2013 WJC Thread - USA! USA! USA!

[jmelm]

Nice to see you're still alive, Jacob.


That was a hell of a goal by Bluegers. That wasn't just an ordinary or garbage type goal. He showed excellent patience, poise & vision, and was able to snipe it right into the open spot while looking the defenders off. For a guy who we know is more of a playmaking type, it's nice to see a snipe like that. Pure goal scorers goal.


Regarding Trouba vs. Pouliot, they are both great players. Trouba may end up being better and, if so, great for Winnipeg. They aren't just tanking to get high picks, so it's nice for the talent to be spread around to teams that need & deserve it. It would be nice to see another pure right-handed Dman on our club, but let's be honest: if people knew Trouba was going to have the year he was having, he'd probably have been taken at #4, #6 or #7. At least we do have some very big bodies (Maatta 6'2, Despres 6'4, Bortuzzo 6'4, and Dumoulin 6'4), so while none of those guys is as mean & physical as Trouba, hopefully we'll have a nice blend of size, skill and others who can fire a puck (i.e. Morrow). Not many teams have more than one or two guys who can fire a puck like that, so we can't be too greedy.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

That was a hell of a goal by Bluegers. That wasn't just an ordinary or garbage type goal. He showed excellent patience, poise & vision, and was able to snipe it right into the open spot while looking the defenders off. For a guy who we know is more of a playmaking type, it's nice to see a snipe like that. Pure goal scorers goal

Yep, pretty dirty. You don't see too many look-off snipes like that even in the pros.

 

[Jacob]

His celebration was NHL-caliber too.

 

[Captain Hook]

I don't think Shero's type of D-Man is big and physical like Trouba. I think it's pretty clear he prefers PMD's like Despres, Morrow, Pouliot etc. Way too early to tell who will be the better pro out of Pouliot and Trouba though.

 

[Dangles78]

Maatta not playing due to illness per Bob McKenzie.

Finland is done. Too many injuries and now this.

 

[Dangles78]

Damn, Trouba is looking good vs Canada. Only USA player outside of Gally and Gibson doing anything useful on the ice.

Jones is brutal right now.

 

[Jacob]

Good thing I don't give a **** about nationalities, because the US team is a mess.

 

[Pfnf]

unreal finish

 

[Dangles78]

Seth Jones that game

Gibson is unreal. The Americans have 0 chance if they get past the Slovaks. Gibson can only take you so far, and scoring 1 goal against better competition isn't going to get you a medal.

Murphy and Hamilton on the PP for Canada Spott isn't the brightest fellow to double shift them and keep Reilly on the bench.

 

[Zero Pucks]

USA really shot themselves in the foot there, but at least it was some entertaining hockey.

 

[deakka]

Harrington was a beast on the PK

 

[UnrealMachine]

That was a hell of a goal by Bluegers. That wasn't just an ordinary or garbage type goal. He showed excellent patience, poise & vision, and was able to snipe it right into the open spot while looking the defenders off. For a guy who we know is more of a playmaking type, it's nice to see a snipe like that. Pure goal scorers goal.

Let's keep it in context though. It was a 5 on 3 goal and one of the defenders (the one on Blueger) didn't have a stick. It's considerably easier to demonstrate patience, poise and vision under those circumstances. Hopefully he can repeat the feat in a standard 5 on 4.

 

[maxpenguins6630]

Is Maata injured ? I don't see him in the players listed for Finland today...

 

[Will Hunting]

Bluegers looks good on PP again, I think he has another assist by the only goal scored for Latvia. Latvia has some offense only when his line is on the ice.

Commentators mentioned that he wanted to study biology, but his parents forced him to study economy instead. They want him to finish studies first and then he can think about his pro career in hockey.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I think it's pretty clear by now that Scott Harrington's Canada's best shutdown defender. He was rock solid again tonight, especially on the PK. It's a good thing he doesn't play the PP for Canada, because with his PK and even strength minutes he'd be well over 30 minutes a night.

And every year there's one player on Canada that annoys me with their performance. This year it's Ryan Murphy. I just ****ing hate how *every single time* he has the puck, he feels the need to attempt an end to end rush. Maybe if he actually did something on one of those attempts, I'd forgive it a little. But he keeps failing yet keeps doing it.

Malcolm Subban was so-so the first two games in nets, but tonight he was great. That's the kind of goaltending Canada's going to need to win gold.

On Team USA, while I'm a big fan of Seth Jones', tonight he was a turnover machine. He reminded me of watching the Pens' defense this past Spring against the Flyers on a few occasions tonight. Still think whichever team drafts him is getting a stud, but he still needs to clean up his game.

 

[Pfnf]

great pace to start the game

 

[djt153]

first time watching harrington and its hard not to be massively impressed. not only does he play so intelligently, he also has the physicality required to keep up with russians. the missing "piece" ?!

 

[No1Joker]

FYI Määttä had a really bad game today. He was supposed to lead this team by an example and here we are... Ofcourse there were couple other 'stars' too who failed.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

first time watching harrington and its hard not to be massively impressed. not only does he play so intelligently, he also has the physicality required to keep up with russians. the missing "piece" ?!

Pretty good comparison - I think Harrington's upside is a wartless Scuderi. We all loved Scud's d, but he wasn't a very good skater and had trouble moving the puck out of danger/up-ice. Harry's more mobile and has an innate ability to clear pucks/start transition safely. Much better shot, too.

Just for kicks, if you want to feel even better about the kid, check out the unbiased observations from posters on Harrington is the post-game. Pretty effusive praise:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1314007

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Just for kicks, if you want to feel even better about the kid, check out the unbiased observations from posters on Harrington is the post-game. Pretty effusive praise:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1314007

Is Prophet of Glennie still insisting he shouldn't be on the team?

 

[wej20]

I haven't watched all the games but from what I have seen Harrington's probably been the best Canadian dman along with Oullett and Rielly. I haven't watched the Russia game yet but in the two games I've seen Ryan Murphy was creating more offence for the other teams than for Canada. I haven't been that impressed by Hamilton either, given the hype I expected him to be head and shoulders above the other dmen at the tournament but he's been pretty meh.

 

[jmelm]

Pretty good comparison - I think Harrington's upside is a wartless Scuderi. We all loved Scud's d, but he wasn't a very good skater and had trouble moving the puck out of danger/up-ice. Harry's more mobile and has an innate ability to clear pucks/start transition safely. Much better shot, too.

Just for kicks, if you want to feel even better about the kid, check out the unbiased observations from posters on Harrington is the post-game. Pretty effusive praise:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1314007

Scott Harrington is the real-deal. He could not only play in our top-6 next season, but he could make a significant positive impact on our team both 5-on-5, on the PK (could play 1st unit), and even 2nd unit PP duties.


Harrington's offensive potential is very underrated and isn't really being utilzed anywhere other than London, where he plays 2nd unip PP, simply because he is WAY better than everyone else defensively; and thus, he is always used in a shutdown role, and therefore always thinks defense-first, because he'll do whatever necessary to help the team win.


If Harrington does spend anytime in WBS next season (which should only happen if both Despres and Dumoulin have proven too good for that league), then I sincerely hope he will be getting FIRST unit PP time in WBS. Getting him to further develop his and focus on his offesive game is the ONLY good justification for him playing in WBS next season; and the only way the Pens could screw his development up is by short-changing him in this regard and pigeon-holing him as a defensive-only Dman for his career. He can be so much more than that (i.e. Girardi without as much size & physical play).

I haven't watched all the games but from what I have seen Harrington's probably been the best Canadian dman along with Oullett and Rielly. I haven't watched the Russia game yet but in the two games I've seen Ryan Murphy was creating more offence for the other teams than for Canada. I haven't been that impressed by Hamilton either, given the hype I expected him to be head and shoulders above the other dmen at the tournament but he's been pretty meh.

Hamilton still has immense potential because of his combination of size, skating ability, offensive skills and overall strength. He is simply a beast. It remains to be seen if he can put it all together and be a Norris candidate, but all the tools are there. Some guys just need more time. It's too early to say.


Rielly, however, is clear to be an impact player at a VERY high level (like Letang, Yandle or Ekmann-Larsson). It will be a joy watching this kid develop. I am also very, very impressed by Reinhart. He literally has been mistake-free, has great poise, and seems to have ice-water running through his veins. Doesn't get rattled or pressured at all. He's younger and more raw, but it's very clear he'll be a great all-around top-2 Dman at least. Ouellett is very impressive, as well, but I think he'll top-out as a really good, all-around #2 or #3 guy at the NHL level, perhaps in the mold of a poor-man's Ryan Suter or Brad Stuart type of guy.

 

[clefty]

Is Prophet of Glennie still insisting he shouldn't be on the team?

As much as people make fun of him, and make fun of him they should, there are more than a few here who should be feasting on crow of their own for not being much better when Harrington was drafted instead of some random Russian with a Youtube highlight reel.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

As much as people make fun of him, and make fun of him they should, there are more than a few here who should be feasting on crow of their own for not being much better when Harrington was drafted instead of some random Russian with a Youtube highlight reel.

Seriously. The outrage over 'another' defender being drafted blinded this entire board. Especially one who apparently had so little upside.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

As much as people make fun of him, and make fun of him they should, there are more than a few here who should be feasting on crow of their own for not being much better when Harrington was drafted instead of some random Russian with a Youtube highlight reel.

I think the major difference is folks who were skeptical with the pick made their comments following a year when Harrington, by most accounts, struggled as a sophomore after a strong rookie season. There was a bit more legitimacy to the concerns since he did struggle in his draft year.

PoG's issue, and why he's constantly ridiculed, is because he ragged on Harrington even when Harrington had turned the corner and when his play was very, very strong. And even when commentators, coaching staffs, etc. were praising Harrington's play and it was evident he'd become one of the best defensive defenseman in the OHL, PoG stuck to his guns about him not being good.

I'd consider myself in the former group. I loved him as a 16 year old, but didn't like him as a 17 year old. He was fantastic as a rookie, looking like a veteran and so poised, especially in the defensive end. Then in his sophomore year, he was given more offensive responsibility, but struggled with it, which then lead to him struggling defensively as well. Thankfully for us Pens fans, his sophomore season was just a blip on the radar, and he's back to being a rock in his own zone.