Re: Pleasant Surprises?

[Boomhower]

In response to the thread dedicated to the players that had been the biggest disappointments up to that point in the tournament, let's acknowledge the players that outperformed what people expectated of them leading into the tournament.

Were talking the Phil Kessel's and Clarke MacArthur's of the tournament.

Click to read more...

 

[kmad]

Mike Brown. Expected him to be the 13th forward, but he played a solid checking tournament, and I'm liking the Canucks' 2004 draft more and more.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

Stancescu, two years ago he was weak and half the skater he is now. Very pleased with the way he looked.

 

[Reilly311]

I believe I speak for everyone when I say:



Malkin' Cookies

 

[sehnsucht]

it wasn't really a surprise, but I was really pleased to see Phaneuf step up and show people what he can do on the biggest level of his life. Was the rock of Canada's blueline, etc, etc, we all knew he had it in him, but I'm pleased to see him show of his stuff and solidify his spot as the top defence prospect as of now (at least in most people's minds)

 

[Chelios]

I thought Colin Fraser had a great tournement considering people were screaming bloody murder when he made the team.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

I thought Colin Fraser had a great tournement considering people were screaming bloody murder when he made the team.

Fraser was outstanding, the PK was coached well and executed to perfection. He'll be a pesky pro.

 

[RorschachWJK]

I believe I speak for everyone when I say:



Malkin' Cookies

Believe what you want but you don't.

Jeff Glass was a pleasant surprise. He was able to take care of business in the final, despite having not been really tested before it.

 

[Lessy]

Believe what you want but you don't.

Jeff Glass was a pleasant surprise. He was able to take care of business in the final, despite having not been really tested before it.

I agree, he didn't win the tournament for the team by any stretch but he made many momentum turning saves in the first period of the gold medal game. The checking line of Canada as well as penalty killers, notably Macarthur, Fraser, Richards all definitely exceeded expectations as well.

 

[Habsfan 32]

Clarke MacArthur
I did not have a clue who this guy was before the tournament but now I realy love the way he plays and he should be a realy good pro player and he realy his a Sutter type player. He his realy complete and his an amazing penalty killer and his wrist shot is realy quick too. Good all around player.

 

[Habsfan 32]

I was also realy impressed by Colin Fraser i also did not realy know him before the tournament but now I love his style of play and he should be a realy good 3rd liner with the Flames. And there is no question that he will be ready and used to hard work because he had a Sutter coach in juniors and will have another one with the Flames so he will know what to expect when he gets there. Realy solid prospect and player.

 

[saillias]

I was also realy impressed by Colin Fraser i also did not realy know him before the tournament but now I love his style of play and he should be a realy good 3rd liner with the Flames. And there is no question that he will be ready and used to hard work because he had a Sutter coach in juniors and will have another one with the Flames so he will know what to expect when he gets there. Realy solid prospect and player.

We do draft many prospects, and have many players in his mold but unfortunately Calgary never had Colin Fraser. I sure wouldn't mind seeing his name on our top 20 prospects list though.

 

[FTK]

Jeff Carter was the best skater in the entire tournament

 

[mazmin]

A LOT of people questioned Andrew Ladd, including myself, but he stuck with a top line and played well enough to justify his spot with the team.

 

[pensfan04]

I didn't see much of Salmonsson but he definately caught my interest and played much better than I assumed he would.

 

[em1ss]

I didn't see much of Salmonsson but he definately caught my interest and played much better than I assumed he would.

I thought I had posted him here already, but Salmonsson looked decent. Seems to be completely over the shoulder injury.

 

[RorschachWJK]

I'm glad to see nobody has suggested a single Finnish player
Maybe next year some of them deserve it.

 

[Habsfan 32]

Sorry guys major brain fart for me Fraser is gonna play for the other Sutter in Chicago.

 

[MrBooT]

Believe what you want but you don't.

Jeff Glass was a pleasant surprise. He was able to take care of business in the final, despite having not been really tested before it.

The only surprise that came out of Jeff Glass is that he was able to make saves at all. That kid is horrible, and didn't do really do anything. Each and every one of the goals he gave was weak. If we had a REAL goalie in this tournament, he would have had shutouts on almost every game. But it doesn't really matter because we could've put almost any goalie in and the result would have still been the same. Jeff Glass was just there for props.

 

[BuppY]

Salmonsson

 

[417]

Well, pleasant surprises for me were...

Ryan Getzlaf, I underestimated him, he's very good, a versatile forward and IMO, he's alot, alot better than most give him credit for...

Shea "the destroyer" Weber (friend of mine keeps calling him that)
Rostisalv Olesz- thought he was overrated, boy was I wrong
Andrei Kostitsyn- just cause of what he did vs. the US
Petteri Nokelainen- I think he was drafted by the Isles, could be a sleeper
Carl Soderberg- a steal at where he was drafted by the Blues
Grigori Shafigulin- looks like a pro player, I think he'll have alot more success once he comes over to NA, if he's not already here, not sure...
Kolausau- from Belarus, very physical, good pick by the Wings
Stefan Ruzicka- I had no idea Philly fans, my apologies, good player...
Drew Stafford- one of the better US players, love the way he goes up and down his wing and crashes the net

 

[Fedz]

Victor Stancescu had an amazing tournament along with fellow Swiss teammate Marco Kaser, both had 7 and 6 points respectively in 6 games. That's extremely solid, and I wouldn't be surprised to see either of the two get drafted in the 2005 Entry Draft, whenever it's actually held.

Shea Weber, obviously. Being from British Columbia and seeing him play Junior hockey for the Rockets and previously for the Sicamous Eagles, I knew he was as good as he showed though.

I was also quite a bit surprised by Danny Fritsche. I mean I knew he was good, but he really excelled under pressure as well as Drew Stafford.

 

[Boomhower]

I was also quite a bit surprised by Danny Fritsche. I mean I knew he was good, but he really excelled under pressure as well as Drew Stafford.

Another impressive aspect of Fritsche's performance was his lack of activity all year. He hasn't performed in many game situations and he was coming off a significant injury. Shows his work ethics and training habits are very good, the way he stepped into the tourny in game shape and played with no signs of rust.

 

[mymkovski]

I was very impressed by Furrer on Switzerland. I was able to see him in the flesh in the Canada vs. Switzerland exhibition here in Winnipeg. And then again in the relegation round in Grand Forks vs. Slovakia. He was a fairly smooth skater. He made a very good first pass. Had a good physical presence. He also looked fairly poised out there. I would say he was by far Switzerland's most "professional" player on the ice.

Another was Konstantin Zakharov on Belarus. I was able to see him play vs. Germany in the relegation round. He had a good tournament with 5 points (3G-2A). In that game vs. Germany he was definitely the best player on the ice. Andrei Kostsitsyn was inactive in that game. Zahkarov was player of the game in that game.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

I was very impressed by Furrer on Switzerland. I was able to see him in the flesh in the Canada vs. Switzerland exhibition here in Winnipeg. And then again in the relegation round in Grand Forks vs. Slovakia. He was a fairly smooth skater. He made a very good first pass. Had a good physical presence. He also looked fairly poised out there. I would say he was by far Switzerland's most "professional" player on the ice.

Another was Konstantin Zakharov on Belarus. I was able to see him play vs. Germany in the relegation round. He had a good tournament with 5 points (3G-2A). In that game vs. Germany he was definitely the best player on the ice. Andrei Kostsitsyn was inactive in that game. Zahkarov was player of the game in that game.

Zakharov did have a fine game against Germany but he was extra invisible against the US in a big game. His father was none too pleased according to TSN.