Beatnik said:
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. .
Several points.
1. Meyer, Fraser, McArthur etc. are not "grinders". In the WHL and on their respective teams they are high-scoring, offensively dangerous players. The difference is that they can play the grinding, corner game if need be AND be strong character, team players.
2. In fact, when Canada won it's string of five in a row there were several so-called "grinder" types on those teams. In fact, the last two teams have been very very highly-skilled teams, so if you want to blame Canada's "loss" on a certain style...
3. The vast, vast majority of forwards who actually end up making this team are going to be very highly-skilled players. Period.
4. People bemoan Canada's "losing" at the WJCs as if we're also-rans every year. Nonsense. We've lost by ONE PERIOD the last three years, the last being a real heart-breaker. This does NOT call for an overhaul of the whole system. We've had a string of medals longer than any country. does anybody seriously think that Fluery wouldn't have banked the puck off of Coburn last year if fewer "grinders" and more, say, Quebecers were on that team?
5. Just like some people stereotype the Q as a bunch of no defense, corner-squeamish little waterbugs--- so do many people seem to think that any WHLer must be a dull, up-and-down penalty-inviting grinder with stone hands. you all saw the WHL-Russia games and the prospects games. Get over that stereotype (Q guys= skill, WHL guys= no skill grinder).
6. Think of the WJCs like NCAA basketball. Imagine a team where ten of the eleven best players on an NCAA basketball are sophs or juniors. They are considered the best team all year but, in the final, they lose by 1 point on a last-second basket. Most return next year plus they've added a few new recruits. Would you say that they should drop some of these guys or change their whole approach because they "lost" last year? Well, the WJCs are like NCAA hoops- returnees mean everything. Losing the final by a buzzer-beater with such a young team does not warrant all these negative claims and responses!