Olympics: 2014 — Canada Roster Discussion (Part XII - Announcement Jan 7th, 12PM EST, TSN)

[oilersrule14]

He's a fast skater, but not particularly strong...he can get knocked off his feet and muscled off the puck at times...but he moves well.

People keep knocking him because they claim he's a product of Malkin. Can't that be said about everyone on this list? Perry plays with Getzlaf. St. Louis plays with Stamkos. Sharp plays with Toews. Kunitz plays with Crosby. Couture plays with Thornton. I don't get why Neal gets singled out (well, Neal and Kunitz) as being a product of his line.

It's a credit to Crosby and Malkin, they're viewed as a step above the rest of the class most seasons. Whereas a guy like Getzlaf is elite, but he's with a group of guys with very little seperation. When Crosby and Malkin are on, they usually have a decent points seperation on the rest of the league, you don't see that with the other guys you mentioned. So that undeservedly or deservedly results in people questioning their teammates true ability.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Seabrook has 2 Stanley Cups of which he was an integral part of. He was routinely playing in excess of 25 minutes/game against the opposition's top players in the playoffs, including nearly 40 minutes in game 1 of the finals.

Again, Phaneuf is just 1 option (and I don't believe he's that much of a liability), but if we want safe options, there are better safe options than Vlasic.

And in the medal round of Vancouver 2010 he played about 2-5 minutes because he couldn't handle the game at that level.

Vlasic shoots left, Seabrook shoots right and therefore it is comparing apples to oranges because they are not in direct competition for a spot.

 

[CarlWinslow]

I like the line-up. With Canada's depth, its hard to look at any combination people come up with and hate it because we are talking about the best of the best.

I just hope Hockey Canada takes into account some of the glaring lessons they should have learned from recent tournaments and builds/gameplans accordingly.

We can't expect to go into these things and simply brutalize our way to gold anymore. Canada needs to put together teams that can be aggressive but most of all that can skate. Take guys that can skate like crazy and we'll be fine. The skill will shine through. If we take big lumbering players with great skill but questionable mobility, we will be exposed.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Seabrook has 2 Stanley Cups of which he was an integral part of.

I addressed this very point in the "who he plays with/for" part of the post.

He was routinely playing in excess of 25 minutes/game against the opposition's top players in the playoffs, including nearly 40 minutes in game 1 of the finals.

He also looked terrible on NHL ice in 2010 and will only be further exposed on NHL ice against teams above NHL calibre.

Again, Phaneuf is just 1 option (and I don't believe he's that much of a liability), but if we want safe options, there are better safe options than Vlasic.

Staal or Hamhuis ftw. Hell, I'd prefer Brian Campbell over Phaneuf.

 

[Quack Shot]

Hall should not be on the team. Rumor has it that he can't spell intensity.


Seriously, there's no room for him in a top six role and he is not suited for a bottom six role.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Yeah, there's not 8 canadian defenceman better than PK Subban. Come on now.

He'd be a top pairing defenceman for every. other. country in that tournament... I just don't get it

This isn't a ranking though, they're building a team. Sometimes the most talented guys aren't necessarily the best choices. I think that there are three right handed dmen who are safer choices than Subban... Pietrangelo, Weber and Doughty.

 

[Dying Alive]

You must be high. Kunitz should in no way make this team. Chemistry isn't enough for a guy to make it. If Crosby were to get injured, Kunitz is a waste of a roster spot. You look at pairs, but those pairs should be made up of guys whose skill set should work together. Look at how ineffective the Thornton-Heatley-Marleau line was last Olympics? Just because guys play together in the NHL, doesn't mean they will work together in this tournament.

Am I mistaken or didn't Kunitz play with Perry/Getzlaf when he was in Anaheim as well?

 

[hitmen19]

Mike Smith was mediocre at best at the World Championships if I remember correctly. I'd take Crawford over him anyday

I guess you misremember as clemons famously put it. Smith was great, plays the puck well as any goalie in the league. Have you seen Crawford this year??? he's is not a comforting choice. Harding should be the third choice if luongo can't go, not crawford

 

[missinthejets]

Dating back to last season Hall is scoring at 1.10 points per game. That's good for 4th among Canadian players behind only Crosby, Stamkos and Getzlaf (arguably the NHL's best 3 centers in that time frame).

He should absolutely be on the team.

2 reasons he won't:
Guilt by association, the Oilers are a bad team that makes young mistakes so Hall is guilty by being associated with that

He had a lacklustre world championships last year and wasn't able to find a role and didn't get a lot of chances to do so. He couldn't adjust his game to play with Duchene and the coaches opted to play him less rather than try him elsewhere so a poor showing at his only sr. team canada put shim behind the 8-ball. Eberle gets more consideration because he did better at the worlds it doesn't matter if Hall has shown himself to be the superior player in Edmonton through multiple seasons.

If they weren't happy with his worlds showing then it's completely understandable to leave him off the team, and if they want more experience that's a fine reason too, but he should be getting a lot more consideration than he is because the production that he is capable of is right there with other names.

 

[Samkow]

1,000.