GDT: World Junior Discussion

[StringerBell]

Wow, Russia has really turned it on here in the 2nd. Lundstrom is playing very well in goal for Sweden.

 

[BerSTUzzi]

I know it was a lockout team but I said it before the team lacked top end dmen. There is usually 1-3 elite dmen on Team Canada and we had 0.

 

[Tiranis]

I know it was a lockout team but I said it before the team lacked top end dmen. There is usually 1-3 elite dmen on Team Canada and we had 0.

Rielly and Hamilton were massively overrated by people that don't watch much junior hockey. Harrington also IMO gets too much credit for his play — he's a good shutdown guy, but not as good as some make him out to be. He's far from a rock.

 

[BerSTUzzi]

Rielly and Hamilton were massively overrated by people that don't watch much junior hockey. Harrington also IMO gets too much credit for his play — he's a good shutdown guy, but not as good as some make him out to be. He's far from a rock.

Rielly at least has an excuse, he hasn't played a lot of hockey in the past year and half and is 18 still. Hamilton gets thrown to the heavens because of the Kessel trade and everyone thinks he's has to be elite to spite Toronto, he is not. The past Harrington type players for us have been Tyler Myers, Shea Weber, Karl Alzner, Marc Staal...these were all our second D pairings.

 

[shortshorts]

oh TC..

 

[Proto]

If they take Corrado Canada only loses 5-2!

 

[StringerBell]

This Russia-Sweden game has been great. The lack of penalties has allowed the game to take on a really nice flow. Constant action.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

I know it was a lockout team but I said it before the team lacked top end dmen. There is usually 1-3 elite dmen on Team Canada and we had 0.

Losing Ryan Murray to injury had a major impact on the team. That being said the whole team didn't show up for the 1st period and gave the USA all the momentum and confidence they needed.

 

[Tiranis]

If they take Corrado Canada only loses 5-2!

I think that's oversimplifying it a bit. Who knows what would happen if they could create more balanced pairings. As it was, the defense never truly got going.

 

[shortshorts]

Russia

 

[luongo321]

I hope Spott is never ever behind that bench again. A truly horrendous coach who had no idea what he was doing and thought he could get away with playing favourites. Guess what, bud? You cost this team everything. Just an absolute idiot.

This team would have been completely different with Corrado. Subban was okay, but Binnington deserved a few starts.

 

[Barney Gumble]

If they take Corrado Canada only loses 5-2!

If they had a different coach, perhaps a better squad would've been selected and/or different icetime distribution for those that were selected (eg., play the heck out of RNH - even Stevie Wonder can see that [what the eff is he 'saving him up for' the tournament isn't a long marathon like the NHL playoffs]).

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

I hope Spott is never ever behind that bench again. A truly horrendous coach who had no idea what he was doing and thought he could get away with playing favourites. Guess what, bud? You cost this team everything. Just an absolute idiot.

This team would have been completely different with Corrado. Subban was okay, but Binnington deserved a few starts.

Hard to say if Corrado would've made much of a difference but the blueline chemistry and makeup was not there for Team Canada this year. The big guys were not mobile enough (Wotherspoon, Reinhart) and the mobile guys were not strong enough defensively (Murphy, Rielly). Hamilton was not good enough, but losing Murray to injury created a hole that the Canadian coaching staff failed to fix.

 

[Tobi Wan Kenobi]

How does Murphy get no points playing first unit pp.....

 

[Barney Gumble]

How does Murphy get no points playing first unit pp.....

Ryan Spott's dad is the coach.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Rielly and Hamilton were massively overrated by people that don't watch much junior hockey. Harrington also IMO gets too much credit for his play — he's a good shutdown guy, but not as good as some make him out to be. He's far from a rock.

I actually thought Rielly looked relatively good in his limited ice-time; obviously he's an offensive defensemen, but I thought he looked infinitely more dangerous offensively than Murphy did (and about as dangerous defensively, too).

The defense as a whole didn't perform up to snuff, but what will be second guessed are some of the coaching decisions. Giving virtually no ice-time to MacKinnon, not playing RNH enough, overplaying Ryan Murphy when he was pretty much hands-down Canada's worst player...

I will say, however, that Malcolm Subban is not to blame today. Of all Spott's head-scratcher decisions, Subban was the one that rewarded Spott for his faith. Had no chance on several of the goals today, and I think the pull was a mercy pull given that the team was going to pieces in front of him.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Absolutely disgusted with this teams performance today.

 

[BerSTUzzi]

I actually thought Rielly looked relatively good in his limited ice-time; obviously he's an offensive defensemen, but I thought he looked infinitely more dangerous offensively than Murphy did (and about as dangerous defensively, too).

The defense as a whole didn't perform up to snuff, but what will be second guessed are some of the coaching decisions. Giving virtually no ice-time to MacKinnon, not playing RNH enough, overplaying Ryan Murphy when he was pretty much hands-down Canada's worst player...

I will say, however, that Malcolm Subban is not to blame today. Of all Spott's head-scratcher decisions, Subban was the one that rewarded Spott for his faith. Had no chance on several of the goals today, and I think the pull was a mercy pull given that the team was going to pieces in front of him.

I agree with all points, Murray would have made a difference. Hamilton could not handle the pressure against the other teams top lines. I know it sucks that Canada lost but it sure makes the tournament going forward that much more exciting with other teams making it interesting. The Swiss really impressed me.

 

[arsmaster*]

RNH had tonnes of ice time today.

Don't know where the complaint is coming from.

I'd say where Spott failed, is that he kept going to his 'energy' guys in stead of trying to get his top two lines going.

I thought Strome looked good at times early but seemed to take a back seat to Jenner and Mackinnon (who has looked poor in this checker role all tournament).

 

[Barney Gumble]

RNH had tonnes of ice time today.

Don't know where the complaint is coming from.

I'd say where Spott failed, is that he kept going to his 'energy' guys in stead of trying to get his top two lines going.

I thought Strome looked good at times early but seemed to take a back seat to Jenner and Mackinnon (who has looked poor in this checker role all tournament).

Isn't that contradictory?

 

[arsmaster*]

Isn't that contradictory?

Wasn't supposed to be.

It was more meant that they went to the bottom two lines more so than getting the Strome-Huberdeau-Rattie line going.

 

[Proto]

I think that's oversimplifying it a bit. Who knows what would happen if they could create more balanced pairings. As it was, the defense never truly got going.

If they had a different coach, perhaps a better squad would've been selected and/or different icetime distribution for those that were selected (eg., play the heck out of RNH - even Stevie Wonder can see that [what the eff is he 'saving him up for' the tournament isn't a long marathon like the NHL playoffs]).

I was kidding!

I didn't like the defense they built, or the guys they brought in to provide questionable phsyicality, but whatever. It happens. I didn't see much of the tournament, so I won't offer more analysis than that.

 

[Hodgy]

Canadians need to realize that we are not going to win this tournament any year. Russia, Sweden, and the US all have been sending excellent teams comparable to Canada's. People need to tame their expectations.

 

[JanBulisPiggyBack]

I think Rielly looked pretty damn good our there and yes I would say our best Defensemen, knowing he is much heavier skilled at offence than defence. The leafs made a good pick IMO and I know see it where as at the draft I wasn't sure.

I think Mackinnon took a few undisciplined penalties this tournament, but you can see he is going to be something special, too bad he was over shadowed by Drouin who really had a strong tournament

I stayed up late to watch this game and I have to say without sensationalizing it one bit, that was the worst game of World Juniors Hockey for Canada I have ever seen

I have not been a fan of Team Canada selections ever since RNH was not on the team his draft year

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

Canadians need to realize that we are not going to win this tournament any year. Russia, Sweden, and the US all have been sending excellent teams comparable to Canada's. People need to tame their expectations.

Actually the expectations to of gold or bust is great IMO. Yes Canada isn't going to win every year, but at least give a good fight before losing. Last year sucked but man that was a fun game to watch. This year... damn that sucked.