Which players raised their stock? Which players hurt their stock?

[Zybalto]

The breakdown starts at the faceoff where Fox loses Marner, it goes up to Makar at the point and Fox is in front of the net while Hanifin is covering Point at the R post. When Makar dumps it deep around the boards it’s Hanifins job to protect behind the net while still defending Point. Fox should have peeled left to Marner in the corner but instead chases the puck behind the net skating around the R post.

If Fox goes left he’s there when Marner gets possession and Matthews can stay with his man. But because he went the long way around the net Marner is left open with all kinds of time and space.

Now this is where Matthews gets involved in the defensive breakdown.

Matthews has to make a decision, pressure the puck carrier who is left wide open and has a direct lane to the net or stay with the threat in the slot. Now Matthews biggest mistake is not recognizing Fox is completely out of position and should have made the safe play sticking with McDavid.

However, in a fast paced game where decisions have to be made in a fraction of a second, Matthews instinctively pressures the puck carrier assuming Fox is just late to the play and will cover his man in the slot. Instead Fox was behind the net and never really had a chance to get to McDavid.

It’s on both of them, but it’s a huge defensive breakdown that starts with Fox.

Gotta add that Brock Nelson icing the puck there was not the wisest of moves either that led to all this.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Added to OP..

Raised:

Brady Tkachuk - The premier power forward in the game, now everyone knows.
Mitch Marner - Meh in the tournament but big game at a big time. That’s big for his narrative.
Jordan Binnington - He may let in the odd softie, but he’s Mr. Clutch for the rest of his life.
Sam Bennet: Feisty skilled centre was excellent on forecheck and in board battles.
Zack Werenski - Not a lot of people watch Columbus. But they should to see him play.
Jaccob Slavin - Excellent defenceman, now everyone knows.

Hurt:

Auston Matthews - Got some chances tonight when he got paired with Brady, he once again couldn’t score in the big moment.
Jack Hughes - Looked like a junior player out there.
Devon Toews - He was okay with Makar, bad without. May have played himself off the Olympic team.
Brad Marchand - Father Time catching up, not as effective as he used to be.
Mark Stone - Still a great NHLer, but couldn’t keep up with the pace of best on best.
Adam Fox - He’s good?

 

[fsanford]

All I know is Mark Stone looked absolutely cooked, best on best. He'll be on the Olympic team but his role should be drastically reduced.

He is normally on LTIR this time of year. Cut him some slack

 

[Thallis]

The next time I see Auston Matthews I am not going to leave him until he personally apologizes to me.

The clip of the goal (while great for McJesus and Canadian fans) will also show one of the absolute worst defensive plays and decisions ever made by a player. He is an idiot.

Fox went behind the net on the wrong side and Matthews couldn't see where he was because Hellebuck blocked the view. To Matthews, the choice was to stay on his man and Allow Marner to walk in uncontested or challenge and try to cut off the pass while doing so.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

Good - USAs entire defense other than Adam Fox

Bad - Adam Fox

 

[Zybalto]

Fox went behind the net on the wrong side and Matthews couldn't see where he was because Hellebuck blocked the view. To Matthews, the choice was to stay on his man and Allow Marner to walk in uncontested or challenge and try to cut off the pass while doing so.

Canada played it beautifully there with the right guys in the right situations. It was all so fast too.

 

[Joe Sakic]

The breakdown starts at the faceoff where Fox loses Marner, it goes up to Makar at the point and Fox is in front of the net while Hanifin is covering Point at the R post. When Makar dumps it deep around the boards it’s Hanifins job to protect behind the net while still defending Point. Fox should have peeled left to Marner in the corner but instead chases the puck behind the net skating around the R post.

If Fox goes left he’s there when Marner gets possession and Matthews can stay with his man. But because he went the long way around the net Marner is left open with all kinds of time and space.

Now this is where Matthews gets involved in the defensive breakdown.

Matthews has to make a decision, pressure the puck carrier who is left wide open and has a direct lane to the net or stay with the threat in the slot. Now Matthews biggest mistake is not recognizing Fox is completely out of position and should have made the safe play sticking with McDavid.

However, in a fast paced game where decisions have to be made in a fraction of a second, Matthews instinctively pressures the puck carrier assuming Fox is just late to the play and will cover his man in the slot. Instead Fox was behind the net and never really had a chance to get to McDavid.

It’s on both of them, but it’s a huge defensive breakdown that starts with Fox.

Ok, I agree with your post. And btw I did watch the clip frame by frame from the faceoff. Fox does make a mistake, and it is partially on him.

I agree, it's on both of them I have to place a heavy majority on Matthews. I do feel Matthews makes a bad read. Fox's mistake and breakdown isn't good but it's manageable, we can recover because Marner is in the corner. Matthews can't leave his man in the middle of the slot to dive on a guy in the corner. I just can't accept that.

 

[slapKing]

Not an active player anymore, but Gretzky hurt his stock.

Crosby > Gretzky (Go away Wayne you loser)

 

[syz]

Canada played it beautifully there with the right guys in the right situations. It was all so fast too.

I liked watching it on the goal visualizer thing the NHL uses. When the puck goes to the wall off the faceoff everybody on the ice moves to that side of the ice, except Marner who is already in the corner before the puck even gets to Makar. By the time he gets it Matthews and Fox are already scrambling and have to make that split second decision.

 

[AvroArrow]

Brady Tkachuk is an absolute menace, this guy is going to do damage for the next 10+ years. He was the most impressive player to me this tournament. Finishes every check, great skater, great IQ, gets into scoring position, fights he literally does it all.

He has that nastiness you want in a player, I haven't seen that kind of attitude and play style since Chris Pronger. A legitimate tough guy with tremendous skill, not pretend like how so many NHLers are.

Maybe I'm being a homer but I thought Marner and Nylander were absolutely phenomenal in the tournament as well. Two guys that have been ripped their entire careers for being soft and unable to produce under pressure. Both guys showed up big time for their teams on the biggest stage.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Brady Tkachuck is the Premier Power Forward in the NHL. Bone crunching hits, great hand/eye coordination & stick work, high IQ & awareness, built for playoff hockey.

 

[Peiskos]

Hasn't been mentioned but I think Thomas Harley on D looked great as a replacement for the sick Morrissey.

Harley is a nice young dman, very sound.

 

[Joe Sakic]

Fox went behind the net on the wrong side and Matthews couldn't see where he was because Hellebuck blocked the view. To Matthews, the choice was to stay on his man and Allow Marner to walk in uncontested or challenge and try to cut off the pass while doing so.

Correct, and he made a terrible choice and decision imo.

Marner was not going to be able to walk-in more than 2-3 feet before Fox closed in.

Do you agree or disagree that 'scoring danger' is the same between Red circle and Purple circle?

 

[Thallis]

Hasn't been mentioned but I think Thomas Harley on D looked great as a replacement for the sick Morrissey.

Harley is a nice young dman, very sound.

Harley cemented his position in the top 4 for Milan I think. Parayko probably gets left off.

 

[syz]

Ok, I agree with your post. And btw I did watch the clip frame by frame from the faceoff. Fox does make a mistake, and it is partially on him.

I agree, it's on both of them I have to place a heavy majority on Matthews. I do feel Matthews makes a bad read. Fox's mistake and breakdown isn't good but it's manageable, we can recover because Marner is in the corner. Matthews can't leave his man in the middle of the slot to dive on a guy in the corner. I just can't accept that.

Something I haven't really seen anybody mention is Hughes just skating past a contested faceoff. I know his job is to pressure the points in case of a faceoff loss, but it wasn't a loss and he ended up just skating right by the puck. Could have been a winger win and ended the whole play there.

 

[Joe Sakic]

Something I haven't really seen anybody mention is Hughes just skating past a contested faceoff. I know his job is to pressure the points in case of a faceoff loss, but it wasn't a loss and he ended up just skating right by the puck. Could have been a winger win and ended the whole play there.

Yah....lol. Don't even get me started on Hughes. I was beyond disappointed with him this entire tournament. In my opinion he played terrible for what was expected of him. How may times did he fall down...may have been a record.

I was expecting so, so much more from him.

 

[bossram]

Correct, and he made a terrible choice and decision imo.

Marner was not going to be able to walk-in more than 2-3 feet before Fox closed in.

Do you agree or disagree that 'scoring danger' is the same between Red circle and Purple circle?

Everyone recognizes in hindsight it was the wrong decision. But it wasn't even a "decision" really. He really has to either pressure Marner or stay with McDavid and commit to that decision within 0.1 seconds of that puck getting rimmed to Marner. If he takes any longer to scan the area he can't do either option.

A bad icing and bad route by Fox are what put Matthews in that spot.

Yeah, he "chose" wrong. It's a fast game and he's up against elite players. Everybody will get some reads wrong and it cost them the game this time.

 

[chaser17]

> Devon Toews - He was okay with Makar, bad without. May have played himself off the Olympic team.

Anyone who has this opinion does not know how to watch dmen and is only looking at what dmen are doing with the puck.

Ya he needs to be replaced, a few weeks ago he was on HNIC after hours talking about how he can't throw a baseball or football anymore because his shoulder is so beat up from surgeries. Kinda concerning I'd say.

 

[Thallis]

Correct, and he made a terrible choice and decision imo.

Marner was not going to be able to walk-in more than 2-3 feet before Fox closed in.

Do you agree or disagree that 'scoring danger' is the same between Red circle and Purple circle?

View attachment 980316

The thing you're missing is that it's a split second decision made when Matthews can't see Fox and doesn't know that he's engaging Marner.

The positions are not the same level of danger, but they're both high danger plays. As a righty, Marner has puck protection advantage and the ability to shoot or dish as he enters the house with an ocean of space. At that point as a center, you're the closest one to the puck so you challenge and hope that you can disrupt the pass or your backside winger is coming to support.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

US ups: B Tkachuk, Z Werenski
US downs: Jack Hughes, Jack Hughes, Jack Hughes

Canada ups: Marner (until his next poor playoff game)
Binnington-an incredible performance in light of all of his doubters (myself included)
McDavid-scoring a historical goal is one more high mark for him. The Cup will clinch it for him as a top 5 of all time.

Canada downs; Stone-one of my favorites but doesn't fit well at this level.

 

[dirtydanglez]

Yah....lol. Don't even get me started on Hughes. I was beyond disappointed with him this entire tournament. In my opinion he played terrible for what was expected of him. How may times did he fall down...may have been a record.

I was expecting so, so much more from him.

probably bad ice. everyone was falling all game.

 

[Magic Mittens]

I agree with the majority of the good and bad on here, but one guy who played great and wasn't mentioned was Lindell. Finland didn't have much for D and Lindell played all the heavy match ups. Scored a big goal that started Finland's comeback against Canada that just fell short in the end.

 

[syz]

probably bad ice. everyone was falling all game.

The ice and boards both seemed weird. Handful of funny bounces out there on top of guys falling over.

 

[chaser17]

Stone, Marchand and Doughty looked slow but I dont know if Hockey Canada can risk excluding them for Olympics ..
They seemed to be the glue that kept team together off the ice and provided some sparks on the ice.

Marchand and Doughty were brought up post game as key figures in the locker room by a few players, can't see either guy not being there next year unless their production falls off the earth.

 

[Joe Sakic]

The thing you're missing is that it's a split second decision made when Matthews can't see Fox and doesn't know that he's engaging Marner.

View attachment 980319

The positions are not the same level of danger, but they're both high danger plays. As a righty, Marner has puck protection advantage and the ability to shoot or dish as he enters the house with an ocean of space. At that point as a center, you're the closest one to the puck so you challenge and hope that you can disrupt the pass or your backside winger is coming to support.

Fair enough, it's just not the right read to me.

I agree that it's a split-second decision and obviously it's very difficult and things are moving 100mph at ice level. I am saying Matthews makes the wrong split-second decision and his mistake cost us the game in this moment.

I disagree that they're both high danger plays, Fox is closing in on Marner, if Marner gets a shot off from lets say the purple circle below, that is better percentage for us than McDavid wide open in the slot due to the angle the goalie can play. We needed to mitigate the breakdown risk as best we can. Matthews makes it worse.