HF Habs: 2025 World Junior Championship Semi-Finals: Saturday, January 4, 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM

[Rapala]

The concerns about Berkley Catton (strength, high end speed, ability to push through defenders) were evident in this tournament. World class junior player but he's going to have challenges in the NHL with his lack of explosiveness and strength.

He definitely needed someone other than Pinelli on the wing to offset his issues.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I liked Cataford in this game. I liked him his draft year, too. I would try to get him out of Vegas if possible.

Also, who were Canada's top 3 players?

I missed that.

 

[Kimota]

We should have a Quebec team so i'd have two teams to chear for and two chances of winning.

Yea like they do in Soccer with Scotland having their own team. I think Wales has this as well, i think? At least It would be intriguing.

 

[HuGort]

Canada missing a lot of talent. I never watched the tourney. Knew it was our C team.

 

[Playmaker09]

He definitely needed someone other than Pinelli on the wing to offset his issues.

They just needed a scorer, not another energy guy. Catton and McKenna were buzzing all tournament with little to show for it.

Matthew Wood would have scored 8 goals by now playing with those two and ripping PP one timers over Calum RItchie.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Semi-final games are set for Saturday, January 4th.


3:30 PM: Sweden vs Finland. This should be a great game.

7:30 PM: USA vs Czechs. I expect an easy USA win.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Everyone talks about Hage and Misa not playing but man oh man I would love to have seen Sennecke with Ritchie in this tournament. Those two are dynamite together in Oshawa. Sennecke's skill, size and reach would have been great assets for this lineup and would have created space in the offensive zone.

 

[Whitesnake]

I'm just stunned too how every single one of those players seemed struck to be playing at that competition. I mean Ethan Gauthier wasn't Gauthier. Luchenko wasn't Luchenko at all etc. While it wasn't by far the best lineup, every single one of those guys STILL should have done so much better...

 

[Kimota]

I'll say this, losing Schaefer was a big blow. He could have been their Tavares, I guess. I cannot wait to see him next year.

 

[The Real Timo]

Well... smart that they force people to buy all games cause I imagine pretty thing stands after tonight... What a totally useless useless team. Terrible team!

 

[LaP]

David Cameron looks and sounds like a turtle

I had Leprechaun in mind but i guess turtle works.

 

[Habs13]

Yea like they do in Soccer with Scotland having their own team. I think Wales has this as well, i think? At least It would be intriguing.

What?!?! Umm. Scotland and Wales are countries. What are you talking about??

 

[DesmondDekker]

Tons of questionable decisions by HC’s management, you could feel an early elimination coming after the Latvia game. No gamebreaking talent to take over a game, no swagger at all despite them trying to build an actual « team ».

Still, being eliminated in the quarterfinals in back to back years without Russia being part of the tournament is wild. Should’ve been freebies to the medal rounds.

 

[Schooner Guy]

I'll say this, losing Schaefer was a big blow. He could have been their Tavares, I guess. I cannot wait to see him next year.

Or their Drew Doughty. Doughty may be the best draft year dman I can remember on Team Canada in this tournament. Ryan Ellis put up more points but I remember Doughty being so good all over the ice.

Schaeffer could be in the NHL next year.

 

[Whitesnake]

Everyone talks about Hage and Misa not playing but man oh man I would love to have seen Sennecke with Ritchie in this tournament. Those two are dynamite together in Oshawa. Sennecke's skill, size and reach would have been great assets for this lineup and would have created space in the offensive zone.

Absolutely. And especially if you are skeptical based on lack of chemistry...why the world would you not play Martone with Rehkopf. And Ritchie with Sennecke. Geez bring Marelli on D that also plays with Oshawa instead of Gibson, Minio...Geez, Heidt and Parascak....

 

[LaP]

Canada's best player was Schaefer. Sadly he got injured early.

 

[Whitesnake]

I'll say this, losing Schaefer was a big blow. He could have been their Tavares, I guess. I cannot wait to see him next year.

True. But what do you do when you lose Schaefer? You don't replace him with Sawyer Minio...calisse....

You go and get Yakemchuck or Parekh.

 

[Schooner Guy]

I'm just stunned too how every single one of those players seemed struck to be playing at that competition. I mean Ethan Gauthier wasn't Gauthier. Luchenko wasn't Luchenko at all etc. While it wasn't by far the best lineup, every single one of those guys STILL should have done so much better...

Luchanko and Ritchie both made their NHL teams in the Fall. I expected them to be dominant.

 

[417]

Someone threw a Team Canada jersey on the ice?

Lawd

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Not bringing Carter Yakemchuk and Zayne Parekh was an all-time blunder.

The second Schaefer went down, their goose was cooked.

 

[Runner77]

Someone threw a Team Canada jersey on the ice?

Lawd

Yup.

 

[Be a Hab]

Wait, what? Management was ass from the get go but all the dumb ass penalties happened on the ice. The players gave zero effort until late in the second period.

I don't agree they gave zero effort.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Absolutely. And especially if you are skeptical based on lack of chemistry...why the world would you not play Martone with Rehkopf. And Ritchie with Sennecke. Geez bring Marelli on D that also plays with Oshawa instead of Gibson, Minio...Geez, Heidt and Parascak....

It gets better! I know Matthew Wood is having a down year in the NCAA but when has Canada ever cut a returning player?

Wood had 4 points in 5 games in the tournament last year including 2 goals. That would have led Canada in both goals and points this year!

 

[Runner77]

 

[Playmaker09]

Luchanko and Ritchie both made their NHL teams in the Fall. I expected them to be dominant.

No usually how it works. They're bottom 6 projections, maybe a little higher as complementary players. They're not all of a sudden going to take the reins and dominate.

Sure they can do it in the OHL where the competition is slower and younger than themselves, but not against their peers. We know who they are. Ritchie and Cowan will never be on a 1st unit NHL PP, so why are they being deployed as such?