Olympics: calgary's big 3 d omitted...

[MonaHan Solo]

JBo -7 starting Dec game against Minny. RR also -7 over same stretch. Celine -4. That is pretty shocking for that much hype and money.....and it is not a "bias" that Stevie Y was afflicted with, it was the actual play of this crew.

Celine?...hmm, just another nuck/oiler fan wanting to bash a Flames player....moving on.

 

[Reasoned Opinion]

Celine?...hmm, just another nuck/oiler fan wanting to bash a Flames player....moving on.

...or, more accurately, another fan of the game who is simply tired of all the insecure whining by a seemingly large portion of the fanbase of the Calgary team....get over yourselves.....moving on.

Olympics will be interesting. Sweden's forwards, Russia's forwards and the Canadian D/Goaltending will be the strongest aspects of the hockey tournament....will be great to see how these groups do and, whoever wins, the hockey should be outstanding.

 

[MonaHan Solo]

...or, more accurately, another fan of the game who is simply tired of all the insecure whining by a seemingly large portion of the fanbase of the Calgary team....get over yourselves.....moving on.

Olympics will be interesting. Sweden's forwards, Russia's forwards and the Canadian D/Goaltending will be the strongest aspects of the hockey tournament....will be great to see how these groups do and, whoever wins, the hockey should be outstanding.

Yeah okay...

 

[EpochLink]

Christian Ehrhoff's been Vancouver's best defensemen all year...the last defensemen we sent to the olympics was Jovanovski.

 

[Oblivion]

I thought Bouwmeester was pretty much a lock to make the team, but looking at the Team Canada defense I can see what Yzerman was going for. Doughty provides more offense than Bouwmeester (from my limited viewing/understanding) and isn't the defensive liability of a pure offensive defensemen (Green).

Seabrook-Keith have great chemistry and having seen them in action at their best against the Flames and in the playoffs last year, it's pretty tough to break up that pairing. They are both great defensemen and the established chemistry is what puts them over the top.

Regardless of Bouwmeester not making the roster, this defense is stacked. Also, I think given the minutes he's logging, maybe a break is beneficial. Either way, it's tough to argue against Yzerman's roster, pretty solid choices in my opinion.

 

[RA9]

Phanuef is incosistent, Regher is a good shutdown defenseman but I feel that he wouldn't fit team Canada's defense style and there better choices out there than him, and also for Boumeester.

 

[The Pucks]

Yeah okay...

do you have anything to add or just a bitter flame fan?

 

[Rooooooooooxxxanne*]

I'd be scared to play the Flames if I was an opponent, all 3 guys are going to be motivated to show why Yzerman made the wrong choice in not picking them.

 

[Joey Moss]

The only one I think is overrated is Bouwmeester.. his offensive game is nothing special at all and his defensive game is alright.. I never saw Team Canada potential in him like most would say.

 

[therealdeal]

As a Flames fan, I would say that Regehr and Dion had no business being in the discussion, and Bouwmeester could easily have made the team, if Seabrook wasn't already paired with Keith than Bouw would be holding down that spot.

But chemistry does matter, and the sum of their parts is greater together, so Jay was the odd man out.

 

[Rooooooooooxxxanne*]

Christian Ehrhoff's been Vancouver's best defensemen all year...the last defensemen we sent to the olympics was Jovanovski.

Actually, Ohlund was the last d-man the Canucks sent to the Olympics.

 

[Reasoned Opinion]

Salo? Vanninen?

 

[Dogbert*]

Bouwmeester's response so far was to make a nice feed to Bourque for a Flames goal. Phaneuf's was to nearly kill Anze Kopitar and get tossed from the game (BS call, by the way).

 

[13 others]

Bouwmeester's response so far was to make a nice feed to Bourque for a Flames goal. Phaneuf's was to nearly kill Anze Kopitar and get tossed from the game (BS call, by the way).

Kopitar never touched the puck..Maybe it wasnt worthy of ejection but It was still a penalty.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Bouwmeester's response so far was to make a nice feed to Bourque for a Flames goal. Phaneuf's was to nearly kill Anze Kopitar and get tossed from the game (BS call, by the way).

That hit was as bad or worse than Denis Gauthier's on Marleau last season and is worthy of at least a couple game suspension. You don't hit a player stretched out for an icing call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6do6VTbEqeU

 

[MonaHan Solo]

do you have anything to add or just a bitter flame fan?

What do you want me to say?...people already have their mind made up for the Flames defencemen, nothing I say will change their minds.

 

[Dogbert*]

Kopitar never touched the puck..Maybe it wasnt worthy of ejection but It was still a penalty.

Yeah, it was a two-minute interference penalty. Kopitar played the "play dead until the five-minute penalty goes on the board" game perfectly.

 

[canuckhound73]

JBo probably was looked at right down to the final minute putting the roster together compared to Seabrook & Doughty. He had a serious chance at making it, but in the end Doughtys solid play & Seabrooks familiarity with Keith won out over JBo.

Phaneuf only had a chance if 1/2 the team declined. Green & Robidas were likely far ahead of him as choices. It could be argued maybe evne Jovanovski would have been in or around the same likelyhood as Dion.

As for Regehr. My short list in mid November didnt even have him on it, and it was 14 names deep. He really would have needed to step up big time this season to make this team & he didnt. He wasnt even a moderate consideration

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Bouwmeester-Green
Phaneuf-Jovanovski
Souray-Robidas
Regehr

Would be my Team Canada B blueline.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Yeah, it was a two-minute interference penalty. Kopitar played the "play dead until the five-minute penalty goes on the board" game perfectly.

Denis Gauthier says hello....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6do6VTbEqeU

 

[Fantasy Billionaire]

That hit was as bad or worse than Denis Gauthier's on Marleau last season and is worthy of at least a couple game suspension. You don't hit a player stretched out for an icing call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6do6VTbEqeU

Very poor example. That was a hit to the head. Dion was a little rough but not a game misconduct worthy. Ive seen worse and many hits like this and not even a penalty calles let alone a game and anybody who say's different is just a hater.

Jbo deserved to be on team Canada. Dion and Regehr not.

 

[wiredmaverick]

What do you want me to say?...people already have their mind made up for the Flames defencemen, nothing I say will change their minds.

Are you really trying to argue that you're a better judge of talent than Yzerman and the rest of the Olympic committee?

Anyway, I agree with most people here.
1) Regher was never a serious consideration,
2) Phaneuf isn't great defensively and would be far more effective in a 7-game series where one mistake probably wouldn't cost his team the tournament
3) J-Bo was probably pretty close to being chosen, but who would you leave off the team to make room for him?

 

[David]

Team Canada is stacked but in what Universe do you decide that Dion Phaneuf is not good enough to make your team? He's the player every NHL team would dream to have. I would bet you if you would ask every NHL GMs wich player they would rather have between Pronger, Niedermayer, Keith, Seabrook, Doughty, Boyle, Weber and Phaneuf and they would pick Phaneuf. Especially with SN and Pronger not being the way they used to be, given their age. Just for fun have all the 30 teams' GM select their first pick amongst these 8 players and Phaneuf would get on top by a wide margin.

Don't get me wrong I know DP has always been overrated but let's get real here, he's too talented to be left out in my opinion.

Nah, I would pick Doughty. He's already as good as Bourque in his prime...no joke.

 

[Codes]

I'd be scared to play the Flames if I was an opponent, all 3 guys are going to be motivated to show why Yzerman made the wrong choice in not picking them.

Bouwmeester looked wonderful tonight. Beautiful pass to set up Bourque. That was Doughty on the ice for that, too! Also, Phaneuf was excellent for all of two minutes, before he was ejected from the game. Kopitar didn't do much after that.

 

[Caribou Lou]

Anyone who says Phaneuf's defence is terrible or even mediocre is just stuck in '08 or a bitter Oilers/Nucks fan.

Honestly, I was all for getting rid of him last season but he's improved drastically over the last month, arguably been better than Bouwmeester.

None of the Flames big 3 are overrated, all would likely be in Canada B team's top 4, not many teams have more than 1.