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

[bobbyflex]

these forward lines are atrocious. Canada needs to think the lines in terms of pairs:

Crosby/Kunitz
Stamkos/St.Louis
Getlzaf/Pery

then plug in the missing holes:

Duchene-Crosby-Kunitz
St.Louis-Toews-Stamkos
Benn/Tavares-Getzlaf-Perry
Couture-Bergeron-Giroux

Nash would be off my team. And St.Louis on.

 

[MikeyMagic]

Benn-Crosby-Stamkos
Tavares-Toews-Giroux
Duchense-Getzlaf-Perry
Couture-Bergeron-Sharp (shutdown line)

Extras: St. Louis, M. Richards

Keith-Doughty
Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo
Staal-Weber
Vlasic-Boyle

Luongo
Price
Smith

 

[clydesdale line]

Because Crawford plays for a team that let Ray Emery have a record of 17-1-0 last season. Crawford is too sheltered.

He was also one of the main reasons why the Hawks won the cup. Out of all your goalies, he is probably the steadiest/most consistent which is what Canada needs.

 

[ManofSteel55]

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.

While I agree about his defensive play (in fact, I mentioned it myself), your entire second paragraph is off base. He rarely skates around with his head down, despite your assertion, and he's just as likely to be taking pucks away as he is turning them over. I agree though, he shouldn't be a bottom six forward on this team, and isn't versatile enough to make it, but you have shown that you do have some misconceptions about him.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

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.

Seabrook will make it, Subban is the one that won't. TC's management doesn't seem to like him much. Weber, Doughty, Pietrangelo and Seabrook will be the RDs.

 

[dirk41]

I'm tired of hearing about Rick Nash's Olympic resume. We're talking about six points in 13 games, most of which came on a smaller ice surface.

 

[Teeder9]

I wish these threads were a video conference call so I could see the trembling lower lips of the homers.

Take everyone. Make the benches bigger

 

[AquaticBirdman]

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.

I have yet to hear even a half-credible argument justifying Neal's omission from this team other than that he's apparently "too undisciplined". He's be an absolute machine for the past 3 seasons, and has also proven that he can produce without the benefit of either Sid or Geno. He's a great skater with good hands and is no slouch defensively.

 

[HC Bienne]

Tavares will play Center.

 

[n00bxQb]

Vlasic shouldn't be there. The last 2 years, he's been an 18-20 minute guy in the playoffs for the Sharks.

If he's not a go-to guy when it counts for his team, why is he ahead of guys like Seabrook, Phaneuf, Hamhuis, Giordano, etc.? It makes no sense ...

I also have a problem with a few other forward choices.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

Kunitz with 3 years of chemistry with Crosby>> Duchene or Couture with 5 games.

This is a short tournament and we want to win. I don't want to have to hope they heat up in time. Kunitz and Crosby are on fire NOW and Kunitz is a PPG player with Crosby.

When Kunitz-Crosby-Neal played together for a few games this season they were simply INCREDIBLE. Instant chemistry and a nightmare for the opposition. I have no doubt it would be much of the same if they were to play together at the Olympics, which would serve to make Babcock's job a hell of a lot easier considering how little time they have to work with.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

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.

He hasn't played an international game in 3 years.

 

[ManofSteel55]

these forward lines are atrocious. Canada needs to think the lines in terms of pairs:

Crosby/Kunitz
Stamkos/St.Louis
Getlzaf/Pery

then plug in the missing holes:

Duchene-Crosby-Kunitz
St.Louis-Toews-Stamkos
Benn/Tavares-Getzlaf-Perry
Couture-Bergeron-Giroux

Nash would be off my team. And St.Louis on.

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.

 

[Frank the Tank]

There's 1 huge glaring error for me. Honestly I find it laughable that they think Seabrook will be kicked off the team in favor of Bouwmeester/Pietrangelo/Vlasic. 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.

I'm willing to bet those experts they're wrong on that pick, but the rest of the team looks pretty accurate. Easily the favorites heading into Sochi.

Laughable? A few things the experts know that you apparently do not:

1) Seabrook looked slow and over-matched in Vancouver 2010. On the big ice it is likely he will be even more of a liability. Doughty replaced him on Keith's right side in 2010 and they played great as a duo, whereas Seabrook ended the Olympic tournament as 7th defenseman playing a few minutes a game.

2) Seabrook shoots right. Babcock and Team Canada have stated numerous times that they would prefer to have defensemen play on their natural side. He is not competing against left shooters in Keith, Vlasic, Bouwmeester, Hamhuis, etc... That means Seabrook is competing against fellow righties in Weber, Pietrangelo, Subban, and Doughty for a spot in the top-4 RD. There is no shame for Seabrook coming in 5th among that group of defensemen. If he does make the team it would be because Canada decides to take 5 right and 3 left-shooting defensemen, and then he still competes against someone like Boyle for that 8th defense spot.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Vlasic shouldn't be there. The last 2 years, he's been an 18-20 minute guy in the playoffs for the Sharks.

If he's not a go-to guy when it counts for his team, why is he ahead of guys like Seabrook, Phaneuf, Hamhuis, Giordano, etc.? It makes no sense ...

I also have a problem with a few other forward choices.

Because Phaneuf is a liability and Seabrook is overrated because of who he plays with/for and is right-handed.

 

[ManofSteel55]

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.

I agree that that is why Nash will make it. Will and should are two different things. Hopefully, if he does make it, Nash will prove me wrong and be a force in this tournament. But I haven't seen that type of play from him in almost 4 years.

 

[dirk41]

You must be high. Kunitz should in no way make this team.

He's fourth in goals and fifth in points.

 

[n00bxQb]

Because Phaneuf is a liability and Seabrook is overrated because of who he plays with/for.

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.

 

[Leafsdude7]

Well, that was badly written from me. Nash is the one who's not playing well, but I think Staal is at the same position in terms of chances, because there are better players on the left side ahead of him IMO (Couture, Marleau, Sharp, Duchene, Benn) And I think Duchene and Sharp really deserve a spot, which means there are one or two free spots, and it seems like Couture and Benn could very well make it. But in no way I think he shouldn't be on the team. We will see.

Agreed. Staal sits well down on the depth chart and, IMO, only gets a sniff if somehow Getzlaf is unable to go. Otherwise, I'm almost certain he'll be watching the Olympics from home with Jordan, Marc and Jared. He's played well lately, but not consistent enough all year to beat out the competition.

 

[Bjorn Le]

I'm confused here. What's your point?

What does it look like? I'm saying it's highly unlikely that Tavares will be the 13th forward, and it's more likely he'll be one of the most relied upon players than a part player. It was fairly straight forward.

That is simply ****ing false and you're clearly just mad that he's still not on your team.

A good part of his latest streak has been without Malkin in the line-up (including the very recent past, which Malkin has not been playing).

Plain. And. Simple.

He does not rely on star players to set him up. He has the IQ, speed, and size to be able to do it on his own. He has progressed to the point where he can confidently do so, and has therefore emerged as a superstar in the last calender year.

Trying to bash Neal right now is just ridiculous. It's a winless battle.

No it's not. You think I'm bashing Neal for what reason? Because I'm saying he's on a hot streak now? Because I'm saying he's not one of the top players in the game? Because I'm not saying he definitely should be on Team Canada? Because I'm saying he benefits from playing with superstar players?

You've taken Neal, an excellent complimentary piece who is a great winger for an elite centre, and tried to make it appear he's some superstar, elite first liner, which is simply false. I'm not bashing Neal, I'm giving an accurate assessment of Neal. One of the most ridiculous things someone on these boards can say is assuming someone is bashing a player because they don't have the same extremely lofty opinion of the player as you do.

But you're not biased at all so I don't know why you've taken such an out there position

 

[bobbyflex]

He's fourth in goals and fifth in points.

don't bother responding to someone who starts off rebuttals with "you must be high." Immature kids should be ignored

 

[ManofSteel55]

He's fourth in goals and fifth in points.

And why is that? I'm sure playing with the best player in the world has nothing to do with it at all.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

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

I'm a Hawks fan, anj ust to play devil's advocate, Pietrangelo is more mobile, and currently acting as the #1 d-man on an elite team. J-Bo is playing a similar role to Seabrook, but just from memory, Babcock didn't have much confidence in Seabrook in 2010, and I think from that his coming back was a long shot. I think the big factor is the Olympic sized ice in Sochi, because both Pietrangelo and J-Bo are significantly better skaters than Seabrook.

I really like what Seabrook brings to the table, but I don't think it's a shock that TC would go in another direction, or that Seabrook is "owed" a spot because he was there in 2010 and having a good season.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Nash should be on the team. I don't get the hate for that guy...

Im a Ranger fan so I watch Nash a lot now.

Its not that he SHOULD NOT be on the team, but he has played his way off the team while other wingers are more valuable and versatile.

Nash played amazing in 2010 alongside Jonathan Toews and Mike Richards. Toews is a lock and I think Richards will be replaced by Giroux. Nash however I think could easily be replaced with Patrick Sharp. They have chemistry and Sharp is having a 10x better year.

 

[ManofSteel55]

don't bother responding to someone who starts off rebuttals with "you must be high." Immature kids should be ignored

Nice rebuttal.