WJC: 2020 Canada Roster Talk

[wishywashy19]

So who are we thinking gets sent home from the fwd group?

I bet Hunter will be a Mercer supporter
It could be Groulx or Thomas- one game to prove themselves
Lavoie is a puzzle but he could be a trigger man so has a higher ceiling

 

[nbwingsfan]

No Pelletier eh? Ok...

He was injured and didn’t attend camp

 

[mouse29]

IMO i believe we should hold judgement until after the next exhibition game against Finland.

I really hope that all the players that everyone is mentioning that are either are on the bubble or should not be here have the game of their life and really make it a hard decision for Hunter and the group to decide.

Wishing all these kids the best and looking forward to great tournament!

Xmas Tradition

 

[Dominance]

I really like what another poster pointed out about the Veleno-Mercer connection that was so dynamic last year, when Mercer was an entire year of rapid development behind where he is now. We don’t have to put our best players with Lafreniere - he’s incredible, he will produce with whoever. Getting chemistry is more important. I’d like to try:

Lafreniere-Veleno-Mercer
> intelligence, skill, and relentless forecheck + predetermined chemistry
Foote-Hayton-Lavoie
> let Hayton simplify his game by designating him as the distributor to two dedicated shooters
McMichael-Byfield-Cozens
> speed and skill all day, I want Byfield at C
Foudy-Dellandrea-Dudas
> matchup and possession line
Groulx
> replace Lavoie on defensive zone starts, also anchor first PK unit

McIsaac-Smith
> looked way better than I expected
Bahl-JBD
> not worried in the slightest, they can move the puck and opponents simply do not have a good time against them
Byram-Addison
> I will happily eat crow if Addison keeps this up
Drysdale
> as others have mentioned, will probably claim more time as the tournament goes on, looked good with everyone yesterday

Goalies...what can you say at this point. Just don’t start Rodrigue when both Hofer and Daws look so capable.

 

[Statsy]

Yet he’s never put up numbers with that shot.

Foote scored 36 last year in an amount of games that would project to 44 over an 82 game season. This year he’s averaging 1.32 points per game. These may not be Lafreniere numbers, but they’re pretty decent.

 

[KapG]

He was injured and didn’t attend camp

Ahhh my bad. Thanks!

 

[KapG]

He's injured. Not that he was a lock to make it by any means.

Didn’t know that thank you

 

[BondraTime]

Foote scored 36 last year in an amount of games that would project to 44 over an 82 game season. This year he’s averaging 1.32 points per game. These may not be Lafreniere numbers, but they’re pretty decent.

The only guys with worse ppg are Dudas and Foudy, for a guy who’s attribute is scoring goals and offense, he’s not doing that anymore than anyone else.

If you’re projecting them to 82 game sample sizes from last year, he still doesn’t stack up very well, especially taking both years into account. Most these guys scored in the 40/82 range last year, and those that didn’t are on the energy line.

Dellandrea - 31
Mercer - 36
Foudy - 47
Thomas - 50
Lavoie - 42
Groulx - 39
Dudas - 31
McMichael - 44

Foudy and Dudas are the only guys on the team that Foote has scored more goals than this year as well.

Lafreniere/Velano/Hayton/Cozens/Byfield who have top 6 spots locked up, and are clearly superior offensively.

 

[landy92mack29]

The only guys with worse ppg are Dudas and Foudy, for a guy who’s attribute is scoring goals and offense, he’s not doing that anymore than anyone else.

If you’re projecting them to 82 game sample sizes from last year, he still doesn’t stack up very well, especially taking both years into account. Most these guys scored in the 40/82 range last year, and those that didn’t are on the energy line.

Dellandrea - 31
Mercer - 36
Foudy - 47
Thomas - 50
Lavoie - 42
Groulx - 39
Dudas - 31
McMichael - 44

Foudy and Dudas are the only guys ok the team that Foote has scored more goals than Thai year as well.

Lafreniere/Velano/Hayton/Cozens/Byfield who have top 6 spots locked up, and are clearly superior offensively.

Comparing stats from different leagues is pretty pointless. It's a lot harder to score in the whl than the other 2(especially the ohl). Plus some teams score at a much higher rate than others or lean more heavily on one line than a balanced offense. From actually watching Foote he is one of the most dangerous players

 

[Statsy]

The only guys with worse ppg are Dudas and Foudy, for a guy who’s attribute is scoring goals and offense, he’s not doing that anymore than anyone else.

If you’re projecting them to 82 game sample sizes from last year, he still doesn’t stack up very well, especially taking both years into account. Most these guys scored in the 40/82 range last year, and those that didn’t are on the energy line.

Dellandrea - 31
Mercer - 36
Foudy - 47
Thomas - 50
Lavoie - 42
Groulx - 39
Dudas - 31
McMichael - 44

Foudy and Dudas are the only guys on the team that Foote has scored more goals than this year as well.

Lafreniere/Velano/Hayton/Cozens/Byfield who have top 6 spots locked up, and are clearly superior offensively.

Well, you do make a solid stat-based argument. I can appreciate that. With that said, I actually thought he looked like one of our more dangerous players in the Swiss game. He also impressed in both the Canada/Russia series (3 points) and the USports games. There really aren’t many on the team (if any) that outscored him in the lead up to this point.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

No clue what Foote has done to be on the team, let alone on the 1st line.

I am not getting Foote on the 1st line. He's big and he can shoot. Anything else?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Was not surprised when LW Foote struggled in his first game as a right wing, but he probably won't be as bad as RW Lavoie trying to play on the left wing. The coach should just swap those two now, unless they plan on cutting Lavoie. The lines would then be:

Lafrenière-Veleno-Lavoie
Foote-Hayton-Cozens
Foudy-Dellandrea-Dudas
Byfield- McMichael-Thomas
Mercer

Lavoie or Mercer would be better there than Foote imo.
If Foote is there he better have elite ability to read the ice and get open. We know he can fire it.
Hayton didn't have a great game in G1. He seems to get tunnel vision.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I bet Hunter will be a Mercer supporter
It could be Groulx or Thomas- one game to prove themselves
Lavoie is a puzzle but he could be a trigger man so has a higher ceiling

I think Mercer is the swiss army knife .. He can play on any line any role and have success.

 

[93LEAFS]

I bet Hunter will be a Mercer supporter
It could be Groulx or Thomas- one game to prove themselves
Lavoie is a puzzle but he could be a trigger man so has a higher ceiling

Groulx is pretty close to a lock. Tourginay will go to war for McIssac, Bahl and him. Probably will for a lesser extent for Lavoie. He's loyal to the Halifax and Ottawa kids. It probably leaves Thomas on the outside looking in.

 

[newfy]

Comparing stats from different leagues is pretty pointless. It's a lot harder to score in the whl than the other 2(especially the ohl). Plus some teams score at a much higher rate than others or lean more heavily on one line than a balanced offense. From actually watching Foote he is one of the most dangerous players

While I think the goals per game argument is dumb because the scoring across the leagues is different and team situations vary greatly, the QMJHL is actually the lowest scoring league this year. The myth that the WHL isclearly the hardest to score in is an old wives tale nowadays.

I am not getting Foote on the 1st line. He's big and he can shoot. Anything else?

I'm starting to wonder if thats the exact reason they put him there. Lafreniere is Lafreniere and Veleno is absolutely incredible at transporting the puck through the neutral zone and making zone entries. Maybe they want a guy who they know wont want the puck (and keep it with Laf and Veleno) and will just go to the dirty areas. If you stick someone there whose better than Foote but also wants the puck a lot it might actually make the line worse off. So just put a guy with a really good shot out there and let those two take care of business?

Not sure if I buy that strategy completely but I could see that being the logic

 

[Halfy]

Popping in here. Bahl and JBD looked horrible yesterday. Not impressed with Laf and Haytons chemistry at all. Foote idk about too. Liked Dudas actually. Drysdale is going to get way more minutes by the end of the tournament. Addison looked fantastic, confirming what I saw when he played the Ice

 

[bert]

Their weakest D. Should wind up being their 7, and playing sheltered minutes.

Lol after one game unbelievable. Have you ever watched him play before other than the first exibition game?

Overall people really need to understand its their first game as a team together the overactions are embarassing.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Has Veleno practiced yet

 

[JackSlater]

Has Veleno practiced yet

Yes, he had Lafreniere and Foote on his line.

 

[Drop the Puck]

As per this morning