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WC: General Talk '14 — Canada

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I;m guessing those were the only two goalies that said yes? I was going to ask why not Bernier, but then he messed his MCL or something, right?
 
JackSlater said:
From this article: “Like anyone at this time, you have a couple of lingering things (injuries) that’s going to inhibit me from going,” Hall said Sunday. “That’s OK, I’m fine with not going and trying to get a head start on the summer of training and everything else.

“Last year was a tough experience. I’m looking forward to start training as early as I can and making sure I’m as strong as I can for next year.”

You'll have to forgive us for not excusing Hall due to having a few "lingering things" like everyone else has. Eberle at least has a strong international record. Hall has nothing substantial on his international record. Once again, I like Hall and I think he could be a very useful addition to future editions of Team Canada, but this is a terrible decision strategically. Hall needs to show that he is a good player on the larger ice surface, or he needs some practice runs to become a good player on that ice surface. He's never going to be good enough to just waltz onto Team Canada.





I agree, Zajac would be a good defensive presence.



Notice that Bozak was not included on the initial list. I suspect that he has a conditional invitation (given how news regarding him has been framed), similar to the one Clarke MacArthur was extended a year or two ago. If a certain number of people do not accept, Bozak will get the official invitation.
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The question I would like answered is how does TSN feel about this..you have to think that they would like some "star power" to drive ratings and interest...or are they fine with it and approach it just as a loss leader, the price of doing business to keep their bread and butter tournament the WJC. I know I'd be pissed if I were an executive at TSN and my partners at Hockey Canada were delivering me this crap year after year since 2010... I'd be making some noise..

A little off topic but HOLY SMOKES is Mackinnon a player or what...
I can't wait to see him wearing the Maple Leaf again soon...
 
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Iceonfire said:
Just because you rip players from every team, that doesn't mean the media and other posters do the same.

Iginla was given a free pass every year. And there are always players dealing with mysterious injuries that they have been apparently playing through.

Gio has a hurt hand but what about T.J Bodie?

And its crazy to call out the younger players when it seems the vets are invisible when Hockey Canada comes calling.
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as I already wrote, Vets who have already played in WHC/Olympics, who have already put in their time, paid their dues are older now aw/ family commitments get the benefit of the doubt...

My argument is not about the relative importance or lack thereof of the tournament. It's not about other countries and who accepts and who doesn't... it's about young players taking every opportunity they can (while they still can) to improve and develop as players... if players like Hall want to be in the conversation when it comes time to pick the A team, then this is what they have to do... and if I were in Hall's shoes I'd be a little concerned that 18 year old Nathan Mackinnon already has more big game experience (and produced) than does Hall; from what I've seen Nate has already passed Hall in Hockey Canada's depth chart.

And that's the last I will say anything about those who declined... instead I hope we can pick up a few significant additions once the 1st.rd is done and that the boys who accepted play well...and we'll see where it goes.
 
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Not sure when was the last time Canada had such a weak team for the tournament.

Hopefully the avoid the relegation round. :sarcasm:
 
No doubt Ladd and Little would absolutely love to be there. Ladd has a "hole in his elbow" and couldn't even hold a stick at the end of the season. Little has a wedding this summer, no doubt it conflicts or he'd be there. Not sure about Kane. He had a rough year with a nasty hand infection, no doubt he wants to give it some recovery time.

I think if it was reasonable that any of these 3 could be there they would be.
 
Drij said:
like the worst team ever
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I disagree. This is a team built for the big ice: young and mobile and is collectively better than many of the previous teams that Canada sent to the tournament. It's superior skaters and not NHL reputations that win this championship. As I said earlier, if they get competent goaltending this team can skate (and thus) play with any team they will face.
 
Mr Writer said:
The question I would like answered is how does TSN feel about this..you have to think that they would like some "star power" to drive ratings and interest...or are they fine with it and approach it just as a loss leader, the price of doing business to keep their bread and butter tournament the WJC. I know I'd be pissed if I were an executive at TSN and my partners at Hockey Canada were delivering me this crap year after year since 2010... I'd be making some noise..

A little off topic but HOLY SMOKES is Mackinnon a player or what...
I can't wait to see him wearing the Maple Leaf again soon...
Click to expand...

I doubt TSN cares honestly. I do not think that Canadians tune in to this tournament because of the players on the roster. The perception is already pretty negative. The only boost to ratings, I'm thinking, is Canada in the gold medal game.

I have a potential bright spot for this tournament - Tippett. I'm not sure that Babcock will keep returning to coach Canada, as he might want to walk away on top, and Tippett is a guy that might be able to step in and replace him. Canada doesn't really have any suitable backups (no to Ruff, no to Hitchcock in a head coaching role, not interested in Julien outside of assistant role) so it is good to start rebuilding the coaching tree. If he has this team playing solidly on defence, which has been a weakness at this tournament for years, that will be a good sign.
 
What kind of an injury does Skinner have? It's the biggest loss for Canada so far, IMO.

I'm not sure about "the weakest team ever". It's a typical team for Olympic year. Remember 2010. Yes, there were Stammer, JT and Duchene, but last two were rookies then (first pro-year). Cumisky, Peverly, Ott, Rene Bourque.... How do you like goalies?? Dubnyk, Chris Mason and Chad Johnson. I wouldn't be sure the 2014-version is the weakest one ...
 
Lalonde said:
What kind of an injury does Skinner have? It's the biggest loss for Canada so far, IMO.

I'm not sure about "the weakest team ever". It's a typical team for Olympic year. Remember 2010. Yes, there were Stammer, JT and Duchene, but last two were rookies then (first pro-year). Cumisky, Peverly, Ott, Rene Bourque.... How do you like goalies?? Dubnyk, Chris Mason and Chad Johnson. I wouldn't be sure the 2014-version is the weakest one ...
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Skinner has an ingrown toenail. Grisly for sure.
 
I have to say that this years WHC team looks very weak maybe it's just becasue we been spoiled the last few years. Last Year we had Taylor Hall, Eberle, Stamkos, Giroux, Staal, just a awesome team on paper. This team looks weak. I am still hoping for the best but it is highly unlikely imo we will make it to the medal rounds this year.
 
Mr Writer said:
Hilarious. :) so comical... but to be fair, he says he had it removed and is afraid of the possibility of infection.
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It's too bad. Skinner could have been one of the alpha dogs for this team and really shine.

I wonder which players will take the bull by the horns and emerge this tourney, effectively putting themselves in a good position within Hockey Canada for the future.

I have a good feeling about Monahan, he reminds me of Tavares in several ways. I expect him to have a good tourney and really up his exposure. It's a tough gig being a Canadian center with pretty much all of those spots (and wing spots) projected to be filled by the big studs who aren't going anywhere. I wonder how Monahan would look on the wing in International play.
 
Mr Writer said:
Hilarious. :) so comical... but to be fair, he says he had it removed and is afraid of the possibility of infection.
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Anything hand/foot related needs to heal properly. Evander Kane had a relatively benign hand infection and came back too early. His hand swelled up like a balloon. Skates and gloves are nasty places.
 
allan5oh said:
Anything hand/foot related needs to heal properly. Evander Kane had a relatively benign hand infection and came back too early. His hand swelled up like a balloon. Skates and gloves are nasty places.
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the ingrown toenail is comical, the risk of infection is not. That's why I wrote "to be fair"..and Skinner has played 3 consecutive years in the WHC. He gets a pass. :)
 
PWJunior said:
It's too bad. Skinner could have been one of the alpha dogs for this team and really shine.

I wonder which players will take the bull by the horns and emerge this tourney, effectively putting themselves in a good position within Hockey Canada for the future.

I have a good feeling about Monahan, he reminds me of Tavares in several ways. I expect him to have a good tourney and really up his exposure. It's a tough gig being a Canadian center with pretty much all of those spots (and wing spots) projected to be filled by the big studs who aren't going anywhere. I wonder how Monahan would look on the wing in International play.
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Love his game... he has lots of upside.. real smart player too. A Russian friend met him in Yaroslavl when he was there for the summer tourny a few years back. Her reaction was, and I'm paraphrasing, "Man, he's one confident guy"

Hockey Canada made a mistake by leaving him off the 2013 Ufa team. I was screaming for a line of Drouin Monahan Mackinnon. That would have been my 2nd line.
 
Personally I'm excited about this team.

Canada has almost always put a talented enough roster out there to win gold but rarely does because I believe that a lot of the more established veteran players treat this tournament just as a free trip to Europe.

I'm hoping that with a very young team that they take it more seriously and play a hungrier team game.
 
The more I think about it, the more I like this team. Sure, on paper, it's one of the weakest rosters I have seen since the 2010 team led by Messier; however, I think with the right coaching by Tipette and if one of our goalies gets hot we have a decent chance to medal this year. The kids SHOULD be hungry and with the right guidance we should have a shot.


With that being said, I don't see this team blowing anyone out. I think all games will be close and offense will be an issue. Let's hope that hockey Canada takes a page out of the 2014 Olympic team and gets this team dedicated to playing puck possesion defense because that team proved that you don't need an explosive offense to win hockey games on big ice. When the team Canada brass puts their mind to it, they are very tough to beat. With that being said we have had some pretty good coaches over the last 6 years or so (Hitchcock, Trotz, Ruff,Sutter) end up empty handed so let's hope Dave can turn the tide and come home with some hardware.
 
GGSmitty said:
Personally I'm excited about this team.

Canada has almost always put a talented enough roster out there to win gold but rarely does because I believe that a lot of the more established veteran players treat this tournament just as a free trip to Europe.

I'm hoping that with a very young team that they take it more seriously and play a hungrier team game.
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I think your evaluation is incorrect.. especially in the 1st two years post Vancouver. 2010/11. You can't send a team where the vast majority of players are ages 18-21 even to a 2nd. tier tournament like the WHC and expect to do well... and in contrast to this year's projected roster, those 2 teams in 2010/11 the inexperienced youngsters were more high end elite level players (Stamkos, Tavares, Duchene, E. Kane, Skinner et al) I don't consider Scheifele, Huberdeau, Rielly, Ellis and Monahan to be that class of "elite" player (as much as I like both Rielly and Monahan)... so combine that with questionable goaltending and defense and pit them against teams that play more frequently together over the course of the year, and who have considerable more prep time leading up to the tournament...it's not a recipe for success in my book...

But maybe the Olympic experience of how to play effectively on big ice can influence the way Tippet plans to coach and can lead this team to a result that is better than I expect...I hope we can add a few significant players once the 1st. rd is done and the boys surprise me... but as of now, I'm not overly impressed with what I see on paper.
 
So with 1st rd series looking like they are almost decided...any ideas on who will fill out the remaining 5 spots. That's if HC decides on a full 25 man roster. Sometimes they don't take 25.

I'd like to see Seguin, Benn (the 1 token Olympian) Daley, Muzzin and Purcell (although I'd rather MacArthur) or maybe even Justin Williams.

a line of Benn Seguin Williams doesn't strike me as half bad..
 
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