GDT: Game 12: Russia Vs United States | 1PM EST 7PM CET | USA 3 - 1 RUS

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Why is our top PP worse than our 2nd group

I think I’d switch the two units, and put Jones with the first unit.

 

[King'sPawn]

Zegras is a much more purely offensive player, combining vision and passing to be an offensive threat.

Turcotte plays more of an all-around game, where the remarks on him were "sandpaper and silk." He has a decent skillset, but he plays tenacious and gritty as well.

He's also been commended for his maturity, self-accountability, and ability to change the culture of leadership long-term (not that Zegras doesn't have that capability; it's just been brought up in fewer conversations from what I've read and heard).

Turcotte's not been a game changer, but he has done a bit of everything. So, as far as being a gamebreaker, he has underperformed.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Brink should not play PP this year

I don’t know if we have any better options. He’s probably the 10th guy on it, and it’s the best part of his game. If Boldy was at this tournament, maybe Brink’s not playing the PP and is the 13th forward. We needed more grinders though. Can’t take too many skill players to a pond hockey tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

What’s up with Caufield? He’s been invisible so far in this tournament.

He had four goals in the final exhibition game.

I think people overreact too much to this tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wondering if some NTDP coaching presence would be useful for this tourney. Would add first-hand knowledge of so many players to the staff.

I think Wroblewski should coach the team next year. He’s done a great job this season with the 17’s. He was gifted the 2001 class, but with a slightly above average 2003 class, he’s made them into a great team.

 

[Sojourn]

Zegras is a much more purely offensive player, combining vision and passing to be an offensive threat.

Turcotte plays more of an all-around game, where the remarks on him were "sandpaper and silk." He has a decent skillset, but he plays tenacious and gritty as well.

He's also been commended for his maturity, self-accountability, and ability to change the culture of leadership long-term (not that Zegras doesn't have that capability; it's just been brought up in fewer conversations from what I've read and heard).

Turcotte's not been a game changer, but he has done a bit of everything. So, as far as being a gamebreaker, he has underperformed.

I'm less down on Turcotte's performance in this tournament than some. Even if he hasn't been that game breaker, I feel like he's contributing a solid all-around performance and probably doing what his coach wants. It just hasn't been as good offensively as we probably want, which is actually probably a credit to the kind of game he can bring. He can still be an asset to a team when he isn't lighting it up.

Super excited about Zegras, and the kid is bringing it, but the US doesn't win today if they don't manage things in the D-zone. Offensively, the US was more opportunistic and fortunate than they were outright better.

 

[kilowatt]

He hasn't done much with that time, other players received less and earned more

Sure, that’s fair. Some guys with similar ice time have performed very well - Zegras and Kaliyev specifically - but Turcotte has been driving play and is hard on the puck. He was essentially given a checking role the first two games and did just that.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

He had four goals in the final exhibition game.

I think people overreact too much to this tournament.

4 goals in an exhibition is nice and all but being invisible when it matters is somewhat worrisome.

Turcotte hasn’t done much either on offense but he’s doing everything else correctly.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

I'm less down on Turcotte's performance in this tournament than some. Even if he hasn't been that game breaker, I feel like he's contributing a solid all-around performance and probably doing what his coach wants. It just hasn't been as good offensively as we probably want, which is actually probably a credit to the kind of game he can bring. He can still be an asset to a team when he isn't lighting it up.

Super excited about Zegras, and the kid is bringing it, but the US doesn't win today if they don't manage things in the D-zone. Offensively, the US was more opportunistic and fortunate than they were outright better.

Good post. US Dmen were all better than in 1st two games. Emberson was best D. Miller was
solid also.

They need to cut down on the penalties though.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

4 goals in an exhibition is nice and all but being invisible when it matters is somewhat worrisome.

Turcotte hasn’t done much either on offense but he’s doing everything else correctly.

Turcotte's also a better player, and has more dimensions to his game. His bad is a lot better than Caufield's. I'm not sure thats a very compelling comparison.

I'm merely saying that this stuff has a lot of randomness. Caufield's value comes from putting the puck in the net. He's being played mostly in this tournament with grinders. In the last pre-tournament game, he had a great game on the PP, and got four goals. Sometimes that happens. And sometimes you have a three game goal drought. I think we should be judging these players based on all the games we see of them, not some arbitrary cutoff where games count and don't count. I don't take any of these games too seriously. This is all to benefit the development of these prospects. The regular season games start being all that matters when he gets to the NHL. The difference between an exhibition and the first or second WJC game is rather meaningless, in my opinion.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Turcotte and caufield are brutal today yikes

I disagree. I thought Turcotte played a very good game, despite not getting on the stat sheet. He was probably our best player today.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sorry but wahlstrom Is just not a strong hockey player.

I see nothing with him, I don’t know what I am missing exactly

I wouldn't put too much stock into this tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

How’s Beecher look?

Same, as always. Very good transition game, very good defensively, physical. Does not belong on a line with skill players. He's a passenger with skill players, and despite all the consternation from Bruins fans, I doubt he has top six potential. I'm also a big fan of him, but if you are going to tell me I have to think he has top six potential because an NHL team decided to pick him in the first round, I'm not going to go along for the sake of it.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Russia won't like the fact they lost but they can now safely go back to Askarov and see what he can do the rest of the way. Dangerous opponent and more unpredictable than most teams.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Turcotte, through three games, has received 10:51, 11:59, and 13:55 time on ice. These 3rd/4th line ice times have really helped showcase his talents!

And he's been playing with players such as Ford and Beecher. He also started out the tournament out of position.

I thought today he was very good offensively. Not putting up points doesn't equal not playing well offensively. The first two games he wasn't that good offensively, but today he was.

As I said with Caufield, as well, Turcotte had 3-4 points in the last exhibition game. I don't think there should be some arbitrary cutoff where we can count only one of two games against Germany four days apart because one is an official World Junior game and the other isn't. None of these games matter that much. They are all exhibition games. The real games are in the NHL. These games are for prospects to develop and reach the NHL. And I still think Turcotte needs to play better. He's been out of form, but he was good today, and I don't think there's much of a basis to be criticizing his play after this game.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yep, and Zegras is a much better offensive player.

I think this is a misnomer. He's more offensively inclined. They are pretty equal offensively. I'd give a slight edge to Turcotte. Zegras has better playmaking vision, Turcotte has a better shot and is less reliant on perimeter offense. Turcotte's also outproduced Zegras with the NTDP for the prior few years. Some of that was Zegras role, but this often happens where a two-way player has their offensive game underrated compared to the offensive game of a more offensively inclined player.

Eye test tells you all you need to know. It was also pretty well believed that Zegras was the more talented offensive prospect before the draft

By who? If it was pretty well believed, you should be able to back it up.

Beyond that, Zegras had 87 points last year on team USA playing primarily on the 2nd line, Turcotte had 62 (albeit in less games).

Yes, in less games. Why don't you tell everyone about what their PPG average was? Turcotte was 1.68, Zegras was 1.45.

Zegras didn't play primarily on the second line. That proves you don't know what you are saying. Zegras played a lot on Hughes wing with Caufield. When Hughes wasn't in the lineup, he played center most of the time with Caufield on his line. He was on PP1 the whole season, Turcotte wasn't. If Turcotte was listed first on the lineup card ahead of Zegras, at times, it doesn't mean Turcotte was playing first line and Zegras was playing second line. Most of the time, Turcotte played with lesser offensive players. I don't think Zegras played very many games where he wasn't with Hughes or Caufield. Turcotte didn't play any games with Hughes. He played very few with Caufield, as well. Him playing with Caufield is more of a new idea this year at Wisconsin. He didn't even play that often with Boldy.

 

[Machinehead]

US complete the Russia>Canada>US>Russia triangle.

Typical WJC.

 

[CDJ]

Beat Russia and the same old same ol about the lines *eyeroll*

guys they aren’t looking to stat pad your favorite prospects, they’re looking to win hockey games

 

[CDJ]

Back down to Earth tonight after a magnificent effort last night. There was no energy or passion at all. Huge difference in coaching. The United States had a solid plan that they executed well, while the Russians just seemed to skate around aimlessly, cycling the puck back and forth along the boards accomplishing nothing. The United States laid back in a defensive crouch the entire game, stacking bodies in front of their goal, and the Russians played into their web by controlling the puck in areas where it was harmless, always hoping for a lucky bounce. They squandered any energy that might have been generated from last night's game.

Denisenko had a great tournament last year, but he is really stinking it up this time! It looks very pretty when he goes into a toe-dragging festival all by himself, but it usually means that he is going to hold the puck and maneuver himself into a corner, all the while ignoring open teammates. And can anyone please tell me why in the name of Jesus that Sokolov is on the roster? He is a horrible slow skater with stone hands, and he just gets one penalty after another. Just another example of very poor coaching. Marchenko and Morozov have some talent and skill, but they are going in slow motion and accomplishing nothing. Very frustrating for a fan to watch!

Is this Morozov related to the last Morozov that was in the nhl? I liked him a lot

antropov’s kid already blew my mind

 

[KingLB]

Beat Russia and the same old same ol about the lines *eyeroll*

guys they aren’t looking to stat pad your favorite prospects, they’re looking to win hockey games

You do realize 2 of the players that people were complaining about being on the 4th line in previous games, were the key pieces on 2 goals right?

 

[CDJ]

You do realize 2 of the players that people were complaining about being on the 4th line in previous games, were the key pieces on 2 goals right?

did they win the last game? Did they win today? Seems like the coaches are doing an effective job adjusting after game 1. It’s a short tournament and these guys have seen the players together FAR more than we have. Don’t know why we have to complain about lines instead of celebrating a win against a rival nation

 

[supsens]

You do realize 2 of the players that people were complaining about being on the 4th line in previous games, were the key pieces on 2 goals right?

It’s weird it’s almost like somebody thought It would be a good idea to make sure everyone had a lot of jump for the second game in 2 days against the better team..
Hmmm

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[Get North]

Seems like coach is aware of the chemistry and who his most skilled players are. He is just not in a rush to play them together with significant responsibility. It makes sense, they are half way through the round robin. Maybe we should have been more patient to lynch this coach.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Seems like coach is aware of the chemistry and who his most skilled players are. He is just not in a rush to play them together with significant responsibility. It makes sense, they are half way through the round robin. Maybe we should have been more patient to lynch this coach.

Do these games not matter? The difference between playing against Switzerland or Slovakia vs. Finland or Sweden is the difference between showing up for a 60 minute PP practice and having a toss up game. Getting a top two finish in the group stage is more important this year than most years.