WJC: Canada 2019 Roster Talk Part 2
- Thread starter stv11
- Start date
-
Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
- Status
Gold Standard
Registered User
- Sep 7, 2018
- 2,385
- 2,285
I didn't know Steve Staios landed at Hockey Canada.
Coach Hunter "Fastest World Jr. team yet..."
interesting.
biturbo19
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2010
- 27,703
- 12,874
I'm not terribly worried about the speed of this team. Depending on who they take, there should be more than enough. But "fastest yet"? I'm pretty darn skeptical of that claim.
The bigger worry for me though, is all these guys coming in either dinged up or coming off an injury. A lot of potential for rust, or re-injury putting us down a body.
Mewmew
Registered User
- Nov 23, 2018
- 10
- 2
biturbo19
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2010
- 27,703
- 12,874
I mean, it doesn't actually matter much what they say pre-tournament. It's just excited platitudes building hype for the team and the tournament for those who maybe follow things less intensely. They know "speed" is the buzzword of the day and that's what people want to hear, so they throw it out there. But as always, the proof is in the pudding. As long as they get the deal done, i don't really care how fast they are...it's just that team speed, and more importantly, playing fast systems and chemistry-wise, have become a pretty critical component in success at this tournament. What they actually put on the ice is what ultimately matters, not Hunter making questionable claims like "fastest team yet".
Hockey Stick
Registered User
- Jan 3, 2018
- 1,406
- 1,177
Any word on Hayton's injury that's kept him out of his last few games? I heard someone says it was only precautionary, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that
dwright5314
Registered User
Janne Niinimaa
"Character"
I hope not. Not a fan of the 2 trios up front or having Brook-Bouchard together as 2 RHD.
I do think Joseph-Mitchell would make a good pairing though.
the first 3 defence pairings are probably locks. The rest are fighting for the last spot.
not sure what to make of the forward group just yet.
Kudo Shinichi
Registered User
- Apr 20, 2012
- 21,523
- 28,976
Mewmew
Registered User
- Nov 23, 2018
- 10
- 2
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
JackSlater
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2010
- 19,785
- 15,428
I view it in the same way. Basically, today speed is fetishized in the same was as size was in the 90s. It's great to have speed, but you don't pick clearly inferior players just due to speed either. The team should be fast enough.
It's very early but looking at those lineups, in my eyes it looks not so good for Foudy/Bowers/Lavoie at forward and not so good for McIsaac/Crotty/Beaudin/Bernard-Docker/Phillips/Addison. That's just my guess however and these things can change if a player performs well in practice or exhibition.
Kudo Shinichi
Registered User
- Apr 20, 2012
- 21,523
- 28,976
- Aug 21, 2016
- 10,344
- 13,802
I said earlier that I wouldnt be surprised to see a righty play on the left side since we are stacked on the right side while the left side is rather weak, very happy to see that Brook Bouchard pairing, if kept intact thats probably going to be our best pairing....
Blue and red look like locks, despite Ratcliffe being blue. Yellow and white fighting for spots? Maybe it means nothing.
EveryDay
Registered User
- Jun 13, 2009
- 15,361
- 8,638
Why not? Brook at 19 years old is probably the 3rd best defenceman on this team behind Bouchard and Smith.
Brook-Bouchard
Smith-Dobson
Joseph-Mitchell
McIsaac
biturbo19
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2010
- 27,703
- 12,874
Yeah, Suzuki at Center stands out to me. I don't necessarily hate it, but i kinda figured he was a guy who would be a natural candidate to move to the Wing, with so many natural centers potentially in the mix for this team.
On paper, i really like the skillsets of Bouchard and Brook together. But in practice, i just really don't trust the idea of two righties on the same pairing at all. It's just asking for a stupid crossed-wires miscue at an inopportune moment due to inexperience playing the off side. In this sort of short tournament especially, where one little miscue can end your tournament...that kind of thing can be a dagger. Why even risk it? There's gotta be a 3rd LHD behind Smith and Joseph who is more than capable.
Especially concerning if they force Brook onto his off side, and still end up taking a RHD for the spare as well. You're then 1 injury/misconduct away from a third of your defence having to play uncomfortably on the wrong side.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Unless Brook is used to playing on his off side then I hate it regardless of how good a player he is. This tournament sure as hell doesn't seem like the time or place to try that out for the first time for a player. Maybe he is used to it though we will see though.
newfy
Registered User
- Jul 28, 2010
- 15,278
- 9,364
Biggest thing sticking out for me is Vilardi and Anderson Dolan not on ice. They cant even take line rushes in a non contact role? Vilardi hasnt played in how long and cant use the camp to get in game shape? I would think long and hard about cutting another good player for guys with their health as question marks. I wouldnt look too hard at the lines necessarily yet
Yeah Hunter is his coach so maybe he knows better and has seen him play his off side but I really hope its not a Ryan Murphy situation where the coach is just looking for ways to get his guy on the ice. Definitely not the time to experimentin the tournament. Mind you its the very start of camp so maybe theyre testing it out early so they can make a decision quick.
- Status
