WJC: Prediction Time
- Thread starter YMCMBYOLO
- Start date
yeah.. our defence isnt best, but we've had that problem like forever? and still managed to do well
I got a feeling that, these games wont end well for us.. coz being home games.. etc. (typically finnish as i am.)
Finland's schooled better teams while touting worse defenses, and same is possible here if the players buy into what the coach is preaching. With a good system in place, keeping a low-score game isn't rocket science.
I'd be wary of their chances in a full-blown series, but let's also keep in mind that it's a single-game elimination tournament. Sometimes just having a hot goalie is enough to go pretty far.
Finland's defense isn't the best on paper, but it most definitely is still good enough to help win it all, especially in a tournament like this. And same can be said of other top countries as well who may not seem as impressive on all departments - even Czech Rep. or Russia can win it if they get it going.
QnebO
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- Feb 11, 2010
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Hockey gods have blessed us with home tournament and a generation that could even be part of some kind of new "golden generation" at best. All time best u20 team on paper anyway offensively.
Predicting is bit harder, games are almost never played on paper, and the competitions are tight. Who ever plays clearly best team game and 5 man system wins from top countries.
Predicting is bit harder, games are almost never played on paper, and the competitions are tight. Who ever plays clearly best team game and 5 man system wins from top countries.
With , in all probability , none of our U20 NHLers available, with our projected Top Dman injured and likewise unavailable, with our projected #1 goalie facing a 2 game suspension to start tourney, and with tourney already starting in earnest on Boxing day vs what appears to be, on paper, a very good Yank squad...
Our Boyz will be in tough...
Crazy as this may sound, to some, Canada may be the 3rd best team...in its POOL
Our Boyz will be in tough...
Crazy as this may sound, to some, Canada may be the 3rd best team...in its POOL
1Gold Standard
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- Jun 13, 2012
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Time for a little tic tac tao
Canada v U.S. in the final.
Sweden v Czech Rep in the Bronze medal game.
Canada v U.S. in the final.
Sweden v Czech Rep in the Bronze medal game.
JackSlater
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1Gold Standard
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don't start another Walman argument. Even if Walman was uninjured, I wouldn't rate him as our #1 D-man anyway. Our true number 1 D-man is last year's NHL rookie of the year and contributor to last spring's World Hockey Championship Gold Medal, and future Norris winner, A. Ekblad. Unfortunately, he's not available.
JackSlater
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I didn't even think of Walman. He was obviously not going to be the top defenceman... Fleury or Sanheim likely will be. Once again very glad that he will not be participating in the tournament.
1Gold Standard
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really? Do we have other d-men nursing injuries. b/c we can't spare any more.
game v CIS is tonight, right? nm. I checked HC website for the sched.
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Thank-you Captain Obvious
Nobody ever dreamed that Ekblad was gonna play on this years version of TC (nor last years juniors either). Ideally Walman WAS PROJECTED ( BY SOME )to be our top D man THIS YEAR, BUT got hurt...
GOT IT?
Guise Luise...nitpick much???
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1Gold Standard
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Thank-you Captain Obvious
Nobody ever dreamed that Ekblad was gonna play on this years version of TC (nor last years juniors either). Ideally Walman WAS PROJECTED to be our top D man THIS YEAR, BUT got hurt...
GOT IT?
Guise Luise...nitpick much???
Get this! Walman is not now, nor will he ever be a projected number 1 d-man on any version of Team Canada. not this team, not now, not ever. And if any of the talking heads at TSN were opining such, they clearly are out to lunch. It was probably Button. And Button wouldn't know a hockey player from a cheese sandwich. How's that for clarity?
Even if none of the NHLers are released..they are still the deepest team. If Walman were to of made this team it would of been a circus with the media because of his previous commitment to the States. The team is better off without him and the d is completely fine.
So the kid's first choice was the States over Canada? Big Deal
If memory serves, Brett Hull's first choice was Canada, until he got the cold shoulder from Dave King and company...Still, that didn't stop Gretzky et al from trying to steal him back, for our 1996 World Cup team...
Getting back to Walman...11 goals and 19 pts ( again if memory serves ) in only 14 NCAA games is nothing to sneeze at! Seems there's plenty who think, we are NOT better off without him!
Howe Elbows 9
Registered User
I don't think it's a big deal either but as soon as Canada invited him there was news articles everywhere on this guy...the media would of made it a big deal and it would of been a distraction for the team. Sure his numbers are good in the ncaa but by no means was he the best defenceman on the team going into camp..
Tut tut...had he been available + scored a big goal vs Yanks on Boxing Day, that becomes the new soup du jour ( read the negative media feeding frenzy ends and all is forgiven )
As for the rest? We'll never know whether such gaudy NCAA numbers would have translated to similar success at WJC's
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1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Canada
This is the best swedish team in many years. Most of the players are key/regulars in the top swedish league. Finland have talent up front, but is not as deep as Sweden. Canada lost McDavid, Domi and Reinhart and I see them taking a huge step back. But, it's still a bit early to say, since they have a handful of low odds players, like McCann and Bennett who could make a big impact if they were released.
Like most people, I don't know a whole lot about the russian players, so they could be a surprise. USA doesn't impress me though. Without Eichel, Larkin and Hanifin they look pretty mediocre.
2. Finland
3. Canada
This is the best swedish team in many years. Most of the players are key/regulars in the top swedish league. Finland have talent up front, but is not as deep as Sweden. Canada lost McDavid, Domi and Reinhart and I see them taking a huge step back. But, it's still a bit early to say, since they have a handful of low odds players, like McCann and Bennett who could make a big impact if they were released.
Like most people, I don't know a whole lot about the russian players, so they could be a surprise. USA doesn't impress me though. Without Eichel, Larkin and Hanifin they look pretty mediocre.
Reinhart and Domi are not eligible to play anymore.
McCann and Bennett are, but won't be released. Virtanen might be.
The US roster up-front is one of the best I've ever seen from them at this tournament, even with those players that were cut. If all countries had their best players (including Eichel, McDavid, etc.) Canada and US would be clear favorites.
The funny thing is, the US isn't done cutting down its roster. Boy, if they cut any more of their top skill guys, we're going to see a bunch more freakouts on the American roster thread.
MardyBum
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Maybe next season
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tfantasy
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