Olympics: Canada Roster Discussion (Roster in post 1)

[BertCorbeau]

Don't know why anyone wouldn't watch or cheer for this group, unless it's our of pure spite of Bettman and the NHL owners. A rag-tag collection of guys who couldn't make it in the NHL get the chance to win a gold medal for their country that have a bit of an underdog thing going on. A bit of a heart warmer. Plus it helps cement Canada's GOAT-ness in hockey at the world stage.

 

[uncleben]

With all due respect to the Canadian Women's team, I played against them and our team beat them in midget. I don't think people understand the difference in hockey ability.

This year the NWHL's Buffalo Beauts took on the Buffalo Jr. Sabres (a 15U team) and lost 9-4.


It's not a knock on women or the women's hockey - there just is a fundamental difference in ability as well as how they play. If you watch both men's and women's Olympics this year, compare the two and you'll see they're almost playing a different game.

 

[LastWordArmy]

A look into the strengths and weaknesses of the roster

Analyzing Team Canada's Men's Hockey Team - Last Word on Hockey

 

[SoundAndFury]

For those that watch the European leagues...are these defensemen that much better than Despres? I thought he was doing well over there

They aren't. It's just that their strategy was to pick primarily offensive defensemen, evidently. Also Despres plays on garbage team and isn't exactly dominant himself so it all adds up.

 

[v-man]

wow. justin peters made the team? good luck lol

That's what I'm thinking. This is a guy who just lost his KHL job to a guy from the Latvian domestic league (which is essentially a high level beer league with a sprinkling of retired pro players) after posting a 2-11 record. The team is doing considerably better without him. He didn't look impressive in his exhibition starts for Canada either.

 

[SoundAndFury]

A look into the strengths and weaknesses of the roster

Analyzing Team Canada's Men's Hockey Team - Last Word on Hockey

"Roy will likely carry most of the offence for this team. ". Again, this is the guy who couldn't create anything in the KHL. Just because he was good in the NHL 7 or 8 years ago doesn't mean anything. A lot of people with a lot of NHL games aren't even on a roster, for a reason. I kinda understand this agenda by writers who see a bunch of names and have to write something about them so they are going with the one they recognize but lets just say, that's not really accurate.

 

[SoundAndFury]

That's what I'm thinking. This is a guy who just lost his KHL job to a guy from the Latvian domestic league (which is essentially a high level beer league with a sprinkling of retired pro players) after posting a 2-11 record. The team is doing considerably better without him. He didn't look impressive in his exhibition starts for Canada either.

Even though Peters selection is mindbogglingly terrible (they are probably seeing him as a nice person and for a 3rd goalie it's all that matters) the "guy from the Latvian domestic league" actually last played in it in 2011 when he was 19. Your point was good enough as it is, no need to go and think of some arguments about beer leagues.

 

[tony d]

Best of luck to these guys. I know it's not the NHL taking part but these guys all have the talent to have made the team. I will be cheering them on the same as I would if the pros were playing.

 

[Duffman955]

This is a joke. We're going to get embarassed in the games.

 

[Peiskos]

Looks like a Spengler Cup Team Canada roster...yawn. Put an asterisk beside the winner of this "Olympic Gold" ...yes even if Canada wins it, just as there is an asterisk beside every Olympic gold winner in hockey before 1998.

 

[mattihp]

Looks like a Spengler Cup Team Canada roster...yawn. Put an asterisk beside the winner of this "Olympic Gold" ...yes even if Canada wins it, just as there is an asterisk beside every Olympic gold winner in hockey before 1998.

That's not how it works. Every country was equally screwed by Bettman. An olympic gold is still an olympic gold.

 

[Peiskos]

That's not how it works. Every country was equally screwed by Bettman. An olympic gold is still an olympic gold.

C'mon lets be serious for a moment and create two scenarios.

Scenario 1 : Finland meets Canada in the Olympic Final, Aleksander Barkov scores a hat trick and Tuukka Rask turns away 56 shots from the likes of Canada's Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty. Finland captures its first Olympic Hockey Gold medal in history.

Scenario 2 : Finland meets Canada in the Olympic Final, Petri Kontiola scores a hat trick and Mikko Koskinen turns away 25 shots from the likes of Canada's Chris Kelly, Eric O'Dell, Rene Bourque and Karl Stollery. Finland captures its first Olympic Hockey Gold medal in history.

You and I both know Scenario 2 is pathetic and clearly does not hold the same weight and cultural sporting significance as scenario 1.

An Olympic Gold is most certainly not an Olympic Gold.

Scenario 1 determines if Finland's best is better than Canada's best.

Scenario 2 determines if Finland's trash is better than Canada's trash.

 

[iCanada]

That's not how it works. Every country was equally screwed by Bettman. An olympic gold is still an olympic gold.

Equally? Absurd.

Canada could theoretically take the following roster:

Benn - Crosby - Giroux
Hall - McDavid - Stamkos
Huberdeau - MacKinnon - Stone
Toews - Scheifele - Seguin

Keith - Doughty
Giordano - Pietrangelo
Vlasic - Subban

Holtby
Price

Most countries are bringing their B teams, maybe C teams. This isn't Canada's C, D, E, F, G, or even H team. Canada has 33 goaltenders (17 teams worth), 124 defenceman (21 teams worth) and 243 forwards (21 teams worth) that are playing in the NHL this year. Given that it is literally Canada's 22nd best, or V team. No other country is sending their V team and its not even close. In comparison, the worst hit country is the US, which is sending their 11th best team. After that we have Sweden sending their 5th best team. Every other country is sending a C team at worst.

 

[lawrence]

I support this team.

Sean Burke mentioned that team was also assembled on players that are not quitters, that give it 110% whether they are former NHLers or not.

quite sick of my fellow countrymen already giving up on this team before it even started. Disgrace.

 

[Steveorama]

Thanks for this.
It is un-Canadian to quit...and rather pathetic to quit before a game has been played.
The people writing them off already will surely be the first to claim they have supported them all along, if Canada miraculously wins.

 

[Keram]

First of all that posts about amateurs at games really irritates me. NHLers do not go but pros are going. There won´t be single amateur player there in any team. They all have hockey as a main work for their living.

But yes, Bettman and owners robbed us significantly this time. I think this team will be under "Russia", Sweden, Finland, Czechia on paper. As for Slovakia I would rather won the bronze in Vancouver than hypothetical gold here. We will have similar team as 2017 WCH. But still weak compare to competition.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

This year the NWHL's Buffalo Beauts took on the Buffalo Jr. Sabres (a 15U team) and lost 9-4.


It's not a knock on women or the women's hockey - there just is a fundamental difference in ability as well as how they play. If you watch both men's and women's Olympics this year, compare the two and you'll see they're almost playing a different game.

Not that it's a big deal, but the Jr Sabres are an OJHL team, so they wouldnt be a U15 team.

 

[uncleben]

Not that it's a big deal, but the Jr Sabres are an OJHL team, so they wouldnt be a U15 team.

The OJHL team also runs a whole slew of competitive younger teams (U18, U16, U12, etc.), including a U15 team

 

[Beaker]

Who's going to be our Shane Falco?

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

The OJHL team also runs a whole slew of competitive younger teams (U18, U16, U12, etc.), including a U15 team

Interesting, didnt know that! Thanks.

 

[Kipper933]

I was surprised by the selection of Thomas over PAP. Also thought Victor Bartley played strong enough at the Spengler Cup to get a spot on the D.

I hope they go with Poulin as the starter because I think he has the most potential to steal games if the team gets outclassed.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I find it amazing that so many north americans think that euro leagues are just shit/amateurs. fact is that euro leagues are just pros...many players are former NHLers, some of them will be NHLers and some of them can play in NHL but dont want too and a lot of players have NHL skills in some areas but is lacking something to be 100 % in NHL....there is no bad player in this tournament. Players will come from AHL, SHL, KHL, Liiga, NLA, DEL....its the best leagues after NHL....

nhl being better does not mean that others leauge are pure shit...

with the logic you guys use: soccer leagues like eredivisie, ligue 1, portugal highest league etc can not play soccer because la liga and bundesliga and pl is so much better leagues...

You guys also think there is no hitting and grit and no intensity? Wrong. Watch euro hockey on regular basis and you guys will see that there is plenty of hitting, grit and intensity in euro hockey. Go and watch Sweden - Russia from Channel One Cup, Sweden delivered 10 big hits in the second period, the russians where flying like rag dolls when Stålberg, Fredrik Pettersson, Lander, Everberg and Joel Lundqvist where showing some muscles.

 

[Ceremony]

C'mon lets be serious for a moment and create two scenarios.

Scenario 1 : Finland meets Canada in the Olympic Final, Aleksander Barkov scores a hat trick and Tuukka Rask turns away 56 shots from the likes of Canada's Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty. Finland captures its first Olympic Hockey Gold medal in history.

Scenario 2 : Finland meets Canada in the Olympic Final, Petri Kontiola scores a hat trick and Mikko Koskinen turns away 25 shots from the likes of Canada's Chris Kelly, Eric O'Dell, Rene Bourque and Karl Stollery. Finland captures its first Olympic Hockey Gold medal in history.

You and I both know Scenario 2 is pathetic and clearly does not hold the same weight and cultural sporting significance as scenario 1.

An Olympic Gold is most certainly not an Olympic Gold.

Scenario 1 determines if Finland's best is better than Canada's best.

Scenario 2 determines if Finland's trash is better than Canada's trash.

You seem to be telling a Finn that winning an Olympic gold isn't significant, I'm not sure how well this will go for you but I'm keeping a close eye on it to see if he can be convinced.

 

[DoyleG]

You seem to be telling a Finn that winning an Olympic gold isn't significant, I'm not sure how well this will go for you but I'm keeping a close eye on it to see if he can be convinced.

He's got a very strong NHL fetish that clouds his judgement.

Much like choosing a GF/BF based on intimate prowess rather than based on long-term prospects.

Either way, bad thinking on the posters part. All we have to do is look at Sweden's win in '94.

 

[ES]

I find it amazing that so many north americans think that euro leagues are just ****/amateurs. fact is that euro leagues are just pros...many players are former NHLers, some of them will be NHLers and some of them can play in NHL but dont want too and a lot of players have NHL skills in some areas but is lacking something to be 100 % in NHL....there is no bad player in this tournament. Players will come from AHL, SHL, KHL, Liiga, NLA, DEL....its the best leagues after NHL....

Exactly this. If there was a trivia question: When did Auston Matthews play his first season of professional hockey, the answer should be 2015-16.

All of those who say that it would be close if it would be no pros at all are wrong. USA would probably blow everyone else with their NCAA depth. Canada can build a team on those too but no European country can do so.