WJC: Canada 2018 Roster Talk

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I just don't get Ducharme's logic with his usages at all. I get it, Bean is a returnee and you had big plans for Clague and Fabbro. Fabbro hasn't been able to finish a game, Clague hasn't been brilliant, and Bean is Bean. Why would you insist on trying to get them going rather than being flexible and playing the guys that are actually doing well? He did the same thing last year where Jost's line started off on fire, creating a lot of chances. Instead of going with that line, he killed it and insisted on trying to get Strome going. Ducharme needs to learn that this is a short tournament, it's not a full season. You play the guys that are playing well.

 

[Avs425]

I just don't get Ducharme's logic with his usages at all. I get it, Bean is a returnee and you had big plans for Clague and Fabbro. Fabbro hasn't been able to finish a game, Clague hasn't been brilliant, and Bean is Bean. Why would you insist on trying to get them going rather than being flexible and playing the guys that are actually doing well? He did the same thing last year where Jost's line started off on fire, creating a lot of chances. Instead of going with that line, he killed it and insisted on trying to get Strome going. Ducharme needs to learn that this is a short tournament, it's not a full season. You play the guys that are playing well.

It's a huge popularity contest with a heck ton of politics involved. Same way every year.

 

[wishywashy19]

Who do we play after beating Swiss
USA/ Russia or Finn/ check

 

[Baxterman]

Who do we play after beating Swiss
USA/ Russia or Finn/ check

Depends on result tonight.

We get winner of 2nd Group B vs. Finns

Likely it will be the Czechs

 

[wishywashy19]

Good
Want a Can/USA final
One way or the other
Not can/USA semi

 

[Bob Barker]

Yeah it's Canada/Swiss vs. Czech/Finland and Sweden/Slovakia vs. USA/Russia for the semis.

 

[jj cale]

After watching the round robin games I just don't see this team being able to win Gold, they just are not good enough.

Even strength scoring is not good enough, average offensive creativity, average defense that is banged up, good but not great goal tending.

I just don't see it happening but I hope i am completely wrong.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

After watching the round robin games I just don't see this team being able to win Gold, they just are not good enough.

Even strength scoring is not good enough, average offensive creativity, average defense that is banged up, good but not great goal tending.

I just don't see it happening but I hope i am completely wrong.

They should at the very least be in the Gold medal game at this point with the way the matchups have played out....Once they get there then they just need to show up and play one great game. From the beginning this has clearly been a Canada team without much game breaking offense up front, which means to me that if Canada gets behind in a game it will be hard to come back and also they can't let up off the gas when they get up like they did against the Americans. I do think you are being a bit tough on the team here though. No they haven't played perfect hockey....but not one team in this tournament has looked sharp every game so far. This is still completely up in the air.

 

[jj cale]

They should at the very least be in the Gold medal game at this point with the way the matchups have played out....Once they get there then they just need to show up and play one great game. From the beginning this has clearly been a Canada team without much game breaking offense up front, which means to me that if Canada gets behind in a game it will be hard to come back and also they can't let up off the gas when they get up like they did against the Americans. I do think you are being a bit tough on the team here though. No they haven't played perfect hockey....but not one team in this tournament has looked sharp every game so far. This is still completely up in the air.

I agree that every team has shown warts but that lack of offensive firepower is going to kill us I think, and I see nothing from Hart that tells me he can steal a game.I won't even go into the lack of confidence I have in the defense we have here.

I can see us being bounced in the semis real easily.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I agree that every team has shown warts but that lack of offensive firepower is going to kill us I think, and I see nothing from Hart that tells me he can steal a game.I won't even go into the lack of confidence I have in the defense we have here.

I can see us being bounced in the semis real easily.

Eh I don't know. I think you are being overly tough on this team. Like I said I sure as hell do not think this team is a good bet for gold....but I have watched every single game of this tournament and the only team that to me looks better then Canada is probably Sweden and even they have looked beatable. I mean if you look at Canada,USA and Sweden(what most people would say are the top 3 teams this year) which one of them has really stepped up and been really impressive? Each of those teams have had unimpressive and uninspiring performances. Probably less so for Sweden. I do get what you are saying about the team....but basically no other team has stepped up and impressed me enough to say I don't think Canada can win this as honestly this has been a really sloppy tournament as a whole.

 

[jj cale]

Eh I don't know. I think you are being overly tough on this team. Like I said I sure as hell do not think this team is a good bet for gold....but I have watched every single game of this tournament and the only team that to me looks better then Canada is probably Sweden and even they have looked beatable. I mean if you look at Canada,USA and Sweden(what most people would say are the top 3 teams this year) which one of them has really stepped up and been really impressive? Each of those teams have had unimpressive and uninspiring performances. Probably less so for Sweden. I do get what you are saying about the team....but basically no other team has stepped up and impressed me enough to say I don't think Canada can win this as honestly this has been a really sloppy tournament as a whole.

I suppose can't really disagree with your assessment here, indeed, none of the supposed top 4 teams look to be that much stronger then the others and in a one game elimination that means Canada at least has a decent chance.

But I still think our weaknesses will be exposed. Hart is an o.k goaltender but I doubt he is a difference maker from what I have seen of him. The defense is only o.k and it is hurting, apparently Mete has injury woes too now and Fabbro?.....................if we are having to shut the guy down after the first or second period then I don't see how he was ever cleared to play to begin with. Clague has been only so so and they seem to be intent on using Makar only so much when it is clear he has at the very least been our second best guy.

That collapse against the U.S does not bode well either and tells me a lot about this team.

We better cash in on most of our power play opportunities if we are going to win this because this is a team that will struggle to score at even strength.

Can we win? yes, any of 5 teams could win, the teams are real close. Are we likely to given what appear to be this teams weaknesses? no.

 

[Baxterman]

After watching the round robin games I just don't see this team being able to win Gold, they just are not good enough.

Even strength scoring is not good enough, average offensive creativity, average defense that is banged up, good but not great goal tending.

I just don't see it happening but I hope i am completely wrong.

I have been pretty vocal about my concerns with this team but so I don't entirely disagree, the one issue is that none of the other teams really look that great either.

Canada outplayed the US in their game and the Americans (deservedly) lost to Slovakia and really struggled to beat the Finns. They have relied on getting a lot more PPs than Canada and Finland a lot of those on iffy calls.

But i am not sure that matters as I think the team that clearly looks to have the most talent in Sweden but they always seem to struggle in the big games. I would be shocked if they are not in the Gold Medal games and should be the favorite, maybe by a good margin.

Canada should make it to the Final. I am not trying to be cocky or crap on the other teams but really they are a lot better than the Swiss and Czechs and I think they have shown they are a step above Finland as well.

Maybe because there are more young guys playing in the NHL or it may just be a done year for everyone but nobody in this tournament seems to be very strong this year. I think if you put Canada's team in from last year they roll through this tournament fairly easily.

 

[4thlineduster]

I just don't get Ducharme's logic with his usages at all. I get it, Bean is a returnee and you had big plans for Clague and Fabbro. Fabbro hasn't been able to finish a game, Clague hasn't been brilliant, and Bean is Bean. Why would you insist on trying to get them going rather than being flexible and playing the guys that are actually doing well? He did the same thing last year where Jost's line started off on fire, creating a lot of chances. Instead of going with that line, he killed it and insisted on trying to get Strome going. Ducharme needs to learn that this is a short tournament, it's not a full season. You play the guys that are playing well.

At this point one has to ask how Fabbro was even cleared for this team. Clearly he's still injured as he's yet to finish a game at full minutes.

Even with an obviously injured Fabbro, Makar is still not getting decent minutes considering he's been one of, if not our best D, this tournament and that stupidity lies squarely on Ducharme.

After the last few years I'm really beginning to think Canada's biggest weakness is not goaltending, defence, or forward depth.......it's coaching.

 

[jj cale]

I have been pretty vocal about my concerns with this team but so I don't entirely disagree, the one issue is that none of the other teams really look that great either.

Canada outplayed the US in their game and the Americans (deservedly) lost to Slovakia and really struggled to beat the Finns. They have relied on getting a lot more PPs than Canada and Finland a lot of those on iffy calls.

But i am not sure that matters as I think the team that clearly looks to have the most talent in Sweden but they always seem to struggle in the big games. I would be shocked if they are not in the Gold Medal games and should be the favorite, maybe by a good margin.

Canada should make it to the Final. I am not trying to be cocky or crap on the other teams but really they are a lot better than the Swiss and Czechs and I think they have shown they are a step above Finland as well.

Maybe because there are more young guys playing in the NHL or it may just be a done year for everyone but nobody in this tournament seems to be very strong this year. I think if you put Canada's team in from last year they roll through this tournament fairly easily.

Most of what you wrote here I agree with except for the part about us outplaying the U.S in that game, I thought they were the better team overall in that game.

Agreed on sweden looking to be the most talented and agreed they could louse it all up in a big game as they often do.

I think we could actually lose to the czechs in all honesty, they have enough firepower to burn us if they keep it within a goal going into the final period.

Agreed that Canadas team from last year would win this thing this year.

 

[jj cale]

At this point one has to ask how Fabbro was even cleared for this team. Clearly he's still injured as he's yet to finish a game at full minutes.

Even with an obviously injured Fabbro, Makar is still not getting decent minutes considering he's been one of, if not our best D, this tournament and that stupidity lies squarely on Ducharme.

After the last few years I'm really beginning to think Canada's biggest weakness is not goaltending, defence, or forward depth.......it's coaching.

It is beyond me how they thought he was good to go and felt they could get away with a hobbled guy in our defensive group for this tournament.

 

[Baxterman]

Most of what you wrote here I agree with except for the part about us outplaying the U.S in that game, I thought they were the better team overall in that game.

Agreed on sweden looking to be the most talented and agreed they could louse it all up in a big game as they often do.

I think we could actually lose to the czechs in all honesty, they have enough firepower to burn us if they keep it within a goal going into the final period.

Agreed that Canadas team from last year would win this thing this year.

The Czechs struggled to put away the Swiss and barely beat the Russians.

I think they certainly have the high end talent at the top of their line-up but the lower 2 lines, defense and goalie aren't good enough in my view. I think they can give Canada a scare but even with our weak offense I think we can take advantage of the weak areas on the team.

I think it is fun to cheer for the Czechs because they aren't a big 5 team but I don't think they are really any good at all.

 

[Baxterman]

It is beyond me how they thought he was good to go and felt they could get away with a hobbled guy in our defensive group for this tournament.

I mentioned it before but especially because, as good as he is, it wasn't like a Connor McDavid type guy that could transform the whole team.

Fully healthy I am not sure there is a huge drop off from Fabbro to Mahura and with Fabbro looking to be at 75% at best I think it is even.

 

[jj cale]

I mentioned it before but especially because, as good as he is, it wasn't like a Connor McDavid type guy that could transform the whole team.

Fully healthy I am not sure there is a huge drop off from Fabbro to Mahura and with Fabbro looking to be at 75% at best I think it is even.

We would have been better off with Mahura, Fabbros hurt, it's obvious.

 

[JackSlater]

Mete did not take part in practice today.

 

[Hagstrom]

Mete did not take part in practice today.

Jesus, our defencemen are dropping like flies

 

[PecnoTrunk]

It's the arrogance of team Canada to include fabbro on this team knowing he was hurt

!!!!!


To include fabbro who was not 100% (just the fact they didn't know until the last day) is arrogance of team Canada

 

[The Kingslayer]

Mete did not take part in practice today.

Ducharme still wont play Makar if Mete is out.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

I agree that every team has shown warts but that lack of offensive firepower is going to kill us I think, and I see nothing from Hart that tells me he can steal a game.I won't even go into the lack of confidence I have in the defense we have here.

I can see us being bounced in the semis real easily.

I think you're being overly harsh considering Canada leads the tournament in goals for (and goals against). Canada might not have the star power of a team like Sweden, but they are far deeper.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[wishywashy19]

Prediction time
Very disappointed if this team does not make finals
Now I think the Swedes will beat USA and Sweden wins this year
I really wish for a Canada / USA final and if that is the case we play to win and not play afraid to lose like we did in the outdoor crap game
And please enough of the outdoor classics and bring back Canada / Russia or USA late New Year's Eve game
I hate drinking to Euros play new year eve
Get with it!