WJC: 2025 Team Canada Roster Talk

[Mathieukferland]

All the young and TikTok fans says well let’s just have the puck the entire game and problem solved, but that’s not the reality. We’ll have to defend, and these two are very good at it. Howe has a very admirable work ethic and his attention to detail is high end.

Look I’m glad for him that it went well last night but he was Canada’s worst forward at both u18s he played at, to act like it’s TikTok knowledge to question his role on the team is quite a hilarious misnomer.

Cameron naming his back check in a 7-1 blowout his favourite moment of the night is (to be clear there’s nothing wrong with a committed back check) the type of Dinosaur fetishisation of Joe Grit and John Hustle that lands you Fraser Minten playing 22 mins in an elimination game and Celebrini playing only 14.


They should have the talent to overcome the ludicrous roster construction this year, but they will win inspite of the roster construction, not because of it. There needs to be a reset in Hockey Canada that trusts ability over the "accepts his role " player; part of being a good coach in 2024 is being able to manage egos and get the best out of talented players

 

[1Gold Standard]

Look I’m glad for him that it went well last night but he was Canada’s worst forward at both u18s he played at, to act like it’s TikTok knowledge to question his role on the team is quite a hilarious misnomer.

Cameron naming his back check in a 7-1 blowout his favourite moment of the night is (to be clear there’s nothing wrong with a committed back check) the type of Dinosaur fetishisation of Joe Grit and John Hustle that lands you Fraser Minten playing 22 mins in an elimination game and Celebrini playing only 14.


They should have the talent to overcome the ludicrous roster construction this year, but they will win inspite of the roster construction, not because of it. There needs to be a reset in Hockey Canada that trusts ability over the "accepts his role " player; part of being a good coach in 2024 is being able to manage egos and get the best out of talented players

As an atheist, all I have to say is Amen to all of that. every bit of it.

 

[jj cale]

God I love this tournament, too many reasons to count but the bitching and moaning from us all is surely one of the reasons near the very top.

It's not Christmas without it

 

[Mathieukferland]

 

[NordiquesForeva]

Pinelli is a placeholder for Martone (not sure why he is absent...didn't seem to injure himself last night), but interesting to see McKenna move up to the Catton line. I actually thought Rehkopf looked good last night. Most observers thought McKenna would quickly work his way up the lineup, and that appears to be what has happened.

 

[JackSlater]

I thought both Howe and Cataford has solid games and we’re all over the puck on the forecheck. Both won a lot of battles, races to pucks and were tracking well all night. You need guys like this when you play the USA, who are going to challenge us and make us work defensively. All the young and TikTok fans says well let’s just have the puck the entire game and problem solved, but that’s not the reality. We’ll have to defend, and these two are very good at it. Howe has a very admirable work ethic and his attention to detail is high end. Cataford is like a Hyman at this level, hard and fast in straight lines, never takes a shift off, goes hard into the corners and to the net. Very happy with their performance last night.

That's nice, I agree that Howe was good. I did not like Cataford's game very much, probably the worst forward. I've seen him play better and hopefully he will be better when the tournament starts. The funny part is not that Cameron said that and that Howe sucked, it is that it is the most stereotypical Cameron answer possible. In a game with a six goal margin of victory and the starting goaltender not allowing a goal, the derided old school coach finds the highlight to be the back tracking of a marginal forward on the team, who was surprisingly deemed a lock, after the game is long over.

Ideally Howe will be a positive difference maker when the games matter, but if Cameron decides to single out Gibson's boxing out in front of the net in a 10-0 game it will be just as funny.

 

[JackSlater]

Interesting. Assuming that Martone is supposed to be in Pinelli's spot I'm somewhat surprised that Rehkopf got dumped, mainly that McKenna moved up already. Rehkopf was pretty good in my opinion. There are not that many viable LW spots though. Beaudoin was good, Howe was pretty good, Nadeau was pretty good.

 

[jj cale]

Must be thinking Pinelli can bury some of those sweet feeds he's likely to get from those two, he does have a good shot.


I am surprised about Rehkopf, thought he was one of our better players last year and was going to be this year. ah well, it's still so early.

 

[Statsy]

I think people on here might need to get used to random people being taken out of the lineup. Pro teams and even other world junior teams will have guys that are just there to be warm bodies in the press box. Everyone on this team is a star, so it's possible they don't want to scratch any single player too much.

 

[jj cale]

What do folks think of Bonk as a player? Every time I watch him his play seems like bread with no butter............like his old man.

He doesn't pop at all for me. What am I missing ?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

What do folks think of Bonk as a player? Every time I watch him his play seems like bread with no butter............like his old man.

He doesn't pop at all for me. What am I missing ?

...but does he have jam?

 

[jj cale]

...but does he have jam?

Perfect.