Pool: Statsy’s WJC Pool: 9th Edition

[Canada4Gold]

I actually thought he was 17 but it looks like he just turned 18. He’s a young 18. They don’t have a soft enough schedule to take a chance on an unproven guy, in my books, so I think Wallstedt just gets Austria. Alnefelt was lights out in this tournament last year and now he’s 19.

Maybe they're going with the Finland strategy though. 7 guys have a better Liiga PPG than our 2nd best scorer here last year. We're not inviting Puistola. Wallstedt has a SHL sv% 19 points better, that's it Alnefelt doesn't exits anymore

In the 2019 U18 they split the preliminary round and Alnefelt only got the knockout round when he shutout Russia in the final game of the prelims.

 

[GrandLarseny]

Gotta admit, it looks like it's going to be competitive battle this year. I think every team has a few gamebreakers but C4G's forward group looks to be the deepest.

This year I had a real tough time filling out my backend/goaltending. Mukhamudullin and Kubicek are absolute wildcards, and I'm not even sure Sanderson gets PP1 minutes with Cam York on the team. Last year, I had a lot more confidence in my three guys (Ty Smith, Victor Soderstrom, and Yegor Zamula) whereas this year I'm just hoping they don't put up zeroes.

Gauthier is a straight up shot in the dark, I'm hoping he gets some games just because he's 19 years old lol. It's gonna be interesting to see how things shake out!

 

[Statsy]

Gotta admit, it looks like it's going to be competitive battle this year. I think every team has a few gamebreakers but C4G's forward group looks to be the deepest.

This year I had a real tough time filling out my backend/goaltending. Mukhamudullin and Kubicek are absolute wildcards, and I'm not even sure Sanderson gets PP1 minutes with Cam York on the team. Last year, I had a lot more confidence in my three guys (Ty Smith, Victor Soderstrom, and Yegor Zamula) whereas this year I'm just hoping they don't put up zeroes.

Gauthier is a straight up shot in the dark, I'm hoping he gets some games just because he's 19 years old lol. It's gonna be interesting to see how things shake out!

I feel like Sanderson gets second unit on that team and Mukhamadullin seems to be getting buzz as the go-to guy on the back end for Russia. Then of course there’s the Dach factor (or “Dachtor” as it will now be called!). Everyone thinks he’s going to lead this tourney in scoring and they may well be right. One HUGE performance can make up for a few mediocre ones. You’re going to need that Gauthier thing to break right for you. I still think I have the inside edge with Levi, but things change pretty quickly at the WJC!

 

[WeThreeKings]

FWIW I think Gauthier is the better goaltender.. and Levi could very easily falter.

I think the problem is that the faltering likely happens when it counts most, since the group is weak outside of Finland.

 

[Statsy]

FWIW I think Gauthier is the better goaltender.. and Levi could very easily falter.

I think the problem is that the faltering likely happens when it counts most, since the group is weak outside of Finland.

Yes, possibly. Don’t think there’s ever been a year where Canada’s goaltending has had more unknowns. However, with this team we don’t need these guys to stand on their head, just to be capable.

 

[Tomsburninghat]

Pre-tournament prediction:

1. Canada4Gold
2. FightingSioux
3. Khabby
4. GrandLarseny
5. Christien
6. WeThreeKings
7. Statsy
8. Tomsburninghat

I have to say C4G's got a great lineup and early clubhouse favourite...hard to argue Raymond, Lundell, Kaliyev and Byram won't be standouts. Fighting Sioux's team is also pretty strong, lots to choose from for scoring and Knight owns the US net. The rest of the teams all have good arguments to say why they will contend...use Statsy's random draft generator and that could be the result.

Goaltending though IMHO continues to be the key to being near the top in this pool, especially this year as I think we'll see more goal production across the board than we've ever had so we'll see points on the board but those extra win pts could put a team over the top. When you see a team on the bottom of the standings each year, it's usually because they didn't have a goalie getting the starts so that could hurt Canada4Gold. Hearing that, I have to love the conversation about Alnefelt, it's why I grabbed him early...I figure he'll probably only sit for the Austrian game and as we all know, Sweden has not lost a group stage game since 2007 and this aptly called Group of Death might allow a steady, non-flashy team like Sweden to hang around and surprise a few people by going deep this year. I can only hope...

The other thing I like this year is the age of these players meaning we're simply just seeing more experience and depth on these teams which means we're going to see some inspired hockey and again, I think a lot of goals. The biggest question mark though is naturally wondering how some of these players who've been away from serious competitive hockey during this pandemic will respond? I honestly think they will ALL be prepared but we say it every year...these are still kids

So...in response to seeing his team sitting last in the projected standings, it always stinks but at the same time, that excites me even more when the team does excel.

Couple reasons why I think I'll be in the running and could still contend for a medal:
1. Seniority, I've selected mostly older statesmen for their teams and lettered players. They tend to own the power play and ice time so it improves my chances. And a proven leader of a goalie
2. Power play. There's no question, if your players live on the PP then you'll be close to the top. I'm very content with Cozens for Canada leading those minutes, probably also with Gritsyuk in Russia and then Kokkonen and maybe Björnfot quarterbacking their points, but it's hard to say without seeing anything yet...

It's not the strongest team but it has decent sleeper potential...this is why we do this every year!!!! Love it!

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yes, possibly. Don’t think there’s ever been a year where Canada’s goaltending has had more unknowns. However, with this team we don’t need these guys to stand on their head, just to be capable.

I'd say last year was similar.. Dawes and Hofer were not guys I was confident in, and Hofer did just enough after Dawes showed why we shouldn't be confident in him.

Other years, there were guys as no.1 who I just had 0 faith in.. Mark inVisentin being one.. man he was awful.

This could be alot like when Glass back-stopped the super team, a terrible goalie who just needed to not shit his pants.

 

[Tomsburninghat]

I'd say last year was similar.. Dawes and Hofer were not guys I was confident in, and Hofer did just enough after Dawes showed why we shouldn't be confident in him.

Other years, there were guys as no.1 who I just had 0 faith in.. Mark inVisentin being one.. man he was awful.

This could be alot like when Glass back-stopped the super team, a terrible goalie who just needed to not shit his pants.

Every year we want to go in with a Canadian goalie and say yes, let's get behind him but that just doesn't happen...and it's not just WJHC, its a constant debate for the Olympics, World Championships, even NHL...we latch on to Price sooo much because he's Canadian...but who else we got to wave the flag? Aging Fleury, Holtby, Dubnyk? OK, Carter Hart is exciting so that's our new boy but my point is we've almost always have a tender problem or debate

 

[WeThreeKings]

Every year we want to go in with a Canadian goalie and say yes, let's get behind him but that just doesn't happen...and it's not just WJHC, its a constant debate for the Olympics, World Championships, even NHL...we latch on to Price sooo much because he's Canadian...but who else we got to wave the flag? Aging Fleury, Holtby, Dubnyk? OK, Carter Hart is exciting so that's our new boy but my point is we've almost always have a tender problem or debate

Hart is the last elite goaltending prospect we've developed.. and the reason is that Hockey Canada is far behind the curve for goaltending development. They are still so enraptured with technique that they forget to develop athletes at the position. This is what happened with Fucale.

Fucale at 16 was one of the most technically sound goaltender I've seen at that age, the problem is, he never got any better. His technique remained really great, but the rest of the game needed to be an elite goaltender as he went up levels was lacking and never nurtured.

If you look at Russia and Scandinavia who are developing goalies at a higher clip, they are creating athletes first and refining technique later.

 

[Statsy]

I have to say C4G's got a great lineup and early clubhouse favourite...hard to argue Raymond, Lundell, Kaliyev and Byram won't be standouts. Fighting Sioux's team is also pretty strong, lots to choose from for scoring and Knight owns the US net. The rest of the teams all have good arguments to say why they will contend...use Statsy's random draft generator and that could be the result.

Goaltending though IMHO continues to be the key to being near the top in this pool, especially this year as I think we'll see more goal production across the board than we've ever had so we'll see points on the board but those extra win pts could put a team over the top. When you see a team on the bottom of the standings each year, it's usually because they didn't have a goalie getting the starts so that could hurt Canada4Gold. Hearing that, I have to love the conversation about Alnefelt, it's why I grabbed him early...I figure he'll probably only sit for the Austrian game and as we all know, Sweden has not lost a group stage game since 2007 and this aptly called Group of Death might allow a steady, non-flashy team like Sweden to hang around and surprise a few people by going deep this year. I can only hope...

The other thing I like this year is the age of these players meaning we're simply just seeing more experience and depth on these teams which means we're going to see some inspired hockey and again, I think a lot of goals. The biggest question mark though is naturally wondering how some of these players who've been away from serious competitive hockey during this pandemic will respond? I honestly think they will ALL be prepared but we say it every year...these are still kids

So...in response to seeing his team sitting last in the projected standings, it always stinks but at the same time, that excites me even more when the team does excel.

Couple reasons why I think I'll be in the running and could still contend for a medal:
1. Seniority, I've selected mostly older statesmen for their teams and lettered players. They tend to own the power play and ice time so it improves my chances. And a proven leader of a goalie
2. Power play. There's no question, if your players live on the PP then you'll be close to the top. I'm very content with Cozens for Canada leading those minutes, probably also with Gritsyuk in Russia and then Kokkonen and maybe Björnfot quarterbacking their points, but it's hard to say without seeing anything yet...

It's not the strongest team but it has decent sleeper potential...this is why we do this every year!!!! Love it!

That write-up was a helluva lot sharper than your drafting that one day. Well done, sir.

 

[Tomsburninghat]

How much does Canada want to show Russia in its prelim on Wednesday? That's too big of a matchup to show everything right? Do you split goalies, rotate the power play?

 

[Statsy]

How much does Canada want to show Russia in its prelim on Wednesday? That's too big of a matchup to show everything right? Do you split goalies, rotate the power play?

And the same goes for Russia. Instead of Larionov showcasing their four different 5-man units, perhaps he should deploy five 4-man units.

 

[Tomsburninghat]

Excited! First day of hockey....finally!!!

 

[WeThreeKings]

Pretty happy with the usage of Boldy, Zegras, York, Jarventie and Niemela in the pre-tourney.. just need to see that momentum conitnue.

 

[Statsy]

Pretty happy with the usage of Boldy, Zegras, York, Jarventie and Niemela in the pre-tourney.. just need to see that momentum conitnue.

Your guys looked good. I had Simontaival on the top line like I was hoping, but he was pretty invisible, to be honest. Thrun was pretty unnoticeable as well. The good news for me is that barring a meltdown vs Russia, Levi does indeed have the Canada net, which could be big for me.

 

[Tomsburninghat]

Pretty happy with the usage of Boldy, Zegras, York, Jarventie and Niemela in the pre-tourney.. just need to see that momentum conitnue.

No kidding, you looked strong based on yesterday's matches for sure! In my GM league which each team carries 50 minor league players I own Topi Niemela and when I drafted him I remember reading his scouting report and he might be a beauty!

 

[Statsy]

No kidding, you looked strong based on yesterday's matches for sure! In my GM league which each team carries 50 minor league players I own Topi Niemela and when I drafted him I remember reading his scouting report and he might be a beauty!

That guy could end up being Topi the heap!

 

[WeThreeKings]

No kidding, you looked strong based on yesterday's matches for sure! In my GM league which each team carries 50 minor league players I own Topi Niemela and when I drafted him I remember reading his scouting report and he might be a beauty!

Your guys looked good. I had Simontaival on the top line like I was hoping, but he was pretty invisible, to be honest. Thrun was pretty unnoticeable as well. The good news for me is that barring a meltdown vs Russia, Levi does indeed have the Canada net, which could be big for me.

All that being said.. I had Caufield last year who put up 4 goals against Germany, then his coach put him with the worst center on the team, barely played him and used him in inexplicable positions on the 2nd PP..

anything can happen!

 

[Christien]

Dach out for tournament, unlucky

 

[WeThreeKings]

@GrandLarseny needs to re-pick the 1st overall selection.. that's a tough one.

 

[GrandLarseny]

Hahahahaha figures the guy I pick first would get injured in a god damn pre-tournament game. I'll make my pick a little later today.

 

[Statsy]

@GrandLarseny needs to re-pick the 1st overall selection.. that's a tough one.

I’m sure you meant to say “Dach’s a tough one.”

 

[FightingSioux]

I’m sure you meant to say “Dach’s a tough one.”

Dach’s toooo soooooon for jokes like that.

 

[Statsy]

Dach’s toooo soooooon for jokes like that.

Just be thankful I didn’t say Dach’s a “tough break”. I was actually holding back on that one.

 

[WeThreeKings]

You guys need to Kirby your enthusiasm