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

[Gritty]

JBo is having his 1st good season in 6 years, while Pietrangelo and Vlasic have never been at Seabrook's level or achieved nearly as much. Seabrook is currently having a much better season than all 3 to boot.

1. Jay Bow was having a fantastic season when we traded him. Finally playing under a new coach (Hartley) allowed him to play to his strengths instead of being the teams shut down defenceman (Sutter). So no, Jaybow isn't playing is 1st good season in 6 years.

2. Pietrangelo > Seabrook. - Piets is already a legit #1D at the age of 23! Since you like stats, at the age of 21 he put up 51 points something Seabrook has never accomplished. Also, Piets has never had a Norris winning D partner. He's never been at Seabrook's level? Please! He's 5 years younger and looks better already.
If you think it's close, just put up a poll. Piets skating, IQ, offensive and defensive game are ahead of Seabrook's. (and I think Seabs is a good D!)

3. Much better season than all 3? You do realize that Vlasic and Seabrook play completely different game styles? So yes, if you're just simply stat watching, Seabrook would apprear to be having a "much better season". If we are simply just looking at stats, the word "much" shouldn't be used. Seabrook has 3 more points than Piets and 4 more points than JayBow, while playing 4 more games.

- Seabrook: 5g-26a-31
- Piets: 5g-23a-28
- JayBow: 3g-24a-27

All in all, I think TSN put up great D pairings. Seabrook could make this team, and if he did, no one would complain. He's a great defender. But to make ridiculous statements like "Pietrangelo and Vlasic have never been at Seabrook's" or "Seabrook is currently having a much better season than all 3 to boot." just makes you look like a big homer.

 

[4EDM14OIL93]

Goals among Can wingers, last 3 seasons: Neal, 77; Perry, 75; Kunitz, 71; Couture, 66; Sharp, 64; St. Louis, 59; Nash, 58, Benn 52.

Hall 59.. While missing 31 games

 

[Reign Nateo]

Hall on Team Canada? Would be a disaster. Far too many dumb mistakes.

Bouwmeester is there because of his skating and international experience.

Boyle is there for veteran leadership. Rather see St. Louis in the line-up rather than Rick Nash, other than that it looks pretty solid.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Who is the defensive checking line?


who is the PK forwards?

Toews-Sharp and Bergeron-anyone?

 

[ManofSteel55]

What have Pietrangelo or Bouwmeester ever done to warrant taking Seabrook's spot? Pietrangelo is a faster skater and that's about it.

Right, that's all Pietrangelo has, is better wheels. Sounds like you're underestimating Pietrangelo, big time. And he isn't "taking" anyone's spot. He's earned a spot on this team. I wouldn't argue if Seabrook made the team as well, but I would argue if he made it and Pietrangelo were left off.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

Interesting McKenzie didn't have Boyle making the team when he tweeted out his predictions last night.

@TSNBobMcKenzie
LD: Keith, Bouwmeester, Vlasic, Hamhuis. RD: Doughty, Weber, Pietrangelo, Subban.

 

[JayKing]

Toews-Sharp and Bergeron-anyone?

& Benn. Could even add Crosby, Couture & MSL.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Hall on Team Canada? Would be a disaster. Far too many dumb mistakes.

Bouwmeester is there because of his skating and international experience.

Boyle is there for veteran leadership. Rather see St. Louis in the line-up rather than Rick Nash, other than that it looks pretty solid.

Care to expand on this? He gives the puck away too often, but also is near the league lead in takeaways. What other "dumb mistakes" would make Hall a "disaster"?

The only way I see Hall being a disaster on Team Canada, is if they put him on the penalty kill.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

What have Pietrangelo or Bouwmeester ever done to warrant taking Seabrook's spot? Pietrangelo is a faster skater and that's about it.

Pietrangelo is a better player.

 

[Buckets and Gloves]

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.

No, he shouldn't.

Hall is not trust worthy in his own end, Babcock has said several times he wants guys who can execute "plug and play"

Hall has much to learn still... it's easy to put up points when there is 0 pressure to win and until this year 0 responsibility defensively.

Patty Sharp, Jeff Carter and Logan Couture would be much better suited than Hall.

Same arguments against Hall can be made for Seguin and Skinner who are also red hot offensively but questionable defensively... the time for those kids will come, but right now they don't have the compelte game to warrant a spot in my opinion... and tommorow I am confident Team Canada's opinion will be shared with myself.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Hall on Team Canada? Would be a disaster. Far too many dumb mistakes.

Bouwmeester is there because of his skating and international experience.

Boyle is there for veteran leadership. Rather see St. Louis in the line-up rather than Rick Nash, other than that it looks pretty solid.

Watching Hall a lot most of his mistakes he makes when then team is playing awful and he is trying to make a win happen on his own. With a competent team, like team canada that can cover if he does make mistakes and has other players that he doesn't have to try and carry, his play will look a lot better. On top of that he has been one of the top left wingers in the league the last few years. Putting Hall on a line with players that play his style, with some shut down D men and he will be an asset.

His speed will also look great on international ice however... His lack of play off games and international experience since he entered the NHL and his age will leave him off the team as they have no idea what he will be like in high pressure games

 

[dirk41]

Nash should not be on the team. 26 games and just 16 points and 5 hits.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

& Benn. Could even add Crosby, Couture & MSL.

I was thinking of reuniting Crosby-Bergeron for the PK; I'm not sure how that would work out, but I'm sure it wouldn't suck, but yeah that team wouldn't have to worry about the PK.

 

[ManofSteel55]

No, he shouldn't.

Hall is not trust worthy in his own end, Babcock has said several times he wants guys who can execute "plug and play"

Hall has much to learn still... it's easy to put up points when there is 0 pressure to win and until this year 0 responsibility defensively.

Patty Sharp, Jeff Carter and Logan Couture would be much better suited than Hall.

Same arguments against Hall can be made for Seguin and Skinner who are also red hot offensively but questionable defensively... the time for those kids will come, but right now they don't have the compelte game to warrant a spot in my opinion... and tommorow I am confident Team Canada's opinion will be shared with myself.

There are certainly arguments against guys like Hall, and I think you've hit the nail on the head here. Team Canada wants guys who can play in every situation, and Hall shouldn't be killing penalties in a tourney like this, nor should he be trying to shut anyone down. That said, I think Hall deserves a spot before Rick Nash.

 

[Sheppy]

I do think Nash fits well on this team. He played awesome in the Olympics last time, he was one of Canada's better players.

Forget point totals, forget who's got the most assists and all the stats. Look at the style of play and how players will compliment the others.

Everyone gets this idea that we have to grab the guys with the biggest point totals.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

What have Pietrangelo or Bouwmeester ever done to warrant taking Seabrook's spot? Pietrangelo is a faster skater and that's about it.

First off, JayBo and Petro make up a very solid pairing, chemistry plays a long way.

Second off, Seabrook is not having a better season than Petro. He has a few more points but has played 4 or so more games. Not to mention Petro scored 51 points as a 21 year old.

You can't base this season off of picking players for Olympics, you have to base it off of how those players played ever since the last Olympics.

 

[De Montreal]

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

 

[Malreg]

What have Pietrangelo or Bouwmeester ever done to warrant taking Seabrook's spot? Pietrangelo is a faster skater and that's about it.

For months now we've been hearing about how insistent Canada is on having 4 left-shooting and 4 right-shooting defenceman, so you can't argue Seabrook vs Bouwmeester.

If Seabrook plays the right he has to beat out one of Weber, Pietrangelo, Doughty, or Subban. Not going to happen.

I could see him making it as the #8 defenseman if they decide they can live with just 3 LH defense(Keith, Bouwmeester, Vlasic).

 

[The Note in MI]

Reasons why Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo will make the team

1. Doug Armstrong, Blues GM, is a Team Canada GM.
2. Ken Hitchcock is an assistant coach.
3. If you watched the defending gold series by CBC you'd have seen that Pietrangelo is a lock to play point on the PP.
4. Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo are one of the best if not the best defensive pairings in the league.
5. Both of them are big guys that can skate like the wind, Bouwmeester especially.

Does that mean that Seabrook won't make it, no, I think he has as good a chance as any, especially with the chemistry with Kieth.

 

[Reign Nateo]

Care to expand on this? He gives the puck away too often, but also is near the league lead in takeaways. What other "dumb mistakes" would make Hall a "disaster"?

The only way I see Hall being a disaster on Team Canada, is if they put him on the penalty kill.

He turns the puck over and tries to do too much himself. Plus he has no clue in the defensive zone. He'd likely be playing a bottom 6 winger role and that just does not suit him whatsoever. We need players to make the simple, smart, responsible plays on those lines and Hall is simply incapable of that in my opinion.

Picture him skating over the red line full speed with his head down like he does constantly, if he turns it over and it ends up in the net, or he take a massive hit, it could play a huge role and potentially be a disaster. Doesn't cover his man on the back-check etc. Few players have the physical ability and skill of Hall, he's just got a lot of warts to his game right now that make him too much of a risk for team Canada.

They don't need his skill level, they don't need his warts. They don't need Hall. That's why there hasn't been a word mentioned at any point from anyone credible about Hall making the team. He's not in the mix for these reasons. Too risky and the reward is redundant.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I do think Nash fits well on this team. He played awesome in the Olympics last time, he was one of Canada's better players.

Forget point totals, forget who's got the most assists and all the stats. Look at the style of play and how players will compliment the others.

Everyone gets this idea that we have to grab the guys with the biggest point totals.

If that were the case, everyone here would be screaming for Taylor Hall, lol. But no, the team doesn't pick that way, and as fans, most of us don't look that way either. Nash's skill set might fit in with the team, but when we have so many quality forwards that aren't making the team, why bring along a guy who is not only struggling, but is one dimensional and lacks intensity? Scoring a few goals 4 years ago isn't enough reason for me, that was a long time ago. Nash should be left off of this team.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Everyone gets this idea that we have to grab the guys with the biggest point totals.

Everyone gets this idea that the goal of the game isn't to score more than the other team and our defence and goaltending don't know how to play their positions.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

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

No he wouldn't.

 

[dirk41]

You can't base this season off of picking players for Olympics, you have to base it off of how those players played ever since the last Olympics.

Players can improve or decline quickly. A four-year period is a lot.

 

[Buckets and Gloves]

There are certainly arguments against guys like Hall, and I think you've hit the nail on the head here. Team Canada wants guys who can play in every situation, and Hall shouldn't be killing penalties in a tourney like this, nor should he be trying to shut anyone down. That said, I think Hall deserves a spot before Rick Nash.

Maybe, but I don't think Team Canada Brain Trust would see it that way...

Rick Nash hasn't been himself this year... however internationally Nash has been nothing short of a monster for Canada for several years.

Expereince/Resume's matter as Babcock has stated and Nash certainly has the pedigree/expereince internationally to warrant a spot.