Question,can they use Staal and Spezza just because they want too or does there have to be an injury to allow them to play?
It's time for Staal and Spezza
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skullman80
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I would take Crosby before Spezza. Although many think Crosby whines a lot, he brings it every single shift unlike Spezza.
SammyTheBull
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- Dec 1, 2005
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I don't know, but the rumor has it that Marty McSorley has been hired by Wayne Gretzky as a consultant with unspecified duties. He is to skate with Team Canada today. In other news, asked why he was wearing a triple-padded helmet and a full face shield in practice, Chris Pronger said it was a show solidarity to team mate Joe Sakic.pei fan said:
Egil
Registered User
We need a good puckhandler, and Spezza is better than Staal (or Crosby who REALLY doesn't deserve to be on Team Canada) at that. We need someone who can deke the opposition defense and create some space, and that man is Spezza. Staal has similar players already on the team, but nobody on Canada plays like Spezza does.
Egil said:
Spezza would be invisible on the big ice surface with his poor skating ability. Speed is very crucial on the big ice surface. Look at the fins, slovaks, and russians, they all have great team speed.
Egil
Registered User
First, Spezza isn't a bad skater, he has blown buy some guys in the NHL this year.
Second, for the role we need, we don't need speed. We need to SLOW the game down to let our offensive talents work, not speed it up more. When we want to we can get a good forchecking game going and we can play solid defense. What we need is to convert puck possesion into chances, and more "speed" isn't going to do that.
Second, for the role we need, we don't need speed. We need to SLOW the game down to let our offensive talents work, not speed it up more. When we want to we can get a good forchecking game going and we can play solid defense. What we need is to convert puck possesion into chances, and more "speed" isn't going to do that.
Powdered Toast Man
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- Nov 22, 2005
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SensGuy said:
You people overrate physical play. Just look at Team Canada - virtually every player can be physical and where has that gotten us.
The Spezza bashing is ridiculous. He is the most gifted offensive player in the NHL right now and Team Canada could use his brilliance.
Egil said:
Exactly. Nobody on the team offers what Spezza can offer. His offensive creativity is very much needed.
SammyTheBull said:
The good news is that (barring injury) all of these guys will be on Team Canada in 2010 in Vancouver!!
shawn_kemp said:
It is just quite obvious that Team Canada did a piss poor job of picking the team. They went with players that were great 2 or 3 years ago rather than players who are great NOW.
Even if Canada ends up winning the gold, they will not have done it with the best possible team. It is just fortunate that there are so many good Canadians you can screw up the selection process and still have a pretty good team. We certainly did NOT send our best.
They aren't going to put in either of them. Quinn is a players coach, he's not about to put in 2 rookies over his vets.
Besides, if they are struggling to play as a team now, what good will two inexperienced, giddy players do? Sure they are elite scorers in the NHL now, but this team is chalked full of those....they need to come together...simple as that....adding in new players will only slow this process down, and we don't have that time.
Besides, if they are struggling to play as a team now, what good will two inexperienced, giddy players do? Sure they are elite scorers in the NHL now, but this team is chalked full of those....they need to come together...simple as that....adding in new players will only slow this process down, and we don't have that time.
Crosbyfan
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- Nov 27, 2003
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From the article
"Team Canada is putting itself in a deep hole early in games and they don't have the offensive wherewithal and chemistry to get themselves out of those holes right now."
emphasis mine- and Staal would probably make a difference
He is, afterall, 3rd in NHL scoring right now.
"Team Canada is putting itself in a deep hole early in games and they don't have the offensive wherewithal and chemistry to get themselves out of those holes right now."
emphasis mine- and Staal would probably make a difference
He is, afterall, 3rd in NHL scoring right now.
Crosbyfan said:
It doesn't matter that he's third in scoring in the top league in the world, it wouldn't help team Canada because, uhhh, the problem is chemistry, or something. And, uhhh, Spezza is really bad even though he's the center on the best line in the NHL. He's uhh, too slow, and what they need to do is play as a team, uhhhh, and uhhh, those guys are too young. Kariya is, ummm, too old, or something, and anyway, we already have enough big names- Draper, Boumeester, Doan, Smyth, etc. Also, uhh, it doesn't matter who's good THIS year, what matters is that, uhhh, Tampa Bay won two years ago so we need to bring, uhhh, that entire line. So clearly, adding Staal would not help. End of story.
umma gumma
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- Apr 8, 2005
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If you put Spezza out there all that will do is give the other teams more odd man rushes. He will either give the puck away with a low percentage pass (which works 1/6 or so times), or not work hard enough to get back and help the defence. He doesn't like to get his nose dirty either. Gifted yes, urgent no. Staal goes in befoe Spezza easy. And I'm a Sens fan.
Canuck21t
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Why are you naming Boumeester among Draper, Doan and Smyth? J-Bo has been one of the rare positive things for Canada right now. He's a very talented player with amazing skating.NAI77 said:
Pothier
Registered User
Staal- yes he's just what the team needs
Spezza- no, it's tight-checking games like these where he is uneffective
Spezza- no, it's tight-checking games like these where he is uneffective
As a Blues fan that hasn't seen much of the Eastern Confernece this season I will say this Eric Staal absolutely tore up the Blues. I mean manhandled them and they are not half as bad as their record shows. He is a diminating forward, offensively. If that's how Canada would be able to use him then he should've went, no question. I have not seen Spezza so I will plead ignorance, but if those who say he is better than Staal, he should be there as well. I would also that Phaneuf should've been highly considered as well. IMO Phaneuf over Bouwmeester. Dion's shot alone is on par with some of the best d-men in the entire tournament. He took a one time feed and put a laser over the Blues' goalies shoulder to win the game in overtime. I didn't see Pronger do anything like that the entire time he was a Blue. Take away Dion's physical play and he is arguably the best shot and skater on Canada's defense right now. Then go ahead and add the toughness around the net to deal with the Holmstroms and Jagrs. After watching alot of the Olympics I am shocked at how many times the US and Canadian players shoot wide. Tkachuk has probably led the the tourney in shots attempted, but he never gets them on goal. So I would've taken Staal and Phaneuf based on their ability to get shot on the net. While we are beating a dead horse why take Draper. Sakic could easily take the penalty killers role and use younger guys like Nash, Thornton, and Staal on the powerplay and you don't have to give up any offense.
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