Goaltending could be Canada's Achilles Heel

[Jason MacIsaac]

Yea, I bet all those other countries would love to have Canada's Achilles Heel right now. Some of you actually doubted Brodeur....shame

 

[Jazz]

When he's on (and he is right now), he's on!

 

[wildone26*]

I do believe Canada has a strong enough team to overcome the superior goaltending tandem the Czechs have and still win.

 

[Jaysfanatic*]

Really? Well, I'd love to have this problem.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I do believe Canada has a strong enough team to overcome the superior goaltending tandem the Czechs have and still win.

"superior goaltending tandem".....I would take Canada's goaltender any day of the week. Except the day that Hasek plays like he did at Nagano

 

[NJ_Devil_Boy]

Amazing what a month can do. (No worries...we'll accept you back on the bandwagon)

 

[octopi]

Yea, I bet all those other countries would love to have Canada's Achilles Heel right now. Some of you actually doubted Brodeur....shame

Yeah, you think Canada's got goalie worries? How good have Khabibulin and Nabokov been this season? Until last month I was ranking Russia as the #2 team, now I'm saying #4 or #5 after observing their goalies and D are playing so far. Altho, I'd dare say they have the best offense in the tournament.

 

[mug3n]

They will have a world best competition soon and you'll get some difficult games, i garuntee it.You may possibly lose,it'as not inconcievable whatsoever.if it's a one game elimination final i would hardly think it's in the bag against teams like the Dominican or Rico.They'll have kick-*** teams.

The World Baseball Classic=sham.

You actually don't have the world's best playing for their respective countries. Guys like Matsui are backing out to commit to their MLB teams, there are also a-holes like Sheffield that doesn't want to injure his pretty ***, and some other guys like Isringhausen complain because the tourney is taking up their spring training time with their respective MLB clubs. There's just too many factors involved for the WBC to be called a "world best competition", ie - Cuba situation. Especially if it's sanctioned by MLB. You'll never get a good tournament running because MLB rather make greens than make a good tourney happen. You need an international governing body like IIHF is for hockey.

It's not a true tournament like Olympics hockey where you've actually got every country sending out top-notch players. And also, having a two-week break in the hockey season helps. If MLB paused for 2 weeks in the season for the Olympics, they have to push to November, and that's when it'll get really cold, so basically, you'll never see a decent world-class baseball tourney.

 

[missinthejets]

The backup should be a battle-tested veteran who has nerves of steel and can be thrown into pressure situations and remain calm, cool and collected. I don't trust a young guy like Luongo, who hasn't even played in the playoffs, to help provide that.

kind of like in the world cup where he was thrown in against the Czechs and did quite well??

 

[Wetcoaster]

kind of like in the world cup where he was thrown in against the Czechs and did quite well??

Actually Luongo was outstanding and made some incredible saves.

 

[Mr BLUEandWHITE]

Canada has by far the most depth in goal, but I'm a little concerned that Hasek, Lundqvist or Kiprusoff could steal the show. I'm not that impressed with anyone on our list right now.

Belfour - over the hill
Brodeur - not having a good season
Cloutier - god help us if he plays
Joseph - chokes under pressure
Luongo - hard to evaluate because his team sucks
Raycroft - I'd rather use Cloutier
Theodore - been good but not great this year
Turco - been quite good, but unproven in pressure games
Ward - not even the # 1 goalie on his team!

One of these guys had better step it up in the next two months!

what are you smoking??? can i have some??

 

[AfroThunder396]

Marty = 9 in a row = Gold Medal = God

 

[Captain Lou]

As an American and a Devil fan I hope you guys play luongo or turco or whoever. It means USA has better shot at the gold and 2 well-deserved weeks off for the best goalie in the world!

 

[FoppaArGud]

Wrong

While I think that the Czech Republic has the strongest goaltending and arguably is the European favorite, I dont think Canada is weak in goal at all. Luongo has played in international competition and fared fine as a backup, Turco is having some groin problems so it remains to be seen if he will go, dress, etc. He has had a good stretch sandwiched between some pretty average ones. But Brodeur is still one of the top five goaltenders in the world and at his best, the very best. Add to that the fact that he has been on FIRE in the past month, posted three shutouts, ten wins etc.

Other than the Czechs, no one is close, Finland will have two good but unproven netminders in Lehtonen and Nittymaki (I guess Lehtonen will be number one) and Sweden has its eggs in the basket of a rookie. Those teams might win but not as much on goaltending as Canada or the Czechs will.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

what are you smoking??? can i have some??

Don't forget when that thread was started. I stand by my comments, except that, Thank God, Brodeur has found his game, and conversely Theodore has lost his!

 

[Rob]

The way it looks right now Turco will be sitting in the press box.