Is it borderline treason that Giordano and Subban haven't played for Canada?

[Jumptheshark]

Ya title is an exaggeration but should Giordano and Subban have played for Team Canada in 2014 and 2016?

Subban made team Canada in 2014, but only played one game (a 6-0 win against Austria). He has been critized for his decision making and defensive play but, since going to Nashville, I've seen Subban as more of a defensive defenseman than the all-out offense defenseman that we saw in Montreal

Likewise, Giordano is probably the least respected defenseman in the league. Everybody he is paired with in Calgary plays like gold and then struggles when they are moved away from him

there were team politics involved with both---they may have wanted to play--but their teams blocked them

 

[SirPaste]

Giordano is a better shutdown guy than either Hamhuis or Bouwmeester. Pretty easily.

Maybe he is now be he certainly wasn’t in 2014

 

[BruinLVGA]

Wait, so Subban DID play for Canada. Or did I misunderstand that?

 

[Advanced stats]

Wait, so Subban DID play for Canada. Or did I misunderstand that?

Yes he did. Not enough to satisfy OP though.

 

[BruinLVGA]

Yes he did. Not enough to satisfy OP though.

Ahahah!

 

[86Habs]

At the time, Dan Hamhuis had played in 5 World Championships (4 of them on international ice) and Jay Bouwmeester had played in 1 Olympics (2006) and 4 World Championships (3 on international ice). Bouwmeester also had chemistry with Pietrangelo. Both LHS, and both guys were excellent skaters and reliable stay-at-home defensemen. Anyone paying attention in late 2013 knew Bouwmeester was nearly a lock and Hamhuis was a really good bet to make the team. Familiarity with the nuances of the larger ice surface was certainly something that Yzerman considered when filling out the depth positions on the roster.

 

[Snakepit]

My heart says yes but it's hard to argue with Gold medals

 

[DonM]

team canada takes guys that create a team. they have a winning history. if these guys deserved to make the team they would have.

Yes, they were picked because they formed the best possible team and we know this because they were picked. You'll notice the logic forms a kind of circle. This is how you know it's iron-clad.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I'm all for Hockey Canada playing hard ball with some of this marginal B-Team/A-Team players. If a player has a Jarome Iginla habit of consistently saying no to B level tournaments (WHC), then you shouldn't automatically get A level tournament spots. Damn straight, Hamhuis over Giordano.

It's probably already too late for Giordano when it comes to Canada's A team in the future, hell, there may not even be any best on best A- level tournaments in out future, but just in case, and since Calgary currently sits outside the playoff 8, Giordano,Brodie and Hamilton can all make their case for inclusion on the A team by getting on a plane in May and flying to Denmark.

 

[JackSlater]

Canada picked the exact defence I wanted in 2014. In 2016 I don't know, I wouldn't have picked Bouwmeester or Muzzin but I didn't consider who I would have taken very hard. Clearly treasonous though either way.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Canada picked the exact defence I wanted in 2014. In 2016 I don't know, I wouldn't have picked Bouwmeester or Muzzin but I didn't consider who I would have taken very hard. Clearly treasonous though either way.

I don't recall there being a best on best A Team tournament in 2016... refresh my memory please. I know I was caught up in Blue Jay mania, but I don't think I was so out of the loop that I'd miss an important hockey tournament.

 

[jasonr90]

I think Giordano would have had a pretty good shot at going to Korea, being a LHD, but of course that's just hypothetical now.

Probably same with Subban, he'd be in tough because of all of Canada's righties, but I think they'd probably decide it's time to move on from Weber and Letang's been bad this year.

Righties- Doughty, Pietrangelo, Subban/Burns. Subban might be better for the big ice.

 

[jasonr90]

I don't recall there being a best on best A Team tournament in 2016... refresh my memory please. I know I was caught up in Blue Jay mania, but I don't think I was so out of the loop that I'd miss an important hockey tournament.

Borderline treason was the team USA picked/players left off for this tournament that never happened

 

[ManofSteel55]

Giordano is a better shutdown guy than either Hamhuis or Bouwmeester. Pretty easily.

In 2014 he wasn't. Considering they were going for chemistry with Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo as well, it makes sense there. Which leaves the only real possible replacements as Hamhuis and Subban himself. Hamhuis was a near elite shutdown defender at that time and was a much more physical player. They didn't need Gio's puck moving ability more than they needed the stability and physicality that Hamhuis brought.

 

[JackSlater]

Giordano shouldn't have made the team in 2014. He was only in contention, with Hamhuis and Bouwmeester, for the third pairing spot with Pietrangelo. Bouwmeester was actually having a really good year in 2014, was a better skater than Giordano, was far more experienced and accomplished internationally and importantly already played with Pietrangelo in St. Louis. Canada just needed a high end complimentary piece and Bouwmeester made much more sense in that role. Hamhuis was only in contention for seventh or eighth defenceman and had a lot of the same pluses as Bouwmeester. If Canada needed a top pairing defenceman then Giordano would be better than Bouwmeester or Hamhuis, but that wasn't the situation.

 

[jasonr90]

Giordano shouldn't have made the team in 2014. He was only in contention, with Hamhuis and Bouwmeester, for the third pairing spot with Pietrangelo. Bouwmeester was actually having a really good year in 2014, was a better skater than Giordano, was far more experienced and accomplished internationally and importantly already played with Pietrangelo in St. Louis. Canada just needed a high end complimentary piece and Bouwmeester made much more sense in that role. Hamhuis was only in contention for seventh or eighth defenceman and had a lot of the same pluses as Bouwmeester. If Canada needed a top pairing defenceman then Giordano would be better than Bouwmeester or Hamhuis, but that wasn't the situation.

Giordano didn't even make the orientation camp roster for the 2014 Olympics. Guys like Alzner, Phaneuf and Staal were considered ahead of him then. At the time I thought Staal was the only three of those who had a chance. Alzner was better then, and Phaneuf's Phaneuf, he was never going to make it

 

[SmellOfVictory]

Maybe he is now be he certainly wasn’t in 2014

He certainly was. Hamhuis has a borderline argument for being better, but JBo was overrated from day one. He's never been more than a weak #2 on a good day, and I'd argue he shouldn't be more than a 2nd pairing dman on pretty much any team.

 

[tony d]

Yeah, it is a bit odd. Both guys should have made at least 1 team Canada- Even if it was as an extra.

 

[JackSlater]

Yeah, it is a bit odd. Both guys should have made at least 1 team Canada- Even if it was as an extra.

That's the role that Subban had in 2014.

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

Hardy Boys?

Not sure what's worse, being sentenced for treason or Deletion

 

[apollo678]

So we are talking about the 2014 Olympic Games and the 2016 World Cup.

Hard to argue about the 2014 Olympic team as they played the greatest defensive game in Olympic history (Canada surrendered only three goals in six games). That team was so dominant defensively.
I think they may have rewarded some guys from that Olympic team in 2016 but all of those guys were still playing very good hockey.