WJC: 2025 Team Canada Roster Talk

[DJB]

 

[Slats432]

After reading this thread and twitter full of people blaming the coaching staff instead of the players I no longer wonder why players act like divas. Fans have lost the plot and accept subpar performances and just blame the coaches as easy targets instead. Tale old as time.

It is pretty easy when the team construction was as bad as it was. It is hard to blame grinders for not be offensive guys when push comes to shove.

 

[Nucks2001]

It is pretty easy when the team construction was as bad as it was. It is hard to blame grinders for not be offensive guys when push comes to shove.

And no one is blaming the grinders. Most will likely have successful NHL careers, filling in their roles on teams or may even develop into elite offensive weapons. They are just being asked to do something that simply doesn’t fit their descriptions right now.

Unfortunately, these kids are getting the short end of the stick by the entire nation because of horrible coaching and construction.

Shame on Hockey Canada and Dave Cameron for letting these kids get run over by a bus. I hope these kids sleep well after this, knowing that Dave Cameron should have his citizenship revoked and deported from this beautiful country and still is to me, the best hockey nation on the planet.

 

[Slats432]

And no one is blaming the grinders. Most will likely have successful NHL careers, filling in their roles on teams or may even develop into elite offensive weapons. They are just being asked to do something that simply doesn’t fit their descriptions right now.

Unfortunately, these kids are getting the short end of the stick by the entire nation because of horrible coaching and construction.

Shame on Hockey Canada and Dave Cameron for letting these kids get run over by a bus. I hope these kids sleep well after this, knowing that Dave Cameron should have his citizenship revoked and deported from this beautiful country and still is to me, the best hockey nation on the planet.

The guy I quoted was blaming the players.

 

[Heldig]

Kind of how a team builds chemistry. Insane

We have no idea what they are doing instead of an on ice session. Maybe they are doing a team bonding exercise

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

It's bad enough that Pinelli plays, but he's still with McKenna and Catton. Wtf?

 

[Nedved]

We have no idea what they are doing instead of an on ice session. Maybe they are doing a team bonding exercise

probably just hanging out and trying to bond but one of the issues is chemistry. There’s almost no chemistry on the ice. I mean practice the pp and pk. It’s the worst I’ve seen it.

 

[1989]

Can bring a horse water but can't make it drink

Yeah but usually the farmhand is who brings the horse to water.
Canada's farmhand is too busy screwing the farmer's daughter to bring the horses to water for them to have anything to drink.

 

[Nedved]

Players should’ve protested the call. They need the practice. They have 1 maybe 2 chances to win a gold at this tourney and you’re just going to cancel practice after playing like garbage.

Where’s the winner mentality?

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Only justification I could come up with in my head was if the whole team was sick. But that seems very unlikely.

 

[lancepitlick]

So many people on this forum and last year’s WJC forum were bashing me for Canada taking role players and grinders. People saying “Well they don’t fit a bottom 6 role, so there’s no point in taking them.”

Hockey is not rocket science. You go to even a beer leauge game at your local rink, and your best chance of winning is taking the guys that skate the best, have high IQ, can create plays and puck handle well. You only need a couple grinders and finishers around the net.
You take the most skilled players possible and put them in checking and PK roles and you ACTUALLY GIVE ICE TIME to them.

Hope those people and Hockey Canada learn their lesson. Even if we beat the Czechs and by some miracle, win the Gold, Hockey Canada and development in this country need a serious revamp.

I agree. A massive part of the game is who outskates who, is stronger, who stick handles better, shoots harder, has dangles etc. All the hockey IQ in the world won't overcome that. I'd rather have a Prime Ovechkin on my 4th line than a prime Mike Peca or JG Pageau. I don't care if you have to teach him to kill a penalty. He'll probably make up for any deficiencies based solely on physical ability and will get you a PK goal, draw a penalty, on score in his 8 mins of ice time. Nobody is having to trip Mike Peca to prevent him from scoring.

The best players are still usually the most physically dominant.

 

[Heldig]

Curious, with the existing roster, what lineup would people like to see?

 

[Larry44]

Only justification I could come up with in my head was if the whole team was sick. But that seems very unlikely.

This is what I was thinking. If half the team is sick, there is no point letting the Czechs know that, or exposing the healthy ones. However, this is the 3rd time they've cancelled practice/morning skate. Hopefully it will be explained, and hopefully they'll win tonight and have a shot at a medal at least.

 

[Matttheleaf]

No, if he wanted to make a statement he'd be sent home entirely. Plays like this are unacceptable.

There would be like 4 players sent home then, and 2 of them would be London Knights and top minute producers.

 

[ryan callahan]

There would be like 4 players sent home then, and 2 of them would be London Knights and top minute producers.

Not wrong. Just disappointed that a big part of our group seems to be giving 50% effort.

 

[Nucks2001]

I agree. A massive part of the game is who outskates who, is stronger, who stick handles better, shoots harder, has dangles etc. All the hockey IQ in the world won't overcome that. I'd rather have a Prime Ovechkin on my 4th line than a prime Mike Peca or JG Pageau. I don't care if you have to teach him to kill a penalty. He'll probably make up for any deficiencies based solely on physical ability and will get you a PK goal, draw a penalty, on score in his 8 mins of ice time. Nobody is having to trip Mike Peca to prevent him from scoring.

The best players are still usually the most physically dominant.

The 2010 Canadian Olympic Team was perhaps the best constructed when it came to this. You had Toews, Richards, Nash, Staal, Marleau and Perry all play checking roles or kill penalties.

Honestly, the 4 Nations roster kind of reminds me of this WJC team. Cirelli, an aging Marchand and
Bennett? At least with 4 Nations, Canada has so much offensive firepower that it may not be that big of a problem.

Just seems like Hockey Canada is constructing rosters the way USA hockey used to in the 2010s and USA Hockey is constructing their rosters like how HC used to.

 

[Mathieukferland]

The 2010 Canadian Olympic Team was perhaps the best constructed when it came to this

Dreger was on overdrive a few weeks ago saying that in the recap meetings for that tournament that management felt the team played too loose and gave up too many chances. He said the 2014 team is viewed by those remaining in hockey Canada as the gold standard. Which is fine, they were suffocating. But they had the players to do it. This year’s WJC ignored players of vastly superior quality to try to implement this philosophy to the detriment of team success

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

The 2010 Canadian Olympic Team was perhaps the best constructed when it came to this. You had Toews, Richards, Nash, Staal, Marleau and Perry all play checking roles or kill penalties.

Honestly, the 4 Nations roster kind of reminds me of this WJC team. Cirelli, an aging Marchand and
Bennett? At least with 4 Nations, Canada has so much offensive firepower that it may not be that big of a problem.

Just seems like Hockey Canada is constructing rosters the way USA hockey used to in the 2010s and USA Hockey is constructing their rosters like how HC used to.

Hockey Canada has always done this, they just get away with it usually by having superstars in their top 6 to carry the offense. This year, and in many recent years, it hasn't been the case. I hope we learn some lessons as the Four Nations and make adjustments before the Olympics, but I doubt HC will change its ways.

 

[Woodrow]

The 2010 Canadian Olympic Team was perhaps the best constructed when it came to this. You had Toews, Richards, Nash, Staal, Marleau and Perry all play checking roles or kill penalties.

And when the Nash - Crosby - Iginla line didn't quite work work the way you'd think it would, he had the option to simply switch Nash with 40 goal scorer Staal.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Pinelli back with McKenna and Catton tonigh apparently. Dave Cameron just never learns does he, he’s hurting the only two forwards that have been consistently dangerous by strapping them with his homer pick

 

[surixon]

And no one is blaming the grinders. Most will likely have successful NHL careers, filling in their roles on teams or may even develop into elite offensive weapons. They are just being asked to do something that simply doesn’t fit their descriptions right now.

Unfortunately, these kids are getting the short end of the stick by the entire nation because of horrible coaching and construction.

Shame on Hockey Canada and Dave Cameron for letting these kids get run over by a bus. I hope these kids sleep well after this, knowing that Dave Cameron should have his citizenship revoked and deported from this beautiful country and still is to me, the best hockey nation on the planet.

Imo you take the most skill possible for short tournaments. You need it for single game elimination matches.

Building a team that can win best out of 7 is a bit of a different animal.

 

[Sticktape]

I wish HF would aggregate all the social media links in a thread on the first page or something.

 

[Woodrow]

The idea that most of these guys will go on the have successful NHL careers is also just wrong. Just go back and look at the rosters of previously Team Canada junior teams and you'll realize this will likely be the pinnacle of lots of these guys hockey career.

 

[peconcan]

Bold prediction McKenna comes out and plays like Bedard did tonight

 

[Nucks2001]

And when the Nash - Crosby - Iginla line didn't quite work work the way you'd think it would, he had the option to simply switch Nash with 40 goal scorer Staal.

Perfect example right there. Who are you throwing on 1st line LW for Canada at 4-Nations. Cirelli, Hagel, Bennett, Marchand??? At least Hagel’s been hot. Suppose you can move Crosby to McDavid’s wing or have someone play their off-wing.

Really think they should have brought a Barzal, Scheifele, Thomas or even John Tavares (Better than nothing). Reasoning for leaving Suzuki off because he didn’t play at the world championships is also why Hockey Canada management should have their citizenships revoked.

A younger presence may not have hurt either like a Bedard (I know he’s not playing well, but still) or a Celebrini. Johnston and Laf are some other names. At least they took Jarvis.