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WJC: 2021 Canada Roster Talk Part 2

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Nick Suzuki said:
Canada has loads of skill and talent up front but this could be the softest group I can remember watching.

Everything seems to be on the perimeter. No banging or crashing on the forecheck trying to create turnovers. No bodies in front of the net. Instead of driving to the net, they'll try to toe drag the d man and turnover the puck. I just don't see the killer instinct from years past.
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I don't think that's new. We haven't seen any real power hockey from our junior team in a number of years.
 
canuck2010 said:
I don't think that's new. We haven't seen any real power hockey from our junior team in a number of years.
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Which of the contenders are gritty. Czechs outgritted Russia because they looked less individually talented. Fins and Swedes look soft. Is it possible that top players already know they have an nhl career so don’t bang and crash like their lives depend on it but would rather just have fun and not get hurt.
 
canuck2010 said:
I don't think that's new. We haven't seen any real power hockey from our junior team in a number of years.
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It's true. It isn't being trained into them for the most part. For instance people expect to see a certain level of physicality from Byfield due to his size but it isn't in him. Physicality was a good weapon for Canada at the junior level that paid off more often than not but there hasn't been a lot of it over the last ten years or so.
 
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JackSlater said:
It's true. It isn't being trained into them for the most part. For instance people expect to see a certain level of physicality from Byfield due to his size but it isn't in him. Physicality was a good weapon for Canada at the junior level that paid off more often than not but there hasn't been a lot of it over the last ten years or so.
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It's really unfortunate to not see physical play. The game today is basically pond hockey. I love the skill some of these kids have but the passion and desire to physically overmatched their opponent is disappearing. As you say, it isn't being trained in hockey, which is true, but they also aren't growing up with it from an early age in life, which again, is disappointing. That mindset is unfortunately leaving us.
 
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I guess the good thing is that while Canada obviously has issues it needs to work through....pretty much every single one of the big nations are looking like they have things to work through and not looking up to speed yet. Bar Sweden I suppose though they have 2 pretty big games to go.
 
Nick Suzuki said:
To this level of Charmin soft, definitely newer.
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I actually think this team is tougher than last years. They're bigger too. IMO if we get a knockout game with the US or Russia, you'll see it more. And the NYE game with Finland I expect we'll see some of it too.

I agree that the world juniors have gotten more skilled and less physical over recent years, but I don't think it has much to do with the player's abilities. The IIHF rules are just a lot different than what they're used to seeing in Canadian junior leagues, and the coaching staff are well aware of it. The physical game isn't as rewarded here. And with the games we've had so far, it's just not worth risking a suspension or an injury.

I hope the intensity ramps up on NYE though.
 
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LFCTML said:
I actually think this team is tougher than last years. They're bigger too. IMO if we get a knockout game with the US or Russia, you'll see it more. And the NYE game with Finland I expect we'll see some of it too.

I agree that the world juniors have gotten more skilled and less physical over recent years, but I don't think it has much to do with the player's abilities. The IIHF rules are just a lot different than what they're used to seeing in Canadian junior leagues, and the coaching staff are well aware of it. The physical game isn't as rewarded here. And with the games we've had so far, it's just not worth risking a suspension or an injury.

I hope the intensity ramps up on NYE though.
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The difference between the IIHF standard and what these players are used to is far less than it used to be. It's obvious that a lot of the physicality is being taken out of the way players play, at the junior level and above. This is probably to Canada's disadvantage at the WJC level but there's likely no changing that. I do agree that we will see a more physical effort in a game that the players are really taking seriously, so Finland and the games that follow.
 
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JackSlater said:
The difference between the IIHF standard and what these players are used to is far less than it used to be. It's obvious that a lot of the physicality is being taken out of the way players play, at the junior level and above. This is probably to Canada's disadvantage at the WJC level but there's likely no changing that. I do agree that we will see a more physical effort in a game that the players are really taking seriously, so Finland and the games that follow.
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Yeah, I agree. Seems like the junior level is moving towards IIHF standards.
 
LFCTML said:
I actually think this team is tougher than last years. They're bigger too. IMO if we get a knockout game with the US or Russia, you'll see it more. And the NYE game with Finland I expect we'll see some of it too.

I agree that the world juniors have gotten more skilled and less physical over recent years, but I don't think it has much to do with the player's abilities. The IIHF rules are just a lot different than what they're used to seeing in Canadian junior leagues, and the coaching staff are well aware of it. The physical game isn't as rewarded here. And with the games we've had so far, it's just not worth risking a suspension or an injury.

I hope the intensity ramps up on NYE though.
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Definitely truth to this statement.
 
Byfield was fantastic, he started the game out throwing the body and being tough on the forecheck opening the ice up for his skill.

Night and day difference effort on the forecheck by the forwards as a group. Well done, that’s the Canadian Way the way they played.

Everyone bought in and the just broke the Swiss will to compete completely. Excellent hockey game in terms of improving our play and playing the proper way we need to going into the next games.
 
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That first period lacked any flow after the first few minutes and was frustrating to watch.

A PP parade before the teams get too warmed up can lead to some wooden and uninspiring play on both sides.

Whatever was said in the first intermission worked and the ice was tilted for the rest of the game.

As others remarked, the sparks of something resembling chemistry was appearing.

Byfield with a statement performance. Reminds me of Sundin a bit - economical but effective with long strides around the ice.

I see progress and that’s all you can ask from the team at this point.
 
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It's good that the team finally showed some chemistry and cohesion. Even though it was an easy game, the level of play was clearly higher than it was against Germany. You'd have to hope that at this point Canada has four lines that are ready to contribute in any game, plus Tomasino. I'd still like to see the defence pairings balanced a bit but the defencemen are consistently doing well in their individual battles. The Finland game will obviously be big, and I suspect that Canada will do well if the forecheck is consistently aggressive and Levi proves competent.
 
JackSlater said:
It's good that the team finally showed some chemistry and cohesion. Even though it was an easy game, the level of play was clearly higher than it was against Germany. You'd have to hope that at this point Canada has four lines that are ready to contribute in any game, plus Tomasino. I'd still like to see the defence pairings balanced a bit but the defencemen are consistently doing well in their individual battles. The Finland game will obviously be big, and I suspect that Canada will do well if the forecheck is consistently aggressive and Levi proves competent.
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It’s funny because I’ve been impressed with the state of our goaltending thus far and that’s not something I feel like I’ve said very often over the last bunch of tournaments.
 
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NyQuil said:
It’s funny because I’ve been impressed with the state of our goaltending thus far and that’s not something I feel like I’ve said very often over the last bunch of tournaments.
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It's been as good as could be hoped for at this point, I'm mainly curious to see him in a tournament game against a threatening opponent. It helps that Levi as good against Russia in the pre-tournament game. On the plus side, since this game is at the end of the preliminary round we can't really see a goaltending controversy even if Levi is no good against Finland.
 
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NyQuil said:
It’s funny because I’ve been impressed with the state of our goaltending thus far and that’s not something I feel like I’ve said very often over the last bunch of tournaments.
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Our defensive play right from the beginning against Russia has been excellent.

We’ve looked really solid in our own zone.
 
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