WC: Team Germany 2019

[PenDuhNotPittsburgh]

Might in the end even get to pick which of our 2 nhl goalies we want to bring over.

 

[Reindl87]

Cutting Bokk is just mindblowing and sad. Why would you cut such a talented Player? Sure, he has a lot to improve but come on you have to lay These Kind of Young guys. Instead Soderholm Plays it Safe and picks the typical mediocre German Forwards that will never get you anywhere against real competition. Really mad about this decision.

 

[ebergeist]

Cutting Bokk is just mindblowing and sad. Why would you cut such a talented Player? Sure, he has a lot to improve but come on you have to lay These Kind of Young guys. Instead Soderholm Plays it Safe and picks the typical mediocre German Forwards that will never get you anywhere against real competition. Really mad about this decision.

Same feelings here, its hard for me to wrap my brain around this decision. He was losing battles in the corner but Bokk has really good offence eye and good hands, we could have used him in the powerplay.

Time will tell if this was the right decision or not.

 

[Eye of Ra]

if the reason is that bokk is too young then why is seider on the team.

 

[Maverick41]

I don't like that Bokk was cut, but I am not that surprised.
I guess Söderholm doesn't see room for him in the top six and doesn't trust him enough defensively to play in the bottom six.
I would have picked him over Pfohl (and I really like Pfohl), but we do have a really nice forward group this year, so I won't complain too much.

On defense I have more of a disagreement with the cuts. I agree with @Retroglyphs that Weber could have been very useful for this team. Without him we still have J.Müller and Y.Seidenberg who can skate pretty well, but I really would have liked to see what Weber could do with the full team.
But I am even more upset that Sezemsky did not get a longer look. Now we have only Y.Seidenberg who has a half decent shot. The rest of the D have nothing to offer in that regard. Guys like Holzer or Mo. Müller will hit the net with their shot every leap year and none of the others are really dangerous from the point.

Looking at the entire roster I guess the shooting will all be up to Eisenschmid, Draisaitl, Plachta and Pföderl and hopefully Bergmann and Noebels will be able to pounce on some rebounds.

 

[ebergeist]

if the reason is that bokk is too young then why is seider on the team.

Well to be honest, I feel Seider has proven to be more solid against men than Bokk has. Seiders play is more "mature".

 

[PenDuhNotPittsburgh]

Considering bokk is gonna play a key role for Germany in the u20 world's this year it's ok not to overplay him

 

[Retroglyphs]

I don't like that Bokk was cut, but I am not that surprised.
I guess Söderholm doesn't see room for him in the top six and doesn't trust him enough defensively to play in the bottom six.
I would have picked him over Pfohl (and I really like Pfohl), but we do have a really nice forward group this year, so I won't complain too much.

Yes, @Maverick41, you were raising doubts about him being a lock on Söderholms notepad, and it turns out you had the right hunch here.
He was definitely thinking that Dominik Bokk wouldn't work on Hager's 3rd line or Fauser's 4th line due to his lack of physicality.
But even if there was no room in the top six for him, Bokk would still have been fine in a 13+7 roster scenario against weaker opponents, including PP time.

On defense I have more of a disagreement with the cuts. I agree with @Retroglyphs that Weber could have been very useful for this team. Without him we still have J.Müller and Y.Seidenberg who can skate pretty well, but I really would have liked to see what Weber could do with the full team.
But I am even more upset that Sezemsky did not get a longer look. Now we have only Y.Seidenberg who has a half decent shot. The rest of the D have nothing to offer in that regard. Guys like Holzer or Mo. Müller will hit the net with their shot every leap year and none of the others are really dangerous from the point.

I was very surprised when Marcus Weber was cut, and I consider that one of Söderholms biggest mistakes.
He's a young defender with above average-skating skills, who enters the offensive zone with ease and elegance, and he has made a great leap forward this season in terms of point production. I don't see many others on our D who have that quality.
We need mobile defensemen like him, guys who can carry the puck quickly through the neutral zone or join a rush with our speedy forwards.
And yes it's true, our D doesn't exactly exude danger from the point. Seider could develop into that role, but it won't happen at a moment's notice. And who knows how much confidence Söderholm will have in him, if he's not willing to take a risk with a guy like Bokk?

Looking at the entire roster I guess the shooting will all be up to Eisenschmid, Draisaitl, Plachta and Pföderl and hopefully Bergmann and Noebels will be able to pounce on some rebounds.

Our ability to create offense is the least concern for me. We won't have problems with scoring goals in the offensive department - Draisaitl, Eisenschmid, Plachta, Pföderl, Bergmann, Ehliz, Noebels ... you name it - they all know how to score goals, and most of them have been particularly strong towards the end of this season, and in the playoffs.
However, I'd be absolutely mad, if Söderholm cuts important role players like Noebels or Fauser in favour of Pfohl or Loibl. Also, if the Isles get eliminated we definitely need Tom Kühnhackl for that part of the team as well... it's not only about adding a top goalie in Greiss.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Well to be honest, I feel Seider has proven to be more solid against men than Bokk has. Seiders play is more "mature".

Yes, that's true. But it's important to note that both play different roles on the team, and thus also have to meet different ends.
No one is expecting Bokk to patrol the ice delivering heavy open-ice hits against anything that moves and looks like an opponent.

 

[Edenjung]

What happens if both Grubauer and Greiss are available?
Do we trough out the others and just run with them?

 

[Retroglyphs]

What happens if both Grubauer and Greiss are available?
Do we trough out the others and just run with them?

Both take roster spots, and Treutle becomes 3rd goalie.

 

[Edenjung]

Both take roster spots, and Treutle becomes 3rd goalie.

Ok.

 

[king89]

Will Kühnhackl join if Islanders get eliminated?

 

[ebergeist]

Will Kühnhackl join if Islanders get eliminated?

I think he said that he is open to the idea but his contract ends with the isles so who knows. I hope he joins.

 

[Retroglyphs]

I think he said that he is open to the idea but his contract ends with the isles so who knows. I hope he joins.

Kosice sounds closer to Landshut than Herning.

 

[smitty10]

Islanders are out.

Greiss, Kuhnhackl and Seidenberg are all available.

 

[Hagstrom]

Greiss would be a big add, I hope he accepts for you guys

 

[BigBadBoar]

Greiss would be a big add, I hope he accepts for you guys

He is a great goalie, but the goalie position should be no problem for Germany anyway: The have very good goalies in Europe too. Kühnhackl would be a real boost if he accepts the invitation.

 

[Albatros]

Greiss save percentage playing for Germany:

2006 Olympic Games .875
2006 World Championships (D1) .886
2010 Olympic Games .815
2016 World Championships .904
2017 World Championships .876

Grubauer:
2014 World Championships .922
2017 Olympic Qualification .970
2017 World Championships .938

Aus den Birken:
2014 World Championships .861
2015 World Championships .790
2017 World Championships .934
2018 Olympic Games .897

Niederberger:
2018 World Championships .947

Treutle:
2018 World Championships .919

 

[ebergeist]

I‘m happy if Greiss comes but i‘m also ok with the goalies we have. I really hope kühnie says yes.

 

[Hagstrom]

Greiss save percentage playing for Germany:

2006 Olympic Games .875
2006 World Championships (D1) .886
2010 Olympic Games .815
2016 World Championships .904
2017 World Championships .876

Grubauer:
2014 World Championships .922
2017 Olympic Qualification .970
2017 World Championships .938

Aus den Birken:
2014 World Championships .861
2015 World Championships .790
2017 World Championships .934
2018 Olympic Games .897

Niederberger:
2018 World Championships .947

Treutle:
2018 World Championships .919

Interesting! My apologies

 

[Retroglyphs]

I respect ppl's opinions on here that we've got decent goaltending already, but I'd take Greiss over Niederberger/Strahlmeier any day. Particularly after the strong season he has played for the Islanders.

 

[Urbanskog]

Even if Greiss hasn't performed that well when playing for the national team, I don't see why would he suddenly be so much worse when donning the German jersey. Greiss would be a great addition.

 

[Maverick41]

I would like to see Greiss on the team, as long as Söderholm isn't afraid to let Treutle or whoever else will be there take over if Greiss struggles.

I think Greiss has improved (especially mentally) since he last played for the national team, so I don't put too much stock into those numbers.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Our defensive pairings for the WHC must be the thing that causes Söderholm the biggest headaches.
The quartet of Schopper, Wagner, Nowak and top prospect Seider has never played WHC hockey.
Let's say he'd nominate all five experienced guys - Y.Seidenberg, M.Müller, J.Müller, Holzer and Reul - that'd leave us with 3 spots going to newbies. Bit risky, if you ask me.
For that reason I believe Söderholm will invite Dennis Seidenberg as well, to at least test him and maybe even bring him vs. the U.S. on tuesday, before he comes to a final conclusion.