Top defenceman

[Rise from the Ashes]

Alexei Emelin?

Luc Bourdon?

Cam Barker?

Jack or Erik Johnson?

Marc Staal?

Ryan Parent?

personally i think its gonna be Emelin depending on his semi final game.

Click to read more...

 

[Steveorama]

The best I've seen in the tourney so far have been Bourdon, Emelin, J. Johnson and Parent.
Johnson's cheap shot may have cost him some votes.
It will come down to whoever steps up in the medal round.

 

[canucksfan]

Right now it's hard to say. Jack Johnson I think would win it right now.

 

[deandebean]

Bourdon is playing amazing. But he had his bad moments too. I haven't seen Johnson play other than tonight. Barker hasn't impress me a bit. Wasn't he supposed to be the next great defenceman coming from the West a couple of seasons ago, when he started?

 

[An Ape called Yoko]

Oscar Hedman is +9 and has one goal and three assists.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

thats impressive

 

[FLYLine27*]

Top 4 (No order)

Bourdon
Staal
J. Johnson
Parent - Got to give him props with Staal for shutting down Kessel, Ive watched kessel in 2 previous games and hes been the man, tonight...he was not.

Note:
I've only seen 1 1/2 Canada Games
3 USA Games
1 1/2 Finland Games
1 Norway Game

 

[Enoch]

Watching tonight's game...Bourdon had too many big turnovers to win this award. He should be a good one, but he was too inconsistent IMO.

 

[Siberian]

Nobody's seen games from group B on tv unless you get the tapes right from
IIHF. As far as I am concerned the top two are Emelin and Biryukov

 

[Russian_fanatic]

I think Bourdon has been the best defenseman so far.

 

[hockeyfan125]

I think Bourdon has been the best defenseman so far.

besides his screw up on Mueller's goal, he has been basically perfect.

 

[Panopticon]

Judging by stats only, Emelin, Hedman and Biryukov have been amazing. Emelin with only +2, but leading the defensemen in scoring with 1+5.

Hedman with 1+3 and a +9, Biryukov with 0+4 and a +6.

I always like to look at the +/- stat when it comes to defenders (if I don't see the games that is), because most defenders rack their points on PP and that doesn't tell you much.

Luc Bourdon (1+4), Erik Johnson (1+3), Teemu Laakso (2+1) and Kristopher Letang (0+2), all with +4.

 

[hockeyfan125]

Watching tonight's game...Bourdon had too many big turnovers to win this award. He should be a good one, but he was too inconsistent IMO.

I didn't notice any big turnovers... he made a horrible read on Muellers goal, but that was it. He was pushing around all of the American forwards, and made a few nice breakout passes. Didn't get the PP time that Barker/Russell got.

 

[Kaizer]

http://www.iihf.com/Hydra/Tournaments_06/output/w20/hydra.iihf.com/data/iihf/output/xml/55/IHM055Z07_85G_1_0.html
The most impressive thing for me is "0" in "-" category. Hedman, Biryukov, Buravchikov, Barker and E. Johnson are good in this so far, especially Hedman

 

[AgentNaslund*]

for team Canada Its Luc Bourdon. Playing very good defensively, playing awesome offensively. I cant speak for the other teams. havent seen enough of the other teams, but I would think Jack Johnson is USA's best dman.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Bourdon absolutely owend Bob Ryan in the corners. 225 pound Bob Ryan...

 

[TheDynasty]

This is a tough one, and I've only seen a few teams once so I can't say for sure. The top three I've seen in the tourney have probably been Emelin, Bourdon, and Staal. Emelin has had some really good games, and the stats show he has been solid on both ends of the puck. Bourdon is a monster out there, what impresses me most about this kid is his recovery ability. He makes a few mistakes sure, but he is fast enough, and aggressive enough to recover. There were a few times he raced down the ice to totally nullify a 2-on-1. Staal has been an absolute beast on the defensive end of the games. He has really excelled at 1-on-1's, and shows a strength along the boards that allows him to win a lot of battles.

These 3 guys are probably my picks so far. J. Johnson has fallen out of grace due to his unacceptable behavior.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

This is a tough one, and I've only seen a few teams once so I can't say for sure. The top three I've seen in the tourney have probably been Emelin, Bourdon, and Staal. Emelin has had some really good games, and the stats show he has been solid on both ends of the puck. Bourdon is a monster out there, what impresses me most about this kid is his recovery ability. He makes a few mistakes sure, but he is fast enough, and aggressive enough to recover. There were a few times he raced down the ice to totally nullify a 2-on-1. Staal has been an absolute beast on the defensive end of the games. He has really excelled at 1-on-1's, and shows a strength along the boards that allows him to win a lot of battles.

These 3 guys are probably my picks so far. J. Johnson has fallen out of grace due to his unacceptable behavior.

^Jack Johnson (and Erik Johnson) are still more impressive than guys like Emelin.

 

[AgentNaslund*]

Bourdon absolutely owend Bob Ryan in the corners. 225 pound Bob Ryan...

I cant think even think of a foward on team Canada playing better then Bourdon. Honestly, it seems like hes Team Canadas best player.

 

[Chelios]

I mentioned this in another thread and I thought I would post it here too to get some reaction. I would first like to say that yes I am a Blackhawk fan, but I would also like to say that I was never much of a Barker fan... until this tournement.

It still boggles my mind how little credit this guy gets, I don`t understand this attitude towards him. I wasn`t going to bother mentioning this, because I didn`t want to interrupt the big Bourdon lovefest, but to me Barker has been Canada`s best defenseman, if not the best in the tournement. Everyone keeps saying "Barker hasn`t impressed me", well then you can`t be looking very hard. Barker isn`t one of those players like Bourdon and Phaneuf that are going to jump out and impress you, but if you really watch his game, he is exceptional. I really like Bourdon, but if you watch the game closely he makes quite a few mistakes, often as a result of trying to do too much, this isn`t the case with Barker. Defensively Barker reads the play almost on another level, his defense is excellent even though he doesn`t hit too often (which I really hope he starts since he has the size and strength), his positioning is also very good and his break out passes are perfect. He rarely gets caught up the ice, almost never overcommits himself, and controls the gap well. Offensively, again, his vision sets him apart from almost any other defenseman in this tournement, his wrist shot from the point is one of the best I have ever seen , he controls the puck better than any defenseman in the tournement, and his passes are deadly accurate.

To all of you who have not been impressed with Barker, I challenge you to watch him closely next game and I guarentee you will be impressed.

 

[Kaizer]

Everyone keeps saying "Barker hasn`t impressed me", well then you can`t be looking very hard. Barker isn`t one of those players like Bourdon and Phaneuf that are going to jump out and impress you, but if you really watch his game, he is exceptional

aha ... and if you don't think that Barker is the best then you suck/didn't watch/ don't understand It sounds so

 

[Chelios]

aha ... and if you don't think that Barker is the best then you suck/didn't watch/ don't understand It sounds so

I have no idea what this means. But what I meant when I said "really watched the game" is that if you watched very carefully, not simply sat back and passively waited for players to jump out at you. If you watched the play developing, his positioning, and all the little things, you will see how good he is.

 

[B Boarding]

I haven't seen any of the games since they are not broadcasted in Sweden. But Hedman's stats are VERY impressive. I predicted in a previous thread that he should be dominating and it seems like I got it right this time. I'm not surprised though since he has been playing against men in the SEL for 2 years now.

BTW:I can't wait to see how good his younger brother Victor is going to turn out. He's born late 1990 and has debuted in the U20 league in Sweden already. The kid's 6'5 already and a great offensive threat!

 

[Misos Milakos*]

aha ... and if you don't think that Barker is the best then you suck/didn't watch/ don't understand It sounds so

So why dont you explain to him what he doesn't understand smart guy.

 

[Misos Milakos*]

I mentioned this in another thread and I thought I would post it here too to get some reaction. I would first like to say that yes I am a Blackhawk fan, but I would also like to say that I was never much of a Barker fan... until this tournement.

It still boggles my mind how little credit this guy gets, I don`t understand this attitude towards him. I wasn`t going to bother mentioning this, because I didn`t want to interrupt the big Bourdon lovefest, but to me Barker has been Canada`s best defenseman, if not the best in the tournement. Everyone keeps saying "Barker hasn`t impressed me", well then you can`t be looking very hard. Barker isn`t one of those players like Bourdon and Phaneuf that are going to jump out and impress you, but if you really watch his game, he is exceptional. I really like Bourdon, but if you watch the game closely he makes quite a few mistakes, often as a result of trying to do too much, this isn`t the case with Barker. Defensively Barker reads the play almost on another level, his defense is excellent even though he doesn`t hit too often (which I really hope he starts since he has the size and strength), his positioning is also very good and his break out passes are perfect. He rarely gets caught up the ice, almost never overcommits himself, and controls the gap well. Offensively, again, his vision sets him apart from almost any other defenseman in this tournement, his wrist shot from the point is one of the best I have ever seen , he controls the puck better than any defenseman in the tournement, and his passes are deadly accurate.

To all of you who have not been impressed with Barker, I challenge you to watch him closely next game and I guarentee you will be impressed.

Agreed, he has been much better than many around here claim to be, and deserving of more credit.