wealthmanager said:
"abject failures?"
First of all, there isn't a team anywhere that could gel with Bertuzzi.
Second of all, the team would have all sorts of chemistry with guys like Phaneuf, stall and Crosby out there because you know they would be going nuts on the ice and it would rub off on the team.
Don't you think Phaneuf throwing one of his monster hits would pump up the team. All Bertuzzi does is pull on the back of guys jerseys and take dumb penalties.
Hockey is Hockey. Basically when you say they should take the most experienced guys you are saying they should take the players who aren't as good, but because of their reputation they should be in.
Pathetic, really.
I don't think you're reading, or able to comprehend my points. I said teams that have ditched their veterans in the past have failed. Refute it. Name me a team that has succeeded with that strategy.
Throwing a big hit is much harder on international ice than regulation NHL ice. It's also much harder when you're facing non-junior players. Phaneuf would struggle to throw big hits. He'd have to adjust his game to rubbing players out along the boards, finishing his checks, strong positional play, etc. Still important contributions from a defenceman, but he wouldn't be throwing the big hits.
In the end, how does Staal change the fact that this team is struggling to play as a team? He doesn't. How does he change this team's perennial struggles to adjust to the international rules? He wouldn't. Staal has never played for Canada at the international level.
If anything, this needs one or two guys who are seasoned playing at the international level for Canada, someone like an Yzerman or a Kariya, or well-versed at playing on the big ice, who has spent the last few years playing in Europe.
When I say they should take the most experienced guys, I'm saying they should take the guys who have been there before, who have won before, and who have been good enough to win before. I don't know about you, but at this point in history, in a short tournament like this, I'd rather have a tried, tested and true winner like Ryan Smyth, who can play in all situations, and bring leadership (only fools underestimate the value of leadership), than Staal, a franchise player in the making, but who needs to play in a World Championship or two, since he never had the opportunity to play the international game as a junior.
This team is 2-2 with back-to-back shutout losses with Eric Staal. Staal is not be the cure for Canada's problems.
