GDT: Group A • Dec. 29 • Switzerland vs. Canada • Part 2

[wishywashy19]

This group needs to become a good TEAM... there are a bunch of extremely good players on this team but I just haven't seen them gel as a team yet. Imo there are too many individuals staying out too long and making mistakes. This team will either be a disaster or else hopefully click asap and play well. There hasn't been one dominating player yet and it seems like it's been players just playing well every like 5th shift. This has been the first time I've seen some of these high profile guys for multiple games in a row and none of them have blown me away. I expected alot more from alot of these skilled players and I've been very dissapointed.. the skilled guys arent very dangerous, the crashers aren't crashing and the dmen have been blah... they better figure out their identity here or else it'll be a quick tourny

I have only read a few posts but this is not bad
But what a disappointment to have the New Year's Eve game be a meaningless game at this stage
Yes a win over Sweden would be good for confidence and give Blackwood a good workout
But maybe just maybe they could work on the power play and not act like they are pylons
Way too stationary and they haven't got a clue. they are just winging it
It looks like Finland
I had Russia pegged for the quarters
That game is going to be highly charged
They are going to be tough of course
What we have going for us is four lines that play the same way which is not really a bad thing if we can keep the game close
I said when this tourney started that six teams could win this and in fact that has not changed
But be prepared for us finishing sixth
It could happen
Most disappointing- perlini- virtanen- point- quennville- charter oh I mean all the 96's up front
The defence is very good so that is our strong point
Let's plug up the middle and trap and try to win 1-0
Works for a lot of teams - why not us
We are all going to start fresh folks at the quarters
We are still in the hunt

 

[Blender]

Marner was garbage today. I don't see how anyone can say he had a good game with a straight face.

Marner wasn't garbage, but he didn't have a good game either. He was a little better than he was against the USA, but still not good enough for what Canada needs (although this might be what he can bring at this stage). He's actually a bit frustrating to watch in this tournament so far because you see him have shifts where he is amazing, dominate, etc., but he also has a lot of plays and shifts where he is very weak on the puck, either giving it up or losing puck battles. He far too often tries to force fancy passes instead of making safer plays. That works great in junior, but it's a bad habit for him to have right now against higher competition.

A stronger, more developed Marner should be a real force next year for Canada, but unfortunately he's not there yet.

Overall this roster just isn't all that strong. Pretty much a team built for success next season. Still time to turn things around though.

 

[covfefe]

I'm not by any means trying to paint a rosy picture of him, he hasn't been awesome, but nobody has, and amongst our "nobody is playing awesome" players he's been one of the better ones and not even close to deserving of post such as "Bust" "Trash" "Worst player".

Fair enough, I'm similarly not trying to knock Marner down at all. Just wish he would try to play a simpler game out there because what he is doing at the moment is not working.

Way too cute with the puck, but I guess if that shot had been <2in. to the right we would be talking about how he's been 'solid' so perhaps I should target my scorn at players more deserving. Like...Per...li..ni

Anyone calling the kid a bust or trash after watching him play just 3 games probably deserves a promotion to your ignore list. He's one of the most promising players outside of the NHL as it stands

 

[cska78]

great effort by the swiss

 

[Vaclav Varada]

The D minutes need to be distributed much more evenly.

Hicketts and Chabot barely seemed to leave the ice. Neither is dominant or should be playing half the game.

 

[thepuckmonster]

Fair enough, I'm similarly not trying to knock Marner down at all. Just wish he would try to play a simpler game out there because what he is doing at the moment is not working.

Way too cute with the puck, but I guess if that shot had been <2in. to the right we would be talking about how he's been 'solid' so perhaps I should target my scorn at players more deserving. Like...Per...li..ni

Anyone calling the kid a bust or trash after watching him play just 3 games probably deserves a promotion to your ignore list. He's one of the most promising players outside of the NHL as it stands

Really, no one should be trying to extrapolate how an 18-19 year olds career will pan out based on a short tournament. I like to see it as like the Junior Olympics -- entertaining, frustrating at times but a competition of the best on best.

Plenty of WJC all stars like Schroeder and Hodgson never amounted to much at the NHL level and there's just as many if not more guys who never made the team who have amazing careers.

 

[Othello*]

Marner was disappointing today. Aside from one nice dangle and behind the net play he was non existent.

 

[thepuckmonster]

Marner was disappointing today. Aside from one nice dangle and behind the net play he was non existent.

He had two solid shots on net in the same shift...

He's not going to be dynamic every time he steps on the ice, he's 18. He wasn't rewarded on the score sheet but he did have a strong game despite being overworked. I'm not even a Toronto or Marner fan by any means but he's getting dissected and microanalyzed like he's some 30 year old vet in the NHL.

 

[MMMFAN]

See I am expecting those 18 year Olds to dominate at the tourny.. I expect all of them to be the better players in the whole tournament. They are considered top prospects in the world and Canadians expect Canada to win gold every year. Unfortunately none are standing out as great players so far.. alot of them look good at times, but nobody has blown me away. I said earlier that if I watched these games not knowing who was who, I would never guess that alot of these guys are extremely high nhl picks... and I still stand by that after another game... this team needs to pick it up

Nylander for example has a year more of development. That's all I'm saying. One more year is a lot!

 

[Scotty B]

I have only read a few posts but this is not bad
But what a disappointment to have the New Year's Eve game be a meaningless game at this stage
Yes a win over Sweden would be good for confidence and give Blackwood a good workout
But maybe just maybe they could work on the power play and not act like they are pylons
Way too stationary and they haven't got a clue. they are just winging it
It looks like Finland
I had Russia pegged for the quarters
That game is going to be highly charged
They are going to be tough of course
What we have going for us is four lines that play the same way which is not really a bad thing if we can keep the game close
I said when this tourney started that six teams could win this and in fact that has not changed
But be prepared for us finishing sixth
It could happen
Most disappointing- perlini- virtanen- point- quennville- charter oh I mean all the 96's up front
The defence is very good so that is our strong point
Let's plug up the middle and trap and try to win 1-0
Works for a lot of teams - why not us
We are all going to start fresh folks at the quarters
We are still in the hunt

Nah ...let's take the game to them...right from the hop...starting with the next game against Sweden...

Short shifts, high tempo...this team was supposedly built for Big Ice with guys who can motor...and guys like Virtanen and Crouse who can push people around/crash the net...

Let the Euros play passive/ kitty bar the door...

Let's be proactive rather than reactive...

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Do guys take long shifts in the OHL? The Team Canada forwards were taking two minute long shifts. Made no sense. The Swiss could only roll about 2 lines and 2 pairs, you would think the coach would want a constant stream of fresh legs out there.

Coaching was terrible today. Complete loss of control of that team. No excuses for anyone having so many long shifts.

 

[Othello*]

He had two solid shots on net in the same shift...

He's not going to be dynamic every time he steps on the ice, he's 18. He wasn't rewarded on the score sheet but he did have a strong game despite being overworked. I'm not even a Toronto or Marner fan by any means but he's getting dissected and microanalyzed like he's some 30 year old vet in the NHL.

One good shift and he was invisible the rest of the game. He's getting 'microanalyzed' because he was a top 5 pick in a deep draft. People want to see how he fairs agiasnt the best players roughly around his age. The same is going to happen with Strome/Laine/Mathews/Pulija

 

[stampedingviking]

Just a few points after watching this game from an outsider:

Canadians
Too fancy, not enough going to the net.
Crouse/Strome/Virtanen line looked the best offensively.
What's with the length of the shifts?
Why such unequal ice times?
I know he's a Maple Leaf prospect, but why all the hyping for Marner?
Is Point carrying an injury?

Swiss
Very organised, well coached.

 

[SabresSharks]

Coaching was terrible today. Complete loss of control of that team. No excuses for anyone having so many long shifts.

I know there's a lot of exaggeration on these boards, but, seriously, did Lowry actually send players out for 2 min. shifts trying to tie/win the game? (Note to self - must watch replay.)

The guy had a lengthy NHL career. He has heard of "shortening the bench", right?

 

[jdatb]

Lowry should have rolled 4 lines. Overplaying your top players against Switzerland of all teams is ridiculous.

 

[Random Forest]

I know there's a lot of exaggeration on these boards, but, seriously, did Lowry actually send players out for 2 min. shifts trying to tie/win the game? (Note to self - must watch replay.)

The guy had a lengthy NHL career. He has heard of "shortening the bench", right?

I didn't count myself, but someone was reporting that Hicketts was on the ice for a three minute shift in overtime.

 

[Minister of Offence]

The D minutes need to be distributed much more evenly.

Hicketts and Chabot barely seemed to leave the ice. Neither is dominant or should be playing half the game.

They played a lot because there was a marked difference in terms of what was happening with them on vs them off.

 

[covfefe]

They played a lot because there was a marked difference in terms of what was happening with them on vs them off.

Hicketts was on the ice for the 1st SUI goal in which his man very clearly beat him to the net...


And Fleury looked fine today, as did Dermott. Hard to tell when they play so sparingly, though.

edit: looked at the footage to confirm

 

[wishywashy19]

Nah ...let's take the game to them...right from the hop...starting with the next game against Sweden...

Short shifts, high tempo...this team was supposedly built for Big Ice with guys who can motor...and guys like Virtanen and Crouse who can push people around/crash the net...

Let the Euros play passive/ kitty bar the door...

Let's be proactive rather than reactive...

Yeah I was being facetious
I hate to win that way and I sure hate watching the Euros defend all game waiting for a power play to score

 

[vippe]

Lowry should have rolled 4 lines. Overplaying your top players against Switzerland of all teams is ridiculous.

Is it though? in the end it was the top lines that got the goals in for Canada. Switzerland always play Canada hard and this was not an exception. The game could have gone to Switzerland.

 

[Auston Marlander]

Hicketts was on the ice for the 1st SUI goal in which his man very clearly beat him to the net

You mean the shot that was going wide and went off his leg?

 

[Tripod]

I didn't count myself, but someone was reporting that Hicketts was on the ice for a three minute shift in overtime.

It was me...I went back and re watched it. He played:

1:15 to start the OT
:45 break
Then went on with 3:00 left in OT and never came off the ice.

Played 4:15 of the 5 minute OT.....and there were no whistles.

Only an idiot coach things this is ok to do.

Sanheim created 3 scoring chances on 1 shift in the 3rd. He never saw the ice again in the game.

 

[Alerion]

One poster said Hicketts played 4:15 of the OT. I haven't rewatched to confirm that but if it's true it's waaaaaaay too much ice time and looks especially bad when you consider who the coach is.

Edit: Seems you guys beat me to the punch

 

[Auston Marlander]

It was me...I went back and re watched it. He played:

1:15 to start the OT
:45 break
Then went on with 3:00 left in OT and never came off the ice.

Played 4:15 of the 5 minute OT.....and there were no whistles.

Only an idiot coach things this is ok to do.

Sanheim created 3 scoring chances on 1 shift in the 3rd. He never saw the ice again in the game.

Hicketts has been horrible, 1:15 would have been too much. They should have been playing 3 forwards.

 

[Alerion]

Hicketts has been horrible, 1:15 would have been too much. They should have been playing 3 forwards.

He's probably been the best dmen of the group through three games and was player of the game today. He has certainly not been horrible and is deserving of top pairing minutes, just not the excessive minutes he got in the final 25 minutes today.