Canadas defense pairings confirmed

[PapaBear*]

Niedermayer-Reghr
Redden-Foote
Jovo-Brewer
Hannan-Bowmeester

Hmm, I dont like the 3rd pairing. I would play Hannan over Brewer anyday. I think the loss of Blake and Pronger will affect the team more so than ppl think. I mean look at the difference

Niedermayer-Foote
Pronger-Redden
Jovo-Blake
Reghr-Brewer

Click to read more...

 

[Narnia]

Niedermayer-Reghr
Redden-Foote
Jovo-Brewer
Hannan-Bowmeester

Hmm, I dont like the 3rd pairing. I would play Hannan over Brewer anyday. I think the loss of Blake and Pronger will affect the team more so than ppl think. I mean look at the difference

Niedermayer-Foote
Pronger-Redden
Jovo-Blake
Reghr-Brewer

Why is nothing said about Jovonovski but Brewer gets criticized day in and day out. Isn't it bad enough that Smyth is going to be in the PB for the tournament? Now you want Brewer in the PB as well. Brewer has more international experience than Hannan.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

They'll change. Salt Lake city started with Jovanovski as the #7 d-man, and by the end of the tournament he was in the top 4! I think everyone on that list is going to move around except Bouwmeester and Niedermayer.

Damn, I really wanted to see a Niedermayer-Jovanovski pairing. Speed to burn.

 

[PapaBear*]

i would do these pairings. Almost asured your wont see Nieds and foote together. I wouldnt put Reghr on the top pairing. But I think Canada will be rolling 3 pairings evenly?

Niedermayer-Reghr
Hannan-Foote - this would be so scary
Redden-Jovo

 

[Narnia]

i would do these pairings. Almost asured your wont see Nieds and foote together. I wouldnt put Reghr on the top pairing. But I think Canada will be rolling 3 pairings evenly?

Niedermayer-Reghr
Hannan-Foote - this would be so scary
Redden-Jovo

And once again an Oilers player is underrated. Not surprised really. The Oilers already have Smyth in the PB. Hannan and J-Bo won't be seeing that much ice time. Did Brewer run over your cat that you hate him.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Why is nothing said about Jovonovski but Brewer

Because he's so much better? Just a thought.

gets criticized day in and day out. Isn't it bad enough that Smyth is going to be in the PB for the tournament? Now you want Brewer in the PB as well. Brewer has more international experience than Hannan.

Which will make all the difference since the game is played on NHL ice with NHL rules.

 

[Narnia]

Because he's so much better? Just a thought.



Which will make all the difference since the game is played on NHL ice with NHL rules.

Why was Smyth chosen? To sit in the PB and not play in one game? Nothing is mentioned for Jovo when he was chosen that he was chosen because of Tambilini but when Brewer and Smyth get chosen, it's because of Lowe.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

I have no problem with Brewer, he's answered the call before. Beside, put him with Jovo, no problem.

These pairings spread it around IMO. I would do the same.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

And once again an Oilers player is underrated. Not surprised really. The Oilers already have Smyth in the PB. Hannan and J-Bo won't be seeing that much ice time. Did Brewer run over your cat that you hate him.

Smyth is tested and true as well, I'd play him. Hold your breath to see if he gets ice time before the tourney is over....it will hapen.

 

[SedinFan*]

Why is nothing said about Jovonovski but Brewer gets criticized day in and day out. Isn't it bad enough that Smyth is going to be in the PB for the tournament? Now you want Brewer in the PB as well. Brewer has more international experience than Hannan.

Yet it's played on NHL regulation ice surface, so you take Hannan. Brewer's not even half the player Hannan is.

 

[cyrisweb]

I'm not really sure I like the idea of Jovanovski being forced to play his off side. I'd much rather go with

Redden-Foote
Niedermayer-Jovanovski
???-Regehr

Niedermayer-Jovanovski (Similar to the Blake-Jovo from the Olympics which worked out very well)

The last spot filled in by any of the remaining three whoever plays best.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I've stated my pairings before, but here they are again:

1) Niedermayer-Foote: Niedermayer has been the best defenceman on the planet since the 2003 All-Star Break. Lightning quick, gifted offensively. Paired with Foote, who has been the dominant defensive defenceman of his generation.
2) Jovanovski-Redden: When he's on, there isn't a defenceman on the planet like Jovo-Cop. A little inconsistent, though, but that should be atoned for by playing him with the ultra-consistent, steady, smart Wade Redden.
3) Brewer-Regher. Brewer steps up in big games. Period. Ask Sweden from the last two gold medal games. He carried Edmonton's defence down the stretch last season. Regher proved himself worthy with his dominant performances throughout last year's playoffs. He consistently shut down the big guns from the opposing teams.
Extra: Hannan-Bouwmeester. Hannan also proved himself worthy during last year's run. Strong, tough, steady, well-positioned. For those of you wondering why J-Bouw's there, pop in any video of the 2003 Worlds, and you'll have the answer to your question.

Add it all up, we still have the best defence in the tournament, to go with the best goaltending and the best forwards. Go Canada Go.

 

[McThome]

Yet it's played on NHL regulation ice surface, so you take Hannan. Brewer's not even half the player Hannan is.

Sorry, but when Brewer is playing at his best -he's quite a bit better then Hannan. He can play the shut down roll, and offensively he can rush and shoot the puck like Blake. If Jovo plays steadily defensively and and plays his usual strong game in the neutral and offensive zones, and Brewer steps up like he can - they'll force Quinn to play them more then any other pair.

The third pairing is the biggest question mark - but it also very well could emerge as Canada's top pairing over Footes and Neidermayers. When you see the pairings it's pretty easy to see what they're thinking:

Neidermayer-Regehr:
all around pairing
Foote-Redden:
will be the shut down pairing playing against the Forsbergs and Hossa's
Jovo-Brewer:
Used in offensive situations - both big, strong and fast puck moving/rushing Dmen.

 

[Cerebral]

Yet it's played on NHL regulation ice surface, so you take Hannan. Brewer's not even half the player Hannan is.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

yup

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Why is nothing said about Jovonovski but Brewer gets criticized day in and day out. Isn't it bad enough that Smyth is going to be in the PB for the tournament? Now you want Brewer in the PB as well. Brewer has more international experience than Hannan.

Waaaah, waaah, waaah. Why is it Oilers fans are always whining about this? Can't you just accept that pretty much everybody outside of Edmonton sees Jovo as a notch or two above Brewer? Clearly the weakest guy in that top 6 right now is Brewer. You're biased towards him, most fans in this thread have no reason to be biased against him (you could make an argument against me because I'm a Calgary fan.)

 

[Narnia]

Waaaah, waaah, waaah. Why is it Oilers fans are always whining about this? Can't you just accept that pretty much everybody outside of Edmonton sees Jovo as a notch or two above Brewer? Clearly the weakest guy in that top 6 right now is Brewer. You're biased towards him, most fans in this thread have no reason to be biased against him (you could make an argument against me because I'm a Calgary fan.)

Because when the team was named, the players people didn't want on there were Smyth and Brewer. In the top 50, Smyth gets criticized for being on there. I'm just getting fed up with the Oilers bashing on here. It's consistently. When the team was named, posters said the only reason Smyth and Brewer were named was because of Lowe. Nothing was said that Gagne was on there because of Hitchcock or Doan because of Gretzky or Jovonovski because of Tambelini. Yet when it came to Smyth and Brewer, all the naysayers came out Smyth and Brewer are only on the team because of Lowe. That's not true.

 

[SedinFan*]

Sorry, but when Brewer is playing at his best -he's quite a bit better then Hannan. He can play the shut down roll, and offensively he can rush and shoot the puck like Blake.

Wait, did you just compare Brewer to Blake offensively? Wow.

 

[oil slick]

Waaaah, waaah, waaah. Why is it Oilers fans are always whining about this? Can't you just accept that pretty much everybody outside of Edmonton sees Jovo as a notch or two above Brewer? Clearly the weakest guy in that top 6 right now is Brewer. You're biased towards him, most fans in this thread have no reason to be biased against him (you could make an argument against me because I'm a Calgary fan.)

Please. By and large the Oilers have defended Brewer from hostile fans who complained and *****ed about Brewers selection to the team. Now these same fans are complaining and *****ing about the fact that Brewer is starting. If anything, why can't all the Brewer haters out there accept that the hockey brain trust of Canada(who frankly I have little reason to be critical of) is happy playing Brewer.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Because when the team was named, the players people didn't want on there were Smyth and Brewer. In the top 50, Smyth gets criticized for being on there. I'm just getting fed up with the Oilers bashing on here. It's consistently. When the team was named, posters said the only reason Smyth and Brewer were named was because of Lowe. Nothing was said that Gagne was on there because of Hitchcock or Doan because of Gretzky or Jovonovski because of Tambelini. Yet when it came to Smyth and Brewer, all the naysayers came out Smyth and Brewer are only on the team because of Lowe. That's not true.

Lowe hasn't been mentioned in this thread except by you.

You're the one with the complex. Quit whining about past threads in new ones.

 

[tinyzombies]

Niedermayer-Reghr
Redden-Foote
Jovo-Brewer
Hannan-Bowmeester

Hmm, I dont like the 3rd pairing. I would play Hannan over Brewer anyday. I think the loss of Blake and Pronger will affect the team more so than ppl think. I mean look at the difference

Niedermayer-Foote
Pronger-Redden
Jovo-Blake
Reghr-Brewer

Those pairings don't make sense. Almost all of those guys are playing out of position.

 

[Roughneck]

Because when the team was named, the players people didn't want on there were Smyth and Brewer.

When did anybody not like Smyth on the team?

 

[HuskyFlames]

Niedermayer-Jovanovski (Similar to the Blake-Jovo from the Olympics which worked out very well)

VERY bad comparison of lines. Neids game is no where the same as Blake. The two lines cannot be compared at all.

 

[McThome]

Wait, did you just compare Brewer to Blake offensively? Wow.

You obviously haven't seen Brewer play very much. He isn't even close to being consistent enough - I agree, and as an Oiler fan that's the one thing I hate about him. But there is a reason he led Canadian defensmen in goals at the Olympics - and it's not because he's a mediocre offensive player. The part I'm comparing to Blake are the rushes..... they're both big and skate very well and can handle the puck and shoot. They both can recover excellently after a rush as well. Actually, that was displayed last year when Brewer rushed the puck up the ice against Vancouver in Edmonton during overtime and pretty much single-handedly won that game for Edmonton (I think he played all but one 30 second shift of the O.T.)

 

[McThome]

VERY bad comparison of lines. Neids game is no where the same as Blake. The two lines cannot be compared at all.

Actually, Neids is kinda like a soft version of Blake IMO. But I would agree.... not nearly as good over all when you get right down to it though.