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WJC: Canada 2019 Roster Talk

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I think we can forget Max Comtois being sent back to jr. or being made available at Christmas time. As long as he's getting decent minutes in Anaheim, that's where he belongs. Hope he's a Calder trophy nominee when all is said and done. For Team Canada followers, perhaps we'll get to see him in a Team Canada jersey in May at the World Championship.
 
TheBeastCoast said:
Yeah I would be surprised if Merkley even gets an invite to camp honestly.
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I get people bringing up the attitude issues and what not although to be honest it’s been beaten to death around here, but the fact is Merkley is by far the best offensively gifted dman available period.
 
essence of phoenix said:
I get people bringing up the attitude issues and what not although to be honest it’s been beaten to death around here, but the fact is Merkley is by far the best offensively gifted dman available period.
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I dont personally have anything against Merkely....I just do not see him getting a look on this team with the competition there is going to be on the backend.
 
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JackSlater said:
Merkley's issue is not just his attitude but also his defence, is it not?
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He looked fine defensively in 4 pre-season NHL games. I get he has his lapses but so do guys like Karlsson, Burns and Subban. It comes with the territory of offensive dmen. But, you accept the occasional mistake because of what they can do for the team offensively. Guys like Dobson, Bouchard and Smith are no slouches by any means and are better defensively but none see the ice as well as Merkley. The plays he makes are next level.
 
essence of phoenix said:
He looked fine defensively in 4 pre-season NHL games. I get he has his lapses but so do guys like Karlsson, Burns and Subban. It comes with the territory of offensive dmen. But, you accept the occasional mistake because of what they can do for the team offensively. Guys like Dobson, Bouchard and Smith are no slouches by any means and are better defensively but none see the ice as well as Merkley. The plays he makes are next level.
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I'm not convinced on Merkley from what I've seen and moreso what I've read. If he plays well over the next two months, looks good in the super series and has a good amp then he should probably be there. If he is great offensively bu is a defensive liability then I don't expect him because Canada doesn't need that. Like most players the ball is in his court, though looking at the summer his chances seem low.
 
Here's my projected roster (assuming Hayton, Anderson-Dolan and Bouchard get returned). This is what I think the team will look like, not necessarily my personal picks.

Forwards:
Lafreniere-Glass-Suzuki
Tippett-Frost-JAD
Bowers-Veleno-Studnicka
McLeod-Hayton-Noel
Foudy

Defence:
Smith-Dobson
Mitchell-Bouchard
Joseph-Brook
Beaudin

Goalies:
DiPietro
Rodrigue


Overall, this team looks pretty good. I still see them being the gold medal favourites as no team looks stacked at this point. They just lack a number one guy up front to lead them, but that shouldn't be a problem with their depth.
 
I know his young, but any chance we get to see the younger Suzuki on a line with big brother?

a 3rd line of Lafreniere Suzuki Suzuki would be something to consider.

10 games in and I can't say I'm all that impressed with Lafreniere's start to the season.

Thomas getting 4th line 8 minutes TOI is not doing him any good. hopefully he gets sent back if that continues.

Rasmussen is fairing a little better as far as TOI goes. I think we can forget him being sent back, but on loan to TC on Dec. 11 remains an option.
 
Gold Standard said:
I know his young, but any chance we get to see the younger Suzuki on a line with big brother?

a 3rd line of Lafreniere Suzuki Suzuki would be something to consider.

10 games in and I can't say I'm all that impressed with Lafreniere's start to the season.

Thomas getting 4th line 8 minutes TOI is not doing him any good. hopefully he gets sent back if that continues.

Rasmussen is fairing a little better as far as TOI goes. I think we can forget him being sent back, but on loan to TC on Dec. 11 remains an option.
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I doubt you see Lafrenniere and Suzuki both on the team. Suzuki really isnt highly touted enough to make it as a draft eligible, you would be looking at someone like Lafreniere and Cozens at best which I also think is doubtful.

And ya if Thomas is getting that ice time he should get sent back. Rasmussen I still think is up in the air. The wings are actually such a shitshow this year to start that after 9 games he might get sent down. He hasnt really produced (only one assist, but it was really nice) and this team is so bad it might not be worth wasting a year of his ELC. But even if he stays, the way the wings season is going, he might get loaned out anyways.
 
The player that I think is least likely to return to junior is Comtois. He's playing well and Anaheim has injuries on the wing. Pretty much everyone else is in play. I do not think that Thomas will be sent down, but that's more a guess than anything else.

I also would not expect Ryan Suzuki. Even keeping a surprise like Crouse in 2015 in mind it is just extremely uncommon for Canada to take a 17 year old unless he is very, very highly touted. Forward depth is also strong this year.
 
essence of phoenix said:
He looked fine defensively in 4 pre-season NHL games. I get he has his lapses but so do guys like Karlsson, Burns and Subban. It comes with the territory of offensive dmen. But, you accept the occasional mistake because of what they can do for the team offensively. Guys like Dobson, Bouchard and Smith are no slouches by any means and are better defensively but none see the ice as well as Merkley. The plays he makes are next level.
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Does Merkley even offer any offensive upgrade over Smith at the moment? Does he do anything better than Smith?
 
jj cale said:
O.K gentlemen, do we have legitimate reason to have confidence in our goaltenders this year?
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Veleno is off to the start he needs to have a chance to make this team. In one of the games he didnt have points he was listed as having 8 dangerous chances I believe so the point total could be even higher right now 9gp 7 goals 8 assists for 15 points.
 
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I think Bowen Byram has a very real chance of making this team... the left side of the ice is very wide open after Smith... there is the obvious contenders that have all been mentioned but I think he could be playing his way on to this team. I didn’t think this would be his year but he looks impressive.

Ekblad and Ellis are the two most recent examples of underage defenceman making this team so it’s definitely a longer shot but with his play and the options available to Team Canada on the left side, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if he’s a “surprise” addition to the squad.
 
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