GDT: Quarter Finals: Canada vs Czechia; Jan. 2, 2025; 19:30 EST

[pgcougsfan]

Strong disagree.. last two drafts had celebrini and bedard'. Canada is killing it. George may be legit as well.

This was coaching and roster selection...

Dave Cameron is bad at this.

He means the organization not the players lol…

 

[Czechboy]

He means the organization not the players lol…

I got that.. but hockey Canada has a big part in developing the players. And they are killing it.

 

[lancepitlick]

99% of the “elite” still have no shot at an NHL career.

My buddy does S&C for AA/AAA types and it is not cheap, although eventually junior teams cover a lot of the cost. I think in 15 years he's had one kid become a fringe NHL player and a few OHL/NCAAA guys. Even he thinks it is stupid for kids going nowhere to drop 2-3k on off ice training/year, at ages 10-14.

I see the kids at his gym and 98% of them you can tell are not going pro just by looking at them (no game knows no game).

I played a similar level of hockey from 10-14 back in the 90s, but that was 3-4 times on ice, in winter only. A bit of travel, nothing crazy. It was about $1,000/year. Equipment was cheap and we had many poorer kids. If the poorer kids were good they made junior and then all their training was paid for.

If my folks dropped $1000 on sticks, a personal trainer, summer coaching, power skating, would I have been better? Sure. But I never had the talent to play junior, let alone NHL. Scotty Bowman could have been my personal coach and I'd still be a plug!

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Hockey Canada probably has more funding than every other program combined, and if they need to put that much money into it in order to have results, there's probably efficiency issues.

Well maybe if they didn’t have to spend so much on the hush fund…

 

[Czechboy]

Everyone gets a turn on the Oilers. Can't afford to get anyone else with all those crazy contracts.

My fav Oiler is bouch.. that next contract is a killer. I any hate him by the end of it.lol

 

[NyQuil]

I'll stick with agreeing with Bob Mackenzie over...you, blud.

Bob is in full shill mode for Hockey Canada.

 

[emptynetter3]

USA hockey did something 20 years ago that I don't think hockey Canada has to the stones to do....I don't think they have the ability to humble themselves and take a step back, then look at how these other countries with smaller populations/interest can compete year in and year out at the highest levels.....US did it has been bearing fruit for years now, and is in full motion to continue to improve....I truly don't think Canadians would allow a lot of those changes to happen with the kids game, but it is why the US has continued to improve (have had some stumbles along the way) and why Finland and sweden are always competitive.....Canada was always able to get by because it was almost a right of passage for a Canadian kid to play hockey....will they humble themselves?

 

[New User Name]

God, Imagine hfboards if we lose the 4 nations. Especially to the US. LOL

 

[NyQuil]

USA hockey did something 20 years ago that I don't think hockey Canada has to the stones to do....I don't think they have the ability to humble themselves and take a step back, then look at how these other countries with smaller populations/interest can compete year in and year out at the highest levels.....US did it has been bearing fruit for years now, and is in full motion to continue to improve....I truly don't think Canadians would allow a lot of those changes to happen with the kids game, but it is why the US has continued to improve (have had some stumbles along the way) and why Finland and sweden are always competitive.....Canada was always able to get by because it was almost a right of passage for a Canadian kid to play hockey....will they humble themselves?

Hockey Canada literally did this after the 1998 Olympics.

Open Ice Summit - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[pgcougsfan]

I got that.. but hockey Canada has a big part in developing the players. And they are killing it.

Hockey Canada absolutely does not, local programs develop the players until they turn 15. Then they are drafted to the CHL, in their age 16 season they either play for a U18 local team or a small-medium role on their CHL team. Canada’s system is set up very differently compared to almost every other country at this tournament.

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

I am imagining this in Conan the Barbarian’s voice.

View attachment 955284

BRIAN BLESSED WOULD BE CLOSER.

 

[Hanji]

This thread needs more congratulations to the victors and less "Canada could win every tournament if only (insert blame)!"

Well deserved victory for Czechia.

 

[trilobyte]

I'm with orrforever... If you look at the last drafts. Canada is killing it.

The execution at this tournament was not like Canada at all.

This was avoidable. I do think it was the roster selection and coach. Canada is way too good for this result.

Same thing that I think. Even with the high cost of youth hockey, there is still passion and dedication to the game in Canada. One good thing that can (but not guaranteed) come out of this year's WJC outcome is some accountability at the high level where the high paid people make the decisions and shape the program.
As I like to say, if you're not improving, what are you doing?

 

[Ciao]

Hockey Canada needs to have another "summit". The rest of the world is beating them at their own game, and they've pretty much given up on playing that game.

Sure, but I don't think that would change the demographics.

Canada is not going to invest in youth sports the way the Americans do at every level in every sport.

Particularly so for a male-dominated sport that has a history and perception of being exclusionary to women, racial minorities, Indigenous persons and the LGBTQ2S+ communities. Swimming, drama and dance have a better chance of meaningful governmental financial support than does hockey.

Canada also lags badly behind the US in school music programs as well.

We just don't put our money where our mouths are.

 

[NyQuil]

BRIAN BLESSED WOULD BE CLOSER.

 

[S E P H]

I'm with orrforever... If you look at the last drafts. Canada is killing it.

The execution at this tournament was not like Canada at all.

This was avoidable. I do think it was the roster selection and coach. Canada is way too good for this result.

Nah, it's quite basic...countries always have ebb and flow draft classes. This was a bad one, which was exacerbated on top of that with poor decisions. Every country goes through it, The USA has had bad teams, good teams, and great teams, likewise with Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Russia, etc. I am pretty sure McDavids' and Bedards' teams won Gold and I suspect that McKennas' team will be favourites as well.

 

[heynowbababooey]

Who is a worse captain? Cowan or Comtois?

 

[Smif]

Who is a worse captain? Cowan or Comtois?

Comtois..LOL. For reasons very obvious.

 

[eojsmada]

Sure, but I don't think that would change the demographics.

Canada is not going to invest in youth sports the way the Americans do at every level in every sport.

Particularly so for a male-dominated sport that has a history and perception of being exclusionary to women, racial minorities, Indigenous persons and the LGBTQ2S+ communities. Swimming, drama and dance have a better chance of meaningful governmental financial support than does hockey.

Canada also lags badly behind the US in school music programs as well.

We just don't put our money where our mouths are.

You used to. That's what made you so successful.

My fav Oiler is bouch.. that next contract is a killer. I any hate him by the end of it.lol

Gonna be hard to sign him with Nurse's contract, plus McDavid's extension coming soon.

 

[New User Name]

USA hockey did something 20 years ago that I don't think hockey Canada has to the stones to do....I don't think they have the ability to humble themselves and take a step back, then look at how these other countries with smaller populations/interest can compete year in and year out at the highest levels.....US did it has been bearing fruit for years now, and is in full motion to continue to improve....I truly don't think Canadians would allow a lot of those changes to happen with the kids game, but it is why the US has continued to improve (have had some stumbles along the way) and why Finland and sweden are always competitive.....Canada was always able to get by because it was almost a right of passage for a Canadian kid to play hockey....will they humble themselves?

The US developed their NTDP for one main purpose, after the embarrassment of the 1996 World Juniors. To win tournaments. (fun fact...the NTDP is funded by the NHL)

Canada can't do anything similar because of the junior hockey system we have. The owners of the various teams would be against it.

European countries can't do it mainly because of cost and not having the number of players.

Why do you think USA hockey is not allowing teams from the USHL to join the OHL?
It very likely would be the end of the national development program.

 

[emptynetter3]

Hockey Canada literally did this after the 1998 Olympics.

Open Ice Summit - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

In what sense? I could very well be ignorant to it, and if I am I apologize.

most Canadians mock the US for the rule changes USA hockey made for kids. 1/3 sheet for mites 1/2 for midge and other rules like no icing the puck on a PK.....US wants to develop kids not have kids worrying about winning some lame house game...

 

[Jumptheshark]

God, Imagine hfboards if we lose the 4 nations. Especially to the US. LOL

As a Canadian living in Europe--I am always amazed at how entitled my fellow Canadians can act when Team Canada loses. Many just refuse to admit that other countries can ice teams that are better then us.

 

[DuklaNation]

USA hockey did something 20 years ago that I don't think hockey Canada has to the stones to do....I don't think they have the ability to humble themselves and take a step back, then look at how these other countries with smaller populations/interest can compete year in and year out at the highest levels.....US did it has been bearing fruit for years now, and is in full motion to continue to improve....I truly don't think Canadians would allow a lot of those changes to happen with the kids game, but it is why the US has continued to improve (have had some stumbles along the way) and why Finland and sweden are always competitive.....Canada was always able to get by because it was almost a right of passage for a Canadian kid to play hockey....will they humble themselves?

WTF are you talking about? Let someone else pick the roster, you'd get better results. Anyone with a functioning brain that's followed hockey their whole lives knew this roster would struggle to score. That doesn't necessitate big brain changes that "humbles" themselves.

 

[Smif]

.936 sv%, 1.96 GAA, 2 Shutouts in 4 games, and you criticize him. Nothing special? Give your head a shake.

This is why Canadian fans get a bad rep.

You're talking about the whole tournament, I'm talking about tonight. I like him as a goalie but by no means did he do anything exceptional in this game.

 

[NyQuil]

In what sense? I could very well be ignorant to it, and if I am I apologize.

most Canadians mock the US for the rule changes USA hockey made for kids. 1/3 sheet for mites 1/2 for midge and other rules like no icing the puck on a PK.....US wants to develop kids not have kids worrying about winning some lame house game...

You said that Hockey Canada isn’t humble enough to re-examine player development in this country when that’s exactly what they did after Canada failed to medal in the 1998 Olympics.

Read the article if you’re interested.

A theme of the summit was that more practices would be better than playing games, and it would be difficult to convince Canadian parents who want to see their child play. Canada men's national team head coach Dave King advocated for more time to practice skills compared to playing time. He compared the Canadian system which looked for physical size first and introduced body contact at a young age, where as the European system looked for skills first, practiced three times as much as the Canadian model, and did not have body contact in youth hockey. Detroit Red Wings head coach Scotty Bowman noted that European players on his team looked forward to practices and were better prepared.[10]

Journalist Pierre LeBrun criticized the Canadian system for playing too many games and children not practicing enough to develop skill, and that junior ice hockey was overseen by the CHL, which was a profit-driven business.[3] Bob Nicholson felt it necessary to find a balance since both practice and business were important.[3]Writer Michael McKinley stated that delegates generally wanted to see a less rigid structure at younger age groups, and to let kids have fun and try new things without repercussions for mistakes.[8] Toronto Maple Leafs president Ken Dryden wanted delegates to accept that progress made at the lower levels and off the ice was important in achieving international results.

Maybe it’s time for another summit, but it’s a bit weird to call them too arrogant to do so when they’ve already done it.