Olympics: Team Canada 2022 (Part 2)

[ORRFForever]

I didn't mean to ad the Law/Dubois quote, but there were several times that Marner coughed up the puck, just inside the offensive blue line, during the Montreal series. Selfish play?......
That, we don't need on a team Canada, in an elevated "best on best" international tournament.

^ Amen. ^

As a Leaf fan, I've been saying this forever...

When things are going bad, Matthews plays within himself, he doesn't try to do too much and he doesn't make things worse.

Marner is the exact opposite!

We have playmakers coming out of our ears. Leave the playmaker with nothing between his ears at home.

 

[gotyournose]

Leave Marner at home. Players like him who feel the need to do to much and are mistake prone aren’t wanted in a short tournament

 

[hoyster]

McDavid, Crosby, and Pietrangelo all named to the team

Also think that they are the captains.

 

[PWiz30]

McDavid, Crosby, and Pietrangelo all named to the team

Congrats to Connor McDavid. This must be a huge relief for him.

 

[ORRFForever]

Congrats to Connor McDavid. This must be a huge relief for him.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Well, wing is easier so "out of position" doesn't matter.

The center simply has more defensive responsibility and McDavid isn't great there. Since almost the entire Canadian team is centers it could make sense to put the best defensive centers up the middle - especially since guys like Crosby and Point are so damn good offensively anyways.

To the bolded: that’s not how that works. Just because you’re a great C does not mean you will automatically be a better winger

 

[zeke]

To the bolded: that’s not how that works. Just because you’re a great C does not mean you will automatically be a better winger

It almost always does.

 

[nbwingsfan]

It almost always does.

There’s so many examples that prove otherwise. Both at the NHL level and actually playing hockey yourself. Entirely different positions and role where certain skills are better or worse depending where you play.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

There’s so many examples that prove otherwise. Both at the NHL level and actually playing hockey yourself. Entirely different positions and role where certain skills are better or worse depending where you play.

I mean Team Canada has proven for a number of years that moving high level centres to the wing can and does work at this tournament. It's not like we are talking about your run of the mill average players here. There is less defensive responsibility and more offensive freedom. It isn't a difficult transition.

 

[nbwingsfan]

I mean Team Canada has proven for a number of years that moving high level centres to the wing can and does work at this tournament. It's not like we are talking about your run of the mill average players here. There is less defensive responsibility and more offensive freedom. It isn't a difficult transition.

Of course it can work. A great C is still going to be a good W. it doesn’t mean a great C is going to be an even better W just because it’s “easier like Zeke is saying.

 

[ORRFForever]

I mean Team Canada has proven for a number of years that moving high level centres to the wing can and does work at this tournament.

I agree. Stick with it until it stops working.

 

[nbwingsfan]

I agree. Stick with it until it stops working.

No one is saying otherwise. You don’t choose a worse player just to fit more “natural” wingers. People are just disagreeing with placing the best player in the world at W because it’s “easier” and therefor he will be even better. That’s not how it works. You keep the best player in the world in his natural position that he knows best.

 

[Voight]

That's weird. Here is the TSN story:

Sidney Crosby Connor McDavid Alex Pietrangelo Team Canada 2022 Olympics - TSN.ca

It says that due to a request from the IIHF/NHL/NHLPA they had to name a mandatory 3 players. So I'm guessing that other countries will have to do the same thing.

Obviously the three were no brainers. I guess this is somewhat like the 2002 Olympics when they named 8 players in advance and McDonald's released commemorative pucks with their names and faces on them, plus a Gretzky puck.

Usually in August they name the preliminary roster/players under consideration and have a training camp but obviously that didn't work this year with the agreement being made late and COVID still being a thing.

 

[ORRFForever]

With the young talent coming through the system, this will likely be the last kick at the can for...

Crosby
Stone
Marchand
Bergeron
O’Reilly
Doughty
Price
MAF

 

[iginlafan77]

With the young talent coming through the system, this will likely be the last kick at the can for...

Crosby
Stone
Marchand
Bergeron
O’Reilly
Doughty
Price
MAF

I would be skeptical of Doughty making the team

 

[centipede2233]

Yeah, I think doughty is in tough to make it

 

[86Habs]

Yeah, I think doughty is in tough to make it

Its hard to imagine TC going to Beijing with only one returning defenceman (Pietrangelo) on the team. For that reason, I think if Doughty is playing at anywhere near a reasonable level (which doesn't necessarily need to be Norris-level), he'll make it. I would say his play last season would have earned him a spot on the team (barely). The fact is, the guy brings it when he's motivated and the stakes are high. Aside from Pietrangelo I really think only Makar is a lock at this point; both are RHS (though Pietrangelo has moved to the left side internationally), so there are likely a few depth spots open. If he's playing well Doughty would certainly be in the mix along with Hamilton, Ekblad, and probably a few others. So not an insurmountable logjam ahead of him, and there is definitely a spot in the defense group for him.

 

[Zybalto]

I posted these numbers a while ago but its sort of the problem when trying to judge dmen when they are on an awful team.

When it comes to Drew Doughty this past season, here are his 5v5 REL rankings (out of the 95 Dmen to play at least 800 minutes this season):

TOI: 3rd highest out of 95
Corsi: 9th best out of 95
Shot differential: 3rd best out of 95
Expected goal differential: 9th best out of 95
Scoring Chance differential: 6th best out of 95
High Danger Chance Differential: 5th best out of 95

Would he actually be up in the Norris conversation if he played for a top 5 team instead of a bottom one? It's really tough to gauge performance on a team that can't score (and we all like to look at those shiny points to evaluate much of the time)

 

[JackSlater]

Doughty is a guy who you have to imagine controls his own destiny. He was at a good enough level last year and he's shown more than enough internationally to this point. People struggle to judge defencemen who are on awful teams. If he sucks out of the gate this year then I could see him getting cut. No doubt that Hockey Canada would like to bring another defenceman from the last decade of success back though.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I'm just stopping by to say, I want to see a Pelech-Makar pairing since I think it would just be a thing of beauty to watch.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Huberdeau - Mcdavid - Point
Barzal - Mack - Marner
Marchand - Crosby - Bergeron
Couturier - OReilly - Stone ( good luck scoring against that )

Chychrun - Pietrangelo
Ekblad - Makar
Theodore - Doughty
Hamilton

Price
MAF
Kuemper

 

[Eye of Ra]

Toews is back. He is gonna have a monster season and force his way into the team.

 

[ORRFForever]

Toews is back. He is gonna have a monster season and force his way into the team.

That would be amazing, but I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[ORRFForever]

My inclination is to keep them together for now, depending on how they look heading into Christmas. But I am intrigued and would love to see an all Nova Scotia line of Marchand Sid MacKinnon.

Because I'm bored...

Combining the Marner question with one of my favourite screenplays.

Which movie is this from? (Hint : Coen Brothers)

**********************************************************************************

ORRF stands behind Gold Standard (GS), who sits at his desk.
ORRF is disappointed when sees GS has include Marner on Canada's 2022 Olympic Team...

ORRF : Bad play, GS.

GS : Got up on the wrong side, huh?

ORRF : Same side as always.

GS : That's what I mean. Still owe money to - who's your bookie? Lazarre?

ORRF : Mm.

GS : I could put it right for you.

ORRF : Thanks G.S., I don't need it.

GS : In a pig's eye. Marner screwed you with his endless Over The Glass penalties against Montreal. People'll speak ill of me if I let him break your legs.

ORRF : Peopled'll say I had it coming.

GS : And they'll be right, but that ain't the point. Call me a big-hearted slob, but I'm gonna square it for ya.

GS picks up a phone on his desk and starts to dial.

GS : Yeah, I think I'll do that, this very same night. Looking at you moping around takes away all my . . . What did you call it? Joy de veever.

ORRF walks over to the desk, he takes the receiver from GS and prongs the phone.

ORRF : Joi de vivre.

GS : Well look, if your gonna laugh at me, the hell with you.

ORRF walks to the door, putting an his hat.

ORRF : To hell with you. I'll square myself with Lazzare if you don't mind. That’s why God invented point spreads.

ORRF pauses in the doorway and turns back to GS.

ORRF : There is something you can do for me.

GS : Name it.

ORRF : Think about how little taking Marner gets us. Think about everything taking Marner loses us.

GS chuckles good-naturedly.

GS : Come on, ORRF, you know I don't like to think.

ORRF has stepped into the hallway and, just as he closes the door says…

ORRF : Yeah. Well, think about whether you should start.

The door clicks shut.

 

[Perennial]

I'll surely be disappointed if we don't see a McDavid - Crosby - MacKinnon line... put 'em in any order you like, but there's enough center depth on the roster for this kind of configuration