Canadian players which are MISTAKES on the roster thus far

[RandV]

This is kind of a joke, it's far too early to be throwing in the towel, lets not forget the last Olympic's. Though I like Trippytime's assesment. It's likely not gonna work if you just take the best individual players. Selanne, Koivu, Lehtinen, they're far from being the best players in the league, but they can dominate in a best on best tournament because they have such great chemistry together from past international experience. That's why Nash was a definate choice to go, as he's been able to dominate with Thornton.

In hindsight they maybe could have picked a little better, particularly with Draper and Doan, 2/3rds of a shutdown line but no one else to compliment the, and now you see Draper playing on the top line with Sakic and Iginla. If they're not gonna employ a checking line, Tanguay would've been a much better choice there. Same with the Tampa trio, good two take two players that play together, but they could've left one at home. Or replaced them entirely by bringing Spezza to center Heatley, and pick up a complimentry winger for those two. With Gagne having played well on both Sakic and Thornton's line, based on proven chemistry I'd think the lineup would be something like:

Tanguay/Gagne-Sakic-Iginla
Nash-Thornton-Bertuzzi/Gagne
then two lines from:
Smyth/Richards(?)-Lecavalier-St.Louis
Kariya/Shanahan(?)-Spezza-Heatley
Morrow-Draper-Doan

So they did it mostly right, but they have one line where no one's ever really played together, which leads to line juggling, which probably isn't good in a short tournament like this.

 

[Chadley]

Look, this team, like every team, has strengths and weaknesses. The problem with Team canada is that their weakness is being exposed right now.

Thornton
Bertuzzi
Nash
Lecavalier
Pronger
Blake
Foote
Heatley

What do all these players have in common? Size and decent skating. They're not using their size and their decent skating is being exposed by the larger ice surface and by faster, quicker, more nimble, agile skaters.

that plus the fact that they're playing like they expect their reputations to knock over the competition. Maybe they should put in a little effort.

What does Bertuzzi have to do? He's going infront of the net, digging pucks out of the corner, making some big hits, creating chances. He is using his size, he is trying to drive the puck to net, but there is no puck support. I think that is using his size and skating ability.

The players jsut don't have any chemistry, defencemen can't make the first pass, defencemen keep losing battles in the corners. Forwards keep turning the puck over in the neutral zone, forwards sometiems don't know what to do with their linemates....it will take time, I know it's only a 2 week tourny, but it will take time.....come Medal round...they' ll be better.

 

[Snap Wilson]

Given how they've played the past two games, I don't see how you can single out one player. Has anyone not stunk?

OK, Pronger does stand out, although the problem seems more with his head than his foot. If he's not 100%, he should bow out and let Boyle take his spot in the medal round.

 

[Eddie Vedder]

Draper isnt a mistake, hes being misused by the coaching staff which is too bad cause hes an incredibly useful piece in the building of this team.

Bryan Mccabe was a mistake, but his mom is now using protection so it doesnt happen again.

 

[Chadley]

Given how they've played the past two games, I don't see how you can single out one player. Has anyone not stunk?

OK, Pronger does stand out, although the problem seems more with his head than his foot. If he's not 100%, he should bow out and let Boyle take his spot in the medal round.

one player that does stand out is Regehr...he has been DREADFUL! For his size, he is losing almost every battle in the corners, and keeps letting players go by him down the wing.

 

[Top Cheddar]

Draper isnt a mistake, hes being misused by the coaching staff which is too bad cause hes an incredibly useful piece in the building of this team.

Bryan Mccabe was a mistake, but his mom is now using protection so it doesnt happen again.

Shouldnt Quinn know what to do with McCabe ?

 

[Eddie Vedder]

Shouldnt Quinn know what to do with McCabe ?

You'd think so.

 

[deandebean]

Doan hasn't been a problem. Ask Forsberg about how tough Doan and Draper are to play against, after they dominated Forsberg at the 2003 Worlds.

Bottom line: the team as a whole has been a disappointment. The defence has struggled in their own zone, they're getting beat in a lot of races for the puck. They're also gettikng beat in corner battles. They aren't getting their shots through. But the forwards are not getting the job done. I can honestly say there isn't a forward who has met my expectations, except Draper and Doan, and that's because they've been doing their job.

This is very typical for Canadian teams at recent competitions played on the big ice and under international rules. They had tough starts at the 2002 Olys and the 2003 and 2004 Worlds. (2004 World Cup was played on NHL ice surfaces). It seems like it takes a while to adjust to the different nuances. They've always been able to make the necessary adjustments in time for the medal round.

If the flow chart from those tournaments continues, all of the complaints about Doan, Draper, the lack of production from the scorers and Quinn's coaching will be irrelevant.

If Canada does continue to play like this and loses in the quarter-final (they will not beat Slovakia, Russia or Sweden playing like this), and if NHL players continue at the Olys beyond 2010, there will have to be changes made to the system. And the solution will be to pick three or four of our best players currently playing in Europe, who can play in lesser roles, but bring a seemless transition to the international game.

That is a very intelligent post. Bravo. Jan Alston comes to mind.

 

[PecaFan]

The only thing wrong with Canada is attitude. They're clearly coasting through the "mean nothing" games, with the intent to turn it up when the medal round starts.

This is nothing new. As has been pointed out, it's exactly what happened in 2002. It worked then, will it work now?

It really won't surprise me to see it go either way, winning Gold, or finishing out of the medals.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I'd always like to see Canada do well but the roster and coaching isn't the way I wanted it so Slovakia is my number one team if only Havlat was there they'd be my favourite.

Chara
Mez
Hossa
Demitra
Bondra
Havlat

all current or ex-Sens

I'm a Sens fan before a team Canada fan.

Havlat isn't Slovakian.

 

[God Bless Canada]

That is a very intelligent post. Bravo. Jan Alston comes to mind.

I remember how good Dean Evason was for Canada at the 1997 Worlds. At times, he was the best player for a team that won gold. Jamie Heward was fantastic for Canada at the 2003 Worlds, and his play at that tournament played a big role in his return to the NHL.

I don't know if this strategy would work at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, as those players would be facing considerable jet lag flying from Europe to North America. But my money is on Salzberg, Austria to get the 2014 games, so a couple players based in Europe might be a good thing. It might lessen the adjustment for our players coming over.

(This is a strategy that was suggested after we didn't medal at the 1998 Olympics).

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

If people are mentioning Bertuzzi because they think he shouldn't be on the team for the Moore thing, fine.....no use arguing. But to say that he should be dropped because of his play? Utterly ridiculous. He was the team's best player in the first game, good in the second, and invisible in the last two...just like every other Canadian player.

 

[The Sensation]

Mistakes: Draper, Richards, Lecavelier, St.Louis, McCabe, Bertuzzi
Mostly: Draper, Richards, McCabe

Replace them with: Spezza, Staal, Phaneuf

What type of Line-up could work:

Nash-Sakic-Iginla
Gagne-Spezza-Heatley
Doan-Thornton-Lecavalier
Smyth-Staal-Bertuzzi
----------
Blake - Pronger
Redden - Phaneuf
Foote - Bouwmeester

 

[SENSational]

Havlat isn't Slovakian.

Damn I was just about to say that.

But yea anyways they deffinetly need to learn how to play as a team. Quinn needs to stop changing lines and let the players gain chemistry with one another.

 

[mooseOAK*]

Draper isnt a mistake, hes being misused by the coaching staff which is too bad cause hes an incredibly useful piece in the building of this team.

Bryan Mccabe was a mistake, but his mom is now using protection so it doesnt happen again.

Nice.

I can't see after watching the entire defence (team for that matter including Draper) play how McCabe can be singled out for anything. It probably has to do with the team he plays for.

 

[Ironchef Chris Wok*]

Brad Richards is the second best checking centre we have! And possibly the second bestplaymaker on the team. The Richards Smyth Doan line is skating hard and creating chances.

 

[Metallian*]

lets see what happens in the medal round

thats IF canada makes it to the medal round...

 

[Mike8]

The picking of this team really confused me. They wanted a mix of players who were loyal and had the experience as well as some of the younger stars who were too young the last time around.

For some reason, they picked the three Tampa Bay guys who could've easily been replaced by any experienced Team Canada guys who are still playing well like Shanahan or Kariya. The TB guys may have won a cup, but they have never been stars in their own right or done much outside of that year. I think all three were a mistake.

Kris Draper was a HUGE mistake. They picked him as a "defensive centre" or a "shutdown centre" and he's yet to do any of that. He's not being used a shutdown guy or an energy guy. He's been used on the left wing on a scoring line. So Team Canada totally bullshitted us into thinking Draper was there for defensive reasons, when clearly he's there because of the good ol' experience factor and nothing else. He's been 100% useless.

Players who deserve spots because of great years and past affiliation with TC:

Heatley, Gagne, Thornton, Nash

Players who deserve spots for experience and good/okay years:

Sakic, Iginla, Smyth

Players who deserve spots because they haven't sucked and Canada was determined to give them a chance:

Bertuzzi

Players who could easily be replaced and this team would be miles better:

Lecavalier, Richards, St. Louis, Draper, Doan (out of the five, I'd keep Doan if I had to)

Players who would make this team instantly more efficient:

Kariya, Staal, Crosby, Spezza, Shanahan, Morrow etc.

I won't even start on the defense. We can't blame the defense because they DID name mostly the right players, two of them couldn't play. Phaneuf would be great, but I don't think would make enough of a difference. It's the forwards that are the problem.

Very good post, I agree whole-heartedly.

But I don't think the selections were bad; they just could have been better. And I still believe this roster is good enough to win. But something needs to happen with that transition game.

 

[thebodyczech]

From a football ("soccer") standpoint, it seems predictable. Granted, hockey and football are two different sports, but, in football, star-stuffed teams (ie: Real Madrid) don't fare as well as those without so many prima donnas (ie: Barcelona). Just a parallelism.

Poor coaching isn't much help either. Don't see why Martin or, better, Hitchcock isn't in the head position. Quinn is just god-awful.

 

[Ogopogo*]

Honestly, leaving Spezza, Tanguay, Staal, Crosby, Marleau and Phaneuf off the team are huge mistakes. They would provide the spark that the team is lacking right now.

Guys like Iginla, St. Louis, Bertuzzi, Doan, Foote and Draper have been having poor seasons and should not be in Italy.

 

[thebodyczech]

Mistakes: Draper, Richards, Lecavelier, St.Louis, McCabe, Bertuzzi
Mostly: Draper, Richards, McCabe

Replace them with: Spezza, Staal, Phaneuf

What type of Line-up could work:

Nash-Sakic-Iginla
Gagne-Spezza-Heatley
Doan-Thornton-Lecavalier
Smyth-Staal-Bertuzzi
----------
Blake - Pronger
Redden - Phaneuf
Foote - Bouwmeester

I have to agree with your statements. St. Louis was a one-hit wonder. He may still be good, but to be honest, I think he's past his quickly-lived prime. If memory serves me right, I hear Viktor Kozlov had a few good years here and there. And, especially on a year when he's underperforming, why select him over Staal or Crosby?

St. Louis is terribly overrated.

 

[Mike8]

From a football ("soccer") standpoint, it seems predictable. Granted, hockey and football are two different sports, but, in football, star-stuffed teams (ie: Real Madrid) don't fare as well as those without so many prima donnas (ie: Barcelona). Just a parallelism.

Poor coaching isn't much help either. Don't see why Martin or, better, Hitchcock isn't in the head position. Quinn is just god-awful.

What do you feel has been poor about Quinn's coaching?


About the team being star-studded: I'm not sure this is an issue. The stars have very different styles of play. This should enable them to find respective roles, as they have in previous tournaments. There are quite a few players on this team that are more role-players than star-players as well (Doan, Draper, Foote, McCabe, Bouwmeester et al.)

 

[ScottyBowman]

Foote/Draper shouldn't be there but this isn't why they are losing.

 

[Dig Out Your Soul]

Very good post, I agree whole-heartedly.

But I don't think the selections were bad; they just could have been better. And I still believe this roster is good enough to win. But something needs to happen with that transition game.

Good call, their transition is terrible and might be the worst part of their game right now. They can't break the trap, they're coming through the neutral zone very slowly, don't recover dump-ins and are not making crisp passes. Once they get down low, especially the bigger guys, they will dominate. But there hasn't been a whole lot of offensive zone containment, particularly against the Fins and so there hasn't been many chances.

And speaking of transition, the amount of offsides and icings alone are doing this team in.

 

[LannysStach]

we're set up for the biggest collapse for canada in international hockey history (to fall from defending Gold to this),
or the biggest comeback in Olympic hockey history or for Canada since '72.

they've basically gotta win 4 straight now,
after getting shut-out 2 straight.
or lose their 3rd straight then win 3 in a row.

i'm lovin this hockey drama we got!