While I disagree with your assessment of the chemistry between Strome and Marner (IMO they obviously think the game the same way) I am curious where you propose Strome to play? Centering the 4th line?
WJC: 2016 — Canada Roster Talk (Part III)
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While I disagree with your assessment of the chemistry between Strome and Marner (IMO they obviously think the game the same way) I am curious where you propose Strome to play? Centering the 4th line?
So I made a potential team for next year out of boredom :
Beauvillier-Barzal-Marner
Dubois-Patrick-Konecny
Crouse-McLeod-Gauthier
Jost-Harkins-Stephens
Brown
(assuming Strome stays with Arizona)
Chabot-Juulsen
Chychrun-Fabbro
Lauzon-Roy
Meloche
Sawchenko
McNiven
Hart
Beauvillier-Barzal-Marner
Dubois-Patrick-Konecny
Crouse-McLeod-Gauthier
Jost-Harkins-Stephens
Brown
(assuming Strome stays with Arizona)
Chabot-Juulsen
Chychrun-Fabbro
Lauzon-Roy
Meloche
Sawchenko
McNiven
Hart
StrictlyCommercial
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If Virtanen was that well rounded he wouldn't be on team Canada right now. Nothing wrong with having a wrecking ball that scores on the team. Keeps teams on their toes and gives the skill guys like Barzal and Marner room to operate.
ShameOnYouZidlicky
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- Jun 4, 2010
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Atomos2
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First of all, the Stephens line is the fourth line. I consider the first three lines scoring lines that can be rotated.
What have you seen so far that makes you think Marner and Strome have chemistry 5 on 5? I've seen Marner when he has chemistry with players (Dvorak, Tkachuk, Juolevi, Mete) and from what I've seen in this pretournament, it looks like Lowry's trying to force a connection that just isn't there right now.
This is a short tournament, there is no time to have players find their chemistry. There are better options than just putting the two 18 year olds together and hoping they find chemistry. Get them paired with a 19 year old. Putting Marner with Point allows Marner to follow Point's lead. Point is the captain and as a 19 year old, is more likely to make a noticeable impact in every game. Marner can feed off of that. Also, giving Strome wingers like Chartier and Gauthier gives him a 19 year old to work with and a big scorer to feed.
They need the puck. Too many times they were open and the puck was up top at the point and the defenders chose to lob it on net or into the corner while Marner/Strome were literally wide open waiting for the puck.
The more either of them has the puck the more they will produce. If those same situations had happened on their respective OHL teams the defender would have known to defer to them and let them do their thing.
What good does sending Marner back to the OHL do? After this year there is nothing left for him to prove at that level. Unfortunately the AHL isn't an option, which would be ideal, IMO.
JackSlater
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Yes, MacKinnon and Drouin should have been together, probably with either Scheifele or Monahan as their centre who does the dirty work. There were problems with the defence too. Griffin Reinhart and Tyler Wotherspoon were small ice defencemen who were brought to Russia. The could have gone with Ryan Sproul if they wanted some size, and Derrick Pouliot would have been useful as a puck mover (in place of Murphy).
Their chemistry is no good unless it manifests itself on the ice. It never has up to this point. If Strome has to centre the fourth line for Canada to be more effective, that isn't a problem. If he and Marner actually demonstrate chemistry for the first time, that would be nice too.
Maple Leaf
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Love
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There is a misconception out there about Virtanen's defence. I have been critical of JV since we drafted him, but he is actually a good defensive player in the sense that he drives possession.
He takes the puck from the defensive zone or neutral zone and brings it to the offensive zone and generates shots. Is that defence? Many would say yes, it is the "new age" version of what good defence is.
Some stats to back me up:
- 4th on the Canucks in Corsi For % after the Sedins and Vrbata.
- 2nd in Fenwick For % behind Chris Tanev.
- He has the best Corsi Against Per 60 on the team and the 2nd best Fenwick Against Per 60 after Tanev.
These stats don't tell the whole story or even most of the story, but they do say something. I agree that Virtanen sometimes fumbles the puck and may even make the odd poor passing decision but overall he generates positive possession and shot differential at the NHL level. He should be able to do that with even greater success at the junior level.
I agree with all of that.
Virtanen makes me nervous when he's defending or when he's carrying the puck, but I am glad he is on the team. We're better for it. I don't want him on the ice against Nylander, Rantanen, Matthews, Etc is more what I am getting at. His explosions of speed and talent are awesome but other elite players will make those mistakes count when it happens. He also needs to control his emotions.
I felt the same way about Kadri and Hall that one year - they both were awesome, but when they made mistakes against top players it always seemed to end up in a goal or a chance against, and it happened in clutch situations.
Would like to see this team lean heavily on Strome/Marner/Barzal/Point in this tournament. I think those 4 are the key to our success this year. Feed them minutes ala Tavares and McDavid in key games.
Agreed on your premise here. He's performing about as well as you can realistically expect for him in the NHL in terms of possession. People don't really think of that as defense but...if you're driving the play then you don't have to defend.
His in-zone coverage may need work. Maybe it's more accurate to say he's a strong neutral zone player? People will flame me for this but he reminds me of David Booth in that respect.
I'm as critical as any of Virtanen, but I'm just excited to see him given a chance to shine.
nowhereman
Registered User
Gritty powerforwards aren't always the best captain material, as they tend to play with their emotions cranked to 11 and step over the line from time to time. I'd take Virtanen on my team, any day of the week, but that doesn't mean he's best-suited to a letter.
Virtanen will be leaned on heavily, as he can break games open with a single shot or rush. He might not be a two-way, defensively-minded forward but Canada desperately needs his skillset. He'll be as instrumental as any of the other top players on this team, especially as the games get tougher.
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I hope he isn't, but that's not up to me. Hockey Canada knows better than most of us, so I trust their judgement. I think this tournament will come down to the 4 I mentioned though - I like our D and our goalies, so we need some guys to create offence.
WhatTheDuck
9 - 20 - 8
I think Virtanen will be one of the key guys for Canada. The Canadians always do best when they bring a physical edge to their game and that plays to Virtanens strength. His defensive play is solid as he's been playing in the NHL for a coach who doesn't have much patience with rookies who can't play defence.
The risk with a guy like Virtanen in an international tournament is that he gets a major penalty for what would just be a big hit in the NHL. It's a risk for sure but I think it's worth it for the added dimension he brings.
The risk with a guy like Virtanen in an international tournament is that he gets a major penalty for what would just be a big hit in the NHL. It's a risk for sure but I think it's worth it for the added dimension he brings.
People often bring up a big hit as the risk for Canada but I think the bigger risk will be the little hooks and stick checks that CHL players are used to being overlooked but euro refs seem disposed to call. Look at the list of penalties that Canada took in the 3rd period yesterday. Hooking, holding, interference. Those pile up because they happen in the heat of a puck battle, while "big hits" tend to be more premeditated and therefore easier to avoid doing when you know the refs are going to call it.
That's more my worry anyway.
covfefe
Zoltan Poszar's Burner
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Not looking to harp on you, but I see a guy like Merkley making this team next year given that he was a final cut on this year's team.
I'd also wager that Tyson Jost does not play in a 4th line capacity, HC wouldn't take a player like him to grind the 4th.
Players who can threaten for spots in the NHL:
- Marner
- Chychrun
- Crouse
- Konecny
- maybe more wildcard, highly mature players like Dubois/McLeod could also threaten for spots in NHL training camps.
nvm, doesn't matter It was exactly the same, or worse, with Ritchie last year. And in the end, Ritchie was making hits and didn't get any stupid penalty.
I will be shocked if Crouse isn't playing the NHL next season. Strome definitely will be and Barzal and Konecny have a good chance to make it too imo.
landy92mack29
Registered User
Think Marner, Crouse and Chychrun will be in the NHL
Beauvillier-Barzal-Dubois
Konecny-Mcleod-Gauthier
Benson-Patrick-Merkley
Howden-Beaudin-Jost
Harkins/Steel
Chabot-Juulsen
Meloche-Fabbro
Lauzon-Roy
Guhle/Bean
Hart
Sawchenko/Booth
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