Hockey has divided Canada - Canadians Cheering Against Team Canada...

[Big Deaner]

Exactly why we have loose the last 7 years !
why we canadians think that a good team have to include grinders?
We play a tournament against the best of best, why can't we send our best to ?
And that's not just a problem for the recent years, during the wining streak it was a problem to ... many of the gold medal we win was by a one line team and a goalie who steals the game (particulary against russia). Remeber the Samsonov Morozov Nabokov year against the Langkow Dominicheli IGinla Theodore ? we win this game 2-1, but we weren't in the same league, only our first line could have stick with them...and theo just steal the game. That's pretty fun to see grinders hit with all their heart every shift ... but now international hockey as change... we won't intimidate the russian or any of our real rival ... Intimidating the Swiss is fun to watch but we need talent to beat the best team, just my opinion.
Don't get me wrong, I still think we will win this year, it will be a shame if we didn't, but at the same, it won't be because we dress the best potential team that we'll win.

And for the one who ask if we preffer to loose with the Q or win with this team, I have to say, two years ago Pouliot and Bernier were the best scorer for the wining U18 team canada ... and I don't think there presence with the team this year will be enough or us to loose. agree ?

This is an ignorant comment as there will be very few unskilled players on the team, and even if they can't skate or stickhandle through an entire team they will play an effective role. Lets list all the so called skilled guys: Crosby, Carter, Dawes, Getzlaf, Bergeron, Fehr, Perry, Richards, Stewart. Thats 3 complete lines of nothing but skill. One could also make an argument for considering Bolland, MacArthur, Stone (gifted playmaker) and Ladd all skilled players. I just cant understand this ignorant argument. The only area of the team that should be subject to speculation and will make a few uneasy is the goaltending situation. No person with half a brain could say there is going to be a line up, that on paper, looks better than the Canadian lineup, save goaltending. The Russian and USA squads look good but not as good as the Canadians do.

 

[Mess]

This is true. It is sort of pointless to argue over some of the invites until the team itself is made, but honestly, to not at least give Bernier and Picard the chance to show how they would gel with this team was a major oversight.

That said, this is definitely a team that can win this tournament. I'm not trying to say that these (in my opinion) mistakes are going to cost them the gold. I just think the team is less strong as a result of some of the decisions that have been made.

Smaller Camp = more ice time to gell the more time to build chemistry and the more 1 on 1 with the coach ..

Perhaps a smaller group than usual has a direct purpose ...

Because of familiarity ie .Stone with Fehr, MacCarthur with Meyer , Ladd with Getzlaf allows the coach to get a better read on players skills if the scrimage with their current linemates ..rather than whole new linemates and the 3rd play on the line could be a returnee ..

 

[Lowetide]

Sutter certainly didn't feel a need to appease the two other leagues like Stan Butler. Butler went out of his way to avoid OHA players.

I guess you can call this an east-west conflict, but imo there are some decisions that continue the trend of going against the prevailing HF wisdom. Devan Dubnyk has been universally panned on HF, yet was taken top 15 and invited to this camp after what has clearly been a subpar first portion of the season.

I have no idea what kind of goalie Dubnyk is or will be, but it's pretty hard to say he's better than every kid in the O or the Q (imo) based on the results so far this season.

 

[Yes Im Peter Ing]

If we could separate the mountains from the rest of Canada, we would. Didn't celine dion have a song named: "love can move mountains"? Where is celion dion when you need her.....

Shut up, shut up, shut up. Ugh, just...shut up!

 

[markov`]

Wow - a whole 4 times.

Absolutely unbelievable!

Hockey Canada has been watching these guys for years, scouting them, evaluating them, bringing them to camps, having them perform against each other at last summer's camp, interviewing them, talking to them in dressing rooms, following stats, etc.etc.etc.

But you know better because you have seen them 4 times.

Like I said, unbelievable. This debate has become stupid to the point of idiocy.

So you really thing 21 of the 32 players are from the WHL?

Okay. Homer.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

You take the best players PERIOD. I don't care if they took 22 kids from The Pas Manitoba as long as they came back with the gold.

 

[bigguns]

Usually I just read posts on this board and keep my opinions to myself. This time though I just couldn't help myself. I've read this whole thread and there's been so many things that i disagree with and so many stupid comments made but I'm going to get over them because it's obvious that neither side is listening any more, instead i have a few comments/ questions to pose

1. We've established that the majority of the team will be returning players, and of these players the majority come from the WHL. As for the players fighting for the last few spots being from the WHL when equivilent players could have been taken from other leagues, i think we're all reading into it too much. The majority of these players, no matter where they are from will be cut. Would it cause a bigger uproar to invite all Q and O guys and then cut them at the end of the camp or to not invite them at all? At the end of the day they are still not going to be part of the team.

Besides, it's almost impossible to compare players from different leagues and determine who's better than who, especially since there are very few people who get to see a sufficient number games from each league. In order to fairly decide between better players would you not have to put them in the same league, playing the same teams and with the same linemates? This is never going to happen so it's time to stop losing sleep over it.

2. Ok, secondly there are players who didn't get invited to this camp who are a little pissed right now, and for some of them rightfully so. But everyone knew that it was going to be a tough camp to get invited to and many of the players who didn't get an invite knew they were on the bubble from the get go. That being said when it comes time for the tournament to start the majority of them are going to be cheering for their country, if they can get over it I sure hope the rest of us sitting at home on our couches can be that mature.

Finally, I think that alot of us are forgetting that the guys who did get an invite and those who will ultimately be on the final roster, don't have a say in it. Granted they're on cloud 9 right now but they didn't take out other players or pay off hockey canada to make sure they got a spot on the list. Everyone who got an invite will be giving 100% and doing the best they can,whether you feel their the right guys for the job or not, and you can bet when they pull on that jersey they are representing all of canada, not just from manitoba west or only the province of quebec, the whole country and I'm sure they'd like to know that all of their country was backing them.

 

[Hawky]

Pacific:
Goal: Dubnyk, Nastiuk

Defense: Phaneuf, Coburn, Green, Belle, Seabrook, Weber, Schultz

Forwards: Brule, Colliton, MacArthur, Stone, Ladd, Fraser, Chipchura, Chucko, Setoguchi, Yellowhorn, McArdle, Rabbit, Bertram

Just to throw together a team. Not too shabby.

Maybe the east could forgive McArdle if he had been selected as he was born in Ontario <Grin>. Maybe next year!

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

You take the best players PERIOD. I don't care if they took 22 kids from The Pas Manitoba as long as they came back with the gold.

Exactly.

Hockey won't divide Canada because REGIONALISM has been doing it for years.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Wow - a whole 4 times.

Absolutely unbelievable!

Hockey Canada has been watching these guys for years, scouting them, evaluating them, bringing them to camps, having them perform against each other at last summer's camp, interviewing them, talking to them in dressing rooms, following stats, etc.etc.etc.

But you know better because you have seen them 4 times.

Like I said, unbelievable. This debate has become stupid to the point of idiocy.

I am not comparing my knowledge to Hockey Canada. I am just stating that I seen enough of those west players to describe their play. Why is it allways EDIT: like you who try and twist information around to fit your argument. You better go back to school for upgrading.

EDIT: personal attack, keep it clean/Pred

 

[derbyfan]

Hmm...
I'm from the centre of the universe (Toronto, of course ), and I've got to say, I've got no problem with this squad.
The fact that it's full of Western players bothers me in no way, shape or form.
The balance seems to shift from year to year, but its tough to argue with that crop of WHL defenceman. The biggest question mark of who's NOT on the team for me would be Brule, who of course is another Dub guy. Whatever.
This team is strong, and as long as they bring back the Gold for CANADA, I don't care what league they're from.

 

[#1GuinFan]

I feel there is a need to discuss the other side of canadians who feel the disbelief of the complete bias towards the selection of team WHL, I mean team Canada.

I know there are a lot of canadians who will be cheering for Team Canada. But I have a feeling there will be a few more cheering against them.

I love Canada, but like many other canadians, I dont' think this team is representative of true Canadians. Maybe sutter did select the best Canadians but to shun all of canada from even having a chance to compete for jobs is just a slap to the face. We're not asking to make it a fair selection but my god, how can you be blatantly bias toward the selection.

All 4 goalies from the WHL. Are you telling me there was not one goalie from the other two leagues capable of competing for jobs.

Dylan hunter was probably the biggest shocker. I also have a strong feeling that the remainder of the cuts will be from the OHL and QMJHL.

I can't say I will be cheering for fully for team Canada. But I will have a huge smile on my face if Team Canada does lose.

I hope when the Q gets in charge of the junior program, that they dont' select one player from the WHL. And when the OHL is in charge, I hope they dont' select one player from the WHL.

Hockey will divide Canada if it already hasn't.

tool.

Go live outside of Canada if your unhappy. Sutter's team = Canada's team, no difference. If your so displeased with it, don't watch the world juniors!

 

[Devonator]

Sorry original poster but Canada has LONG been divided before this selection for the Junior Championship.......we are a balkanized country and we can thank the Liberals mainly for that.............As someone that resides proudly in Alberta, I think of myself first and foremost as an Albertan and then a Westerner.......as for the East, I could really care a less about it........I don't mean that in a bad way......it just holds no bond in any kind of way for me save for screwing the West and particlurly Alberta year after year for decades.......

I am a Albertan....proudly so.......and I am quite happy many of the Players are from the West.......kinda funny someone from the east *****ing about the West screwing them considering what the East had done to us for generations!!

 

[luke34e]

Nothings dividing Canada and if it did it definetely wouldn't be world junior hockey roster. I am from Nova Scotia and I couldn;t really care less what the team is. I was happy to see two people from Nova Scotia being asked to tryout. I am Canadian and so is everyone from the East and West so they shouldn't care about what players are from what side of the country because they are both Canadian and should be cheering for Canada even if all the players were from Nunavut.
And hearing that Canada is being divided from Canada is funny to hear, Canada is the last Country in the world that would be divided.

GO CANADA!

 

[FlyersFan10*]

I'm just waiting for the OHL and Q to be in charge. I don't expect to see any WHL players on team canada for 2 years. Every 3rd year we might see a WHL player.

Bob Nicolson should be fired. Why is Hockey Canada in Calgary when all the hockey players are in Eastern Canada? Who lives in Calgary? This is sowing the seeds in eastern Canada to break up hockey Canada. I predict in the near future two governing bodies in canadian hockey. A split in hockey canada is what we need.

I have no problem with selecting the best players. I have a problem with not even letting some of the other key players in other leagues try to get selected. If you give them a shot and they didnt' make the team, no one in canada would complain. The problem we have is that, there wasn't an opportunity.

.....sounds like a Quebecer. Shut up, quit whining, and let's watch Sutter put together the best team possible. I mean, we haven't won gold in how many years now? Maybe it is time for a change on how Team Canada does things with regards to choosing players for the WJC.

 

[Mountain Dude]

.....sounds like a Quebecer. Shut up, quit whining, and let's watch Sutter put together the best team possible. I mean, we haven't won gold in how many years now? Maybe it is time for a change on how Team Canada does things with regards to choosing players for the WJC.

Don't blame Quebec for this guy, he from Toronto.

 

[Beatnik]

.....sounds like a Quebecer. Shut up, quit whining, and let's watch Sutter put together the best team possible. I mean, we haven't won gold in how many years now? Maybe it is time for a change on how Team Canada does things with regards to choosing players for the WJC.

Yes change is needed

Maybe they should stop ignoring the talented players from Québec and elsewhere. The "grinders" team Sutter always bring us never win.

Is there a special reason those guys have been given our team again? will a Q coach have the chance to coach the team again? why is'nt it every 3 years? I'd understand if we'd win but that's not the case.

 

[PockIsGoD]

.....sounds like a Quebecer. Shut up, quit whining, and let's watch Sutter put together the best team possible. I mean, we haven't won gold in how many years now? Maybe it is time for a change on how Team Canada does things with regards to choosing players for the WJC.

Yeah, a quebecer, so easy for you to say this. Most of the person complaining where from Ontario...

 

[Roughneck]

Maybe they should stop ignoring the talented players from Québec and elsewhere. The "grinders" team Sutter always bring us never win.

 

[Phanuthier*]

Maybe they should stop ignoring the talented players from Québec and elsewhere. The "grinders" team Sutter always bring us never win.

A Sutter team has never won anything?

 

[Bandwagoner]

Yes change is needed

Maybe they should stop ignoring the talented players from Québec and elsewhere. The "grinders" team Sutter always bring us never win.

Is there a special reason those guys have been given our team again? will a Q coach have the chance to coach the team again? why is'nt it every 3 years? I'd understand if we'd win but that's not the case.

Okay first of all, I don't really know where your coming from considering Sutter has never coached the world juniors before, and I think I am correct that we had a coach from the Q last year? so I really don't think your argument holds up in that sense.

Nice try though.

 

[Bicycle Repairman]

Is not Hockey Canada a quasi-governmental agency with funding from taxpayers? If so, then surely the team should be more demographically representational. Ken Dryden, as Minister for Sports should be intervening.

Notwithstanding the lack of a representative from Nunavit on the team this year, there also a decided lack of women, gays, and physically-challenged Canadians on the team.

Surely, these oversights must be addressed.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Zoidberg should try out to cover all these areas

 

[Crosbyfan]

Is not Hockey Canada a quasi-governmental agency with funding from taxpayers? If so, then surely the team should be more demographically representational. Ken Dryden, as Minister for Sports should be intervening.

Notwithstanding the lack of a representative from Nunavit on the team this year, there also a decided lack of women, gays, and physically-challenged Canadians on the team.

Surely, these oversights must be addressed.

I take it you feel the mentally challenged are well represented!

 

[denphis]

did anyone watch the chl - russia series
the q lost in shootouts
the o played close games (way more competitive than the q)
the whl killed the russians
this year the whl has the majority of the better players

2 years ago or even last year this wasn't the case
just because more players came from the west doesn't mean they are biased it just means they took the best players available to them. if there were more crosby's or bergerons or stewarts etc from the east then they would be on the team