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

lancepitlick

Registered User
Nov 20, 2016
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MXD said:
Czechs didn't ice a better team than Canada today. But they did ice a team that was able to beat Canada, which is exactly what happened.
Click to expand...

I thought the Czechs played smarter and up to their potential, aside from turtling when up by a goal with 25 mins to play. But they didn't commit a penalty with 3 mins to go. Their coach didn't challenge an obvious no-goal and go shorthanded.

That's just two examples of being smarter and it got them 4 mins of PP time in a one goal game in the last 12 mins of an elimination game.

Being smart and well coached is part of the game, so bravo to the Czechs.
 
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Reality Czech

Reality Czech

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Apr 17, 2017
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I know it sucks now Canadians, but you're gonna be top contenders in every tournament you play in for the foreseeable future. Let the other countries have some fun from time to time as well. As a neutral (American) fan, this game was entertaining as hell to watch.
 
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Crosby2010

Crosby2010

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Mar 4, 2023
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This was a pitiful tournament from the word go. The team selections and the coaching selections were bad. And I am used to that with Hockey Canada, and since we average a gold medal in this tournament about every other year somehow we usually win in spite of Hockey Canada. But this was just levels of bad selections perhaps as worse as its been. Then you have to wonder about Bedard, Fantilli, Celebrini and Benson. All could have played. Obviously their teams won't release them, but if you can imagine the talent level this team COULD have had if you include them and the players not selected................wow!

But they did not start to play decent hockey until they were down 3-1 in the latter half of the 2nd period. Jeff O'Neill said it right, Cameron stubbornly didn't change his tactics and when he finally did the team thrived. That was Team Canada in the 3rd period. That is the Team Canada that always makes us proud and the one we expect. Taking the play, generating scoring chances, hitting, etc. Playing as a unit and such. Where was that ALL tournament? I said that I didn't think this team could overcome the embarrassment from Latvia and they didn't.

Lastly, half of the Czech team plays junior hockey in Canada. Don Cherry was never wrong about this, not 30 years ago, and not today. We are literally teaching foreign teenagers how to play the Canadian game and they are beating us. All because the CHL gets a nice kickback when they bring in European teenagers. So again, the biggest threat to Canada is our own system.

Reality Czech said:
I know it sucks now Canadians, but you're gonna be top contenders in every tournament you play in for the foreseeable future. Let the other countries have some fun from time to time as well. As a neutral (American) fan, this game was entertaining as hell to watch.
Click to expand...

What will be different in the future? There really isn't a tournament that Canada enters where they aren't a contender if not the favourite, and in come cases by a good margin. We may have had 19 Canadians in the first round of the 2024 NHL draft out of 32 kids picked, but if you don't pick them on such a team, you aren't using your advantage.
 
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647Hockey

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May 5, 2024
318
426
lancepitlick said:
I thought the Czechs played smarter and up to their potential, aside from turtling when up by a goal with 25 mins to play. But they didn't commit a penalty with 3 mins to go. Their coach didn't challenge an obvious no-goal and go shorthanded.

That's just two examples of being smarter and it got them 4 mins of PP time in a one goal game in the last 12 mins of an elimination game.

Being smart and well coached is part of the game, so bravo to the Czechs.
Click to expand...
Going by the boxscores of all Canada's games, all every team has to do is sit back and let the Canadians get overexcited and take dumb penalties all game. They took more penalties than the other team in 4 of the games. Only one they took less was vs Germany. And it's not like Canada is taking 3 penalties vs 2. Canada is giving the other team 5-7 PP most of the time. The opposing team does half that.
 
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Reality Czech

Reality Czech

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Apr 17, 2017
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Crosby2010 said:
This was a pitiful tournament from the word go. The team selections and the coaching selections were bad. And I am used to that with Hockey Canada, and since we average a gold medal in this tournament about every other year somehow we usually win in spite of Hockey Canada. But this was just levels of bad selections perhaps as worse as its been. Then you have to wonder about Bedard, Fantilli, Celebrini and Benson. All could have played. Obviously their teams won't release them, but if you can imagine the talent level this team COULD have had if you include them and the players not selected................wow!

But they did not start to play decent hockey until they were down 3-1 in the latter half of the 2nd period. Jeff O'Neill said it right, Cameron stubbornly didn't change his tactics and when he finally did the team thrived. That was Team Canada in the 3rd period. That is the Team Canada that always makes us proud and the one we expect. Taking the play, generating scoring chances, hitting, etc. Playing as a unit and such. Where was that ALL tournament? I said that I didn't think this team could overcome the embarrassment from Latvia and they didn't.

Lastly, half of the Czech team plays junior hockey in Canada. Don Cherry was never wrong about this, not 30 years ago, and not today. We are literally teaching foreign teenagers how to play the Canadian game and they are beating us. All because the CHL gets a nice kickback when they bring in European teenagers. So again, the biggest threat to Canada is our own system.



What will be different in the future? There really isn't a tournament that Canada enters where they aren't a contender if not the favourite, and in come cases by a good margin. We may have had 19 Canadians in the first round of the 2024 NHL draft out of 32 kids picked, but if you don't pick them on such a team, you aren't using your advantage.
Click to expand...

I can't say but I'm guessing this year will be more an exception than the rule. Maybe it's a reset Team Canada needs. I can see why Canadian fans are frustrated now but I bet it will be all but forgotten a year from now, hopefully with new faces calling the shots. As you said, your best players aren't even available for this tourney because they are too good for this level. But in every sport, the best team on paper doesn't always win.

As for Europeans being trained in Canada, I guess you can't avoid that. Everyone knows it's the best place for teenagers to develop. NCAA might take a slice of that pie, but doubt much will change overall. I think you'll just have to get used to more Europeans coming over to play.
 
Crosby2010

Crosby2010

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Mar 4, 2023
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Reality Czech said:
I can't say but I'm guessing this year will be more an exception than the rule. Maybe it's a reset Team Canada needs. I can see why Canadian fans are frustrated now but I bet it will be all but forgotten a year from now, hopefully with new faces calling the shots. As you said, your best players aren't even available for this tourney because they are too good for this level. But in every sport, the best team on paper doesn't always win.

As for Europeans being trained in Canada, I guess you can't avoid that. Everyone knows it's the best place for teenagers to develop. NCAA might take a slice of that pie, but doubt much will change overall. I think you'll just have to get used to more Europeans coming over to play.
Click to expand...

Europeans have been coming over here since the 1990s and playing in the CHL. Americans, that's fine, because our boys play in their NCAA leagues too, and there are a few American cities in the CHL. So it is a fine give and go there. But not with Europeans. We get nothing in return (other than the suits get a lot of extra money for having them here). Imagine a system where only Canadians could train and we only taught Canadians how to play the game. Sort of a secret system. Kind of like how the Soviets used to do it with their training methods back in the day.
 
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CanadienShark

CanadienShark

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Dec 18, 2012
40,195
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Czechboy said:
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.
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Well that's what I'm referring to - coaching and roster, so we agree. My bad, I must have worded my response wrong.
 
NyQuil

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
100,123
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Ottawa, ON
Dingo said:
ya, i remember that.

Also, in 2006, not sure it was anything official, but they trotted Gretzky up there on TV during the Olys and had a lengthy 'we suck and need to improve at the junior level' talk as a nation, lol.
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We could always use some improvement.

Every country can.
 
shello

shello

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Mar 5, 2011
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lancepitlick said:
You need athletes first, then elite training. Canada has it ass backwards where the starting point is paying for elite training, then you pick players from that pool.

People like Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Theo Fleury, Ovechkin, Lindros, Chara, Pronger, Marty St. Louis, Mcdavid etc. are athletic freaks. If you prevent them from playing hockey or competitive hockey then you are killing yourself. I'd rather take a house league Lindros who plays 3x/week and shinny, at age 12, then coach him up, than invest $15k/year in 7 year olds who can afford that.

The NFL/NBA have the best athletes and there's basically zero barrier to entry for all kids/people. LeBron was dirt poor. Imagine he never played basketball because it was $15k?

I saw the same idiocy in rugby and it is why Canada has dropped from 10th in the world to like 30th.

A BIG part of the problem are grifter coaches, administrators etc. that directly profit from "elite training" for 10 year olds and $20,000/year costs. Or whose lives depend on winning a AAA tournament for 11 year olds. When you make that cost mandatory you now have money for a full time coach that gets paid $40k. Then that coach becomes a league admin, Jr coach, hockey canads etc. He does not want to say "hey, maybe it'd be better overall if we had unpaid coaches and lower the costs to attract more athletes." These ppl will always push for more barriers to entry, as more barriers = more $ and prestige for them.

They sell this by saying that it's just the cost of competitive hockey. It doesn't have to be.
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I hear you and agree with your points, but the AAU in basketball is just as bad as hockey.
 
zar

zar

Bleed Blue
Oct 9, 2010
7,556
7,633
Edmonton AB
The way I see it is new age officiating has taken the edge away from Canadian hockey… aggressive physical hockey. The Beaudoin hit was not even close to kneeing, in fact not even a penalty. The Gibson hit was not kneeing, but I could see a 2 minute tripping penalty. Why you attempt that kind of hit, following the Beaudoin penalty is mind blowing. Especially at that moment of the game and on that play where it wasn’t going to create a dangerous scoring chance.

Main Factors for disappointing result:

Playing undisciplined - 14:36 PIM/GP (only counting 2 & 5 minute penalties).

The US, who I consider the 2nd most aggressive team in the tournament took 10:00 PIM/GP.

Lack of finish - Canada’s highest goal scorer, Nadeau (2 goals). Entire team, 13 goals.

US, Czechia and Sweden all doubled that number of goals.

Coaching - Short tournament, but coaching did not make adjustments as quickly as needed and they just failed to admit that the initial assessments and expectations of players were not being realized.


Lots of blame to go around, but let’s not forget the players are U20. Still learning to play the game and manage their emotions. They all wanted to win Gold for their teammates, their families, their country and, yes, even themselves.

I do think we have tip our hats to underdog teams like Latvia and Czechia, who really showed a lot of hard work and strategic execution of a game plan to take advantage of Canada’s woes.
 
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chaser17

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Dec 30, 2014
675
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At least we'll never see Cameron coach this team again. Still baffled that with a team full of first round picks he kept running out the London Knights invitational for PP1. Which included a D-Man in the bumper position over say.... Gavin Mckenna? Dickinson over Molendyk was a choice too.
 
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RyCam

Registered User
Nov 3, 2016
396
400
I know a lot of Canadian fans are blaming the refs, but good teams overcome adversity. This was not a good team and the performance of the Canadian team in this year's tournament was down right embarrassing considering all the talent that Canadian hockey has.

I feel bad for the kids who were thrown into this meat grinder, they probably played their butts off, but, in the end, this was a poorly constructed team and no one that was involved in the construction of the team, from management down to the coaches, should ever come near the national team, in any form, ever again.
 
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Old Man Jags

Registered User
Mar 25, 2006
877
1,039
Beating Canada is nice and all, but the truly important thing that happened here is that the Czechboy Curse has been lifted by the universe. Finally.

There seemed to be only three certainties in life up till yesterday: death, taxes and the Czechs losing if Czechboy declared ahead of a game where the Czechs’ opponents were considered favourites that the Czechs would prevail (while otherwise without fail underplaying the Czechs’ chances against absolutely everyone).

Now a whole generation of Czech hockey fans can finally go to sleep knowing that the Czech team is not necessarily destined to lose every game where Czechboy picks us to beat a favourite.
 
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