GDT: Four Nations

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Jets would beat this Canada team!

I agree. Jets play like a team. Canada & USA actually looked fairly garbage (with the US playing prevent defense for half the game with 4 guys behind the blue line...) - passing off, no chemistry. I expected more.

Though if Makar was healthy, this game would have been closer.

:laugh:


Guys can we wait to see if this Jets team can have a competitive first round in the playoff for the first time in half a decade before we crown them champion of the new 5 nations cup? :sarcasm:
 
We all know how good Hellebuyck is, I didn't feel like Canada would get a 2nd goal there unless the US had a breakdown and they didn't really. The only one I can think of was a 2 on 1 where McDavid tried the pass instead of just shooting. I think we see this a lot with teams playing against Hellebuyck, they know he's good so they think they need to go fancy to beat him.

Connor wasn't very impactful, I don't really care as he's not being overworked going into the end of the season.

The Larkin winner was a great shot, not sure most goalies would get that. The first Guentzel goal was brutal. For some reason this tournament is making most goalies look silly. Gustavsson has been bad, Saros had some stinkers, the Finnish OT winner didn't make Ullmark look very good and Binnington has allowed a bad one each game.

Forgot to mention Morrissey, I thought he was pretty good, felt like he was Canada's 1D yesterday and played well.

I don’t mind seeing KC get a light load either. Watching Tkachuk and Theadore go down with injuries has made me realize Jets survival is kind of the number one goal for me as a Jets fan. I would also take a team Canada win in the final in Boston as a close #2.
 
So I was at a Volleyball tournament all day boy are those a grind (shout out to parents of club volleyball players). Yup you aren’t sitting in a cold rink for two hours but those grinding 11 hour days at Dakota field house are something.

Got home late and watched the game on PVR general observations.


Best first period of hockey I have seen in years. So much skill on both sides of the puck that was fun to watch.

After the US got torched on the McDavid goal they made the adjustments and really locked down the neutral zone.

Canada also made it really tough on the US. Dominant NHL players on both sides were totally taken out of their game. Both sides iced line ups that allowed them to play any style of game.The part that impressed me most was how committed both teams were to team defense. Both teams were shutting down the other teams stars and if not for an awkward D line change on the second US goal and a first goal Binnington would have wanted back this game could have gone either way.

I thought Connor played a touch better ( couldn’t have been more invisible than his first game) but due to the nature of the grinding game it was smart to keep him on the bench. He had a team low 8:32 but that was smart coaching since he plays non physical and last night was a grinding and the forwards needed to defend really well. I don’t think he will be on the US team going to the Olympics. He’s not built for this type of hockey where there is zero time and space for cute plays.

The part that surprised me most was how effective Jake Guentzle was. He is 5’11” and 178 but he was able to generate a team leading 5 shots and was one of the few US players that was dangerous. Dear KC while you are on the bench watching the game study Jake and how a small guy can shine in a grinding game (not kidding).

US coaching was very good. Take a look at the usage with their D. They have a great D core with Werenski (Norris level season), Fox (Norris winner), Faber, Slavin, Hanifin, McAvoy. So last night in that game their TOI was:

Faber 25:19
Slavin 25:36

McAvoy 20:13
Hanifin 19:27

Fox 13:44
Werenski 13:47


How do you make MacKinnon and McDavid look average, you use your best defenders and keep one of the two sets on the ice when they are out there. Its why a kid like Samberg is to important in Winnipeg. Defending the other teams stars really well is so underrated its painful.

I thought Morrissey was Canada’s best defender and he also led the Canadian defenders with over 22:00 minutes.

I thought Doughty sucked vs Sweden but I didn’t think he sucked last night. Our entire D core pretty much stymied the US attack most of the night and that is also in big part to a Canadian forward group that were all getting back fast and eliminating time and space.

Posters are focused on what our team did wrong and how guys like MacKinnon were ineffective but on the US side their top guys like Matthew’s, Hughes, Eichle, had two shots total between them and those were both Hughes. Eichel and Matthews weren’t able to get off a single shot on net.

Its comical that people thing Schiefele would have been a savior when guys like MacKinnon, Matthew’s, Hughes, Eichel and even McDavid were getting shut down. None of the top guys were thriving and Mark would have probably been a liability on defense.

This was what it was. A very spirited game where both teams fought and gave the other team nothing.

Tournaments not over, chin up.

Team US is annoying with some natural heels but that is a very well constructed, deep team, that is well coached and Canada was right there with them in a one goal game. Beat Finland and let’s see what happens in the rematch.

I like the positivity and agree about the type of game it was. But I don't think it was quite that close. From about the 10 minute mark we were outplayed by the US team. Only slightly at any one time - but almost all of the time. It was just a slow and steady pace of winning by a slim margin. As you say, both teams were doing the same things. The US was doing them just slightly better.

Yes we will agree to disagree.

Comical is a bit strong but “IF” he was on the team he would be a supprt player on the 3rd or most likely the 4th line. I get it he’s our boy but much better players than Mark were all getting shut down in that game. Not saying you said this but I see others saying it’s “a joke” Mark was left off this team. That is disrespectful to the players who are all out their busting there ass. Mark has had a good season and he could have been selected to this team but he was always going to be borderline like Suzuki. It’s not about the fringe players and what they might have done, it’s about the best guys fighting through this and finding a way.

Even if Mark was on the 4th line, he would have been the best player on that line. Canada has several players who should not be there. Not that they aren't good players. But they aren't among the best players.
 
why are you singling out point and reinhart as if those were the forwards scheifele would replace? and I don't think people are upset at canada having a shut down line... it's more of the fact that they have 2 shut down lines

seriously, all of their offence has come off the rush, they need someone that can bring another element to their game and scheifele is one of the hardest guys to knock off the puck down low, someone that can get you extra time to get open...

like people defending canada's roster choices when they took binnington to be the starter and doughty as a replacement after he just came back and has looked bad with the kings...
Scheifele, Bedard, Celebrini, Tavares, Barzal (I know he’s hurt right now), Suzuki — I would’ve had any of those guys in over guys like Cirelli and Jarvis. Would say Bennett too but I thought he played well and will concede on that. Lots of other people online are saying Tom Wilson should’ve made the team — I don’t necessarily agree, but there’s another name in the mix.

Parayko shouldn’t have been anywhere near this team. Sanheim and Harley are weak choices when you have Weegar, Bouchard and Dobson sitting at home.

Binnington sucks — he’s below .900 this year and has been riding that Cup win harder than The Simpsons is riding their first 10 seasons. Hill and Montembeault are also having poor seasons statistically and probably shouldn’t be on the team over Blackwood, Kuemper, and a Vezina contender (Thompson).
 
Some observations on the game from my big-butt recliner:

After watching the national anthems with my wife, I was banished to the den to watch the game while she watched the Scotties curling. By the time I got there including a quick bathroom break, I had missed the first two fights. (Thankfully there were replays.) I did catch Parayko’s relative pounding of Miller. I’m not a fan of fighting but it looked like the Tkachuk brothers and Miller initiated them so.....

That was quite the first period of hockey (and fisticuffs).

McDavid’s goal was a beauty, eh and a backhander to boot. I think Hellebuyck was surprised when he probably shouldn't have been because, well it was McDavid.

Apparently, Hellebuyck is 6’3” and Binnington is 6’2”. Binnington sure plays small in the net and seems to get himself out of position a lot. Of the five goals that Binnington has given up so far in the tournament, four have “middle of the net” goals. Basically, goals that a strong, positional goalie would have stopped (i.e., Helly). To me, it’s clear that Hill has to start the next game and I’ll still be concerned about our goaltending.

Although Makar was sorely missed. (He could have made a diffence.), I thought Morrissey played very well, Parayko not so much. He’s a bit slow to handle the pace of the Americans. Harley acquitted himself nicely. And like Parayko, Doughty is too slow.

I’m not sure whose idea it was to stock up on Lightning players.

Anyway, I’ll be watching tomorrow and hopefully cheering us on in the final.

Go Canada Go!

Scheifele, Bedard, Celebrini, Tavares, Barzal (I know he’s hurt right now), Suzuki — I would’ve had any of those guys in over guys like Cirelli and Jarvis. Would say Bennett too but I thought he played well and will concede on that. Lots of other people online are saying Tom Wilson should’ve made the team — I don’t necessarily agree, but there’s another name in the mix.

Parayko shouldn’t have been anywhere near this team. Sanheim and Harley are weak choices when you have Weegar, Bouchard and Dobson sitting at home.

Binnington sucks — he’s below .900 this year and has been riding that Cup win harder than The Simpsons is riding their first 10 seasons. Hill and Montembeault are also having poor seasons statistically and probably shouldn’t be on the team over Blackwood, Kuemper, and a Vezina contender (Thompson).
In particular, 👍 to you comments about Parayko and Binnington!
 
I would not want Bouchard within 200 miles of Team Canada. You can take pressure off of him in the NHL with a strong partner and decent matchups but he would be getting absolutely cooked by the USA forecheck and plus powerplays are few and far between in high stakes games
 
People know I have always had a soft spot for Canada and when I started following hockey, there were some giants playing like Roy, Brodeur. Later on goalies like Price and Luongo. What happened to your goalies? Where is the top talent nowadays?

Although the Americans are far superior in the goalie position, their team seems to be built more balanced as well. Team USA also seemed to be more prepared.

Still, you can get a 2nd shot at them next week.

Canada vs USA at the olympics is going to be epic.
The goalie thing is weird. I think it's just a blip.

Even though it's the most expensive position, in terms of numbers, Canada has approximately the same number of registered hockey players as the US, 5 times more than Russia. 10 times more than the Finns. Just by the law of averages, Canada should have a lot of solid goalies. Every team needs a couple.

And currently, 3 of the top 5 goalies by SV% are Canadians - unfortunately, none of them are at the tournament. Which is about average over the last 20 seasons - the entire Cap Era (3 Canadian goalies in the Top 10).

I think the problem is we don't seem to have any consistently elite goalies right now. Although Kuemper has been in the Top 10 in SV% in 4 of the last 7 seasons...and Top 5 twice (including 4th so far this season). How did he get passed over?
 
Jets missed the opportunity to draft Harley in 2019... drafted Heinola 2 picks later. Imagine a LD of Morrissey, Harley and Samberg...
We didn't really miss the opportunity though did we considering he was picked before we had a chance too, I mean sure we could have traded up but draft picks are hit and miss, the likes of Protas, Pinto and McMichael went after our pick of Ville and we didn't take them either.

Just the way it goes.
 

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