Latendresse benched again

[Rise from the Ashes]

well... i just dont latendresse is doing the things he should, now those things are running over the opponent and creating space for his team mates

 

[Steveorama]

well... i just dont latendresse is doing the things he should, now those things are running over the opponent and creating space for his team mates

Exactly.
I know there are a lot of Latendresse fans on this board, but if you think Sutter would just bench him because he doesn't like him, you are mistaken.
I'm quite sure that Sutter has told Guillaume exactly what is expected of him and the player is not performing up to expectations. And Sutter will not stand for anything less than 100% effort. If he allowed that, he would send a horrible message to the team and the team's work ethic would drop.
I have no problem with Sutter's line up decisions so far.
We'll know over the next two games if he made the right call, won't we?

 

[ryanghg]

I haven't seen Latendresse out there much, but the one game he got a couple shifts he smashed the other team with bigs hits on all of his 5 second shifts. He injured 1 or 2 of them they were so big. I couldn't wait to see him get back out of the ice, I had no clue that wasn't going to happen.

I would be pretty mad if Sutter was dumb enough to only play him a few shifts a game. But maybe he did something that no one knows about to deserve it.

To have him not step on the ice for ONE SECOND is just retarted.

 

[ZombieMatt]

If was on that team I also would cut my hair, shave and praise the general to get to play. But I would secretly hate him.

No you wouldn't.

You would respect him because he's helped this team "beat" a team (the US) that was heavily favoured to stomp on this version of Team Canada. You would respect him because he's one of the most successful coaches in WJC Canadian history. And you would respect him because he gives you a role, and if you do your job, you get to play. If you don't do your job, you ride the pine. Playing for Coach Sutter is very easy. Just don't screw up. This Team Canada is an underdog in the tournament, and if they're going to win they will have to be perfect.

As for this "cut my hair, shave and praise the general" garbage, is that what this is all about? Are you miffed because Sutter asked the players to get a little hair cut? Is that where you get this "militaristic" nonsense of yours?

I don't know if you've been paying attention, but Team Canada isn't exactly marching along sporting a whole lot of buzz cuts.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

listen everyone if this was the same latendresse as we know and have seen he would have scored by now. Honestly, pierre mcguire even said he has been bad in practice, he simply isnt playing well. He needs his confidence back.

 

[Ice]

No you wouldn't.

Believe me I wouldn’t, I know the type well.

You would respect him because he's helped this team "beat" a team (the US) that was heavily favoured to stomp on this version of Team Canada.

For whatever reason the US has underperformed relative to our expectations in every game this year.

You would respect him because he's one of the most successful coaches in WJC Canadian history.

You know your argument is weak when you have to count on overblown stats like that. As many have said, just about any coach would have the same record and probably easier games.

And you would respect him because he gives you a role, and if you do your job, you get to play. If you don't do your job, you ride the pine.

Sutter would never earn my respect. I would definitely be riding the pine if I was on his team but it would be because I'm and individual and not because of my play.

As for this "cut my hair, shave and praise the general" garbage, is that what this is all about? Are you miffed because Sutter asked the players to get a little hair cut? Is that where you get this "militaristic" nonsense of yours?

No that only adds to it, I learned to dislike him last year. Speaking of which, does anyone know if Kessel usually sprouts a beard? I was wondering if it was normal or was Kessel doing it to make fun of Canadians being micromanaged by some hardline nutcase.

 

[Ice]

listen everyone if this was the same latendresse as we know and have seen he would have scored by now.

That only way Lats is going to score on Sutter's team is by chatting up the ladies behind the bench.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Yeah, about 30 seconds after I made that post I made a quick search on google and said I was wrong, he does speak french as well.

Here's what Latendresse had to say in yesterday's newspaper (Le Journal de Québec ... sorry if my translation of the article sucks)

Title of the article is :

"I didn't have my chance"

Other quotes from Guillaume :

"At this point in the competition, all that matters is the logo in front of the shirt and not my name in the back. When I look at the quality of the players in Team Canada Junior, I don't have any other choice than adopt this attitude "

" No matter how much ice tme I'll get, I'll be the best team player I can be. What my teamates will get, I will also, but, in my wildest dreams, this isn't how I was seeing myself at my first WJC."

"Honestly, I don't think I ever had a real chance"

Sorry if I adressed that in an abrupt way.

I remember that Pouliot grew up east of Ottawa in (I believe) Hawkesbury, and I think he's actually more comfortable speaking francais than anglais.

Thanks for the translation; most Americans cannot speak French. Spanish is a much more common and important language here. I've been in several places in America where I've had to speak Spanish to make myself understood (and my Spanish is awful.)





There are rumors that team chemistry is becoming an issue with the Yanks. For Canada's sake, I hope they can put aside the cultural differences for this tourney. Playing against a Canadian team with an "All for One" mentaility is as difficult as an opponent as you'll ever find.

I don't believe Latendresse's benching is culturally oriented. I do know that the Sutters value hard work more than anything else. I'm not saying Gui isn't working hard; I'm just saying that if he isn't, he won't see time under a Sutter. Whether he is or isn't working hard is not a topic I am familiar with.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Believe me I wouldn’t, I know the type well.



For whatever reason the US has underperformed relative to our expectations in every game this year.



You know your argument is weak when you have to count on overblown stats like that. As many have said, just about any coach would have the same record and probably easier games.



Sutter would never earn my respect. I would definitely be riding the pine if I was on his team but it would be because I'm and individual and not because of my play.



No that only adds to it, I learned to dislike him last year. Speaking of which, does anyone know if Kessel usually sprouts a beard? I was wondering if it was normal or was Kessel doing it to make fun of Canadians being micromanaged by some hardline nutcase.

Red Berenson, the coach of the University of Michigan hockey team and former NHL player, also has a thing about long hair, as does the New York Yankees' owner, Darth Steinbrenner.

I can understand where Sutter is coming from, but I flat out vehemently disagree. I think it is a horrible stereotype. I cannot stand being judged on appearance. Look at an individual's character.

 

[Ice]

I take it that your grandmother could coach them to a record of destroying the opposition?

Maybe she couldn't do that but just about every coach in Canada could I suspect.

Btw, could your granny go to a couple of Memorial Cups & win one of them?

Molding his own team by having players that are fine with the overbearing style is different than imposing his style on a diverse group of players from across the country. I suppose if you're a hardline conservative Alberta is the best province he could be in to find players that don't mind be bossed around by one.

 

[ZombieMatt]

You know your argument is weak when you have to count on overblown stats like that. As many have said, just about any coach would have the same record and probably easier games.

You know your argument is weak when you are completely void of anything that starts to resemble factual evidence.

It's pretty simple. One of my former university profs used to remind some of my classmates about something when they were conducting their own research and then making conclusions that countered their evidence.

You can't just say "the facts and statistics are wrong because they counter what I believe, regardless of the lack of proof behind what you believe."

And he's right.

This is a classic case of someone trying to discredit irrefutable hard data simply because it doesn't gel with their misconceived beliefs.

As a coach for Team Canada, Sutter has been outstanding. A coaches job is to ensure that his team plays to their potential, and nobody can deny that is exactly what he has done.

In 2005, he guided a dominant roster to a dominant victory.

In 2006 he has won every single game the team has played, including a "win" over a HEAVILY favoured American team and a sound beating of a very solid Finnish squad. They got wins over Swizterland and Norway.

What MORE could you want than him being PERFECT as coach of Canada's WJC team?

 

[Habs Icing]

I am not sure he is being called an idiot or terrible in any quarters. We all have our own opinions.

SHA, read back a couple of pages and you'll see some posters actually called him that.

 

[Transported Upstater]

I suppose if you're a hardline conservative Alberta is the best province he could be in to find players that don't mind be bossed around by one.

I may not be a Sutter fan, but that kind of comment belongs in the political forum, not in this thread.

 

[Phanuthier*]

I would definitely be riding the pine if I was on his team but it would be because I'm and individual and not because of my play.

Well your type of player won't win championships.

Say what you want about Sutter, but he wins games and he has the respect of his players. Coaches as successful as Brent Sutter arn't stupid.

I'd argue that coaching this 2006 roster is much easier then the 2005 roster. It's harder to coach a team full of ego's then a team with lesser talent, but have you attension. You think its easy to coach a loaded roster? Tell that to Colorado last season, or Lewis in Detriot, or any NYR coach in the past decade. The only coach I can think of that can handle a team for of ego's as well as Sutter did with 2005 was what Scotty Bowman did in Detriot.

In 2005, the gold medel was for Brent Sutter's team to lose, but it was very easy for him to lose his team - but he kept them in check. Stupid coaches don't set winning records for a very prestigous Team Canada. And Brent Sutter could be setting that the next game Team Canada plays.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Well your type of player won't win championships.

Say what you want about Sutter, but he wins games and he has the respect of his players. Coaches as successful as Brent Sutter arn't stupid.

I'd argue that coaching this 2006 roster is much easier then the 2005 roster. It's harder to coach a team full of ego's then a team with lesser talent, but have you attension. You think its easy to coach a loaded roster? Tell that to Colorado last season, or Lewis in Detriot, or any NYR coach in the past decade. The only coach I can think of that can handle a team for of ego's as well as Sutter did with 2005 was what Scotty Bowman did in Detriot.

In 2005, the gold medel was for Brent Sutter's team to lose, but it was very easy for him to lose his team - but he kept them in check. Stupid coaches don't set winning records for a very prestigous Team Canada. And Brent Sutter could be setting that the next game Team Canada plays.

I agree partly. It isn't always easy to coach a team that is expected to win. Canada knew last year that the only one that could beat them was themselves, and to conquer that requires discipline.

I don't know if I believe it was harder in 2005, though. In this tournament, Canada has to dictate the style of play to win the gold. If they got in a run-and-gun, '84 Oilers-style game with the Americans they would have been slaughtered. Canada won because they made the game a physical one and outworked the USA in my opinion.

I really admire this year's Canadian team. They know they pale in comparison to last year's team on paper (then again, basically every junior team does), but they are putting their stamp on every game they play.

It's a team I can easily cheer for when they are not playing the Americans.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

yeah just saw on TSN basically its what i said... latendresse isnt performing like he can and hes doing it to light a fire.

 

[Gutchecktime]

What a joke...?

Latendresse is playing his future. Sutter isn't, Latendresse deserves some ice time and it's not up to Sutter to decide if he's ready or not

Last I checked, Sutter is the coach, Latendresse isn't. It is up to Sutter and SUTTER ALONE to decide if Latendresse is who should be on the ice. Period. The players need to know that if you put forth a lousy effort, you DO NOT PLAY. End of story. When players look down the bench and see a guy like Latendresse nailed to the bench due to lack of effort, they will KNOW without a doubt that Sutter means business. And I guarantee you, when Latendresse DOES get his chance (you know he will) he will be fuming and ready to prove himself.

I'm sick and tired of the doubt over what Sutter is doing. Reminder: he still hasn't lost a game. Not even to the "favourites", Russia and the United States. Latendresse is NOT doing the things that are needed to get the job done. He's not going to the net OR playing physical. Why are these things important? Because in terms of talent, we're pretty much totally outclassed. Therefore, if we want to succeed, we need to be disciplined, we need to be physical, we need to work hard. If Latendresse isn't working hard enough, and isn't being physical enough, why does he deserve to play over someone who IS?

Everyone needs to be on the same page here. If not, they'll find themselves on the outside looking in. That's what a coach needs to do in this tournament. There's no time for Latendresse to screw around and find his 'A' game. He needs to bring it every shift or he won't GET any more.

Sutter hates skill.

No. Sutter hates lack of effort. Sutter hates laziness. Sutter LOVES physical, gritty,
hockey. If we win, that's how we'll do it.

Gui doesn't do what is asked of him so Sutter cuts his ice time to show him who's the boss.

Uh no. I'm pretty sure Sutter cuts his ice time because he doesn't think he can win when Gui isn't doing what is asked of him. If you think Sutter does things to make himself look tough instead of to WIN you're sorely mistaken.

Really, Sutter should explain why he's benching him. He might have a good reason, and we'd shut our dirty mouths, but as long as I'm concerned, I can't see why he doesn't have at least a chance.Really, Sutter should explain why he's benching him. He might have a good reason, and we'd shut our dirty mouths, but as long as I'm concerned, I can't see why he doesn't have at least a chance.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and venture that Sutter really doesn't care about what YOU think of his coaching decisions. He doesn't owe an explanation to ANYONE really, especially not YOU, a random fan. My guess is that he's explained to Gui why he's being benched. And since we don't know that he HASN'T, you should probably "shut (y)our dirty mouths" anyway.

This is how it works. This is the great thing about this tournament. So often you see in the NHL that there's pressure on coaches to play certain players for reasons OTHER than what's happening on ice, whether it be their salary, marketing reasons, etc. Sutter gets to do pretty much whatever he wants in order to put best players for the job on the ice - NOT THE BEST PLAYERS, THE BEST PLAYERS FOR THE JOB!

If you don't play Sutter's way, you don't play at all.

 

[Roughneck]

Molding his own team by having players that are fine with the overbearing style is different than imposing his style on a diverse group of players from across the country.

That's why he chooses players from across the country that fit his style. Blair Mackasey didn't just get a list of 30 names together and said "I hope these are the kinds of players you want," if it was, Wojtek Wolski and Evan McGrath would have been on the team, and the likes of Tom Pyatt wouldn't have even been invited to the camp (or Dustin Boyd and Dave Bolland the year before).

Sutter built this team using players he knew were his kind of players that would play his style of hockey, but also took a chance with some guys, Latendresse being the big one.

 

[Phanuthier*]

No. Sutter hates lack of effort. Sutter hates laziness. Sutter LOVES physical, gritty,
hockey. If we win, that's how we'll do it.

You know what Sutter loves more then anything in the world? Accountability. Tell Cogliano that Sutter hates skill. Tell Marc Staal that Sutter only likes good ol' Western boys. Tell Ryan Parent that Sutter only plays his WHL boys. Tell Sidney Crosby that Sutter doesn't like players from the QMJHL. Tell Patrice Bergeron Sutter hates French Canadians.

More then anything, ask Team Canada's 2005 squad how bad of a coach Brent Sutter is.

But no, HF thinks regardless of how good or bad a player is playing, he should play players based on a diverse background or that he should concentrate more on developing a player rather then winning hockey games. I mean, that was what he was brought in to do, right?

Players should not be accountable for their play. Ok, whatever you say.

 

[Ice]

Well your type of player won't win championships.

What crap, every great player is an individual. Sutter doesn't want anyone to standout.

Say what you want about Sutter, but he wins games and he has the respect of his players. Coaches as successful as Brent Sutter arn't stupid.

He did but you can already see the erosion of his respect. Even I thought he was a great choice before the world juniors started last year. As good as last year's team was, it could have been even better had they been coached by a coach that respects different types of players and players that standout.

 

[Ice]

In 2005, he guided a dominant roster to a dominant victory.

In 2006 he has won every single game the team has played, including a "win" over a HEAVILY favoured American team and a sound beating of a very solid Finnish squad. They got wins over Swizterland and Norway.

You just keep parroting the same irrelevant accomplishments that any mediocre coach could have accomplished.

What MORE could you want than him being PERFECT as coach of Canada's WJC team?

One who is not an overbearing idiot. One who doesn't treat his team like they were a bunch of robots. One who has semblance of imagination and can like the full range of playing styles instead of being obsessed with grit and grit only. One who doesn't mind of a player or a line can standout above the rest. One doesn't mess with a player's future for no other reason than disliking him.

 

[baston]

Sutter built this team using players he knew were his kind of players that would play his style of hockey, but also took a chance with some guys, Latendresse being the big one.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if somebody plays a "Sutter" style of hockey, it is Guillaume Latendresse. He delivers big time bodychecks and is very intense. I don't think Suter took any kind of a chance with Latendresse.

Too bad the guy isn't delivering. The Latendresse we saw in October in Montreal would easily be Canada's best forward. But his play hasn't reached that level since, even in the Q ...

 

[Transported Upstater]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if somebody plays a "Sutter" style of hockey, it is Guillaume Latendresse. He delivers big time bodychecks and is very intense. I don't think Suter took any kind of a chance with Latendresse.

Too bad the guy isn't delivering. The Latendresse we saw in October in Montreal would easily be Canada's best forward. But his play hasn't reached that level since, even in the Q ...

You make an interesting point, because I really think Guillame's mind is in Montreal right now.

Do you think he is "playing out the season" in the Q, knowing he'll have a contract waiting for him on a team many young Canadian francophones dream of playing for? I wonder if Guillame is resting on his laurels because he came so close to making the Habs roster in preseason? Again, I'm asking, not telling. If I'm wrong, feel free to let me know.

(One Voltguier(spelling?) I have been impressed with is Brassard. He had a great thing going with Latendresse in the Q. I think Brassard has a bright future, especially in a more-open NHL.)

I do know that Wojtek Wolski's effort in Brampton has been questionable at best after being returned to the OHL by Colorado. His play has started to pick up, but just ask Brampton fans how he started, and they'll be more than happy to let you know....

 

[Sammy*]

You just keep parroting the same irrelevant accomplishments that any mediocre coach could have accomplished.



One who is not an overbearing idiot. One who doesn't treat his team like they were a bunch of robots. One who has semblance of imagination and can like the full range of playing styles instead of being obsessed with grit and grit only. One who doesn't mind of a player or a line can standout above the rest. One doesn't mess with a player's future for no other reason than disliking him.

You really have no clue nor proof of this.
Tell Jeff Carter, Crosby, Phaneuf, Richards that Sutter doesnt like guys to stand out.
You seem to like prima donnas who cant buy into the team concept. Well in a team game, all your ever goinng to be a loser with that attitude.
And btw, a guy like Latendresse did stand out. Thats why he's sitting.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

You make an interesting point, because I really think Guillame's mind is in Montreal right now.

Do you think he is "playing out the season" in the Q, knowing he'll have a contract waiting for him on a team many young Canadian francophones dream of playing for? I wonder if Guillame is resting on his laurels because he came so close to making the Habs roster in preseason? Again, I'm asking, not telling. If I'm wrong, feel free to let me know.

(One Voltguier(spelling?) I have been impressed with is Brassard. He had a great thing going with Latendresse in the Q. I think Brassard has a bright future, especially in a more-open NHL.)

I do know that Wojtek Wolski's effort in Brampton has been questionable at best after being returned to the OHL by Colorado. His play has started to pick up, but just ask Brampton fans how he started, and they'll be more than happy to let you know....

still doesnt matter even though it is a good point, the WJC is a very special thing, he sometimes writes on RDS.ca and he said before the team was announced that he was very confident he would be part of the team. Here is another post he made on december 27th.

http://www.rds.ca/lhjmq/chroniques/194669.html

it basicly says for those who cant read french that Brent Sutter talked to him after the 5-1 win over finland and wanted him to improve on the little things. He also said that he listens to Sutters advice and thinks hes a very good coach.