Leafs at the Olympics

[JT AM da real deal]

Rielly will likely be only Leaf on Team Canada on 3rd pair
Willy on Sweden
and Matty on USA
Mitch and JT just can't skate fast enough to compete in best on best even though they have other admirable skills

 

[Zybalto]

Rielly will likely be only Leaf on Team Canada on 3rd pair
Willy on Sweden
and Matty on USA
Mitch and JT just can't skate fast enough to compete in best on best even though they have other admirable skills

Marner is as much a lock as any winger in the game for Canada. He skates circles around most of the league right now and has the top 5 on ice vision in the league. He also has amazing PK stats, crazy takeaway ability and he's coming off a crazy combination of being top 5 in points, top ten in Selke votes as well a 1st team NHL RW (voted the best RW in the NHL last year) . It would be one of the crazier snubs this century if he doesn't make it in. He had a slower start this year (like a few guys) but has been a rock during this winning streak.

Tavares dominated the boards in 2016 for Canada and is sitting at 9 goals and 18 points in 20 games and around 60% on faceoffs (2nd in the NHL for the top faceoff takers). With the game being played on NHL ice, he's looking good to make the team right now. He's certainly been better than Scheifele or Barzal for example.

With the herd of great D Canada has and the limited number of spots, Rielly is the one least likely to make it IMO. It's really up to the coaches to see how they want to work out the chemistry on the team although Rielly worked really well on team NA with all those skill players.

 

[meefer]

Tavares in a long interview on the Bob McCown podcast. He may be a low key guy, but here he's as open with his views as I've heard him. JOHN TAVARES on his teams recent success, Sheldon Keefe & Being a Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. | Bob McCown Podcast | Podcast Player | Maple Leafs Aggregator

 

[francis246]

Marner is as much a lock as any winger in the game for Canada. He skates circles around most of the league right now and has the top 5 on ice vision in the league. He also has amazing PK stats, crazy takeaway ability and he's coming off a crazy combination of being top 5 in points, top ten in Selke votes as well a 1st team NHL RW (voted the best RW in the NHL last year) . It would be one of the crazier snubs this century if he doesn't make it in. He had a slower start this year (like a few guys) but has been a rock during this winning streak.

Tavares dominated the boards in 2016 for Canada and is sitting at 9 goals and 18 points in 20 games and around 60% on faceoffs (2nd in the NHL for the top faceoff takers). With the game being played on NHL ice, he's looking good to make the team right now. He's certainly been better than Scheifele or Barzal for example.

With the herd of great D Canada has and the limited number of spots, Rielly is the one least likely to make it IMO. It's really up to the coaches to see how they want to work out the chemistry on the team although Rielly worked really well on team NA with all those skill players.

agreed I don’t see how Barzal or Schiefele make this team Canada at this point

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

Rielly will likely be only Leaf on Team Canada on 3rd pair
Willy on Sweden
and Matty on USA
Mitch and JT just can't skate fast enough to compete in best on best even though they have other admirable skills

mitch Marner can’t skate fast enough ? Lol you should be banned for such a moronic troll statement

 

[meefer]

Nylander/Sweden
Matthews, Campbell/US
Marner, Rielly, Tavares/Can

All are realistic options. Does Kamph have a chance with Czech? I don't know their strengths at C and the fella can shut down with the best of them.

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

Nylander/Sweden
Matthews, Campbell/US
Marner, Rielly, Tavares/Can

All are realistic options. Does Kamph have a chance with Czech? I don't know their strengths at C and the fella can shut down with the best of them.

Kase and mrazek should both be there for the Czechs as well.

 

[kb]

mitch Marner can’t skate fast enough ? Lol you should be banned for such a moronic troll statement

I mean, they are/were touting Getzlaf....

 

[Nylander88]

This is just my opinion, but....
Canada
Lock: Marner
Heavy consideration: Rielly, Tavares

USA
Lock: Matthews
Heavy consideration: Campbell

Sweden
Lock: Nylander

Czech
Lock: Mrazek, Kase
Heavy consideration: Kampf

 

[RobBrown4PM]

Marner is one of the fastest and most agile skaters in the league. Any coach/GM for the national team would be silly not to take him.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Sweden would be just foolish not to take Willie. He looks so dominant right now.

 

[zeke]

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

I honestly think Marner , Tavares, Rielly, Matthews, Campbell, Kase, Kampf, Mrazek, Nylander, Rubins will all make it haha. Maybe I’m crazy

 

[Budz22]

Didn’t Armstrong say they’re not taking an All Star team. Canada is going to be a heavy team with skills. And I know a lot of you are going to be upset but I doubt Marner makes team. His stock has dropped significantly since last playoffs and so you think they want a player who disappears in the biggest games? I don’t think we need him flipping pucks over the glass in the Olympics.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Marner is as much a lock as any winger in the game for Canada. He skates circles around most of the league right now and has the top 5 on ice vision in the league. He also has amazing PK stats, crazy takeaway ability and he's coming off a crazy combination of being top 5 in points, top ten in Selke votes as well a 1st team NHL RW (voted the best RW in the NHL last year) . It would be one of the crazier snubs this century if he doesn't make it in. He had a slower start this year (like a few guys) but has been a rock during this winning streak.

Tavares dominated the boards in 2016 for Canada and is sitting at 9 goals and 18 points in 20 games and around 60% on faceoffs (2nd in the NHL for the top faceoff takers). With the game being played on NHL ice, he's looking good to make the team right now. He's certainly been better than Scheifele or Barzal for example.

With the herd of great D Canada has and the limited number of spots, Rielly is the one least likely to make it IMO. It's really up to the coaches to see how they want to work out the chemistry on the team although Rielly worked really well on team NA with all those skill players.

I know you don't like it as a fanboy but Mitch and JT, who are both great guys by da way, are just not fast enough straight line to compete in a best on best .. you can't have guys who flat out can't compete up and down da ice .. both are great down low players in slow games but when chips are down speed wins

 

[JT AM da real deal]

mitch Marner can’t skate fast enough ? Lol you should be banned for such a moronic troll statement

It is da truth .. if Mitch ever made it he would be BY FAR da slowest man on team outside of JT .. you just don;t know your hockey

 

[AvroArrow]

Rielly will likely be only Leaf on Team Canada on 3rd pair
Willy on Sweden
and Matty on USA
Mitch and JT just can't skate fast enough to compete in best on best even though they have other admirable skills

Mitch is one of the best skaters in the league. He's fast and agile, his style of play excels on a bigger rink. He's a guaranteed lock for team Canada.

With the way Tavares has been playing he will make it to team Canada. Rielly maybe as an extra D.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Mitch is one of the best skaters in the league. He's fast and agile, his style of play excels on a bigger rink. He's a guaranteed lock for team Canada.

With the way Tavares has been playing he will make it to team Canada. Rielly maybe as an extra D.

Mitch is not even top 300 in straight line speed in NHL .. he was timed at camp goal line to goal line and was not even close to TOP 5 on his own team .. get your facts straight .. too much BS on here .. da truth always prevails .. Rielly Kerfoot Mik Willy and Dermy are your top 5 folks

 

[AvroArrow]

Mitch is not even top 300 in straight line speed in NHL .. he was timed at camp goal line to goal line and was not even close to TOP 5 on his own team .. get your facts straight .. too much BS on here .. da truth always prevails .. Rielly Kerfoot Mik Willy and Dermy are your top 5 folks

Show me the part where I said he was a top 5 in his own team, you're arguing with yourself too much BS on here is correct. People think Marner is a poor skater

His edge work/agility is among the best in the league. He doesn't need to be the "fastest" to be a good skater. He's a legit 90 point player, relying on his skill/playmaking/skating to be successful. If you think he's a bad skater that's just poor assessment. For Tavares, yes you have a case, but Marner ? lol get out.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Mitch is not even top 300 in straight line speed in NHL .. he was timed at camp goal line to goal line and was not even close to TOP 5 on his own team .. get your facts straight .. too much BS on here .. da truth always prevails .. Rielly Kerfoot Mik Willy and Dermy are your top 5 folks

The players you named are some of the fastest players in the league. Mikheyev was going stride for stride with McDavid last year. Marner not having as much straight line speed as those guys doesn't make him anywhere close to "not even top 300 in straight line speed", and on top of it not being true, you are massively, massively overrating the importance of straight line speed while ignoring the elite agility Marner has on his skates. Marner is a lock.

 

[zeke]

Stamkos - McDavid - Point
Tavares - MacKinnon - Marner
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Huberdeau - O'Reilly - Stone
​

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Show me the part where I said he was a top 5 in his own team, you're arguing with yourself too much BS on here is correct. People think Marner is a poor skater

His edge work/agility is among the best in the league. He doesn't need to be the "fastest" to be a good skater. He's a legit 90 point player, relying on his skill/playmaking/skating to be successful. If you think he's a bad skater that's just poor assessment. For Tavares, yes you have a case, but Marner ? lol get out.

OK that's fine .. I agree he is likely best edge skater in NHL if not 1st then right up there with Marchand/Kuch take your pick who you like best .. I was talking about pure flat out foot speed .. when games becomes very fast up and down da ice games .. off da rush games like playoffs he can't keep up .. I never said he was a poor skater I know I coached him over da years .. but Kuch and Marchand have much longer stride lengths and can move at higher pace too

 

[Zybalto]

I know you don't like it as a fanboy but Mitch and JT, who are both great guys by da way, are just not fast enough straight line to compete in a best on best .. you can't have guys who flat out can't compete up and down da ice .. both are great down low players in slow games but when chips are down speed wins

Taking just an example from say, the last week, here is a good video breaking down Marner's elite skating and smarts as he humiliates Matthew Barzal:



Please tell me you dont have the ultra sheltered Barzal above Marner on your team Canada least.

I mean, I have no clue what you are talking about, and worse, you dont either. Marner is a very good skater and that includes having decent speed. He's matched up against the best most of the time and if he was so slow, wouldnt he be getting beat most of the time (in reality its the other way around)

I can tell by the "fanboy" comment, you are stuck inside some kind of tribal loop in your head. Let go of that nonsense while you can and enjoy having such an elite winger on the team.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

The players you named are some of the fastest players in the league. Mikheyev was going stride for stride with McDavid last year. Marner not having as much straight line speed as those guys doesn't make him anywhere close to "not even top 300 in straight line speed", and on top of it not being true, you are massively, massively overrating the importance of straight line speed while ignoring the elite agility Marner has on his skates. Marner is a lock.

There are 5 or more players on every team in NHL faster than Mitch easy .. again stick to facts .. Matty is faster too .. so is Engval .. so is Kase .. Mitch likely around 10-15 on leafs i would guess .. speed counts in playoff hockey and it will count at Olympics when we play US, Russia and Sweden who will all be fast teams

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Taking just an example from say, the last week, here is a good video breaking down Marner's elite skating and smarts as he humiliates Matthew Barzal:



Please tell me you dont have the ultra sheltered Barzal above Marner on your team Canada least.

I mean, I have no clue what you are talking about, and worse, you dont either. Marner is a very good skater and that includes having decent speed. He's matched up against the best most of the time and if he was so slow, wouldnt he be getting beat most of the time (in reality its the other way around)

I can tell by the "fanboy" comment, you are stuck inside some kind of tribal loop in your head. Let go of that nonsense while you can and enjoy having such an elite winger on the team.

Neither will make it for different reasons .. but I was at The Brick game when Barzal made Mitch look like a toothless boy for 60 minutes straight .. not 1 video clip .. well guess who was tournament MVP???????????