GDT: Sweden vs. Canada | 12 February 2025 | 8:00 p.m. EST, 2:00 a.m. CET, 3:00 a.m. EET

[MarkWheeler]

He sure does.

He has a nose for the net when he’s still out at the blue line.

 

[LeonDraisaitl29]

It was a great entertaining game. But pretty dissapointed Canada needed OT

Theodore's injury hurt them . Playing 5 d all night is tough.

 

[syz]

It could work. Or they could do what Cooper did which is let Mackinnon and McDavid run Team Sweden ragged and then put out Sid for the dagger.

And MacKinnon nearly won it himself a few times before that.

Although tbh I didn't love Mack and McDavid as a pairing though. MacKinnon had the best player in the world on his line and was like yeah actually I'm gonna keep trying to win this 1v3 . It almost worked to be fair and Mack is capable of winning a game that way but if I were a Team Canada fan I would have liked the puck on McDavids stick more than it was that 3v3.

Yea that was surprising to me as well tbh. I don't know how MacKinnon usually approaches OT but plays like that often just result in a loss of possession, which is a death knell 3 on 3. Just rag it and wait for the high percentage play instead--which is why I think McDavid and Crosby would work. They're both capable of holding the puck until there's a high danger chance.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Bouchard should have made it, agreed. I don't get Sanheim on the roster at all. Especially after Pietrangelo went out it should 100% have been Bouchard.

...Pietrangelo was paired with Theodore to be the defensive guy...makes sense to put another defenseman in his place that can play the position other than in the offensive zone...Bouchard didn't make the team because he can't perform as well as other Dmen can defenisvely...it's that simple...

 

[syz]

Theodore's injury hurt them . Playing 5 d all night is tough.

Playing 5 D and (imo) having to play Doughty more than they would have normally. Binnington didn't look good on those first couple goals but Doughty also had opportunities to do something on both of them iirc.

 

[Llamamoto]

This MacKinnon vs McDavid thing is weird.

It was obviously going to take time for the best players in the world to gel, they've only practiced together a week.

McDavid was absolutely dominant in that first period, Crosby was just so good throughout. And MacKinnon's intensity is so much fun to watch. Can't wait to see more of them together, especially on the powerplay.

 

[Toby91ca]

Where does stat come from? They definitely lost to the US in pool play in 2010.

26-0 in last 26 games, not overall career. He’s 22-0 as captain

 

[NyQuil]

Didn’t he break up the two on one in front of Canada’s net?

What has Marner done of note in the entire game?

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

I'd move Point up the lineup. This guy has scored 97 goals in the last two seasons and he's just as good of a pure goal scorer as Reinhart but he's a better skater than Sam is.

 

[centipede2233]

Theodore's injury hurt them . Playing 5 d all night is tough.

Canada is another d man injury away from a dire situation. Who on Canada can play d if there’s another injury?

 

[bucks_oil]

There was zero chance Bouchard was making this team. Hes a liability defensively and hes not ousting Makar on the top PP unit.

That defensive liability somehow has a 61% EV goal share when he’s on the ice… 56% when he’s on the ice without McD or Drai.

Please explain how that is possible…

Nevermind, I’ll do it for you: those horrendous blunders you see at the opponents blue line are real, but they are vastly outnumbered by the controlled cycle breaks and outlet passes from his own zone… it’s just that you only fixate on the minority events and somehow miss the forrest for the trees.

 

[red devil]

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Might as well just put Mack with Cirelli and Hagel so they can back check in case he turns it over trying to play one man show and someone else can actually try to facilitate a play with the best player in the world

MacGinnon has such poor game awareness and hockey sense. But he's such a beast that going 1 on 3 he got off a few good shots that the goalie had to make good saves.

It also works because it defies all logic to try to deke through 3 defenders so it catches people off guard. After he tries it the second third and fourth time Sweden caught on and made him turn the puck over in embarassing fashion.

And Bennington had to be sharp to keep Canada alive.

 

[centipede2233]

I'd move Point up the lineup. This guy has scored 97 goals in the last two seasons and he's just as good of a pure goal scorer as Reinhart but he's a better skater than Sam is.

Agreed.canada doesn’t have a surplus of natural goal scorers. Point will be critical moving forward.

 

[boltsfan86]

...Pietrangelo was paired with Theodore to be the defensive guy...makes sense to put another defenseman in his place that can play the position other than in the offensive zone...Bouchard didn't make the team because he can't perform as well as other Dmen can defenisvely...it's that simple...

I think the criticism of Bouchard's defense is overblown because when he does make a mistake it's typically a major yikes but he really doesn't make too many of them

 

[NyQuil]

I'll bet an expensive watch is the 2nd thing that most NHL players buy when they get a big paycheque.

They need something like an exotic parrot that they would never buy on their own.

 

[lakai17]

Mack was also driving to the net. McDavid was deferring all night, hence his 1 shot.

Just McDavid adapting to his linemates for now. He's the best!

 

[LeonDraisaitl29]

Canada is another d man injury away from a dire situation. Who on Canada can play d if there’s another injury?

Dang, idk. Good question.

 

[Alicat]

I hope tomorrow’s game is a good one. Congrats Canada. Until we meet on Saturday.

Also, I fully support the booing of the anthem.

 

[Pancakes]

Yea that was surprising to me as well tbh. I don't know how MacKinnon usually approaches OT but plays like that often just result in a loss of possession, which is a death knell 3 on 3. Just rag it and wait for the high percentage play instead--which is why I think McDavid and Crosby would work. They're both capable of holding the puck until there's a high danger chance.

I imagine Mack is more patient than that normally and was maybe just fired up with nerves given it was a big game but idk. Maybe Avs fans can weigh in on that. I catch some of their games but don't watch a ton of Mack.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

That defensive liability somehow has a 61% EV goal share when he’s on the ice… 56% when he’s on the ice without McD or Drai.

Please explain how that is possible…

Nevermind, I’ll do it for you: those horrendous blunders you see at the opponents blue line are real, but they are vastly outnumbered by the controlled cycle breaks and outlet passes from his own zone… it’s just that you only fixate on the minority events and somehow miss the forrest for the trees.

...and yet he didn't make the team picked by the management...damn, I wonder if they know something fans tend to miss??...

 

[Zirakzigil]

That defensive liability somehow has a 61% EV goal share when he’s on the ice… 56% when he’s on the ice without McD or Drai.

Please explain how that is possible…

Nevermind, I’ll do it for you: those horrendous blunders you see at the opponents blue line are real, but they are vastly outnumbered by the controlled cycle breaks and outlet passes from his own zone… it’s just that you only fixate on the minority events and somehow miss the forrest for the trees.

And Canada doesnt need the risk on the blue line. Again, hes not bouncing Makar from the top PP unit. What does Bouchard bring to the team if hes not on the #1 PP. Almost every single defenseman there is someone you are comfortable with in any game situation. Without having to have an Ekholm like babysitter.

 

[LeonDraisaitl29]

Give crosby whatever he wants

 

[syz]

Canada is another d man injury away from a dire situation. Who on Canada can play d if there’s another injury?

The Leafs had to put Marner at defence once if memory serves.

 

[Pancakes]

I know there's good reasons that Russian are banned and I don't want to start that debate but I will say it's a damned shame we're not getting to see Malkin and Ovechkin and Kucherov and all the Russian greats play in this tournament.

Ovie still has a good hockey left to give. He would have been fired up to play in this and the fans would have loved it.