Vicious Vic said:
How do you argue with the selection process of a team that not only beat the stew out of everyone they faced, but very decisively won gold (and that goes for several of you posting in this thread)?
As much as I would've loved to see Fehr and particularly Stone there, it seems pretty cut and dry to me. Getzlaf is better than both of them and Sutter wanted Ladd for his checking lines, where he was a much better fit than Stone and Fehr.
It's like Herb Brooks' dad told him after Coach Reilly sent him home in '60 and they were watching the U.S. win gold on their living room couch: "I guess Reilly cut the right guy."
I'm not questioning the reason he was cut, because it might have been attitude. Who knows on that part. What I do know, is seeing him at Prospect Camp (which he did attend though didn't participate, and listening to a few video clips of him) he doesn't seem to be a real 'attitude problem'. I know he did want to make it this year badly, and did want to make it badly the year before.
What I did also read was there were reports of Fehr being shifted from his natural position through much of the camp. He also did not play up to his standards of most of his WHL career, but... I don't think he did that poorly from what I've read.
I don't know enough to say who he should have replaced, or who he's clearly better than. Though, I'm sure I could think of a few that could be arguably debated about.
I think what's happening here is Fehr is getting the short end of the stick on his other considerable talents, when all they see is his shot. Yes, he has a nice shot. But he's also shown to be relatively responsible in his own end, and is continuing to work on his own physical strength and other parts of his game that need work (skating, forecheck... etc)
And I don't think Fehr not being on the team, or whehter he was on the team, would have actually changed the outcome that much either way. He'd probably have added a few goals here or there, and maybe taking a guy like Ladd off would've let in one or two more, but I doubt Canada would lack a gold if Fehr was on the team.
In all actuality, Fehr not being on the team has worked for both parties. Canada still won, and Fehr's had a lot of motivation and fuel towards playing harder.
