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Walker is Canada's 23rd man

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when practices begin, I think Walker will be the better fit on the team and get a spot. He's a natural right winger, where Fisher has always played better at center (although I'm not sure if he's been playing right wing this year?).... he also brings more experience to the lineup... one where they are missing the usual Lemieux, Sakic, Yzerman, Blake, Foote, etc group... looking over the rest of the lineup, there is a real lack of experience compared to previous rosters and Walker's presense might help here.

I think that this team will be built on chemistry more than just the most skill level. The skill level overall is comparitively lower than in years past, so IMO the team will rely more on how the roster fits together.

Fisher might be a better fit in the end, but I'm making my assumptions on how these guys have played in the past in the roles that they'll be asked to play in the tournament, and I'm guessing that Walker will prove to be the better fit in the end.

could be wrong though... :dunno:
 
mattihp said:
What does NHL capability have to do with it? :huh:

It's international tournament, not NHL tournament. Hauer is definately better suited for the international rinks than most others in the defensive corps...
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Maybe because the NHL forum gives you a great look at a players talent level. If they can't make it at the NHL level, you look to the reasons why. If they can't adjust to the smaller ice surface, they don't handle the physical NHL environment, or they get homesick; these are the types of excuses that let you know that the smaller ice surface and NHL game might have been the factor and that they might be successful in international tournaments. And, like I said, Hauer didn't make it in the NHL because he had trouble with the smaller ice, he didn't make it because he was downright horrible. He has the offensive abilities, but he had no common sense in his own end. He was a less talented, less apt Tom Poti.

He was the type of terrible that transcends ice surfaces and continents. He'd be an average defenseman no matter where he went. I will conceed that the larger ice surface and more free flowing game are better suited to his style. But it still doesn't make him a good defenseman on international ice. At best, he's average. And my point was that the U.S. should do better than average.
 
i think "better suited for international" is something of an exagerrated quality. There's nothing that can convince me that Brett Hauer was in ANY WAY a better choice than Paul Mara, Mark Eaton, Eric Weinrich...and so on. And I'm as big of a USA hockey fan as anyone.
 
nuckfan in TO said:
I don't think you could go wrong with the lineup, considering the talent there, but I'd go with:

Nash - Thornton - Heatley
Smyth - Marleau - Doan
Gagne - Morrison - Walker
Morrow - Draper - Maltby

this way Maltby really is the only player not playing in their natural position. You've got 3 lines that can score, the 3rd unit are all proven to be good defensive players, and you can then also balance icetime easier, by having the guys on the 3rd and 4th unit with PK duty, with the 1-2 play PP.... Also each line has a balance of offense, defense and grit.

Would try and keep the defense on their natural sides as well (as much as possible), such as Jovo playing the right side. .
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I agree with the lines. That's the way I saw it before Walker was named, with 2 holes on the RW. But now that he's there, I think it helps having only one guy play out of position. I like the fact they took a natural RW who can grind it out. He looks good on that 3rd line.

I would maybe try Gagné with Marleau and Doan, I'd like to see what that line could do, it would be a nice experiement because I think with their speed they could work well. But other than that, I like the balance, and that first line could be extremely tough for other teams to match up against. The 4th line is a solid defensive line, good checkers, I like how it looks.

nuckfan in TO said:
Regehr - Hannan (shutdown pair)
Redden - Jovo (#2 pair, #1 offensive pairing)
Phillips - Souray

Regehr and Hannan would be the best 2 to play every shift against the opposition's top lines... all 6 dmen are solid enough defensively, but these two are the best in that role.

Redden and Jovo are both strong 2-way dmen. I think they would compliment each other well, with Redden being a solid reliable guy that doesn't get out of position too often. Jovo could play his strong free skating game.

Phillips and Souray are also 2 guys who IMO would compliment each other well. Have them both in their natural positions, solid pair defensively and offensively.
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I think the top 4 is set in stone: Regehr, Jovo, Redden & Hannan. I like the idea of having a nice shutdown pairing in Hannan and Regehr. That pairing would provide little offence but would be very effective. They would shut down the opposing top line and make life hard for the opposing forwards.

Meanwhile, the 2nd pairing would be very effective offensively, (while still playing a very solid defensive game), but not having to focus on shutting down top lines. This would give Redden and Jovo more of a free reign to join the rush and contribute offensively. (Which they do better than Regehr and Hannan)

The last pairing is a little less clear to me. I thought Boyle would be no.7, but he's the only R shot. He might get a spot on the last pairing by default because of his shooting side. Because if he's not in, all 6 are L shots. I don't if the coaching staff will care much, but I think Boyle could get in because of this factor. They could then switch between Souray and Phillips on the no.3 pairing. But if they feel this isn't important, I think Souray-Phillips would work well.
 
I like it. If i had to make a line-up, id go with.......

Nash-Thornton-Heatley
Gagné-Marleau-Doan
Smyth-Draper-Fisher
Morrow-Morrison-Walker

Man, every line can crash and bang, but some speed may be lacking. Should be a solid team either way! :clap:
 
Catcher.In.The.RyE said:
A Canucks fan at heart.
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Cooke isn't that unrealistic at all. If Maltby or Fisher can make it, so can Cooke. Cooke is essentially a younger, faster, more offensive Maltby with maybe a little less experience.

Granted, he isn't anywhere near as good as Walker.
 
nomorekids said:
i think "better suited for international" is something of an exagerrated quality. There's nothing that can convince me that Brett Hauer was in ANY WAY a better choice than Paul Mara, Mark Eaton, Eric Weinrich...and so on. And I'm as big of a USA hockey fan as anyone.
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Agreed, I don't want to come across as bashing the U.S. because I still think we are icing a good team. I just don't think Brett Hauer is anything more than an average hockey player even on 'big ice'. If they made the decision to go with Hauer over someone like Eaton because of Eaton's AHL situation, people need to be fired because Eaton's team was just eliminated from AHL playoff consideration if I'm not mistaken. Surely team USA wouldn't have been so hasty and foolish as to not let the situation resolve itself. This leads me to believe that the decision was more than just availability. As a Preds fan who has seen both Eaton and Hauer play both in Nashville and in Milwaukee, the decision just baffles me. And it's not like Eaton was the only other option. As NMK said, there are tons of other Dmen much more talented and apt than Hauer.
 
SmokeyClause said:
Agreed, I don't want to come across as bashing the U.S. because I still think we are icing a good team. I just don't think Brett Hauer is anything more than an average hockey player even on 'big ice'. If they made the decision to go with Hauer over someone like Eaton because of Eaton's AHL situation, people need to be fired because Eaton's team was just eliminated from AHL playoff consideration if I'm not mistaken. Surely team USA wouldn't have been so hasty and foolish as to not let the situation resolve itself. This leads me to believe that the decision was more than just availability. As a Preds fan who has seen both Eaton and Hauer play both in Nashville and in Milwaukee, the decision just baffles me. And it's not like Eaton was the only other option. As NMK said, there are tons of other Dmen much more talented and apt than Hauer.
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None of us really knows what options Don Waddell has/had. This would have all been moot if Tanabe wouldn't have backed out anyway. Maybe many of the "better" option declined?
 
Rabid Ranger said:
None of us really knows what options Don Waddell has/had. This would have all been moot if Tanabe wouldn't have backed out anyway. Maybe many of the "better" option declined?
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I agree, none of us know the options he had. Either way, it's not good for team USA because the end result is a mediocre defenseman. What does it say about Team USA if tons of available defenseman (Eaton, Mara, Tanabe....) don't want anything to do with the team? It's ok for one or two, but everyone? There have to be a one to two dozen American defenseman better than Hauer. Surely one of them was available.

Anyways, enough talk of Team USA on Canada's thread.

Oh and Mattihp, I'm pretty sure it's Cambridge.
 
It's an error, I assure you.
Walker was born in Cambridge and played his Tier II and Junior B hockey there, too. He played 6 games of Junior B in Kitchener, too.
 
Two Cambridge, Ontario boys (Walker and Maltby) and three Sens, not bad.
 
Good pick for Canada. Walker took his game to the next level last year, finishing 26th in league scoring. Believe it or not, he was one point ahead of Lecavalier and two ahead of Fedorov, despite playing fewer games. He's versatile, too, as he plays a stubborn physical game.

Projected Team Canada lines:
Nash-Thornton-Doan. Nash and Thornton excelled in the Swiss League this year. (Yes, I know it's a country club league, but chemistry is there). Doan rejoins DDT linemate Thornton. A robust, physical first unit that can score and score.
Morrow-Morrison-Heatley. Morrow and Heatley formed 2/3rds of Canada's top unit at last year's worlds. Morrison takes Briere's spot from last year as a smallish, playmaking centre, although Morrison is much better defensively.
3) Smyth-Marleau-Gagne. Lots of speed and hustle, and the potential is there for a fair amount of offense, too. All three know their way around the defensive zone.
4) Maltby-Draper-Walker. Who wants to play against these guys? Didn't think so. Lots of heart, character and defensive awareness here. Walker, as documented above, can score, too.
Extra: Mike Fisher.

Defence

1) Jovanovski-Redden. Jovanovski has always stepped up his play for Canada. Redden provides a smart, steady anti-thesis to the always unpredictable but highly skilled Jovo-cop.
2) Regher-Hannan. Who wants to come in on a rush against these guys. Tough, physical play, combined with solid anticipation, good defensive presence and a smart first pass.
3) Boyle-Souray or Phillips. Boyle is underrated and just a good, two-way defenceman. Great PP QB. The sixth guy will be dependent on need. If you want a PP QB with some physical play, go with Souray. If you want that smart, dependable defenceman who never gets noticed but does the job, go with Phillips.

Goalies:
Brodeur
Luongo
Turco
(I think these are pretty self-explanatory).

No doubt, Canada has a talented team. If they can get their skating legs and talent together, and avoid fatigue, they can win gold. Likely the most talented team at the tournament. Lots of offensive potential, it's just chemistry, endurance and mental sharpness that are worrysome. Good news is our No. 3 goalie is better than anyone's No. 1, and should be enough to keep us in any game.
 
wilka91 said:
Is Maltby better than him? :lol:
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How can you compare them? McCarty is a tough guy.Maltby is a decent defensive forward. Don't you remember WC-2003 ?

Walker is a quite good choice,IMO. As I know, besides his another assets,he has a great speed, right?
 
howcome a thread like this, where the team had a plethora of good choices of players, turns into only figuring out how it's a bad move? it isn't a world cup or olympics, it isn't the top players vs the top players, the world championships have always been about the lesser stars playing..

walker is a good choice
 
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