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U18: Hlinka Gretzky Cup

So.. power rankings after day 1

1. Finland
2. Czechia
3. Sweden
4. Switzerland
5. Canada
6. USA
7. Slovakia
8. Germany
 
WarriorofTime said:
USA has not medaled at this event since 2016, and sure enough lost to Czechia in the GMG that year. This just isn’t taken as a very serious tournament in the eyes of USA Hockey and the rosters they send reflect it.
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I know but we have to give Czechia credit where credit is due. They have been producing some terrific players / teams recently. It's wonderful to see and good for hockey.
 
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ORRFForever said:
Ouch. TBH, did not look dirty.
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It looked way worse than it was because the helmet popped off - which has absolutely no business happening. Kids wear their chin straps and cages so loose for reasons that have eluded me since my own junior days, and put themselves at risk of plays like that as a result.
 
Dominance said:
It looked way worse than it was because the helmet popped off - which has absolutely no business happening. Kids wear their chin straps and cages so loose for reasons that have eluded me since my own junior days, and put themselves at risk of plays like that as a result.
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I agree.
 
WarriorofTime said:
USA has not medaled at this event since 2016, and sure enough lost to Czechia in the GMG that year. This just isn’t taken as a very serious tournament in the eyes of USA Hockey and the rosters they send reflect it.
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They consistently send the best they have outside of the NTDP, and the gap between registered youth players in the US and Czechia is massive.
 
Czechia brutalizing the US in all three zones is a nice salve for Canada’s goaltending putting in the most embarrassing performance I can recall at this level.

Good for Finland and Czechia. I expect both Canada and the US to respond to and improve from these disasters.

Boss Man Hughes said:
Their best players are not there. Eiserman and Hagens are far better than anyone on the team.
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“The best they have outside of the NTDP.”
 
I had hot dogs on the BBQ, tonight. I don't have that very often and it was soooooo good.

It's the little things in life that make you happy. :)

Boss Man Hughes said:
The replay I saw Hughes was down from the hit and he was crosschecked into the head and driven into the boards.
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I only saw it once and it didn't look dirty to me but if you've seen it more than once, I'll bow to you on this one. :)
 
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Dominance said:
They consistently send the best they have outside of the NTDP, and the gap between registered youth players in the US and Czechia is massive.
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They try to of course but the team they send are a year outside of essentially not making the USNDTP and most kids don’t play in the USHL at age 16 so it’s probably not the most efficient selection with a lot of kids that played in AAA and US-HS in 2022-23. While all youth national teams have busts, the former hlinka rosters for USA are filled with a lot of players that were never even notable enough to be busts, and only the occasional future big name shows up from time to time when scrolling.

It’s just not a very good tournament for USA Hockey that obsessively spends its resources on USNDTP to the detriment of everything else.
 
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Dominance said:
Czechia brutalizing the US in all three zones is a nice salve for Canada’s goaltending putting in the most embarrassing performance I can recall at this level.

Good for Finland and Czechia. I expect both Canada and the US to respond to and improve from these disasters.


“The best they have outside of the NTDP.”
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I misread. But most of the best players are in the NTDP.
 
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WarriorofTime said:
They try to of course but the team they send are a year outside of essentially not making the USNDTP and most kids don’t play in the USHL at age 16 so it’s probably not the most efficient selection with a lot of kids that played in AAA and US-HS in 2022-23. While all youth national teams have busts, the former hlinka rosters for USA are filled with a lot of players that were never even notable enough to be busts, and only the occasional future big name shows up from time to time when scrolling.

It’s just not a very good tournament for USA Hockey that obsessively spends its resources on USNDTP to the detriment of everything else.
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No doubt that this is a “no expectations” tournament for the US, the same way I view the U18s for Team Canada. You guys can still do damage, though, just need to find the right mix of players and team chemistry. Canada’s insanely stacked team barely sneaking by the US in 2018 due only to the lack of video replay is still burned into my mind.

Personally I find it very refreshing for you guys to have to struggle with throwing together a team with no set systems or knowledge of who works well with who for this tournament. It’s what everyone else besides the US has to do at the U18s and U20s, too, where you guys have an incalculable structural advantage of having all your best players prepare together for years.
 
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ORRFForever said:
I know but we have to give Czechia credit where credit is due. They have been producing some terrific players / teams recently. It's wonderful to see and good for hockey.
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Yes, Czechia has definitely stepped it up as a hockey producing nation recently. I expect their draft numbers to pick up as nhl teams start scouting the Czech Leagues more closely.
 
Slovakia 24 shoots on goalie Switzerland 11

Final score 3:6

I don't know if I should praise the defense for only allowing 11 shots on a goalie or criticize them for how easy they made it for the Swiss to score 6 times.

I really liked Liscinsky today, Pobezal is very unlucky so far but definitely not bad.

The 2007 group players looked better in both games so far for most of the time which is not a good sign.
 
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ORRFForever said:
Czechia is really coming around, my friend, don't sell yourself / your country short. It's wonderful news for hockey. :)

**

The score graphics are bottom of the barrel. Looks like something from international play in the 70's.

I keep waiting for the clock to count UP.
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A few D take off and we are on three years of first rounders coming in. That's good. Next two years would appear to have a few more first rounders so that is encouraging for sure.

Just need some NHL D as our D is shit!
 
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