Canadian World Junior Thread (Vent Session)

[OMG67]

He was invisible in the first two periods too. In fact, he hasn’t done much of anything since the 1st period of the Finland game when he was quite good and playing up to his capability next to Yager.



I don’t disagree that it’s worth a shot trying Martone on the 2nd line, but he hasn’t really given his coach a reason to do so. Despite his large frame he’s been content to play on the perimeter for much of the tournament and hasn’t done much to work himself into the middle of the ice to create offense from there (though he’s far from the only forward I’ll criticize for this). Contrast that with Pinelli, who’s been operating effectively between the hash marks, finishing a nice play set up by Price in the Finland game and creating a nice scoring opportunity for himself yesterday. He also made a key shot block late in the Czechia pre-tournament game, and everyone knows coaches love that shit. The only knock I’ll make on Pinelli is the penalty call late in the Latvia game, but I think most would agree that was pretty weak and likely not called in the O.

And for the record, two things:

1. I didn’t have Pinelli on my team coming out of the selection camp in early December. I thought he should have been cut from camp in favour of Sennecke. You can go back into my posts from early December. I like to think I’m fairly unbiased when it comes to matters affecting our national team (though I am a 67s fan).

2. IMO, Cameron has made some highly questionable decisions, in terms of roster selection and now player deployment. I don’t feel the need to defend him. Again, I questioned Cameron’s decision making, capabilities to coach this particular team, and tactical tendencies a month ago - check my post history if you don’t believe me. Having Bonk quarterback the PP (and Howe playing on the PP) is inexcusable. Not dressing Rehkopf is dumb. I didn’t think the team was well prepared to play last night, including our special teams. How he’s configured the lines and D pairings and dolled out ice time shouldn’t really be the primary concerns at the moment imo. The players need to play better, they need to play more physical, they need to forecheck harder and force turnovers by the opposition D-men, they need to attack the middle of the ice, and they need to finish.

100%. Without player execution on obvious lack of effort and poor decision making plays, it is hard to zero in on the coach. If the players were executing and the combination of players are producing while still generating chances, then attack the coach. But, how anyone can attack the coach when open ice passes aren’t being executed effectively isn’t on the coach. Players not penetrating and expecting the Red Sea to part for them so they can walk in uncontested isn’t on the coach. Playing dumb and impatient isn’t on the coach. Not hitting anything isn’t on the coach. The only thing the coach can do is start reducing the ice time of players not performing to expectation. The Yeager line saw that yesterday int he 3rd period. So, the coach did make an effort to at least put out the lines that were generating some form of offence.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

Also, there’s no doubt in my mind that Martone will be a star in the NHL in 5 years while Pinelli may not even be in the NHL in 5 years. That’s not really the question. We’re looking at winning a gold medal over the next 10 days. I’m old enough to remember a guy named Christian Dube (who played only a handful of NHL games after) leading Canada to a gold medal in 1997 while future hall of famer Joe Thornton warmed the bench as a spare forward. This stuff happens every year and looks weird in hindsight, but as they used to say - it’s a 19 year olds’ tournament, with good reason.

 

[Donnie740]

So if we all agree that Porter Martone struggled badly in the Latvia game - - to the extent that he was benched for the entire 3rd period - - how can anyone possibly justify sending him out third in the shootout?

That’s entirely on the coach. Terrible, TERRIBLE, decision by Cameron.

 

[OMG67]

So if we all agree that Porter Martone struggled badly in the Latvia game - - to the extent that he was benched for the entire 3rd period - - how can anyone possibly justify sending him out third in the shootout?

That’s entirely on the coach. Terrible, TERRIBLE, decision by Cameron.

Normally the shootout players are decided pre-game based on performance at the club level. I’m sure every forward on that team are likely successful shootout guys at the club level. When it is one on one, I don’t think it matters much. Shootouts are a bit of a crap shoot.

The reality is, no one deserved a shit at the shootout if we were using game performance as the benchmark! Well, maybe since Luchanko scored on the breakaway, roll with him as the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th shooter?

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Is there a reason why a managing partner is speaking for the team but not the coach or assistants??

 

[dirty12]

So if we all agree that Porter Martone struggled badly in the Latvia game - - to the extent that he was benched for the entire 3rd period - - how can anyone possibly justify sending him out third in the shootout?

That’s entirely on the coach. Terrible, TERRIBLE, decision by Cameron.

He looked good in shoot out practice?

 

[purple pharrt]

The #1 job of any coach, at any level, is to provide a game plan based upon the strengths or weaknesses of his available players. He then has to "sell" this game plan to the players, so that they collectively buy in, and execution of the game plan becomes a team priority.
Now, this begs the question: Which coaches in this tournament have best illustrated an understanding of this fundamental aspect of their job ?? Who has gotten the most out of the players available to the point that his team has become greater than the sum of it's parts ?

Sure, the argument can be made that player execution is ultimately what determines outcome, but surely there is an onus on the coach to recognize that the game plan isn't working, and an adjustment has to be made to give his players a better chance to succeed.

If one honestly answers these questions, one can only conclude that Dave Cameron has been outcoached.

 

[three dog night]

Too many penalties

 

[HockeyPops]

Damien Cox: Canada’s yappy and petulant world junior team is its own worst enemy. The players need to smarten up

You wonder whether Easton Cowan, Luca Pinelli and their teammates have a full understanding of the responsibility that comes with playing for Canada.

www.thestar.com

 

[bobber]

100%. Without player execution on obvious lack of effort and poor decision making plays, it is hard to zero in on the coach. If the players were executing and the combination of players are producing while still generating chances, then attack the coach. But, how anyone can attack the coach when open ice passes aren’t being executed effectively isn’t on the coach. Players not penetrating and expecting the Red Sea to part for them so they can walk in uncontested isn’t on the coach. Playing dumb and impatient isn’t on the coach. Not hitting anything isn’t on the coach. The only thing the coach can do is start reducing the ice time of players not performing to expectation. The Yeager line saw that yesterday int he 3rd period. So, the coach did make an effort to at least put out the lines that were generating some form of offence.

In reality being the head coach of Canada in the World Junior Tourney you either become a national hero or an a-hole. Doesn't matter what your resume says. It's a totally thankless job if your squad under performs. Putting these team together on the fly is basically a crap shoot. It would be great to see more net front presence , screening the goalie and causing a bit of chaos without retaliating.
A lot of goals are scored in scrums around the blue paint. Not every goal needs a perfect set up.
Players need to come away with a few more battle scars by winning battles in front of the opposing goalie. This squad needs to show why they made the roster over others that were either cut or not invited. If they fail to do this it's obvious the powers that be making these decisions chose wrong.

 

[OMG67]

In reality being the head coach of Canada in the World Junior Tourney you either become a national hero or an a-hole. Doesn't matter what your resume says. It's a totally thankless job if your squad under performs. Putting these team together on the fly is basically a crap shoot. It would be great to see more net front presence , screening the goalie and causing a bit of chaos without retaliating.
A lot of goals are scored in scrums around the blue paint. Not every goal needs a perfect set up.
Players need to come away with a few more battle scars by winning battles in front of the opposing goalie. This squad needs to show why they made the roster over others that were either cut or not invited. If they fail to do this it's obvious the powers that be making these decisions chose wrong.

You choose the team based on the style you want to play. It is clear they took the approach of goal prevention. They didn’t even invite Senneke initially and left Misa off the invite list. Green tree as well. And that is just OHLers. They took energy guys that are also good players. They clearly wanted goal prevention. They took more than enough talent to compile a solid PP that has not produced.

This really comes down to strategy. Team Canada has had this awful strategy of having two energy lines and two scoring lines. I’v not liked that for years now. It is tough because Team USA brings virtually nothing but skill guys that skate like the wind and play a really high tempo game. Team canada does not want to play run and gun with that style of team. They want to hit them and slow them down. They want to shit down the inside lanes and take advantage of the special teams play. That is the strategy. That doesn’t’ work when you give up 8 powerplays and only score one of two PP goals yourself.

The strategy is risk aversion. That strategy is even falling off at the NHL level a bit. It still works for Stanley Cup playoffs becuase it is four rounds over two months but a shirt tournament like this needs a lot more energy.

 

[leafs4life94]

You choose the team based on the style you want to play. It is clear they took the approach of goal prevention. They didn’t even invite Senneke initially and left Misa off the invite list. Green tree as well. And that is just OHLers. They took energy guys that are also good players. They clearly wanted goal prevention. They took more than enough talent to compile a solid PP that has not produced.

This really comes down to strategy. Team Canada has had this awful strategy of having two energy lines and two scoring lines. I’v not liked that for years now. It is tough because Team USA brings virtually nothing but skill guys that skate like the wind and play a really high tempo game. Team canada does not want to play run and gun with that style of team. They want to hit them and slow them down. They want to shit down the inside lanes and take advantage of the special teams play. That is the strategy. That doesn’t’ work when you give up 8 powerplays and only score one of two PP goals yourself.

The strategy is risk aversion. That strategy is even falling off at the NHL level a bit. It still works for Stanley Cup playoffs becuase it is four rounds over two months but a shirt tournament like this needs a lot more energy.

They want to what down the inside lanes??? lol

The issue is that even with bringing 2 checking lines - which I agree they shouldn't be doing - Canada's team with 2 checking lines and 2 scoring lines should still have enough offensive ability to put up more than 4 ES strength goals in 4 games. As far as I'm concerned that is absolutely inexcusable - unless DC is saying don't try and score, just defend - they have to be able to finish.

Like even Kazakhstan has the same amount of ES goals as Canada... how is that even possible?

 

[OMG67]

They want to what down the inside lanes??? lol

The issue is that even with bringing 2 checking lines - which I agree they shouldn't be doing - Canada's team with 2 checking lines and 2 scoring lines should still have enough offensive ability to put up more than 4 ES strength goals in 4 games. As far as I'm concerned that is absolutely inexcusable - unless DC is saying don't try and score, just defend - they have to be able to finish.

Like even Kazakhstan has the same amount of ES goals as Canada... how is that even possible?

I cannot explain away the lack of overall offence. I didn’t’ keep the game on vs USA right to the end. So, I am unsure who their player of the game was but it was likely the goalie. If so, that is all four round robin games where Canada faced the goalie player of the game. We can moan about not getting the puck inside etc but usually the goaltending isn’t quite this solid where the goalies are saving ALL of the first shots. They are usually finding holes from the outside. They usually get a few weak ones. They aren’t getting any weak goals. The only weak goal so far was a flukey one off the back boards that went in off the German Goalie.

Germany and Latvia are set up for goal prevention and everything they do is to not be scored on and both did fairly well. Even Finland is that way in many respects. USA? Not so much. They want the puck and want to move it quickly. IMO, that is the game canada should be playing. Take advantage of the elite skill. Why play goal prevention when you can stock the team full of puck movers and puck possession players? Great goalie back there to bail you out too…. You can play puck possession a nd high speed and pressure without playing pond hockey.

 

[Matt93]

There is no hitting in hockey anymore.

Canada isn’t always the most skilled team but they hit hard and made the other team afraid to touch the puck.

This team is soft. US head and shoulders better in every aspect.

I blame Hockey Canada and the complacency they’ve shown over the years. Would rather cover up sex assault scandals than fix minor hockey.

 

[DWI Dale]

I don't want to watch PP1 any more.

 

[backwoods]

Wtf. From bad to worse

 

[All the Answers]

Dickinson was awful that period. He's playing scared. Needs to be bumped to 3rd pair/7th D and 2nd pp unit only.

 

[OMG67]

Dickinson was awful that period. He's playing scared. Needs to be bumped to 3rd pair/7th D and 2nd pp unit only.

A great player that may have had the worst period of hockey in his career. He will bounce back.

 

[OMG67]

I always try to find a silver lining and this one is tough to find but I did manage to find one…

In 2009 I paid $1100 per ticket package and this year I decided that $2000+ for the package was jsut too much. I am glad I didn’t buy the package without Canada making it to the Medal Round. So, that is the Silver Lining….

 

[three dog night]

Terrible reffing tonight didn’t help

 

[leafs4life94]

That DC challenge on the Cataford play at the net might be one of the dumbest I've ever seen since challenges were introduced.

Regardless of what you think of the call, there is no reason for Gibson for to be looking to make that big of a hit at that point in the game. There's 2 minutes left, why bother knowing international rules are tighter?

 

[StingUpdates]

Hockey Canada needs to seriously look themsleves in the mirror & maybe even let some people go for others with different views on todays game. You cant grit your way past teams anymore. You need game breaking skill everywhere in best on best tournaments.

Leaving truly elite CHL players off the roster for grinders was utter stupidity & it cost them & made one of the biggest embarrassments in Canadian world junior history.

 

[DWI Dale]

IMO Canada lost this tournament when they selected their goal song.

 

[Savard18]

That DC challenge on the Cataford play at the net might be one of the dumbest I've ever seen since challenges were introduced.

Regardless of what you think of the call, there is no reason for Gibson for to be looking to make that big of a hit at that point in the game. There's 2 minutes left, why bother knowing international rules are tighter?

Nope. He’s the greatest junior aged defenseman on the planet. Your team can’t lose with him on the blueline. Just check the Greyhounds thread.

 

[EvenSteven]

IMO Canada lost this tournament when they selected their goal song.

USA has a gold medal goal song!!!

Freebird, yeeeahh!!