You bet your ass that those players representing Sweden at the worldcup are patriotic as hell. And will have more motivation to win than a mix of Canadians and Americans.
PREDICTION: Chances NA u-23 team can win a medal in The WCOH
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You bet your ass that those players representing Sweden at the worldcup are patriotic as hell. And will have more motivation to win than a mix of Canadians and Americans.
Magua
Entirely Palatable Product
The team is loaded with so much raw, young talent with skills out the wazoo. But Couturier isn't just the best defensive/3-zone player on the team but among the best in the NHL. He's already Selke level. No one else on the roster can claim they see among the toughest usage in the NHL, go head-to-head against every top line on every top team, and slay doing so...scoring, possession, you name it. He's also absurdly easy to play with because he does everything right. There isn't a linemate TNA could assign him he wouldn't click with. I'd love to see him with 2 skill players, so he can open up their games.
Good news also that McLellan was a huge fan of Coots while coaching at the WC last year too.
Curufinwe
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Gary Nylund
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Nothing like this has been tried before so we can't really be sure how it will work out but I think these young guns will be very motivated. These are professionals who take pride in what they do regardless of what sweater they're wearing. Beating some of these national teams would be a feather in their caps for sure and the more people who dismiss them, the more motivation they have IMO.
cbjgirl
Just thinking
The Murray - Jones defensive pairing looked very good once Jones was acquired by the CBJ last season. (Hopefully, they stay together for the tournament and get any "preseason" kinks out of the way before October).
Larkin - McDavid - Eichel
Gaudreau - Monahan - Scheifele
Saad - Couturier - MacKinnon
Miller - Nugent-Hopkins - Drouin
Matthews
Rielly - Ekblad
Murray - Jones
Gostisbehere - Trouba
Parayko
Murray, Gibson, Hellebuyck
Gaudreau - Monahan - Scheifele
Saad - Couturier - MacKinnon
Miller - Nugent-Hopkins - Drouin
Matthews
Rielly - Ekblad
Murray - Jones
Gostisbehere - Trouba
Parayko
Murray, Gibson, Hellebuyck
Duke Silver
Truce?
Nothing quite like being the underdog. Plenty of motivation to prove people wrong. That's hard-wired into their brains.
Unless you think these players may be THAT patriotic that they wouldn't try hard against their home nations out of some feeling of obligation?
JackSlater
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Every team other than Canada is the underdog. The Edmonton Oilers are always an underdog. It's not really unique motivation. I can speculate that the other teams will be even more motivated to not embarrass themselves by losing to this team.
I don't think that they will give up against their own national teams, but obviously their motivation isn't the same. I doubt that anyone actually thinks that American players for instance are as motivated to beat team USA as they are to beat Russia.
You don't have to be patriotic to feel strange playing against your national team in serious tournament. They will definetely feel better playing against other teams than US/ CAN. It would be strange if they don't. They only represent themselfes as individuals, not even the team. Thats pretty much nothing compare to team Canada and USA representing their nations. Who even cares whether some U23 players are better than team Canada or any other team? They dont have any purpose there, just to make you entertained...
And till they prove me wrong, even if US is weakened by this young guns, I believe it is an advantage for Team Canada or team USA when they face them. They must have in their heads that it is easier to hit Plekanec than Crosby or embarass Finnland than team Canada. I just dont believe they make same effort against their national teams as they will do against others....
Duke Silver
Truce?
Sports psychologist over here, everyone.
How exactly do you get proved wrong or right about something so arbitrary and subjective?
Stop overthinking and underestimating. A dangerous combo.
Sports psychologist over here, everyone.
How exactly do you get proved wrong or right about something so arbitrary and subjective?
Stop overthinking and underestimating. A dangerous combo.
These are just my thoughts which I am brave enough to say before the tournament 
And U23 might prove me completely wrong one month later.Bu seriously I remember Stastny and Nedved who did it. I dont know anything about Stastny but Nedved said it was weird. And it was just one player. This will be entire team.
And in case they beat Canada in playoffs, no, you are not that good that even your U23 can win. You are just that good that you also need americans U23 to win it. Just making statement for future HF discussions
Anyone doubting whether the players will be motivated enough, should read this
https://www.nhl.com/news/morgan-rielly-preparing-for-world-cup-of-hockey/c-281324648?tid=278386054
https://www.nhl.com/news/morgan-rielly-preparing-for-world-cup-of-hockey/c-281324648?tid=278386054
Marian Hossa and Tomas Tatar are motivated too, does that mean they are itching to win the world cup with Swiss, and Danish players?
Somebody mentioned earlier that players are motivated as individuals. Kind of like players when participating in All Star games.
Put it this way, would Morgan Rielly tell the media otherwise, if he thought this tournament was a complete farse, with the organizers putting him on a team with American players?
The guy just won gold for team Canada in May. I don't think he will be that motivated to beat his own country if "his" team makes it that far in the World Cup.
So what I'm saying is, even if NA beats FIN, SWE, RUS, or 2 of the 3, they will more than likely have to play their own country ie. Team USA, or CAN in the semi final and potentially in the final.
Let's see how far their motivation takes them
I will be interested to see how they'll do - even though this is a kind of pre-season exhibition tournament, it at least is an interesting exhibition.
Of course people are already talking about Finland on paper - these young stars are going to meet a disciplined, hard working, extremely well coached and motivated national team that follows a very coherent and well rehearsed system of play. Good luck to them...
Of course people are already talking about Finland on paper - these young stars are going to meet a disciplined, hard working, extremely well coached and motivated national team that follows a very coherent and well rehearsed system of play. Good luck to them...
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I think they will surprise everyone. Younger players always seem to have good starts to the season, while the superstar vets will take a bit longer getting up to speed.
tony d
New poll series coming from me in June
They will lose to Canada and get the silver, making the whole thing a farce. Canadians playing Canadians for gold? The hockey may be good, but the whole notion is still a goddamn joke.
gwh
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