C Nathan MacKinnon - Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL (2013 draft) II
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Iwishihadacup
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I saw him play once and he had trouble dealing with the pressure of an almost full colisée pepsi in the super serie game (by his non-verbal attitude) I doubt he's ready to take on something as big as the world championship
next year will be the year for him
next year will be the year for him
Pick Six
@Lafortune_FC
This isn't how Hockey Canada operates. They only invite players if they feel the player has a chance to fill a role. The Winter Camp is so competitive that a guy who barely gets invited might make the final roster (see; Marcus Foligno last year). If you invite MacKinnon "just to get him experience", with no real shot at making the team, he might be taking a spot away from someone like Foligno who makes and contributes to the team.
With the top 6 forwards pretty well spoken for, that left MacKinnon to battle out for a bottom six position. I'm assuming they felt (as I and many others did), that there are better suited players (older and more experienced) for a bottom 6 role than MacKinnon.
Can't wait to see how he reacts on the ice, as I'll be at the Gatineau and Quebec games this weekend and hopefully the U-17s.
He will play at U17's and dominate and help his region as much as possible.
He will play at U18's in April as an underage if Halifax is out of the Q playoffs by that time.
He will play in Ivan Hlinka next summer for Canada.
He will then make Team Canada at next years WJC.
Thats alot of hockey and some great EXPERIENCE.
I can understand the reasoning behind leaving him off. With so many good 18 and 19s there is just no need to take a risk with a 16 year old. Furthermore he's a guy you'd want playing in a top 6 role and there's just no chance of him getting that right now.
That said, he's better right now than any Q forward invite not named Huberdeau. But I guess defined team roles have something to do with this. I love the fact that he was disappointed. As another poster mentioned this should give him plenty of motivation to continue his torrid streak against Gatineau and Quebec this weekend.
That said, he's better right now than any Q forward invite not named Huberdeau. But I guess defined team roles have something to do with this. I love the fact that he was disappointed. As another poster mentioned this should give him plenty of motivation to continue his torrid streak against Gatineau and Quebec this weekend.
Pick Six
@Lafortune_FC
5 goals for MacKinnon tonight.
The first period was actually not his best. He was getting frustrated, cheating defensively. I was ready to come here saying I wasn't that impressed with his weekend.
But it was the Nathan MacKinnon show after the first 20 minutes. He literately just decided to score on his 3rd and 4th goals. He showed so much speed and strength. Was nice to see the Metro Centre give him a standing O, haven't seen the arena like that this year.
The thing about Mackinnon is I think he's had even better games this year. He always gets a ton of chances, but today he just seemed to cash them in. He's definitely trying to show Hockey Canada they made a mistake.
The first period was actually not his best. He was getting frustrated, cheating defensively. I was ready to come here saying I wasn't that impressed with his weekend.
But it was the Nathan MacKinnon show after the first 20 minutes. He literately just decided to score on his 3rd and 4th goals. He showed so much speed and strength. Was nice to see the Metro Centre give him a standing O, haven't seen the arena like that this year.
The thing about Mackinnon is I think he's had even better games this year. He always gets a ton of chances, but today he just seemed to cash them in. He's definitely trying to show Hockey Canada they made a mistake.
markrander87
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- Jan 22, 2010
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Agreed on all of the above, especially the bolded. People can say all they want about playing a bottom six role, too young etc... but having a player like Nathan to be able to blow open a game is what I feel Canada was missing last year.
GlassesJacketShirt
Registered User
Team Canada may have missed the boat in many areas this time: for instance, they should have given Malcolm Subban a shot at goalie, he'll be 18 heading into the tournament and has been one of the best in the entire country. Mark Visentin has no business being back, they did it simply because of the loyalty thing.
Pick Six
@Lafortune_FC
I really don't think that's what they were missing last year at all. They had the best offense all tournaments and were 10 mins away from winning gold, they didn't need more offense.
This is Subban's first year being a starter. He's had a great month, but he was never going to get invited. Visentin gets way too much flak around here.
GlassesJacketShirt
Registered User
And with good reason, he has hardly been good at all. If not Subban than at least give Pickard a shot then. I still don't get his exclusion, he has a winning record with a horrible Seattle team.
markrander87
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- Jan 22, 2010
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It's not strictly about "offense" team Canada did not have a star talent to make an individual end to end rush to create momentum or gain momentum or even draw a penalty. Mackinnon is more then capable of turning the momentum around in agame with a single shift. One shift like that around 8 minutes left of last years gold medal game and who knows what the outcome is.
Pendergast can shove this game up his....... Well you know.
Well Mr Team Canada selection committee, I better see 12-13 Unbelieveable hockey players and a gold medal with ease if your telling me that this kid isn't good enough for your Camp.
You dont want to pick me? Ok i'll go score 6 pts against two of the top Q teams in back-to-back nights.
Team Canada
Well Mr Team Canada selection committee, I better see 12-13 Unbelieveable hockey players and a gold medal with ease if your telling me that this kid isn't good enough for your Camp.
You dont want to pick me? Ok i'll go score 6 pts against two of the top Q teams in back-to-back nights.
Team Canada 
SergeConstantin74
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- Jul 7, 2007
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Pendergast can shove this game up his....... Well you know.
Well Mr Team Canada selection committee, I better see 12-13 Unbelieveable hockey players and a gold medal with ease if your telling me that this kid isn't good enough for your Camp.
You dont want to pick me? Ok i'll go score 6 pts against two of the top Q teams in back-to-back nights.
I agree with the rest but Gatineau is far from being a top team, especially when they miss 9 players.
yeah GAT is a .500 team but tonights game was unreal...its been quite some time since i was that excited about a moose game
habsrule4eva3089
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- Nov 22, 2008
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Found this on twitter, anyone going to the World Juniors should make this sign
TSN: Totally Screwed Nathan MacKinnon!!!
Can't believe he's not even at camp...this might be the worst decision in years and years Hockey Canada's ever made...outrageous, i'm sure out of the 41 there...35 of them wouldn't even score a goal vs the remparts let alone 5...
"Hockey Canada knows what its doing. They have been doing it for a long time now." - Nathan MacKinnon.
Well THEY'RE WRONG THIS TIME...sheesh just pissing me off more now...didn't they watch this kid on a game to game basis ...
TSN: Totally Screwed Nathan MacKinnon!!!
Can't believe he's not even at camp...this might be the worst decision in years and years Hockey Canada's ever made...outrageous, i'm sure out of the 41 there...35 of them wouldn't even score a goal vs the remparts let alone 5...
"Hockey Canada knows what its doing. They have been doing it for a long time now." - Nathan MacKinnon.
Well THEY'RE WRONG THIS TIME...sheesh just pissing me off more now...didn't they watch this kid on a game to game basis ...
Sorry didn't mean to put Gat in as a "good" team. Even with a healthy roster theyre 10-11th or something.
You'd think after this, (even before this) hed be able to take Hubeys spot on the camp roster as he wont be playing, maybe not at all.
Reallllly surprised at Hockey Canada.:
Wicked night at da MC first time in a long time!!!!!
You'd think after this, (even before this) hed be able to take Hubeys spot on the camp roster as he wont be playing, maybe not at all.
Reallllly surprised at Hockey Canada.
:Wicked night at da MC first time in a long time!!!!!
Sidney the Kidney
One last time
- Jun 29, 2009
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I'm a little late to the party, but I just saw the boxscore of the game he scored 5 goals in the other night. This kid is living up to the hype so far.
I'm curious, for the guys who've been watching a tonne of junior hockey for a long time, when's the last time you've seen a top prospect (like a top 10ish pick) with the acceleration of MacKinnon? I'm just so impressed by how quickly he gets up to speed, he literally seems to be able to go from slowly coasting to a blazing top speed in about a second. Hall, Seguin, Duchene, Evander Kane, Stamkos, Kessel, Crosby and Ovy are all top picks who can go from zero to flying in a hurry (while keeping control of the puck), but I think MacKinnon's acceleration might just be even more impressive than these guys were at the same age. His hands and hockey sense seem a touch behind some other recent elite prospects (still has amazing hands and hockey sense for his age, but just a bit raw compared to some top picks who have amazing polish even at a young age), but good god, he's just an explosive human being in terms of how quickly he accelerates/moves, and seems to be pretty powerfully built too (for his age).
Kunta Kinte
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- Nov 10, 2011
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I'm not so sure if he enter your criteria. But as far as I remember, Pavel Brendl was a top-10 prospect at some point, he had mad acceleration. Rico Fata might be another one.
Rico Fata was ridiculously fast, but his skill never transitioned well to NHL. I watched him loads in Saint John, but I think he got pushed around a lot.
Haven't seen too many people with his foot speed who can play the puck well either. Kind of like Kovalchuk in how he moves.
Haven't seen too many people with his foot speed who can play the puck well either. Kind of like Kovalchuk in how he moves.
golffuul
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- Oct 24, 2011
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This is exactly it. I love the kid, but if he's going to have a chip on his shoulder for not making it this year, I don't want that chip removed. I want it firmly there all year long and going into next year's WJC. Motivated superstars are a nice commodity.
golffuul
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I've never seen anyone with his combination of strength, speed, and ability in quite sometime. One of his 5 goals, from last night, he took a hard pass from Grenier in full stride and one handed it up over Domingue with a guy hanging all over him. He had a 2 goal sequence where he stick-handled in tight around Domingue and made him look foolish from the left-side of the net and the next goal he faked like he was going to stick-handle again around Domingue, making him overcommit, and the proceeded to go to around the back of the goal and put it in. He's easily the best Q prospect since Sidney Crosby.
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