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WJC: 2017 Canada Roster Talk - Part 2

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biturbo19 said:
I think Girard tends to do his best defending with the puck. ie. Defends best by not having to really defend.

Combined with some of those small defenceman issues, i'm not entirely sure how well he fits on a group that's going to have to do it mostly by committee this year. Certainly if he is on the team, i think it's either as a spare guy, or hopefully with a partner who can do a lot of the heavy-lifting without the puck. Just seems like a tricky fit to me.
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I think your first comment really nails it on the head. He does his best defending when he has the puck. That's how I think hockey should be played. Yes, I get that at some point defenders are going to have to do some banging in the corners, but you really want guys on the back end that know how to handle a puck, and in this year where we don't have as many star forwards as usual, we will need to rely on getting some offensive contributions from the D. I also think that there is often an unfair criticism of offensive defensemen in regards to how they play in their own end. My viewings of Girard are limited, so I can't say either way if he's the right man for the job, but I can say that I have seen nothing to this point that makes me think he can't do it. We'll see how he does in the camp, and go from there.
 
JackSlater said:
If this team is relying on McLeod for offence then something has gone terribly wrong.
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For sure.

I think he could very effective in the right role but if anyone is counting on him for offense they are going to be dissapointed, the guy has sub par ability to finish plays. I do like him and his speed for getting the puck into the offensive zone with regularity but you are going to need guys playing with him that can do something with those zone entries.

I can see him being effective in the tournament but we won't see him finishing off plays very much IMO.
 
biturbo19 said:
Yeah. I think that's really what this blueline looks like it's missing. There are a decent collection of good defencemen...but it's hard to see that absolute horse anywhere in that mix. They're gonna have to get it done by committee i think. Which should have some interesting implications for what the composition of this blueline ultimately ends up being.
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Yeah, no big man on campus d-man this year, have to hope it is a balanced one with talent on all pairs.

I am starting to like the underdog feel of this team though, it's a position we are not usually in and sometimes that is a good thing.
 
JackSlater said:
If this team is relying on McLeod for offence then something has gone terribly wrong.
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McCleod will be much more effective in an offensive role on this team with his great speed and play making abilities. Nobody said this team would be relying on his offence. You're putting words into my mouth farmer Brown.
 
SNMU said:
McCleod will be much more effective in an offensive role on this team with his great speed and play making abilities. Nobody said this team would be relying on his offence. You're putting words into my mouth farmer Brown.
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I see McLeod as the 4th line centre on this team, providing some secondary scoring (provided he has the right linemates), PKing, and solid defensive play. He's not going to supplant Strome or Barzal for a scoring role on this team, and I currently have Roy penciled in as the matchup centre. With his elite skating, puck handling abilities and size/strength McLeod should be able to effectively drive possession for his line but one thing he isn't is a finisher. I'd like to see him with Senyshyn, who can play at the same pace as McLeod but can play the role of shooter/finisher, and someone like Howden. That would be the 4th line I'd have in mind going in to camp.
 
I just Hope Ingram makes it. I know the kid personally, and he is one of the true class acts not just as an athlete, but as a human being.
 
86Habs said:
I see McLeod as the 4th line centre on this team, providing some secondary scoring (provided he has the right linemates), PKing, and solid defensive play. He's not going to supplant Strome or Barzal for a scoring role on this team, and I currently have Roy penciled in as the matchup centre. With his elite skating, puck handling abilities and size/strength McLeod should be able to effectively drive possession for his line but one thing he isn't is a finisher. I'd like to see him with Senyshyn, who can play at the same pace as McLeod but can play the role of shooter/finisher, and someone like Howden. That would be the 4th line I'd have in mind going in to camp.
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Ya, I'd rather not. Not really a big fan for him for this year's team. I'm not a big fan of Nic Roy either, but I have him as 4th line center over McLeod.

are there any on-ice workouts today or is just medicals and marketing opps? Hockey Canada has got to exploit their free labour for their corporate sponsors.
 
Mr Writer said:
Ya, I'd rather not. Not really a big fan for him for this year's team. I'm not a big fan of Nic Roy either, but I have him as 4th line center over McLeod.

are there any on-ice workouts today or is just medicals and marketing opps? Hockey Canada has got to exploit their free labour for their corporate sponsors.
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Not today, Hockey Canada always kill babies on Sundays in December. Part of a sacrificial rite they traditionally do leading up to this tournament.

Those no good ****in monsters.
 
SNMU said:
McCleod will be much more effective in an offensive role on this team with his great speed and play making abilities. Nobody said this team would be relying on his offence. You're putting words into my mouth farmer Brown.
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I didn't claim that you said that, but it's definitely a true statement. If McLeod is on this team it isn't going to be primarily due to his offence. I don't see his playmaking abilities as noteworthy in any way for this level. McLeod is barely over one point per game in the OHL despite having a recent second round pick and a projected first round pick on his line, the undrafted player also currently outscoring him handily.
 
No idea how to link from Twitter, but here are today's practice lines and defense pairings, per Mark Masters:

Howden-Roy-Dubois
Steel-Cirelli-Senyshyn
Joseph-Barzal-Gauthier
Dube-Stephens-Raddysh
Wagner-McLeod-Merkley
Just-Strome

Chabot-Fabbro
Brisebois-Clague
Bean-Juulsen
Girard-Myers
Lauzon-Mete

Blake Speers not taking part in Canada practice but will skate on his own later ... hasn't played since breaking his wrist on Oct. 27
 
86Habs said:
No idea how to link from Twitter, but here are today's practice lines and defense pairings, per Mark Masters:

Howden-Roy-Dubois
Steel-Cirelli-Senyshyn
Joseph-Barzal-Gauthier
Dube-Stephens-Raddysh
Wagner-McLeod-Merkley
Just-Strome

Chabot-Fabbro
Brisebois-Clague
Bean-Juulsen
Girard-Myers
Lauzon-Mete

Blake Speers not taking part in Canada practice but will skate on his own later ... hasn't played since breaking his wrist on Oct. 27
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I'm thinking that the only thing we can get from this right now is that Speers' chances are very low. Interesting that Steel is on the wing too.
 
JackSlater said:
I'm thinking that the only thing we can get from this right now is that Speers' chances are very low. Interesting that Steel is on the wing too.
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Yeah, interesting about Steel but in my mind this might be a case of getting a good look at a player that they want on the team but for which there may not be a spot available at his natural position. We're also a little light on the left side in terms of depth so Steel may be a viable option there (though of the two, Cirelli seems more adaptable to the wing - just my opinion).

Re: Speers, what you say is maybe/probably correct, but another way to look at it would be that he'll be the first to get a look on the right side with Strome and Jost when he's 100%. Hard to say. He's missed a lot of hockey this year and the time he has remaining to ramp up to this level of competition is short.
 
86Habs said:
No idea how to link from Twitter, but here are today's practice lines and defense pairings, per Mark Masters:

Howden-Roy-Dubois
Steel-Cirelli-Senyshyn
Joseph-Barzal-Gauthier
Dube-Stephens-Raddysh
Wagner-McLeod-Merkley
Just-Strome

Chabot-Fabbro
Brisebois-Clague
Bean-Juulsen
Girard-Myers
Lauzon-Mete

Blake Speers not taking part in Canada practice but will skate on his own later ... hasn't played since breaking his wrist on Oct. 27
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Speers has played one game this season since returning to junior. I don't understand why he's at camp at all.
 
canuckster19 said:
Can anyone give me an honest opinion about Brisebois chances? Where is he on the theoretical depth chart ATM?
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Brisebois is a good defencemen but I don't think he will make the team. Defensively he's not strong enough and sometimes he's one step too late. For the offence, I don't think he can pass in front of a Girard or a Mete. It's not because he's a poor defensemen, I just think there's no fit for him in this team...

Is there a game today against the CIS ?
 
Melacez said:
Brisebois is a good defencemen but I don't think he will make the team. Defensively he's not strong enough and sometimes he's one step too late. For the offence, I don't think he can pass in front of a Girard or a Mete. It's not because he's a poor defensemen, I just think there's no fit for him in this team...

Is there a game today against the CIS ?
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There is a game tonight against U Sports (formerly CIS). There is another game against the same team tomorrow, and a game Wednesday against Czech Republic.

http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Team-Canada/Men/Junior/2016-17/Selection-Camp/Stats/Schedule
 
86Habs said:
U Sports? Ugghh.

Still curious as to who is getting that coveted spot on Strome's right wing.
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Could be anyone. TSN is already telling us about the impressive chemistry that Jost and Strome already established at the largely unsuccessful summer camp, so any number of guys could presumably fit right in beside such a successful pair.
 
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