Team Canada Report Card

[Dr.Sens(e)]

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/WorldCup/2004/08/25/602145-cp.html

I take it the forwards not mentioned were pretty quiet, and thus deserved a lower grade, but that is just an assumption. An interesting read just the same.

Click to read more...

 

[cfrancis]

Forwards not mentioned did not play.

Maltby, Draper and Gagne did not dress.

 

[bennysflyers16]

I have watched 2 games now, and here is my assesment :

My Lines for The tourney :

1. Richards-Lemieux-St.Louis
2. Iginla-Sakic-Gagne
3. Heatly-Thornton-Smyth
4. Maltby-Draper-Doan

Extras. Lecavalier, Morrow, Marleau

Reasons for each line:

1. Last night they looked out of time at first, but started to get it going.
2. Instant chemistry, by far the best line at olympics, MUST stay together.
3. Pure power line, will be tough to contain.
4. Going to need a checking line and penalty killers. Played great at World Championships !

Extras; Morrow-Looked ABSOLUTELY terrible last night, If he plays on Tuesday I will Rush the Bench.
Marleau-Also, looked bad with Sakic, Line was invisible. Will battle for Smyth's spot.
Lecavalier- Odd man out at Center, No point having a center playing wing, Only solution is to put Lemieux on wing with Thornton and insert Vinny with Tampa Bay line !

Montreal here I Come !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

I would move Lecavalier to the third line and put Smyth to the fourth line, and take Maltby out. He was horrbile in the first game, and we won without him against the same team.

 

[bert]

I was at the game last night and Lecavalier was the best forward on the ice, he has to be in the top 9. Lecavalier and Heatley were looking really good together but I dont know if Smyth is the right guy to complete that line.

Thornton looked disinterested maybe if he plays with those two he will look like he wants to be there a little more.

Healthys should definatly be Morrow Maltby Gagne.

 

[bert]

I really dont agree with the assesment on defense other than Jovanovski, Brewer was very sloppy and Hannan played awesome. Redden had to keep covering up for Jovo taking some pretty massive hits.

 

[QcS]

if that 4th line plays and Vinny is forced to sit out it'll be a tragedy.

 

[bennysflyers16]

if that 4th line plays and Vinny is forced to sit out it'll be a tragedy.

Why pick those clowns ( Draper,Maltby) if they were not intended to play ???? That would be puzzling,,,,, We don't want Lecavlier to be a checker, so which Center does he replace ???????

 

[bennysflyers16]

I was at the game last night and Lecavalier was the best forward on the ice, he has to be in the top 9. Lecavalier and Heatley were looking really good together but I dont know if Smyth is the right guy to complete that line.

Thornton looked disinterested maybe if he plays with those two he will look like he wants to be there a little more.

Healthys should definatly be Morrow Maltby Gagne.

The way Gagne,Iginla, & Sakic played in the Olympics, IT would be crazy to not keep that line together !!!!!!

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

I was at the game last night and Lecavalier was the best forward on the ice, he has to be in the top 9. Lecavalier and Heatley were looking really good together but I dont know if Smyth is the right guy to complete that line.

Thornton looked disinterested maybe if he plays with those two he will look like he wants to be there a little more.

Healthys should definatly be Morrow Maltby Gagne.

Exactly. Thortnon and HEatley played well together on Monday, and to put Lecavalier on that line would help all three. I also agree with the scratches.

 

[bennysflyers16]

I would move Lecavalier to the third line and put Smyth to the fourth line, and take Maltby out. He was horrbile in the first game, and we won without him against the same team.

This is also a very viable option , But could some Tampa fans enlighten us if Vinny can play the wing Efectively , if not, put a natural winger at wing .

 

[big_steve]

I would also like a Lecavalier-Thornton-Heatley line but I would also like to know from a Tampa fan how Lecavalier plays on the wing. Slam! said Smyth created space for Heatley & Lecavalier but I know Thornton could do that as well, plus he's a better set-up man then Smyth.

I can't wait till Saturday to actually get to see a game .

 

[Dr.Sens(e)]

Both Lecavalier and Thornton on the same line doesn't seem to make sense, as both are natural centers and have never really played on the wing. Better to spread them out anyway.

 

[Oceanic39*]

This is also a very viable option , But could some Tampa fans enlighten us if Vinny can play the wing Efectively , if not, put a natural winger at wing .

Hard to say. He's never played wing in his time in Tampa. I take that back... his first year as an 18-year-old he may have started out on a wing, but that was so long ago, it only lasted a few games if any, and he's a completely different player now. If he and Richards are ever put on the same line (it happened late in both the Philly and Calgary series), Lecavalier stayed at center and Richards moved. Same as in Rimouski.

What about the idea of moving Lecavalier in place of Thornton, and decide between Thornton and Draper as a checking center?

It sounds like Vinny's carried over his strong play since the Montreal series. In fact, since January (minus the Isles series) when St. Louis was put on his line. It'd be a shame to have him sit if his play is good enough to pass Thornton for a non-checking center position just because he's technically an alternate.

Whatever's best, though.

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

Hard to say. He's never played wing in his time in Tampa. I take that back... his first year as an 18-year-old he may have started out on a wing, but that was so long ago, it only lasted a few games if any, and he's a completely different player now. If he and Richards are ever put on the same line (it happened late in both the Philly and Calgary series), Lecavalier stayed at center and Richards moved. Same as in Rimouski.

What about the idea of moving Lecavalier in place of Thornton, and decide between Thornton and Draper as a checking center?

It sounds like Vinny's carried over his strong play since the Montreal series. In fact, since January (minus the Isles series) when St. Louis was put on his line. It'd be a shame to have him sit if his play is good enough to pass Thornton for a non-checking center position just because he's technically an alternate.

Whatever's best, though.

The way I see it, we can't afford to have either Lecavalier or Thornton sit in the pressbox.

 

[deathbear]

PLAY VINNY. i don't even care where, but to not play him after yesterday would be ridiculous.

 

[arrbez]

of the natural centres on the team:

lemieux, thornton, sakic, marleau, lecavalier, richards, draper

who among them has played wing before at a high level?

 

[Oceanic39*]

Richards has played maybe 25-35 shifts in the last two years on the wing - including the playoffs and not including PP time where things are a little different. Vinny has taken 0 shifts at wing at regular strength.

Richards has already been taken care of, though.

It comes down to Vinny vs. Thornton, doesn't it?

Lemieux and Sakic are going to play and you need a defensive specialist like Draper to go head-to-head with the Sundin's and Modano's of the tournament.

On a normal day I'd say take Thornton, easy, but it seems to me the different directions both went in the playoffs have stayed with them. (note: this is from first-hand WC accounts, reports, and listening over the 'net - I haven't seen either game so far)

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

Richards has played maybe 25-35 shifts in the last two years on the wing - including the playoffs and not including PP time where things are a little different. Vinny has taken 0 shifts at wing at regular strength.

Richards has already been taken care of, though.

It comes down to Vinny vs. Thornton, doesn't it?

Lemieux and Sakic are going to play and you need a defensive specialist like Draper to go head-to-head with the Sundin's and Modano's of the tournament.

Draper wasn't good at all in the first game. This is how I see it: Thornton played very well with Heatley on Monday and was tossed off that line to play on the fourth with Morrow and Doan. Since Canada won without Draper and Maltby, one has to think if the -3 that both Maltby and Draper had tells more than just stats.

 

[Bill McNeal]

of the natural centres on the team:

lemieux, thornton, sakic, marleau, lecavalier, richards, draper

who among them has played wing before at a high level?

Lemieux is a great left winger and will probably play that position this tournament.

I think Sakic has played some wing when paired with Forsberg in Colorado, but he's usually center. Probably should keep him as center on the top line.

I think Richards has played some wing, but don't quote me on that. Thornton and Lecavalier are best left at center IMO.

 

[habsfan19]

Vinny beats Thornton is last night's play is any indication, but Joe could come back if he plays Saturday and have a great game, and Vinny sub-par game, who knows what they will decide

 

[Oceanic39*]

Can Thornton play shut-down center if needed?

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

Can Thornton play shut-down center if needed?

Possibly with Morrow and Doan. That could be a very physical line if needed.

Sure Joe didn't play well last night, but I thought that his line was very good on Monday.

 

[bennysflyers16]

Draper was picked to be the checking center, PERIOD ! I, and probably most people don't want Thornton or Vinny as a checker, they are not as good as Draper in that role. There are going to be good players sitting, one of those 2 , I beleive will be the odd center out. One solution would be to put the T'Bay boys together and have Mario ( Did you eat your Chunky Soup ) on wing with Thornton and Heatly!
The T'Bay boys would have a natural chemisrty, combine that with Sakic Olympic line, and that would give us 2 lines that don't need time to feel each other out !
Morrow, Maltby, and Marleau sit !

 

[Dr.Sens(e)]

It's certainly an option to move Lemieux to the left wing, leaving Sakic, Thornton, Lecavalier and Draper as the four centermen. Richards and Marleau can certainly play the wing (should they want Marleau to dress).

There are options, and dressing both Vince and Joe seems to be one to consider. Mario is very comfortable on the wing, but that would change things up, as you'd have to break up Mario's current line if neither Richards or Lemieux are playing center. We'll probably know if this is an option being considered by the line-up on Saturday.