World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team North America (Part II)

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Canuckistani

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Can't believe this ridiculous team is going to happen.

I hope the Finns, Russians and Swedes absolutely shell them into the ground.
 

JackSlater

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This will probably be the most motivated team. They have something to prove.

What exactly do they have to prove? That a combined Canadian/American age group is better than some other countries, a collection of European leftovers and other countries over 24s? They can't eve fake motivation from being cut from Canada/USA, since that was never an option. Seems more likely that other teams will face them with motivation, as they won't want to lose to a team of young guys.
 

Ezekial

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What exactly do they have to prove? That a combined Canadian/American age group is better than some other countries, a collection of European leftovers and other countries over 24s? They can't eve fake motivation from being cut from Canada/USA, since that was never an option. Seems more likely that other teams will face them with motivation, as they won't want to lose to a team of young guys.

Let's see, apparently no one else is going to play hard since this is a "sham of a tournament"

On a serious note, you really think the only motivation for this is to win it for your country? You don't think the U23 team doesn't want to go out there and stick it to the older guys to show them that the second coming is here? Nope just a mishmash of kids from US and Canada so I guess they won't give a ****...
 

bert

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Can't believe this ridiculous team is going to happen.

I hope the Finns, Russians and Swedes absolutely shell them into the ground.

Have you seen their lineup... Its not going to happen, if they play a puck possession attacking style game they are going to do some damage. That's the fastest roster I have ever seen assembled.

Drouin Mcdavid Mackinnon
Gaudreau Monahan Saad
Larkin Matthews Eichel
RNH Couturier Scheifele
Miller

Rielly Ekblad
Murray Jones
Ghostesbeher Paryako
Trouba

Murray
Gibson
Hellybuyck
 

Sky04

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Have you seen their lineup... Its not going to happen, if they play a puck possession attacking style game they are going to do some damage. That's the fastest roster I have ever seen assembled.

Drouin Mcdavid Mackinnon
Gaudreau Monahan Saad
Larkin Matthews Eichel
RNH Couturier Scheifele
Miller

Rielly Ekblad
Murray Jones
Ghostesbeher Paryako
Trouba

Murray
Gibson
Hellybuyck

That is actually an insane amount of speed, I havent thought about it but yikes, Drouin, Mackinnon, McDavid, Gaudreau, and Larkin are among the 10 fastest skaters in the league already and all on the same team. Defenders are going to have fits, this is going to be a fun team to watch. I would love to see this offense oriented team stick it to the US and see elite offense dismantle a defensive oriented team.

The amount of gamebreakers this team has is crazy, and given Coopers usage of Drouin these playoffs, he's definitely not holding back yoing talent anymore. Matthews could be their ace in the hole.
 

Koonta

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Cheering for this team big time. It for me would be deeply satisfying if they won it all. Young, brash and motivated hopefully leads them to playing The Star Spangled Maple Leaf after the deciding game.
 

lomiller1

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I would switch Couts and Monahan around there. Couts is a much more reliable 2-way player, and Monahan can play the wing. I would probably also switch RNH and Scheifele around, and probably have Scheifele center that line instead of Matthews.

Scheifele has never really played on the wing outside of the one WJC where he didn't look all that comfortable. He doesn't really have the explosiveness in his skating to play the stop and go game on the wing but at C he can use his speed to play down low in his own zone and still catch up and get in on the rush. He also may well be the best 2-way C on the team (McDavid has a pretty good 2-way game already though)

IMO the 4 C should be McDavid, Scheifele, Couturier and RNH. Monahan has a case to be there as well, but I think he'd make the easiest transition to the wing.
 

Canuckistani

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Have you seen their lineup... Its not going to happen, if they play a puck possession attacking style game they are going to do some damage. That's the fastest roster I have ever seen assembled.

They have speed but do they have motivation?

There has never been a Canadian or American kid who has had the slightest interest in playing for their continental age group instead of for their country.
 

scan15*

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Gaudreau - McDavid - Schfeiele
Drouin - Matthews - MacKinnon (this was almost a line in Halifax)
Saad - Monahan - Eichel
Couturier - RNH - Larkin
Miller

This is my favorite lineup so far. Only change I would make is switch McDavid and Matthews wingers.
 

scan15*

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They have speed but do they have motivation?

There has never been a Canadian or American kid who has had the slightest interest in playing for their continental age group instead of for their country.

Bit of a senseless argument. These are professional athletes with a drive to be the best and to win. That's why they are the best in the world. Put them in any jersey and they would still play the same.
 

WhiskeyYerTheDevils

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It's too tempting to not put Gaudreau and McDavid together. Throw Matthews with them for good measure.

Gaudreau - McDavid - Matthews

I like the idea of keeping the Halifax boys together. Slot Eichel between them. That would be some speed.

Drouin - Eichel - Mackinnon

I like Larkin on the checking line with Couts and Saad.

Larkin - Couturier - Saad

And then speed and defensive awareness on the 4th line.

Miller/Monahan - Scheifele - RNH

Whatever ends up being the lines, the speed and skill is unmatched in this tournament.
 

snipes

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The speed on this team is insane. I think Sweden wins their group, but man these guys can give some of the teams fits.
 

Canuckistani

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Bit of a senseless argument. These are professional athletes with a drive to be the best and to win. That's why they are the best in the world. Put them in any jersey and they would still play the same.

But how many examples do we have of athletes being denied the chance to play for their national team and instead being gathered on a frankenstein team to potentially play against their own country?
 

tade

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Personally, I think that they will be very, very excited to play against this competition (especially against CAN, USA, SWE, RUS) and they will want to prove that they are already high-end players, and they will want to show the talent that is Canada & USA producing, and which is, by the way, absolutely incredible in nowadays.

I don't think that motivation will be problem for them. These young players have all energy of the world, and they always want to compete and win, no matter what.

That's the way I see it and even though that this team looks very exciting to me, I still don't like the fact that there is this team instead of real country. Let this be for ASG.

It's a good marketing move from NHL to earn even more money because this team will draw audience in Canada or USA. At least they have pretty good jerseys.
 

JackSlater

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On a serious note, you really think the only motivation for this is to win it for your country? You don't think the U23 team doesn't want to go out there and stick it to the older guys to show them that the second coming is here? Nope just a mishmash of kids from US and Canada so I guess they won't give a ****...

The primary motivation, in a supposedly international setting, is indeed to win for your country. Big issue here - these players stand a decent chance of playing AGAINST their own country. As far as the players wanting to "stick it" to the older guys, I doubt it. These players weren't even cut from the other teams, they simply weren't eligible. If these teams were to play, big psychological edge to the Canadian or American team... older brothers will do anything to avoid losing to younger brothers. Younger brothers just hope they can win.
 

Ezekial

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The primary motivation, in a supposedly international setting, is indeed to win for your country. Big issue here - these players stand a decent chance of playing AGAINST their own country. As far as the players wanting to "stick it" to the older guys, I doubt it. These players weren't even cut from the other teams, they simply weren't eligible. If these teams were to play, big psychological edge to the Canadian or American team... older brothers will do anything to avoid losing to younger brothers. Younger brothers just hope they can win.

Ok, the U23 team has nothing to play for, good talk.
 

snipes

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Am I wrong in thinking that Gostisbehere will be on the 1st PP unit?

Nope. I have him and Ekblad as our first pairing PP D.

But if they opt to go with 4 Forwards and 1 D, tough to say. I would be open to seeing Ghost out there.

Gaudreau, Eichel, Larkin, McDavid, Ghost
 
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