Anyone able to watch todays Canada Practices for WJHC?

[X-SHARKIE]

The following players skated this morning and are supposedly NOT playing tonight...Defencemen Luc Bourdon, Kristopher Letang, Kris Russell, Cam Barker, Marc Staal and Ryan Parent and forwards Dustin Boyd, Blake Comeau, Michael Blunden, Kyle Chipchura, David Bolland and Taylor Pyatt.

Based on that list, I'd say most of them have played their way onto the team. Perhaps Russell has been bad enough he is already out? Any of the others?
http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_story.asp?id=147086

Some noticeable players aren't on that list. Latendresse, O'Marra, Pokulok,Downie,Little, Esposito, Chucko, Setoguchi, Pouliot, Cogliano, Toews!

So I wonder if its not such a good thing to be left off that list? Because some of the most skilled players are still on the roster for tonights game.

Should be interesting.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

I think the players at that practice are all players he had to explain and show their roles to.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

I think the players at that practice are all players he had to explain and show their roles to.

Some of their roles are likely to walk out of the door and go back to their junior teams.

 

[langdak]

Clearly, one can't help but have to start thinking that if their attendance continues to struggle, Canada should perhaps be contracted or even relocated to Mexico.

Ticket sales are not suffering in the least....trust me

I think most people found it an insult to have to pay $17.50 to watch what is basically a practice

Ticket packages sold out very quickly, 17,000 of them in vancouver alone, and there was a waiting list of 4000 people

I personally was not going to dish out $17.50 per ticket when i have a full package to everything and can see the team in a real game situation over the xmas holidays

I think that hockey canada should have maybe charged 5 bucks a seat, or made it free

I would much rather have 4 or 5 thousand people at 5 bucks each, then 100 at 17.50, oh well, not me making decisions

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Agreed. 17.50$ for a practice is absurd. No wonder no one showed up.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Wow...if that's true, then he's out of this world and should man the PP for Canada during the tournament...One of Prices' greatest strengths is his puckhandling ability, I haven't seen enough of Pogge, but if he's easily the best puck handling goalie, then he's got to be better than Brodeur, Turco or DiPietro...either way, I think both of them are great puck handlers

Just wondering how many times you've seen Price and Pogge live?

 

[SpezNc2]

The following players skated this morning and are supposedly NOT playing tonight...Defencemen Luc Bourdon, Kristopher Letang, Kris Russell, Cam Barker, Marc Staal and Ryan Parent and forwards Dustin Boyd, Blake Comeau, Michael Blunden, Kyle Chipchura, David Bolland and Taylor Pyatt.

Based on that list, I'd say most of them have played their way onto the team. Perhaps Russell has been bad enough he is already out? Any of the others?
http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_story.asp?id=147086

My guess`

The Third or 4th Line gonna be: Boyd-Chipchura-Comeau
Letang and Bourdon are lock and they will be a pair
barker and Russell are lock and they will be a pair
Parent is probably in the mix too...
Bolland gonna get an offensive role... and Sutter knows with who he is gonna put Bolland with..
Letendresse is playing because he (sutter) want to see brassard playing with him...

Pyatt ??? i really dont know what to think about him...

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I was at the game and I was thoroughly unimpressed with Pouliot. He's got puck skills and passes great, but he was floating all night and hooking players everywhere. He should have been in the penalty box all night. I can't speak about his performance in the first game, but he was truly uninspiring in the second game.



Your defensive line-up seems to be biased towards big body physical defensemen, which I don't have a problem with, but Schultz really shouldn't be on this team. The guy is just way too slow.

I still liked what I saw from Pouliot. He was throwing his body around which is nice to see from a skill guy.

Schultz isn't really that slow. Maybe his size is throwing you off because he is 6'6. But yeah for his height he's a great skater. I've probably seen him 20+ times live.

 

[FLYLine27*]

My guess`

The Third or 4th Line gonna be: Boyd-Chipchura-Comeau
Letang and Bourdon are lock and they will be a pair
barker and Russell are lock and they will be a pair
Parent is probably in the mix too...
Bolland gonna get an offensive role... and Sutter knows with who he is gonna put Bolland with..
Letendresse is playing because he (sutter) want to see brassard playing with him...

Pyatt ??? i really dont know what to think about him...

He will suprise a lot of people if he makes the team.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

The following players skated this morning and are supposedly NOT playing tonight...Defencemen Luc Bourdon, Kristopher Letang, Kris Russell, Cam Barker, Marc Staal and Ryan Parent and forwards Dustin Boyd, Blake Comeau, Michael Blunden, Kyle Chipchura, David Bolland and Taylor Pyatt.

Based on that list, I'd say most of them have played their way onto the team. Perhaps Russell has been bad enough he is already out? Any of the others?
http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_story.asp?id=147086

Only real surprise there is Russell. Personally I don't like what I've seen from him. I wouldn't have him on my team based on those two scrimmages. Of course Sutter is very familiar with him as he plays in the same conference in the WHL.

As for Pyatt he's really impressed me as a potential checking/energy guy. Speedy, tenacious forechecker. I think he might have a role job sewn up.

 

[Eb0la11]

There are way better energy players than Pyatt, I dont even know why hes here. Maybe hes done something different from when I saw him play over the sujmmer at the camp though

 

[Jeffrey]

Just wondering how many times you've seen Price and Pogge live?

I must admit I've never seen Pogge live ..
but Price stickhandling is simply out of this world .. he was setting tons of scoring chance in the pre-season with montreal ..
dunno about pogge but he would have to be THE best stickhandler if he's better than price..

btw.. i have nothing again pogge ..

 

[richardn]

I must admit I've never seen Pogge live ..
but Price stickhandling is simply out of this world .. he was setting tons of scoring chance in the pre-season with montreal ..
dunno about pogge but he would have to be THE best stickhandler if he's better than price..

btw.. i have nothing again pogge ..

According to Bob McKenzie Pogge is the best of the four goailes at handling the puck. I tend to think his oppinions are very valued.

 

[Digger12]

According to Bob McKenzie Pogge is the best of the four goailes at handling the puck. I tend to think his oppinions are very valued.

Yeah, but once upon a time Bobby Mac was often singing the praises of Landon Wilson and touting him as the next great NHL power forward.

McKenzie certainly knows his stuff compared to 90% of hockey fans, but he's far from infallible.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

hey i was live at an atlanta vs montreal game and price did a 2 line pass that led to a break away and it was amazing. Hes the type of goalie who will make you go HOLY SH*T WHAT A SAVE, OMAN THATS SO HIGHLIGHT REEL.

 

[El_Scoobo]

Ticket sales are not suffering in the least....trust me

I think most people found it an insult to have to pay $17.50 to watch what is basically a practice

Ticket packages sold out very quickly, 17,000 of them in vancouver alone, and there was a waiting list of 4000 people

I personally was not going to dish out $17.50 per ticket when i have a full package to everything and can see the team in a real game situation over the xmas holidays

I think that hockey canada should have maybe charged 5 bucks a seat, or made it free

I would much rather have 4 or 5 thousand people at 5 bucks each, then 100 at 17.50, oh well, not me making decisions

This is a good post and bang on, if you ask me. I'd be willing to dish out 5 or 6 bucks and the proceeds go to youth hockey or something. But for heaven's sakes, 17.50 to go watch an intrasquad game???? Come on. I'm sure they'd have had more than triple the people come out had they charged 1/3 of the price.

 

[Sebastien Centomo]

Yeah, but once upon a time Bobby Mac was often singing the praises of Landon Wilson and touting him as the next great NHL power forward.

McKenzie certainly knows his stuff compared to 90% of hockey fans, but he's far from infallible.

It's just puckhandling. He's not forecasting how well a player will do int he future. I'll give McKenzie the benefit of the doubt (though I, myself, haven't heard him say that Pogge is better) when it comes to being able to recognize whether Price or Pogge is the better puckhandler at this point in time.

HOLY SH*T WHAT A SAVE, OMAN THATS SO HIGHLIGHT REEL.

Okay, that just funny.

'OMAN THATS SO HIGHLIGHT REEL'

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

ok well the roster is taking shape TSN has noted. The reason Latendresse is playing tonight is because hes 8 or 9 pounds more than his 227 that he was in fall. They want him to lose that weight before the tournament. Pogge is almost a sure bet for the starter job.
http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/news_story.asp?id=147086

 

[ryz]

I don't think I've heard the name Kris Chucko in the whole thread. For anybody who has been watching, does he even have an outside shot at this team?

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

from what ive heard, he probably had a so so camp not good not bad.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I don't think I've heard the name Kris Chucko in the whole thread. For anybody who has been watching, does he even have an outside shot at this team?

I've watched him closely being a Flames fan.

The Good
He's one of the biggest, strongest forwards out there. Finishes all his checks and will drive to the net enthusiastically. Very good at passing to the right forward on the breakout. Always is mindful of getting back defensively.

The Bad
He's the slowest guy out there. His skating has improved but it still needs work.

Because of the numerous big forwards with skill who can play physical I just don't think he'll make the cut. If his skating were a bit better I think he would have had a great chance.

I still like his NHL chances. I think he'll end up faster than Wiemer or Simon. I personally love powerforwards so I'm partial to his style of play. When it all shakes out I see him as a 2nd line powerforward who is hard to knock of the puck.

 

[Nash]

I don't think I've heard the name Kris Chucko in the whole thread. For anybody who has been watching, does he even have an outside shot at this team?

I agree with Flames Draft Watcher. Chucko was the slowest forward out there last night. He won't make the cut.

 

[El_Scoobo]

If this article is accurate then things don't look too good for Devin. Considering the fact that they butchered his first and last name doesn't help, either.

Should only 2 of those last 7 forwards make it, I would think that Pouliot and O'Marra have the inside edge.

You never really know for sure with Sutter. I actually thought that Bertram would've been in tough, as he is not a "sutter family" type player. It looks like he's played his way onto the team.

 

[Eb0la11]

Sutter will make a huuuge error if he doesnt select Devin Setoguchi. If anything Setoguchi is exactly a sutter player.

 

[turnbuckle*]

There are way better energy players than Pyatt, I dont even know why hes here. Maybe hes done something different from when I saw him play over the sujmmer at the camp though

You didn't happen to see the Under 18's last year, did you? Pyatt was Canada's best overall forward IMO, a slight edge over O'Marra, who missed some action with injuries. Game in game out, Pyatt created scoring chances with relentless forechecking. An NHL scout told me that he hadn't seen that effort from him all season, which explained his low draft ranking

I have a feeling that Mackasey et al put a lot of stock in Pyatt's performance at that tournament, and coupled with his solid showing thus far at the December camp, he's pretty much a lock.
Don't forget that he'll be eligible for next year's tournament as well, and the team looks like it will be solid, and have a number of returning players.

Here are some candidates for next year's team:

Toews Cogliano Latendresse
Bourret Downie Little
Bertram O'Marra Setoguchi
Pyatt Esposito Sheppard
Bass Brassard McArdle
Ryder Staal Tavares


Staal
Bourdon
Letang
Russell
Parent
Mikkelson
Gragnani
Grant
Lashoff
Jackson

Price
Bernier
Plante
Pelletier

That's going to be a tough team to pick up front. Staal and Bourdon may very well be in the NHL. If that happens, I expect a younger rearguard like Grant to help pick up the slack.