Id have to disagree and say most skilled was Larkin. He impressed me more than Eichel did.
GDT: Quarterfinal • Jan. 2 • USA vs. Russia • II [MOD #571]
- Thread starter SniperHF
- Start date
Id have to disagree and say most skilled was Larkin. He impressed me more than Eichel did.
Elimanator
The Future
I was there. I liked it even though I'm not of either team. The Russians played a structure game where as the USA more used their talent individually. The USA played better though. The Shots tell you that. But, the amount of penalties that the USA took in the beginning ultimately killed them
EDIT: And seeing Eichel live today, I saw his great talent first hand. HE twice walked through 3 or 4 Russians out of time. Also how in this world did Miles Wood get on this USA team. He is brutal.
EDIT: And seeing Eichel live today, I saw his great talent first hand. HE twice walked through 3 or 4 Russians out of time. Also how in this world did Miles Wood get on this USA team. He is brutal.
The play to himself off the boards to set up Tuch, and the wrap around goal. Big league skills.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaa
Registered User
- May 16, 2009
- 12,252
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He made some of the same kinds of mistakes McDavid is making, losing the puck here and there, turning the puck over a bit...
People have to look past that and watch how they see the ice and generate chances.
Eichel will be a star in the NHL for years to come. He just needs big-game experience and a little more confidence.
Eloquently summing up the GDT: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=94943653&postcount=949
Congrats to the Russians for hanging (and moving) on.
Some puzzling moves by management in hindsight. Giving him the "C" was probably one of them- along with rolling with such a young blueline. Eichel didn't need the added weight.
Congrats to the Russians for hanging (and moving) on.
Some puzzling moves by management in hindsight. Giving him the "C" was probably one of them- along with rolling with such a young blueline. Eichel didn't need the added weight.
Would Marner have been in the conversation with Eichel and McDavid this time last year? Of course not. Any appropriate comparison between Marner and Matthews should be done when comparing Marner's draft season and Matthews' draft season (and, yes, it's stupid if people are talking about Matthews with Eichel/McDavid).
Also, Matthews was rather good over these last two games. I think he uses his body like Thornton to shield the puck (Obligatory HF Disclaimer: I'm not saying he's the next Thornton, just that he has that trait.)
Your criticism over Eichel is overblown and is largely based on a short tourney. Also, Getzlaf wasn't exactly the bee's knees in his draft year, if you recall. He had warts. It's possible for these guys to improve. But, in terms of raw ability, Eichel is excellent.
I agree that the USA were the better side, however shots don't always tell the story, especially when the Russians are involved
mattcookefan
Registered User
And yet USA could have won if a call went differently. What I'm saying is that a lot can happen in a game
I agree with the consensus that Eichel played a selfish game and tried to force the play too much. I doubt it will be a problem in the NHL when he both matures and plays with teammates longer than 2 weeks. That being said I was impressed with Matthews and Hanefin all tournament.
Machinehead
Fox Mafia Consigliere
Of course a lot can happen which is why the tournament is a bit of a crapshoot, but this team got what it deserved.
They weren't good Wednesday and they weren't good today, and they lost both games.
gretskidoo
Registered User
- Nov 26, 2011
- 4,794
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When people call you a generational talent and everyone talks about how you will dominate the tournament, the expectations are a bit higher than normal.
EbonyRaptor
Registered User
I don't think most people are blaming Eichal for the loss today, I know I haven't. If you want to point to one thing that is most responsible for the loss it's the undisciplined penalties which led to their 1st and 3rd goals and their second goal was right after the penalty expired ... and I don't think Eichal was one of the guys that took a penalty, at least I don't recall him being penalized in this game.
My "criticism" of Eichal was due to the hype of him as a player. With the high expectations come a higher standard to meet and I thought he showed his overall skill and I have no douvt he is a great player and will have a very good pro career, but I thought he tried too hard to be the difference maker and didn't let the game come to him as much as he could have / should have. Consequently he didn't help his team as much as he could have / should have. That's all - great player that didn't play up to the heightened expectations.
Do Make Say Think
& Yet & Yet
- Jun 26, 2007
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I agree with the Captaincy thing. Why put more on his plate?
Wearing an A would have been enough.
Elimanator
The Future
I agree that the USA were the better side, however shots don't always tell the story, especially when the Russians are involved
Wait, so you're telling me the Russians are just like the Leafs!!!
They were outshot in that game by a margin and the call in the game was the right one.
The problem is, except against Switzerland, there has been no offense. The puck was in the Russian zone because we couldn't get it out and bring it down to the American zone. Good goaltending prevented a loss, which is becoming the continuing story when Russia doesn't lose.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
One player has a grinder and a very young and very raw powerforward as his linemates. That player is a captain, is consistently matched up with the opponents' best, and is the only consistent offensive threat on his whole team.
This other player plays behind an elite two-way center who was a recent top-2 pick. He never has to play against the opponents' best. He plays on a line with his team's 19 year old two-way captain, who is a natural center and has 30 games of NHL experience, and another recent top-10 pick.
These players perform at about the same level, except one is roasted alive and the other is celebrated. I'll let you guess which player is which.
That's all I gotta say. I'm not disappointed in the US's play outside of the very stupid penalties, particularly the Collins one that resulted in the 5v3. The game-winner was a flukey own-goal. If we had to lose I'm glad it was to the Russians, whom I always root for. The coaching could have been better, the line combos could have been better, the roster selection process could have been better, but it is what it is. While I'm disappointed with the result, I'm not disappointed in how the team played. Anything can happen in a single-elimination tournament and that's what happened today. Bad luck. Oh well. Move on.
And stop blaming Eichel, for god's sake.
This other player plays behind an elite two-way center who was a recent top-2 pick. He never has to play against the opponents' best. He plays on a line with his team's 19 year old two-way captain, who is a natural center and has 30 games of NHL experience, and another recent top-10 pick.
These players perform at about the same level, except one is roasted alive and the other is celebrated. I'll let you guess which player is which.
That's all I gotta say. I'm not disappointed in the US's play outside of the very stupid penalties, particularly the Collins one that resulted in the 5v3. The game-winner was a flukey own-goal. If we had to lose I'm glad it was to the Russians, whom I always root for. The coaching could have been better, the line combos could have been better, the roster selection process could have been better, but it is what it is. While I'm disappointed with the result, I'm not disappointed in how the team played. Anything can happen in a single-elimination tournament and that's what happened today. Bad luck. Oh well. Move on.
And stop blaming Eichel, for god's sake.
Vinny Boombatz
formerly ctwin22
This is by no means an indictment on Eichel, but having coached so many years, I would never put the C on the "Best Player" because psychologically it does something to the player from what I've found over the years.
You put the "C" on the energy, grinding player who has leadership ability. There is 'zero' pressure on that kid to do too much, all it does it enhances his capabilities to bring more energy which helps the team.
That is a Coaching decision that I thought was wrong and I blame them along with the team having almost 'zero' chemistry outside of the pre-tournament games.
It was almost like a "switch" was turned on during the games that actually mattered that turned all of our players into selfish players that tried to do too much.
Plus, whatever system they were running appeared to 'suck' all the creativity out of players like Eichel and Mathews and Milano (who I thought was absolutely terrible this WJ)
Anyway, fire the coaching staff, bring in someone outside of the College Community, someone suggested Bylsma, and I guess he'd be ok, and team USA needs to bring the "right" players.
As stated by a few posters, Wood/Louis and several other players needed to be replaced by other players that would have done a better job complimenting the better players.
You put the "C" on the energy, grinding player who has leadership ability. There is 'zero' pressure on that kid to do too much, all it does it enhances his capabilities to bring more energy which helps the team.
That is a Coaching decision that I thought was wrong and I blame them along with the team having almost 'zero' chemistry outside of the pre-tournament games.
It was almost like a "switch" was turned on during the games that actually mattered that turned all of our players into selfish players that tried to do too much.
Plus, whatever system they were running appeared to 'suck' all the creativity out of players like Eichel and Mathews and Milano (who I thought was absolutely terrible this WJ)
Anyway, fire the coaching staff, bring in someone outside of the College Community, someone suggested Bylsma, and I guess he'd be ok, and team USA needs to bring the "right" players.
As stated by a few posters, Wood/Louis and several other players needed to be replaced by other players that would have done a better job complimenting the better players.
that is our recipe for beating US and Canada. They always overpower us. Great goaltending along with counter attacks and PP is the key here. We won't be able to force the play on these teams.
mattcookefan
Registered User
It wasn't right, but let's not get into that. My point is that one call was the difference.
Wait, so you're telling me the Russians are just like the Leafs!!!
Except they have some medals to back it up, Toronto need to end that Cup drought buddy 
In the 2011 (Gold),2013 (Silver) and 2013 (Bronze) WJC Russia out-shot their opponents something like 4/21 games. 1/7 on the Gold medal run Latest posts
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