WJC: Canada 2018 Roster Talk

GangGreen

Registered User
May 27, 2012
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885
2018 draft? I highly doubt it

I figured this silver medal bought the heads of hockey Canada 1 more year

Although I was hoping that they would clean house at the top

I wonder who they pick as head coach for next year ??

I wonder if the emphasis will be on physical players who can skate.

I don't see that many goal scorers for next years tream but I see the same weakness for other nations also

Has to be Kris Knoblauch. Probably the best coach in the CHL IMO. Unless he's moved up somewhere, as has been rumoured the last year or 2. Erie might be in a massive rebuild after this season, so maybe a good time to leave.
 

coolwood

Registered User
Dec 9, 2016
377
104
No giovani smith ? Over some 2017 draftees for sure
While I understand that you like the more physical players, Givani is sometimes considered too physical/rough/sometimes stupid (he leads the ohl in penalty minutes). While toughness can sometimes be an asset, we've seen on the international stage that they have zero tolerance for tough guy plays. I can see how some writers may chose to exclude him
 

93LEAFS

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Nov 7, 2009
33,841
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Toronto
Merkley may be able to be the rare 17-year-old D-man who cracks the roster (see Ryan Ellis). He's putting up almost a ppg on a terrible Guelph team, so it is almost a lock he will be at this year's U-18 (in which Canada doesn't have too strong a D-core). If he impresses there, I wouldn't be surprised to see him graduated and get at least an invite to the big camp over Hlinka.

His skating on big ice is electric in transition.
 

PecnoTrunk

Registered User
Dec 20, 2014
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While I understand that you like the more physical players, Givani is sometimes considered too physical/rough/sometimes stupid (he leads the ohl in penalty minutes). While toughness can sometimes be an asset, we've seen on the international stage that they have zero tolerance for tough guy plays. I can see how some writers may chose to exclude him

Even though we did win most of our games we did get pushed around and we didn't finish our checks except for the Sweden game. We played a complete game against Sweden and the physical aspect of that game enabled us to go for gold

We lacked the cycle game which made the 2015 team go for gold

Last years tournament was a disaster akin to "spot" disaster
 

PecnoTrunk

Registered User
Dec 20, 2014
1,091
352
Merkley may be able to be the rare 17-year-old D-man who cracks the roster (see Ryan Ellis). He's putting up almost a ppg on a terrible Guelph team, so it is almost a lock he will be at this year's U-18 (in which Canada doesn't have too strong a D-core). If he impresses there, I wouldn't be surprised to see him graduated and get at least an invite to the big camp over Hlinka.

His skating on big ice is electric in transition.

Who are the heavy hitters for Canada's defence for 2018? And what chances do they have at making the team ?
 

93LEAFS

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Nov 7, 2009
33,841
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Toronto
Who are the heavy hitters for Canada's defence for 2018? And what chances do they have at making the team ?
Fabbro, Clague and Bean are still eligible. Makar and Foote are projected firsts who are late-birthdays, so I'd say they have a good shot. Hague on Mississauga is another projected first. Plus you have Girard who was cut this year. I'm probably missing a name or two, but those are the big ones off the top of my head.
 

1Gold Standard

Registered User
Jun 13, 2012
7,897
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Fabbro, Clague and Bean are still eligible. Makar and Foote are projected firsts who are late-birthdays, so I'd say they have a good shot. Hague on Mississauga is another projected first. Plus you have Girard who was cut this year. I'm probably missing a name or two, but those are the big ones off the top of my head.

I think he was talking more about big bodies who can impose a physical presence...you know, old time Hockey. crack some skulls.

Hauge and Foote will be the big bodies. And who knows, Foote may do a rethink and opt for playing for the U.S.

personally, I'm hoping to see Dennis Cholowski + a few other NCAA players getting a shot. Hockey Canada has to stop pimping for the CHL.

And I'd be very skeptical about gifting Bean a roster spot just because he's a returnee. That's another Hockey Canada mindset that needs to go.
 
Last edited:

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
18,041
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I think he was talking more about big bodies who can impose a physical presence...you know, old time Hockey. crack some skulls.

Hauge and Foote will be the big bodies. And who knows, Foote may do a rethink and opt for playing for the U.S.

personally, I'm hoping to see Dennis Cholowski + a few other NCAA players getting a shot. Hockey Canada has to stop pimping for the CHL.

And I'd be very skeptical about gifting Bean a roster spot just because he's a returnee. That's another Hockey Canada mindset that needs to go.

Bean should have to earn it, but the strange thing is that he didn't have to earn it even this year. McKenzie (who actually talks to people Hockey Canada) had Bean nearly as a lock for the top four even though he had played less than a handful of CHL games this year. There was something weird going on with Bean and Hockey Canada. There is history of a returning defenceman getting cut (at least two instances - Ian White and Chris Bigras) so we will see. The ideal situation would be Bean becoming competent.
 

PecnoTrunk

Registered User
Dec 20, 2014
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I think he was talking more about big bodies who can impose a physical presence...you know, old time Hockey. crack some skulls.

Hauge and Foote will be the big bodies. And who knows, Foote may do a rethink and opt for playing for the U.S.

personally, I'm hoping to see Dennis Cholowski + a few other NCAA players getting a shot. Hockey Canada has to stop pimping for the CHL.

And I'd be very skeptical about gifting Bean a roster spot just because he's a returnee. That's another Hockey Canada mindset that needs to go.



I highly doubt foote will now go with USA. I think him and hockey Canada are committed to each other. And who knows if his junior team gets outed he will most probably join the u18 in the spring like chycrun.

But yes I was talking about the heavy hitters and crunch crunch

This is why I see g. Smith on this team next year and a couple more. I also see Logan Stanley as this will be played on NHL ice
 

1Gold Standard

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Jun 13, 2012
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I highly doubt foote will now go with USA. I think him and hockey Canada are committed to each other. And who knows if his junior team gets outed he will most probably join the u18 in the spring like chycrun.

But yes I was talking about the heavy hitters and crunch crunch

This is why I see g. Smith on this team next year and a couple more. I also see Logan Stanley as this will be played on NHL ice

Foote can't play U18 this spring, he's a '98 and this year's U18 is for the '99 birth year.
 

PecnoTrunk

Registered User
Dec 20, 2014
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Foote can't play U18 this spring, he's a '98 and this year's U18 is for the '99 birth year.

I thought a player can play as long as he is 18 or less once the tournament starts

Just like let's say chycrun who turned 18 last year in march but played at the u18 of the same year in April

Ok indeed didnt know thanks
 

1Gold Standard

Registered User
Jun 13, 2012
7,897
186
I thought a player can play as long as he is 18 or less once the tournament starts

Just like let's say chycrun who turned 18 last year in march but played at the u18 of the same year in April

Ok indeed didnt know thanks

players born from Jan 1-Dec 31 1998 or younger were eligible for U18 April 2016.

players born Jan 1-Dec 31 1999 or younger are eligible to play U18 April 2017.
 

PecnoTrunk

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Dec 20, 2014
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players born from Jan 1-Dec 31 1998 or younger were eligible for U18 April 2016.

players born Jan 1-Dec 31 1999 or younger are eligible to play U18 April 2017.


How about Sean day? Any chance he says yes to a guaranteed spot on the team?
 

PecnoTrunk

Registered User
Dec 20, 2014
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352
One last think before I retire for the night

We need to build a team to beat the USA from now on. They are our number 1 opponent , forget the Russians and swedes

The Americans play us in the same way we used to play the Russians in the 90's with desperation

We should have won against the USA we had the lead 2 times and we couldn't finish it off

The USA took out our second best defence and we did nothing, we didn't retaliate (and I don't mean head hunting) we didn't play desperate hockey, we didn't come back with aggressiveness

We didn't play against the USA like we did the Russians of 20 years ago

We need to build a team that is hungry to win and aggressive on the puck. You cannot have 20 Gretzky's on the team.

I hope we come back next year with a fast and VERY aggressive team

I also hope hockey Canada fires everyone!!!
 

wings5

Registered User
Jan 6, 2008
7,443
931
Who are the heavy hitters for Canada's defence for 2018? And what chances do they have at making the team ?

Josh Anderson, though I don't know if he is good enough for this level. I too kind of miss the days when there was a mix of skill with physical yet competant puckmovers like Staal, Parent combo, Aulie, Myers combo, even Schenn. Need to be able to skate these days though, can't just take physical D who can't move or can't handle the puck somewhat, the game is faster than ever.
 

1Gold Standard

Registered User
Jun 13, 2012
7,897
186
One last think before I retire for the night

We need to build a team to beat the USA from now on. They are our number 1 opponent , forget the Russians and swedes

The Americans play us in the same way we used to play the Russians in the 90's with desperation

We should have won against the USA we had the lead 2 times and we couldn't finish it off

The USA took out our second best defence and we did nothing, we didn't retaliate (and I don't mean head hunting) we didn't play desperate hockey, we didn't come back with aggressiveness

We didn't play against the USA like we did the Russians of 20 years ago

We need to build a team that is hungry to win and aggressive on the puck. You cannot have 20 Gretzky's on the team.

I hope we come back next year with a fast and VERY aggressive team

I also hope hockey Canada fires everyone!!!


That's not how it should work. It is a fundamentally flawed strategy. The Americans built a roster to beat Canada at the World Cup. Now, I didn't watch a minute of the WCoH, but news did filter down to me that the Americans weren't that successful taking that approach.

You take your best 22-23 guys, evaluate what you have and develop a strategy that best uses their particular set of skills and hopefully at the end of the day it is you with gold around your neck, but if in a given year your opponent happens to be better in a single game elimination, then tip your hat and move on.


Not everyone at Hockey Canada deserves to get fired, but there are a few who should have been pink slipped after Helsinki. but the people who are making those kind of personnel decisions are too busy calculating their pay raises and bonuses for this year to notice.
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
18,041
12,661
How about Sean day? Any chance he says yes to a guaranteed spot on the team?

Why would Day be offered a guaranteed spot on the team? No one should be offered a guaranteed spot, particularly a played out of his depth at that level and one who suddenly had an epiphany and realized that he is an American.

One last think before I retire for the night

We need to build a team to beat the USA from now on. They are our number 1 opponent , forget the Russians and swedes

The Americans play us in the same way we used to play the Russians in the 90's with desperation

We should have won against the USA we had the lead 2 times and we couldn't finish it off

The USA took out our second best defence and we did nothing, we didn't retaliate (and I don't mean head hunting) we didn't play desperate hockey, we didn't come back with aggressiveness

We didn't play against the USA like we did the Russians of 20 years ago

We need to build a team that is hungry to win and aggressive on the puck. You cannot have 20 Gretzky's on the team.

I hope we come back next year with a fast and VERY aggressive team

I also hope hockey Canada fires everyone!!!

Canada should make the best team it can. Creating a team to beat just one other team is a nonsense strategy that only indicates that your team is at a mental disadvantage before the puck drops.
 

93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,898
Toronto
Similar to Ho-Sang, Day's antic's (aka showing 30 pounds overweight to Hlinka camp) pretty much got him permanently written off of any chance of remaining in the Hockey Canada program. After being cut from that, he has made it clear he wants to represent the USA. Logan Brown did the same thing after a disastrous Hlinka camp to.
 

Juniorhockeyguru

Registered User
Nov 18, 2012
1,095
509
Has to be Kris Knoblauch. Probably the best coach in the CHL IMO. Unless he's moved up somewhere, as has been rumoured the last year or 2. Erie might be in a massive rebuild after this season, so maybe a good time to leave.

I would say Don Hay is the best coach in the CHL. His 700 wins only to Ken Hodge says that.
 

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