What happened to Canada's high powered offense?

[Zalos]

Ok.....


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.

They faced really good defense corps in both games, and I don't fully agree with you when it comes to the game against Sweden. As for the US, they have the best defense in the tournament (even without Hughes).

The game against the US was really tight past the first period and Hellebuyck just saved everything while Binnington let in a questionable goal. There wasn't much more to it. The American superstar forwards weren't any more visible or dangerous.

You can't expect blowouts from either team when they face each other. However, a blowout could definitely happen against Finland on Monday.

 

[Toby91ca]

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.

It clearly looked to me goaltending was the difference last night

The game against the US was really tight past the first period and Hellebuyck just saved everything while Binnington let in a questionable goal.

A questionable goal? I counted 2, both of them. Larkin’s was a good shot, but an NHL goalie should not let in many unscreened shots from the top of the circle

 

[ryno23]

Just like the WJC, Canada has allowed the coach to pick his favorites. No reason Anthony Cirrelli should be on this team? What do you need a supposed shutdown C for?

McKinnon vs Matthews
McDavid vs Eichel
Crosby vs Larkin
Point vs Trocheck

You just need to run those 4 C's and fill out the wingers and USA would have no answer to that depth. Crosby coming out as the 3C with Marchand and Konecny would be better than USA 3rd line.

Hyman should have been in over Stone. McDavid needs Hyman to fish pucks out of the corner and bang in the rebounds.

Hyman McDavid Marner
Reinhart - Mckinnon - Scheifele
Marchand - Crosby - Konecny
Hagel - Point - any LW

That is a better lineup then what they have now. Cooper too much input. Reminds me of Dave Cameron taking Pinelli cause he didn't want to piss of his captain for the rest of the season

 

[ItsFineImFine]

I'd say it's 4 things in regards to the offense:

1. Modern offense comes from the back when games are tight and the difference was America's defense was mobile while Canada's was not. Too reliant on Makar, should've brought guys like Bouchard or Montour over slower dmen like Doughty and Parayko. US dmen were literally skating around Canada when attacking.

2. US did a better job of defending the middle as a team (again see point 1, you need dmen who can activate btter to make the difference when game is this tight defensively).

3. Cooper screwed up the line combos a decent bit, like late in the game he could've put Bennett up but instead moved Marner who was doing nothing to play beside MacKinnon. Bennett was actually going around making space in this game. He also didn't have an answer in terms of coaching, they were just dumping the puck or relying on Mack/McDavid a lot for zone entries + exit (McDavid gave the puck away few times trying to do this too).

4. Bad roster selection on offense as well as defense, they picked a past-prime Brad Marchand over guys like Scheifele or Suzuki. They also don't need to be starting all four of Cirelli/Hagel/Bennett/Jarvis, at most 2 of those guys should be going. I still think the decision to not bring more offense on the back end hurts more though, the forward lineup is good enough.

 

[PaulD]

We can start with leaving elite talent at home to fill out the roster with worthless plugs like Cirelli and Bennett. Sound familiar?

Marner was has been garbage for six periods.
Point was invisible last night.

 

[FlyguyOX]

USA defense is stacked

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

It clearly looked to me goaltending was the difference last night


A questionable goal? I counted 2, both of them. Larkin’s was a good shot, but an NHL goalie should not let in many unscreened shots from the top of the circle

Binnington for the most part has been weak so far. That first goal last night was brutal, I think Stuart Skinner even stops that. Your goalie can't be letting in soft goals like that in a one game takes all tournament.

I would have gone with Hill last night but Cooper and management are such big fans of Binnington. This isn't 2019 Binnington when he came in as a rookie and took the Blues to the cup.

 

[Do or Die]

McDavid with a great goal......then nothing. Too many empty uniforms, up front, playing perimeter pattycake. D with problems moving the puck up.
Roster construction questionable, from the get go....

 

[Unsustainable]

They got Slavin'd

 

[pld459666]

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

I feel like this doesn't get enough credit, regardless of Country, these are the best of the best, no one is really going to get walked on assuming everyone is on their game.

 

[JEM28]

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.


yes

So adding them would have irrefutably meant a victory last night. Got it.

Or….maybe yes was “yes, It was a fun game.” that I can agree with.

Extrapolations of what WOULD have happened l, meh, not so much. Don Cherry has a famous retort to the what ifs, but I’ll spare everyone.

A title game between USA and Canada is something I’m looking forward to, hope it plays out.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

McDavid with a great goal......then nothing. Too many empty uniforms, up front, playing perimeter pattycake. D with problems moving the puck up.
Roster construction questionable, from the get go....

The McDavid goal (especially with the arena just rocking) should have lifted the team but it didn't. Canada had great starts in both games and then put it in cruise control after and backed off their energy. Poor coaching on Coopers part.

It was a close game but Canada got very little Grade A opportunities, wasn't able to sustain pressure in the O-zone and were kept to the outside. Cooper should have been aggressive on line changes.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

They got Slavin'd

They got Mac trucked as well. 97 stopped coming down that side of the ice. I fully expect Canada vs US in Boston.

 

[Blackbear]

They got Mac trucked as well. 97 stopped coming down that side of the ice. I fully expect Canada vs US in Boston.

Well I hope the people in Boston have the class not to Boo.

 

[Gerulaitis]

The high powered offence ran into the world's best goalie.

Just like in Montréal in 1981 AD.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

When it’s best-on-best, high end talent alone will not do the job. It’s the same in international hockey as it is in playoff hockey.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

My money is on Cooper keeping the Reinhart-McDavid-Marner line together against Finland. Yes because that line has just been too good to break up at this point. Should have had Cassidy as the head coach and he wouldn't have so much favouritism.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

They were just bad.

MacKinnon hasn’t done zip. Reinhart and Marner have been brutal. Hagel and Cirelli over Schiefele is crazy. Shoulda brought Wilson to get in on the forecheck.

Tanev and Weegar would have been better choices at RD.

Mostly I just saw a lot of guys not playing their game. Deferring to other players. Not taking chances when they were in dangerous spots.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Well I hope the people in Boston have the class not to Boo.

Can't speak for anyone one else but I know my two boys that are going will not be.

 

[HockeyWooot]

Short tournament with minimal practice time, also some odd decisions with the lines.

Additionally as someone mentioned- US and Sweden have the best two d corps in this tournament. It was always gonna be a grind style game.

 

[Regal]

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.

Yea, there’s way too much roster criticism when a team doesn’t win when players on the margins aren’t a guarantee. Like people are still criticizing Hagel as a nepo baby and an example of going for energy over skill when he’s the 6th highest scoring Canadian forward. If McDavid and MacKinnon aren’t producing much, I’m not sure why we’d assume Scheifele is going to.

I do agree with Panther though that the team lacks shooters, but that’s also a problem with the talent pool overall. Hopefully Bedard changes things soon. I also think the assumption was Reinhart would replace a lot of the net front presence of Hyman, but he lacks the speed Hyman brings

 

[a mangy Meowth]

I think at some point you have to point a finger at coaching. Plain and simple I felt they got outcoached in the USA game

 

[yeaher]

They got Mac trucked as well. 97 stopped coming down that side of the ice. I fully expect Canada vs US in Boston.

I can't wait to see the Bostonians go after the Canadian national anthem, too bad the game isn't in Philly

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Tanev should have made the team over Paryko. Weegar over Sanheim. Need to favour PMD who can skate well and move the puck up the ice quickly in a fast paced tournament like this. Canada loses Theodore right away and all of a sudden their blue line isn't near as mobile. Harley surprised me, he was very good last night.

 

[Borsig]