2016 World Cup of Hockey

[Mathews28]

It's funny as the Canadian Commentators mentioned last night how they've noticed a drastic reduction in the amount of dump ins, whether it be for line changes or to create offense.

D are controlling the puck while forward lines change more often.

Forwards are carrying the puck over the blue-line more to gain entry.

Why give up possession of the puck if you don't have to?

Now granted the skill-level of the guys in this tournament are as good as it gets.

Will be interesting to see if we see any sort of reduction in dump-ins during NHL games moving forward.

Can speak for all of the NHL teams but we know the Bruins stellar, skilled, mobile, puck moving D-men will certainly be controlling play and holding onto the puck while forwards change out.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Bettman had a good point last night - the 2 gimmick teams are stronger than had 2 more countries be 7th and 8th.

If any good comes from this Hockey USA has to change.

Agree that the two "gimmick" teams are better than many of the "small country" teams would have been.

Completely disagree that Team USA would have had a shot, even with "changes". Even if the USA had gone with Kessel, Okposo, Tyler J, Faulk, Shatt, Fowler for example, they still would not have been able to match the depth of Canada.

Canada can afford to lose McJesus, Ekblad, Drouin, Scheifele, and others. Hell, they probably would not have been on the TC roster anyway. But, for the USA to not be able to choose players like Gaudreau, Eichel, Saad, etc., really put them in a hole IMO. When you look at the other teams (RUS, SWE) they all have some key players under the age of 23 on their rosters (Kucherov, Forsberg, etc). You could are give that the TNA/TE concept hurt the USA more than any other team.

 

[TMac21]

Agree that the two "gimmick" teams are better than many of the "small country" teams would have been.

Completely disagree that Team USA would have had a shot, even with "changes". Even if the USA had gone with Kessel, Okposo, Tyler J, Faulk, Shatt, Fowler for example, they still would not have been able to match the depth of Canada.

Canada can afford to lose McJesus, Ekblad, Drouin, Scheifele, and others. Hell, they probably would not have been on the TC roster anyway. But, for the USA to not be able to choose players like Gaudreau, Eichel, Saad, etc., really put them in a hole IMO. When you look at the other teams (RUS, SWE) they all have some key players under the age of 23 on their rosters (Kucherov, Forsberg, etc). You could are give that the TNA/TE concept hurt the USA more than any other team.

It should have been like the WJC - if the kids are good enough to make the big team (Canada, US), then they stick. Team NA would take what is left.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Agree that the two "gimmick" teams are better than many of the "small country" teams would have been.

Completely disagree that Team USA would have had a shot, even with "changes". Even if the USA had gone with Kessel, Okposo, Tyler J, Faulk, Shatt, Fowler for example, they still would not have been able to match the depth of Canada.

Canada can afford to lose McJesus, Ekblad, Drouin, Scheifele, and others. Hell, they probably would not have been on the TC roster anyway. But, for the USA to not be able to choose players like Gaudreau, Eichel, Saad, etc., really put them in a hole IMO. When you look at the other teams (RUS, SWE) they all have some key players under the age of 23 on their rosters (Kucherov, Forsberg, etc). You could are give that the TNA/TE concept hurt the USA more than any other team.

included at least some of the bolded guys and put Peter Laviolette behind the bench instead of Torts and I guarantee that USA team would have put on a much better showing. Maybe they don't win the whole thing, but you still have to put your best foot forward.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Bettman had a good point last night - the 2 gimmick teams are stronger than had 2 more countries be 7th and 8th.

If any good comes from this Hockey USA has to change.

USA Hockey just had more guys drafted in the first round than Canada. Probably never been in a better place.


Canada benefitted from there being a Team NA because it made them older and more mature and focused to win these games at home with the pressure and what not. Team NA poached high end talent Team USA needed.

Not the end of the world a bonehead coaching hire could undermine anyone even Canada.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

It's funny as the Canadian Commentators mentioned last night how they've noticed a drastic reduction in the amount of dump ins, whether it be for line changes or to create offense.

D are controlling the puck while forward lines change more often.

Forwards are carrying the puck over the blue-line more to gain entry.

Why give up possession of the puck if you don't have to?

Now granted the skill-level of the guys in this tournament are as good as it gets.

Will be interesting to see if we see any sort of reduction in dump-ins during NHL games moving forward.

Always hated dump and chase and think icing should be called if the puck goes from neutral zone past the goal line.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Always hated dump and chase and think icing should be called if the puck goes from neutral zone past the goal line.

Icing is fine the way it is, and moving it up a zone would not be good at all IMO. Dump and Chase is not ideal, but it can still be a very effective strategy in certain situations (like against a trapping team).

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

Here's my likely unpopular opinion: If the NHL sticks with the World Cup (not necessarily this format) and doesn't go to the next Olympics, I won't be too upset.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Here's my unpopular opinion: If the NHL sticks with the World Cup (not necessarily this format) and doesn't go to the next Olympics, I won't be too upset.

You never let this stop you before...

 

[DoubleAAAA]

There's a bit of an effect of sample size at play here too. Up against a great goalie performance in your 1st game and you're behind the 8 ball already. Wasn't that long ago that the Swiss beat Canada. Short tournaments anything can happen and sh!t luck can do you in pretty quickly.

 

[Terrier]

Come on, Tuuuuukka!! I want to watch TNA again.

 

[Fenway]

Come on, Tuuuuukka!! I want to watch TNA again.

I would love to see Canada/North America on Saturday night.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

I would love to see Canada/North America on Saturday night.

Same.

Not sure I will tune in again after this game if North America are eliminated.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

I've only caught a few of the intermission segments but from what I've seen I've loved Hull and Chelios

 

[Terrier]

Aw ****, no chance.

 

[Terrier]

Aw ****, no chance.

Again.

 

[Fossy21]

24 total shots on goal after 43 minutes? NAT - Sweden had like twice that in the second period alone.
Seriously don't like Russia moving through (mostly because Matt Murray couldn't stop a beach ball), feels like Portugal in the Euros, or the Broncos/Penguins earlier this year. Canada should handle them, though.

 

[LSCII]

Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger were saying the other day that even though this Team North America thing has been fun to watch these you guys that can skate, they think the Europe and NA teams are one and done and the next world Cup in 2020 will go back to the top 8 countries.

Personally I would like to see it go back to the old Canada Cup format where the top 6 teams, Canada, USA, Russia, Czech Rep., Sweden and Finland all played a round robin format playing each team once and the top 4 go to the semi-finals, then the two winners meet in a best of 3 finals.

I second that as well. If they created these super teams of multiple countries because the lower teams were weak, why not eliminate them and just go with what you suggest? The hockey would still be competitive and entertaining, while countries would be able to show their national pride. Win win, imo...

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

included at least some of the bolded guys and put Peter Laviolette behind the bench instead of Torts and I guarantee that USA team would have put on a much better showing. Maybe they don't win the whole thing, but you still have to put your best foot forward.

When a team has a bad showing in a short series saying different players and a different coach would have been better isn't really saying much.

Now if they had a different goalie.....

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

24 total shots on goal after 43 minutes? NAT - Sweden had like twice that in the second period alone.
Seriously don't like Russia moving through (mostly because Matt Murray couldn't stop a beach ball), feels like Portugal in the Euros, or the Broncos/Penguins earlier this year. Canada should handle them, though.

Russia did beat NA, correct?

 

[Fossy21]

Russia did beat NA, correct?

Oh yeah, they move on fair and square. They just played nowhere near as well as NAT did. Russia didn't have a proper scoring chance against Sweden in 59 ½ minutes. NA could've scored 4 in the first 3 minutes (to be fair fully rested against a team that finished a tight game against their biggest rival about 20 hours earlier). Russia sleepwalked through a Team Finland that had nothing to play for. Bobrovski pretty much carried them to the victory against North America (along with Matt Murray being bad and way overrated already). The current Bobrovski isn't a goalie that should be able to carry that uninterested a team to the semi finals. If Sweden played like that and Jhonas Enroth carried them to the semis, I might be rooting against them even if they faced Finland.

 

[TheBigBadB]

USA is an embarrassment and probably the most unlikable bunch from USA heads to coach to players. Disaster

 

[Fossy21]

Just saw a miced up Sedins & Loui video from Sweden - Finland. At the end, when Eriksson scored the empty-netter, Hörnqvist tells Henrik:

Hö: "That's important! Goal differential!",
Sedin answers "Nah, only between the tied teams",
Hö: "But if everyone beats everyone...?",
Sedin: "Haha, that's impossible? Finland has lost both their games"
Hö: "But everyone else, I mean, Russia beats Finland and we lose to NA! Then we're all tied in points and GD decides"
Sedin: "Nah, only GD in games between the tied teams, Finland doesn't count"

And Hörnqvist is like "Oooooh. Awww. Okay." like a younger boy being schooled in an argument by his older brother after he comes home from school with some factoid.

Quite the contrast to the Young Guns reacting to winning in OT. It's not unusual for players to know the outs and ins with standings. Might be a difference between veterans and young guys, or maybe NAT coaching told the players not to look it up at all.

Also, the guys on the ice are skating by to celebrate the goal, and they're just discussing, idly throwing out a fist for a fist bump but missing

 

[Bruinaura]

Just saw a miced up Sedins & Loui video from Sweden - Finland. At the end, when Eriksson scored the empty-netter, Hörnqvist tells Henrik:

Hö: "That's important! Goal differential!",
Sedin answers "Nah, only between the tied teams",
Hö: "But if everyone beats everyone...?",
Sedin: "Haha, that's impossible? Finland has lost both their games"
Hö: "But everyone else, I mean, Russia beats Finland and we lose to NA! Then we're all tied in points and GD decides"
Sedin: "Nah, only GD in games between the tied teams, Finland doesn't count"

And Hörnqvist is like "Oooooh. Awww. Okay." like a younger boy being schooled in an argument by his older brother after he comes home from school with some factoid.

Quite the contrast to the Young Guns reacting to winning in OT. It's not unusual for players to know the outs and ins with standings. Might be a difference between veterans and young guys, or maybe NAT coaching told the players not to look it up at all.

Also, the guys on the ice are skating by to celebrate the goal, and they're just discussing, idly throwing out a fist for a fist bump but missing

I watched the one with Bergeron from the Europe game. Looks like he was cheating on faceoffs pretty bad and the linesman wasn't too happy with him. He kept telling him to move his feet back, and at one point somebody kept saying to put the stick down, but I couldn't make out the whole conversation. At one point Bergeron says "wait for my d please" lol. I bet he's the only one who says please to the refs.

 

[Fossy21]

I watched the one with Bergeron from the Europe game. Looks like he was cheating on faceoffs pretty bad and the linesman wasn't too happy with him. He kept telling him to move his feet back, and at one point somebody kept saying to put the stick down, but I couldn't make out the whole conversation. At one point Bergeron says "wait for my d please" lol. I bet he's the only one who says please to the refs.

It's really awesome. Ref cam (while somewhat stupid-looking on the helmet) and mics give great insight into things you could never dream about knowing just decades ago.
I bet Bergy apologises to his opponent after every won faceoff as well.