U18: TEAM CANADA

[New User Name]

Very impressed with this team through the first 2 periods. Hope they can keep it up.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

This is one of the stronger Canadian lineups at U18 in a number of years.

 

[jj cale]

That was a nice move by Alexis. Hope Montréal has a chance to draft him in 2020

God I would love that!!

 

[jj cale]

Very impressed with this team through the first 2 periods. Hope they can keep it up.

Where are you getting to watch this?

 

[New User Name]

Where are you getting to watch this?

TSN

 

[jj cale]

TSN

Thanks a million!!

I thought they were only showing it on those tsn2-3 channels which I don't get, pissed I basically missed the game but at least now I know I can get their games going forward.

 

[jj cale]

Way to go boys!!

The U.S has such a massive advantage going into this tournament every year, a bit like the old soviet days in comparison so it's so nice to see we can still throw a team together with no prep time with the best we have available and still beat them with our higher talent/skill level some years.

 

[New User Name]

Canada played a pretty good game against a very gifted offensive team.

 

[New User Name]

Way to go boys!!

The U.S has such a massive advantage going into this tournament every year, a bit like the old soviet days in comparison so it's so nice to see we can still throw a team together with no prep time with the best we have available and still beat them with our higher talent/skill level some years.

I agree, I really didn't expect we'd win. But obviously glad we did.

 

[bert]

What a great hockey game, all the stars came out to play. Its funny that this is exactly the type of game people on HF should be watching. But hardly anyone is, if you like prospects this was about as good as it gets.

Lafrenier, Hughes, Wahlstrom, Foudy, Lavoie, Farabee all had great games and showed why they are all elite prospects.

 

[jj cale]

What a great hockey game, all the stars came out to play. Its funny that this is exactly the type of game people on HF should be watching. But hardly anyone is, if you like prospects this was about as good as it gets.

Lafrenier, Hughes, Wahlstrom, Foudy, Lavoie, Farabee all had great games and showed why they are all elite prospects.

what did you think about Lafreniere? would be interested to hear your opinions on the kids game.

 

[Alberta tough]

Lots to like out of this game. I thought the younger players were the best Lafreniere, Lavoie, and Byram.
And a lot to work on as well. Smith and Thomas were particularly bad.
This team should get a lot stronger as the tournament goes on.

 

[jj cale]

Well, I just saw Lafrenieres goal.................pretty sweet!!

 

[1Gold Standard]

Well, I just saw Lafrenieres goal.................pretty sweet!!

just as I predicted with my morning coffee - a serious gold medal contending team. TC is still waiting for players to arrive, and should have a full roster for tomorrow's game. but they gutted out a character win today. didn't see the game, but did manage to get a glimpse of Lafreniere's beauty snipe. I think he's the real deal.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

Lots to like out of this game. I thought the younger players were the best Lafreniere, Lavoie, and Byram.
And a lot to work on as well. Smith and Thomas were particularly bad.
This team should get a lot stronger as the tournament goes on.

I found Smith to be the best defenseman for Canada.

 

[jj cale]

just as I predicted with my morning coffee - a serious gold medal contending team. TC is still waiting for players to arrive, and should have a full roster for tomorrow's game. but they gutted out a character win today. didn't see the game, but did manage to get a glimpse of Lafreniere's beauty snipe. I think he's the real deal.

It's about time we get a potential Quebec French supernova player, I dearly miss those guys. I am pretty high on this kid.

Lafreniere to the Montreal Canadiens, make it happen N.H.L

 

[Dominance]

Someone please provide a short recap of the game...even just a scoring report.

 

[Alberta tough]

Someone please provide a short recap of the game...even just a scoring report.

For me I thought the US overall were a bit better (the US had more Ozone time then Canada). Canada also looked jet lagged to me. Canada's PP was not very good (this should improve over the course of the tourney and with Veleno's addition).
Players I liked
Lafreniere
Lavoie
Foudy
Dellandrea
Byram
Bahl

Players who struggled
Thomas
Smith
MacIsaac

Like I said in a different post this team should get stronger as the tournament goes on which bodes well for a shot at a medal.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Byram really stood out for me. Really impressive for an under aged defensemen.

 

[Brock]

I found Smith to be the best defenseman for Canada.

I would agree with @Alberta tough. I thought Smith was possibly the worst player on the ice today. I think I counted 10 defensive zone turnovers. Luckily only one directly resulted in a goal, but it was the game tying Jack Hughes one.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

I would agree with @Alberta tough. I thought Smith was possibly the worst player on the ice today. I think I counted 10 defensive zone turnovers. Luckily only one directly resulted in a goal, but it was the game tying Jack Hughes one.

I think he was arguably the most efficient offensively and defensively among defenders. Yes he had a few turnovers but most of the time he was so quick on reading the play that he got the puck right back. He reads the play better than most prospects I've ever see at this age.

For ever turnover, he stops 2 plays. He was also quite good at making the first pass and was smart on the PP and rushing the puck.

McIsaac was by far the worst D-man for me.

 

[BigRangy]

Liked more than I expected to:

Hillis
McShane
Noel
Wouters

Liked about as much as I expected to:

Lafrenière
Tychonick
Bahl


Didn't like:

McIsaac
Thomas

Expected more from:

Fonstad
Smith

Rest of the players were just sort of there imo, not great but not bad

 

[JK2K]

Noel was tremendously disappointing. All pp time and was not at all a factor or physical.

Others I was not impressed by:
Wouters
Tychonic
Smith
Thomas
Mcisaac

Impressed by:
Merkley (on pp)
Byram
Lafreniere
McBain (on pk)
Foudy

Others were ok.
US looked liked they have played together for a long time..... oh wait....

 

[bert]

what did you think about Lafreniere? would be interested to hear your opinions on the kids game.

He isn't a hard player to scout lol. He's clearly a superstar in the making his individual skill really stands out. Great body and spacial awareness, isn't afraid to take the puck to the net. Elite offensive instincts. Skating is decent not sure if it will ever be a strength compared to his other skills but it won't hurt him.

I thought Noel was Ok, he had a really good shift in the third that showed his size and power he made confident plays with the puck down the stretch of the game.

 

[jj cale]

He isn't a hard player to scout lol. He's clearly a superstar in the making his individual skill really stands out. Great body and spacial awareness, isn't afraid to take the puck to the net. Elite offensive instincts. Skating is decent not sure if it will ever be a strength compared to his other skills but it won't hurt him.

I thought Noel was Ok, he had a really good shift in the third that showed his size and power he made confident plays with the puck down the stretch of the game.

Much appreciated!!

Looking forward to seeing this kid develop, I am hoping if things can continue to progress he can become a Matthews type level prospect when his draft day comes. That is asking a lot but next season should tell us a lot about whether he can be in that tier.