WJC: 2021 Canada Roster Talk

[WRC]

I wouldn't be surprised. When Hockey Canada gets a book on a player it takes a lot for them to then deviate from it.

I'll be disappointed if he isn't on the team and on a line with Mercer, his fellow Newfoundlander. We can call it the Storm line.

That would be something for sure. I would really like to see him back on a line with Krebs. Both natural centers, but they had great chemistry together at the u18s last spring. Hope they are both there.

 

[Gold Standard]

That would be something for sure. I would really like to see him back on a line with Krebs. Both natural centers, but they had great chemistry together at the u18s last spring. Hope they are both there.

I'm imaging a 2nd/3rd. line (depending on who is/isn't in the NHL) of Perfetti Newhook Mercer. I think they would light it up. Kreps I imagine would either replace Lafreniere (LW) or Cozens/Byfield at Center. again, depending on who is/isn't available.

 

[tony d]

Newhook is one of the more talented Newfoundlanders in hockey right now, I hope he makes the team for the 2021 tournament.

 

[Get North]

What's wrong with Tourginy?

 

[TheBeastCoast]

What's wrong with Tourginy?

Nothing at all. He is a very good coach.

 

[JackSlater]

What's wrong with Tourginy?

He's not won very much and the units he's coached at the WJC level, like Canada's defence in 2020, have not impressed for the most part. The positives would be that he is at least experienced in international hockey even if some of the teams have been poorly coached and he did coach a winning Hlinka team.

I mean nothing is wrong... he's a good coach. Unless Canada doesn't perform well, in which case he was a bad coach all along.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

He's not won very much and the units he's coached at the WJC level, like Canada's defence in 2020, have not impressed for the most part. The positives would be that he is at least experienced in international hockey even if some of the teams have been poorly coached and he did coach a winning Hlinka team.

I mean nothing is wrong... he's a good coach. Unless Canada doesn't perform well, in which case he was a bad coach all along.

I mean Canada had the 2nd best defense in the tournament based on goals against in the entire tournament while getting absolutely steam rolled 6-0 in one game. Canada's defense must have done something right.

 

[WRC]

What's wrong with Tourginy?

I don't have any real insight on Tourigny as a coach, he certainly has a pretty extensive resume. All I know is that he was the head coach of Halifax when they drafted Newhook into the Q, and Newhook took the NCAA route instead. Since then, Newhook has been cut from every HC team in which Tourigny was part of the coaching staff. Makes me wonder if he will be left off of next year's roster again.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I don't have any real insight on Tourigny as a coach, he certainly has a pretty extensive resume. All I know is that he was the head coach of Halifax when they drafted Newhook into the Q, and Newhook took the NCAA route instead. Since then, Newhook has been cut from every HC team in which Tourigny was part of the coaching staff. Makes me wonder if he will be left off of next year's roster again.

Eh that seems like a massive jump. He spent one year as the coach of the Mooseheads, I highly doubt he is carrying around some pent up grudge for a decision a 16 year old made for a franchise he really doesn't have much of a connection to.

 

[JackSlater]

I mean Canada had the 2nd best defense in the tournament based on goals against in the entire tournament while getting absolutely steam rolled 6-0 in one game. Canada's defense must have done something right.

They didn't play well against the strong teams, unless someone wants to be really generous toward that Finnish team. Not a very well organized group from watching the games, particularly in clearing the zone. That was an issue in every Canadian WJC team that he's been involved with (2010, 2011, 2013) though I don't recall if he was in charge of the defence in each of those years.I expect that Canada's defence will be better next year though because it's a deep group and I think that Drysdale, and maybe Byram, can be a real number one defenceman at that level.

 

[Oleksiak]

I mean Canada had the 2nd best defense in the tournament based on goals against in the entire tournament while getting absolutely steam rolled 6-0 in one game. Canada's defense must have done something right.

Didn't really get cleaned up until the semis. Our forwards were fast enough that they were able to get back and take away a lot of odd man rushes due to their superior speed. That's not a coaching achievement; that's getting lucky with a talented group of kids against some weak competition. The goaltending also helped make our D look a lot better than it was.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Didn't really get cleaned up until the semis. Our forwards were fast enough that they were able to get back and take away a lot of odd man rushes due to their superior speed. That's not a coaching achievement; that's getting lucky with a talented group of kids against some weak competition. The goaltending also helped make our D look a lot better than it was.

I mean I don't think we had a particularly strong defense at the tournament as it is. At the end of the day if Canada is getting blown away and leaking goals, it falls on the coaches head. So the opposite should apply as well and Canada was the 2nd best defensive team in the tournament.

 

[Oleksiak]

I mean I don't think we had a particularly strong defense at the tournament as it is. At the end of the day if Canada is getting blown away and leaking goals, it falls on the coaches head. So the opposite should apply as well and Canada was the 2nd best defensive team in the tournament.

The only defense group that was better on paper was Sweden imo. Full credit to our forward group for helping out as much as they did defensively; it was a very selfless group who did a good job of making up for a very deficient defensive system.

 

[WRC]

Eh that seems like a massive jump. He spent one year as the coach of the Mooseheads, I highly doubt he is carrying around some pent up grudge for a decision a 16 year old made for a franchise he really doesn't have much of a connection to.

First impressions can be lasting, maybe he rubbed him the wrong way. I hope you're right though. The kid should probably be a top 6 on that team next year.
As for the D, I thought they got better as the tournament progressed. McIsaac was disappointing. The Harley cut still confuses me. Experience trumps talent with HC I guess.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

The only defense group that was better on paper was Sweden imo. Full credit to our forward group for helping out as much as they did defensively; it was a very selfless group who did a good job of making up for a very deficient defensive system.

I mean if you want to give all the credit for the team playing well defensively to the forwards that's on you but it is totally nonsensical. I mean I get people made up their minds that we sucked defensively after the first Russia game...but we literally didnt. Kinda hard to be good defensively if you have a bad system and a bad defense...but those forwards!

 

[JackSlater]

I mean if you want to give all the credit for the team playing well defensively to the forwards that's on you but it is totally nonsensical. I mean I get people made up their minds that we sucked defensively after the first Russia game...but we literally didnt. Kinda hard to be good defensively if you have a bad system and a bad defense...but those forwards!

Your posts make it seem like you didn't watch the games and are trying to piece together what happened after the fact. The weak link was the defencemen. Canada had the top goaltender of the tournament, admittedly Daws was not particularly good in his game and a half, and the forwards did contribute a significant amount defensively, particularly Dellandrea's line and Veleno's line. These things help to prevent goals but do not mean that Canada's defencemen were very well structured or particularly adept at clearing the defensive zone, which you would hope the coach takes care of.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Your posts make it seem like you didn't watch the games and are trying to piece together what happened after the fact. The weak link was the defencemen. Canada had the top goaltender of the tournament, admittedly Daws was not particularly good in his game and a half, and the forwards did contribute a significant amount defensively, particularly Dellandrea's line and Veleno's line. These things help to prevent goals but do not mean that Canada's defencemen were very well structured or particularly adept at clearing the defensive zone, which you would hope the coach takes care of.

No I am of the opinion that if you have the 2nd best defense in the tournament then your defensive system couldnt have been that bad. It's a whole lot of nitpicking to nitpick. Having forwards playing good defense...is also a pretty crucial part to any defensive system lol. Just seems odd to me I guess. Because I know if canada had the 8th best defense nobody would be making any excuses for the coaches and rightly so...Canada had a good defense that was literally his job regardless of how he got there.

 

[JackSlater]

No I am of the opinion that if you have the 2nd best defense in the tournament then your defensive system couldnt have been that bad. It's a whole lot of nitpicking to nitpick. Having forwards playing good defense...is also a pretty crucial part to any defensive system lol. Just seems odd to me I guess. Because I know if canada had the 8th best defense nobody would be making any excuses for the coaches and rightly so...Canada had a good defense that was literally his job regardless of how he got there.

He was in charge of how the defencemen played. If Canada's goaltender played well and the forwards contributed a lot defensively then it is a factor that makes the numbers look better but means nothing for how the defencemen played. Likewise, how Canada's goals against compared to other teams has nothing to do with how the defencemen played. If Sweden let in five goals a game or Slovakia posted four shutouts it wouldn't change a thing about how Canada's defence played. Anyone could watch the games and see how they played, which was not bad but underwhelming considering the talent that was there. It's been an issue on every WJC team that Tourigny was an assistant with. We can all hope for the best but your posts come across as little other than cheer leading.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

He was in charge of how the defencemen played. If Canada's goaltender played well and the forwards contributed a lot defensively then it is a factor that makes the numbers look better but means nothing for how the defencemen played. Likewise, how Canada's goals against compared to other teams has nothing to do with how the defencemen played. If Sweden let in five goals a game or Slovakia posted four shutouts it wouldn't change a thing about how Canada's defence played. Anyone could watch the games and see how they played, which was not bad but underwhelming considering the talent that was there. It's been an issue on every WJC team that Tourigny was an assistant with. We can all hope for the best but your posts come across as little other than cheer leading.

Just because I dont think our defense was bad or underwhelming doesnt mean I am cheerleading. I'm trying to have a conversation with you yet you are struggling to keep it together without petty little shots added in there it seems. People can disagree with your opinion while still having watched the same game you did and not be a cheerleader. Grow up.

 

[JackSlater]

Just because I dont think our defense was bad or underwhelming doesnt mean I am cheerleading. I'm trying to have a conversation with you yet you are struggling to keep it together without petty little shots added in there it seems. People can disagree with your opinion while still having watched the same game you did and not be a cheerleader. Grow up.

You've not added anything other than basically saying that you don't want to hear anything negative about Tourigny and that Canada won. If you want to cheer lead then that's your choice. There will be plenty of others who will too, but not everyone is going to bother with it. Most of those people will of course talk Tourigny up and then blame him if the team loses and claim that he was a poor coach all along, but that's 11 months away. That Canada's defence looked poorly structured and struggled a lot with breaking out against good teams is a potential issue with Tourigny, as is the defensive performance of the other WJC teams that he was involved with. If you want to ignore that then by all means do so but that doesn't stop others from noting it and discussing it.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

You've not added anything other than basically saying that you don't want to hear anything negative about Tourigny and that Canada won. If you want to cheer lead then that's your choice. There will be plenty of others who will too, but not everyone is going to bother with it. Most of those people will of course talk Tourigny up and then blame him if the team loses and claim that he was a poor coach all along, but that's 11 months away. That Canada's defence looked poorly structured and struggled a lot with breaking out against good teams is a potential issue with Tourigny, as is the defensive performance of the other WJC teams that he was involved with. If you want to ignore that then by all means do so but that doesn't stop others from noting it and discussing it.

You really cant help yourself can you? Your opinion isnt any more or less important then anyone else. Period. I was disagreeing with your assessment of how the team played defensively. If you think I'm wrong whatever you are entitled to that opinion that does not mean I am a cheerleader for Tourigny. I will say it again grow up and learn to actually have a conversation with someone with a dissenting opinion.

 

[JackSlater]

You really cant help yourself can you? Your opinion isnt any more or less important then anyone else. Period. I was disagreeing with your assessment of how the team played defensively. If you think I'm wrong whatever you are entitled to that opinion that does not mean I am a cheerleader for Tourigny. I will say it again grow up and learn to actually have a conversation with someone with a dissenting opinion.

It would go a lot further if you posted as if you had actually seen the team play rather than pointing at the team's overall goals against. If you want to believe that Tourigny, who has won nothing with his various junior teams in the CHL and been involved with three poorly coached teams at this level and who coached the worst part of an adequately coached team at this level, is going to turn out to be a good coach for Canada then that's fine. I hope that the blind optimism turns out to be correct.

I should add that if Tourigny was the coach of the powerplay, which is quite possible, then he deserves credit for that. Powerplay success has become critical at the WJC.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

It would go a lot further if you posted as if you had actually seen the team play rather than pointing at the team's overall goals against. If you want to believe that Tourigny, who has won nothing with his various junior teams in the CHL and been involved with three poorly coached teams at this level and who coached the worst part of an adequately coached team at this level, is going to turn out to be a good coach for Canada then that's fine. I hope that the blind optimism turns out to be correct.

I should add that if Tourigny was the coach of the powerplay, which is quite possible, then he deserves credit for that. Powerplay success has become critical at the WJC.

I am literally just saying that if he was in charge of the defense and we are all admitting that the forwards back checked well and had good support for a defense that did struggle with a heavy forecheck...then why wouldnt he get credit for that? Do you think he wouldn't have anything to do that happening? That is all I have been trying to say. If we are saying that he had the defensive end of the ice that absolutely has to include the forwards play in the defensive end. I just do not see the logic in totally whipping the part of his defensive system that was probably the most crucial in it being successful and in saying that i have absolutely no clue whether he will be a good coach next year or not.

 

[JackSlater]

I am literally just saying that if he was in charge of the defense and we are all admitting that the forwards back checked well and had good support for a defense that did struggle with a heavy forecheck...then why wouldnt he get credit for that? Do you think he wouldn't have anything to do that happening? That is all I have been trying to say. If we are saying that he had the defensive end of the ice that absolutely has to include the forwards play in the defensive end. I just do not see the logic in totally whipping the part of his defensive system that was probably the most crucial in it being successful and in saying that i have absolutely no clue whether he will be a good coach next year or not.

He was not the coach of the defensive end. He was the coach of the defencemen. If the forwards came back and supported the defencemen well, and they did, it isn't a plus or a minus for Tourigny. To be clear I'm also not saying that Canada was shelled defensively or played the whole tournament hemmed it. It was the weak link of the 2020 team and his involvement with the 2010, 2011 and especially 2013 teams makes me wary, as does his lack of winning in the CHL. This is basically just repeating the same stuff though. If the 2021 team is well coached I'll be happy to concede that I was wrong, whether the team wins or loses. The 2021 team looks like it will have a very good selection of players to choose from, goalie excepted, and I mainly want a coach who won't screw it up as we've seen in years like 2013 and 2016.

 

[SleepyJoeyB]

but I do hope that Hockey Canada keeps Mark Hunter around for some time.

Well, he isn't going anywhere else so he'll be available.

But I'm not sure why you want him so much. Hasn't done well in nearly every place he went. Can't see him being able to get US players up to Team Canada's camp with a fulfillment of cash payments.