What happened to Canada's high powered offense?

[SI90]

LOL.

I just hope we get another chance on Wednesday(?).


Come on... LOL.

We've had one bad year and the tournament is far from over.

Thursday i believe and I think you will.

 

[chaser17]

No time and space out there, gotta take advantage of PP's. That's all there is to it really, wasn't many grade A chances either way.

 

[MNRube]

They’ve went against like 8 of the best shutdown D on the planet. US & Sweden also have defensively responsible Cs.

 

[eojsmada]

US plays the way Canada used to, and Canada plays like Russia now. Lots of individual skill but kind of weak along the boards and not much team cohesion.

This is something I have thought/said about Hockey Canada for the last 5-10 years. The play a CHL game of stretch passes and rush hockey and have forgotten how to grind an opponent down.

 

[majormajor]

It's mostly the defensive quality of who they were playing against.

But I also think we need to see Crosby, Mackinnon, and Marchand together (yes, The Donair Line, it's time).

 

[majormajor]

US plays the way Canada used to, and Canada plays like Russia now. Lots of individual skill but kind of weak along the boards and not much team cohesion.

I don't think that's a remotely accurate description of Team Canada's play. They didn't have much cohesion but they rarely do early in tournaments. They played a really hard tight checking game. Both teams did, and it came down to goaltending. The US was nasty and tough but so was Canada.

 

[Stammertime91]

This is actually pretty funny.

Yeah credit to Canada and the talent they always ooze outta their pores, but it did occur to me earlier in the week the tragic drop off from Luongo, Brodeur and Fleury in 2010 to.... Bennington in 2025. Of course that's a generation in between, but still, goaltending has taken a hit.

 

[Soundwave]

No Zack Hyman was stupid. A 4 Nations Tournament is something where pre-existing chemistry is even more important than even an Olympics. There's no early round robin games against punching bag teams like Belarus, Switzerland, Norway, etc. for Canada to iron things out. You're thrown right into the deep end straight away, you better have chemistry on your lines.

 

[TaLoN]

This offensive group (outside of A few players) lacks chemistry. They struggled against the Swedes to generate offense. For all the hype this offence got it's a Pretty disappointing group of forwards so far and the Americans smothered them defensively for 60 mins tonight.

Faber and Slavin happened

 

[Elvs]

No Zack Hyman was stupid. A 4 Nations Tournament is something where pre-existing chemistry is even more important than even an Olympics. There's no early round robin games against punching bag teams like Belarus, Switzerland, Norway, etc. for Canada to iron things out. You're thrown right into the deep end straight away, you better have chemistry on your lines.

Bad example is bad.

2006 Olympics:

2010 Olympics:

And these were of course the days before Hischier, Fiala, Meier and Josi. Both the 2006 and the 2010 team only had one NHL skater (Mark Streit in both tournaments) and one NHL goaltender (David Aebischer in 2006 and Jonas Hiller in 2010).

 

[DamonDRW]

as it was always the case creativity is brought to NHL by soft European players. With rare exception of course such as McDavid.

 

[tfwnogf]

I dunno, at times they looked good. Mcdavid on the breakaway and Crosby with the assist to Dylan Larkin...

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

You contain McDavid and MacKinnon, you have a good chance to win.

 

[Ugene Magic]

The line of Mackinnon-Crosby-Stone just doesn't gel. Move Stone off and put Marchand on it.

2/3s of the line is old as sin....either way.

 

[waitin425]

It’s called a Montreal Screwjob

 

[The Panther]

My concern with tournaments like this is that the management / coaches sometimes try too hard to get role-players and puck distributors and smooth-skating / passing Dmen.... and they forget about snipers and guys who drive the net and bang in greasy rebounds. It doesn't matter how much talent you've got; you need those kinds of guys on a hockey team.

Guys like... Scheifele and Hyman, for example. A younger Corey Perry. A Matt Thachuk, Canadian version. I think they need another player or two like that.

I was pleased that Point is on the club because he's a great goal-scorer who knows how to play with high-level talent. But then they put him on the 4th line or whatever in the Sweden game. They finally put him on the McDavid line for about two shifts in the USA game... and then went with McDavid / Crosby, which again doesn't really make sense to me (two playmakers).

Anyway, it was good game that could have gone either way, but them's the breaks in a 3-4 game tourney...

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Jaccob Slavin

 

[JEM28]

well they are playing against the best players in the world. its difficult to break down another team full of star players.

Exactly. It’s not like the US forwards were any better for the most part.

Both teams forwards were met by the best some of the best D that can be assembled.

It’s no surprise stars aren’t lighting up the stat sheet.

 

[JPT]

Too many multi-million dollar contracts. You want to bring in guys who stand to gain financially from putting in maximum effort in these tournaments. Maybe they'll get a bigger contract, maybe they'll get traded to a playoff team as their trade value goes up, etc.

I feel like the best international team would consist of players who play for bottom tier NHL teams and want to get recognized for their skills.

So what you're wanting is some sort of exhibition of humans who are in bad situations because they will be desperate enough to do anything for a chance at a better situation?

 

[Bradely]

This offensive group (outside of A few players) lacks chemistry. They struggled against the Swedes to generate offense. For all the hype this offence got it's a Pretty disappointing group of forwards so far and the Americans smothered them defensively for 60 mins tonight.

IMO there is alot of puck eaters! Added with few players willing to go in dirty areas.
Canada needs to change their line

 

[JEM28]

My concern with tournaments like this is that the management / coaches sometimes try too hard to get role-players and puck distributors and smooth-skating / passing Dmen.... and they forget about snipers and guys who drive the net and bang in greasy rebounds. It doesn't matter how much talent you've got; you need those kinds of guys on a hockey team.

Guys like... Scheifele and Hyman, for example. A younger Corey Perry. A Matt Thachuk, Canadian version. I think they need another player or two like that.

I was pleased that Point is on the club because he's a great goal-scorer who knows how to play with high-level talent. But then they put him on the 4th line or whatever in the Sweden game. They finally put him on the McDavid line for about two shifts in the USA game... and then went with McDavid / Crosby, which again doesn't really make sense to me (two playmakers).

Anyway, it was good game that could have gone either way, but them's the breaks in a 3-4 game tourney...

Would adding a Tom Wilson or Sheifele or Hyman in lieu of someone on the toaster have made a difference?

2-1 game essentially. Maybe they get a greasy goal. Maybe. Or maybe one of them makes a critical mistake and costs a goal and the opposite sentiment is being expressed, why’d they bring him in, etc.

Both teams are well assembled and as you said it could have gone either way. Adding a little grit would have = it could go either way in my mind.

Fun game though.

 

[Bradely]

Well its not like the Americans exploded against Team Canada either. Both teams were pretty evenly matched and it could've went either way, just that in this game Team Canada made one more mistake than the US team did and then they played some great shutdown defense the rest of the way and Helly made the saves he needed to when called upon.

Play this game again and it could be 3-1 going the other way.

Yep, but Canada has way more to show. Let fans be happy with this one and see how everything moves on from here.
Canada needs to change their approach, get some gritty players with their best one.

Would adding a Tom Wilson or Sheifele or Hyman in lieu of someone on the toaster have made a difference?

2-1 game essentially. Maybe they get a greasy goal. Maybe. Or maybe one of them makes a critical mistake and costs a goal and the opposite sentiment is being expressed, why’d they bring him in, etc.

Both teams are well assembled and as you said it could have gone either way. Adding a little grit would have = it could go either way in my mind.

Fun game though.

yes

 

[Zalos]

This sounds like a stellar jinx thread.

As usual, people on HFboards jump to instant conclusions and think they have everything figured out after a game.

You're aware the tournament is far from over and the stars can still explode in the remaining games, right?

Will be sure to bump this thread when appropriate.

 

[Bradely]

as it was always the case creativity is brought to NHL by soft European players. With rare exception of course such as McDavid.

Ok.....

This sounds like a stellar jinx thread.

As usual, people on HFboards jump to instant conclusions and think they have everything figured out after a game.

You're aware the tournament is far from over and the stars can still explode in the remaining games, right?

Will be sure to bump this thread when appropriate.

True. But currently, Canada did have problem creating really good scoring chances in the first 2. And 29 and 97are not responding to expectation. It can change, we will see.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Hagel Mackinnon Marner
Hyman McDavid Johnston
Marchand Crosby Reinhart
Konecny Point Vilardi
Duchene Scheifele

Makar Sanheim
Toews Theodore
Morrissey Doughty
Pietrangelo Parayko

Let the second guessing begin..