World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team Canada (Part II)

[tade]

iginla, lindros, nolan, shanahan, peca, fleury....thats 6 physical players.

the 2016 team is missing that element.

Different eras, obviously. It's not needed anymore and while they were physical players they were still all-star players. If you want this element (which is useless nowadays), you would have to include Simmonds, Perry or Lucic. They have Burns on defense though!

 

[Theokritos]

If you believe the NHL, it was for Marketing purposes. But knowing how the NHL operates, the real reason is properly more along the lines of just because.

Either way, it sucks.

 

[86Habs]

I really hope Bergeron and Marchand don't get viewed as complementary players. I know pretty much everyone will probably have both on the wing, or separated as plug-and-play players somewhere in the line-up. At best they'll be put as Crosby's wingers to try to help insulate Crosby's play. It's still the Crosby show if you do that though. The play is always going to go through him. Why not make Bergeron/Marchand the centerpiece of their own line?

These two are arguably the best/most effective duo in the league since they were put together in 2010/11, and completely dominate the play when they're on the ice. They could be up against anyone as well, it really doesn't matter; they will outplay anyone. The play always revolves around those two as well, regardless of their winger. Whether it's an actual good player on their right wing (ie. Seguin) or a plug (ie. Connolly), their play isn't affected at all, and the player alongside them always ends up as the complementary piece rather than the other way around.

Obviously you'd use them in a defensive/shutdown role and would not be the line you put out in prime offensive situations, but they should still be a package deal IMO, and not as wingers to help insulate another center's game.

My ideal linemate for them would be Stamkos. He's someone that does not need the puck on his stick to do what he's great at (finding space in the offensive zone to get his shot off). Even if you send him out with the other two in defensive situations, they'll still carry the play to the other end of the ice and pin teams there for the majority of the time they're on. Let those two do the dirty work and just get open.

It's possible, if not likely, that Marchand and Bergeron end up as Crosby's wingers. As I'm sure you know Bergeron and Crosby played together from about the mid-way point of the Sochi tournament onwards, and were incredible together; they're chemistry is very evident. Marchand would be a good complimentary piece to that line for the reasons you mentioned. Finding the right LWer for Crosby has always been difficult (which is why I and some others advocated for Taylor Hall), but Marchand has the skillset necessary to play well next to him.

In my view its unlikely that Bergeron centers a line at this tournament - there are already too many centers on the team, and Bergeron & Crosby are a "proven" duo that I believe Babcock would be unwilling to split up. Under your scenario I would play Carter on the right side and task them with a shutdown role. This would free up Toews but again, giving Babcock's deployment of Toews over the last two Olympics, its perhaps unlikely he'll veer too far from what worked so well in the past. Tough to say though, this is a difficult lineup to project.

 

[Trap Jesus]

It's possible, if not likely, that Marchand and Bergeron end up as Crosby's wingers. As I'm sure you know Bergeron and Crosby played together from about the mid-way point of the Sochi tournament onwards, and were incredible together; they're chemistry is very evident. Marchand would be a good complimentary piece to that line for the reasons you mentioned. Finding the right LWer for Crosby has always been difficult (which is why I and some others advocated for Taylor Hall), but Marchand has the skillset necessary to play well next to him.

In my view its unlikely that Bergeron centers a line at this tournament - there are already too many centers on the team, and Bergeron & Crosby are a "proven" duo that I believe Babcock would be unwilling to split up. Under your scenario I would play Carter on the right side and task them with a shutdown role. This would free up Toews but again, giving Babcock's deployment of Toews over the last two Olympics, its perhaps unlikely he'll veer too far from what worked so well in the past. Tough to say though, this is a difficult lineup to project.

I feel like the "who plays with Crosby" thing always gets out of hand. It's a team of superstars, the primary focus should not be "we have to get Crosby going or we're doomed". Why not throw a proven winger duo in Benn-Seguin with him? All the tools are there to succeed. They're both players that can put the puck in the net, and there's built-in chemistry there. Hell, Crosby already played with Benn a bit last tournament.

You can't get more proven chemistry than Marchand-Bergeron. They aren't the sexiest duo in terms of racking up points, but they've essentially been dummying the league for the last 6 seasons through their efficient play. You lose a lot of that if you throw Bergeron on the wing and pair them with a player that controls the play of whatever line he's on. Bergeron is the best defensive center in the league (along with being one of if not the most effective defensive weapons period). Why play him at a position where it's impossible for him to be as effective as he could be by playing center? It was odd to me before, but now that you have Marchand on the team as well, I just don't understand not building a match-up line around that combo.

As I mentioned in my previous post, it's all about viewing them as complementary pieces. You're looking at it from the angle that Crosby looked better when he played with Bergeron last tournament so you shouldn't break up what worked because there's a little bit of chemistry there. Meanwhile, Marchand (LW)-Bergeron (C) have been dominating the play against elite competition for the last 6 years. The best match-up/shutdown line is just sitting right there and you can't utilize it because Crosby scored a goal last tournament after they made the line change? I dunno, I just don't get it.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I'm interested to see the utilization of the D. Considering the game Babcock coached at Sochi, I have to figure Burns will be the odd-man out in terms of not having a regular pairing.

Vlasic and Doughty were so good together, so it's a little bit odd that Muzzin is there. Still, you go with the more proven pair so Muzzin-Doughty will definitely be a pair. Vlasic-Pietrangelo could be another shutdown duo, and then you could use Keith-Weber a lot more in the offensive zone (even if they're still good defensively).

 

[tarheelhockey]

Over 1000 posts... time to close. Someone feel free to start Part IV.