is, not deep down anyways. I believe there was talk that seguin was a move forced by neely. Sure chiarelli was on the paper for it.

 

[Scotty B]

I don't think there is, not deep down anyways. I believe there was talk that seguin was a move forced by neely. Sure chiarelli was on the paper for it.

They had some sorta behind the scenes expose on the Bruins...like they have in Montreal...and they were discussing the merits of this guy or that......and I recall Chiarelli saying ( paraphrasing ) that Seguin's not a good fit in Boston, that he's not a prototypical Bruin type player...

Comments were apparently made prior to the Seguin trade, but aired after...Maybe Chiarelli was just echoing his boss' sentiments/towing the party-line

 

[WayneSid9987]

If you could make the best possible defence from Swedish and Canadian players, what would it look like?

Hedman-Doughty
Keith-Karlsson
OEL/Hjalmarsson-Letang
Burns/Subban

 

[beepeearr]

I don't think there is, not deep down anyways. I believe there was talk that seguin was a move forced by neely. Sure chiarelli was on the paper for it.

Think he meant the whole Hall Seguin debate, and the weirdness that the same GM would somehow trade both

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Think he meant the whole Hall Seguin debate, and the weirdness that the same GM would somehow trade both

It will be a trivia question. Which GM traded away the first 2 picks from the 2010 entry draft.

 

[ijuka]

It will be a trivia question. Which GM traded away the first 2 picks from the 2010 entry draft.

That'd be one awful trade if you consider the amount of return they got combined.

 

[TT1]

Eye test was his issue for me Saturday night, had front row of the 300's at the red line. He looked slow, and so did his decision making I do think the older players are going to take a little longer to get aclimatized but the Canadian D core as a group looked sloppy Saturday night. I think a faster team might give them issues.

It was funny despite the score I came away the most impressed with the pair of Carlson and Mcdonough. Mcdonough was unbelivable Saturday night, breaking up plays all over the ice. He was stepping up taking away lanes and creating offense. The canadian forwards were just much better than the US but the top 4 D for the USA was really strong.

I dunno, all this is starting to get ridiculous. Weber either passes the eye test and has bad advanced stats (like when he played for Nashville) or he has amazing advanced stats but he doesnt pass the eye test.

In any case hes the most respected dman in the league (among coaches and GMs) so there has to be some sort of disconnect somewhere.