Prospect Info: WJC 2021 part 4: Gold Medal Game

[Rapala]

The US kinda owns us in Gold Medal games. 4-1 since the 2000's. They just show up and we don't.

This is why I prefer getting them in the earlier elimination games.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Our PP would have been so much better with Laf taking over McMichael's role. AINEC

Agreed. When Dach went down, I was thinking about who would be our most skilled forward. Lots to like in that group but I did have a hunch about sniping ability that a guy like Lafreniere has. Lafreniere scores on that breakaway late in the 3rd. McMicheal tried his best. Work ethic was not an issue. Negative energy was. When that happens, you need a Lafreniere to break it open. Lundell with the Fins had a great tournament.

Byfield to me is like an E Kane at center. Huge body that skates well and has some offensive skills but I don't consider them top end skill. Byfield is only 18 so we need to give him a break but I just don't see him being a legit 1C. I think he had to adjust cause at the WJC, he plays against other players that are big and strong and skate well too but in the CHL, he gets to dominate 16 and 17 year olds over the course of the season. I think Byfield takes time before we get to see his top potential after he turns pro

Cozens did well but I question his vision. There was a 2/1 opportunity in the 3rd and he completely didn't see it. Great piece to have in the 200' game though. He's going to be a great guy to have down low, along the boards, and on faceoffs. Good skating for a big guy

Byram is a great skater but did he look as good offensively like Chabot did at age 19?

Who was our best sniper? Perfetti?

What an annoying game to watch. Felt like I was watching a Habs game from last year lol

 

[Revansky]

Caufield was solid defensively tonight, he remained committed in his own end and didn't cheat for offense.. we all would have loved for him to cash in on more of his chances and be up there with Zegras for points but you can't hate on the progression.. he's better defensively, he creates his own offense more, his playmaking is better, his hands are better, his skating is better.. he just didn't hit the hot streak that snipers like him generally need to go on a heater.

And Berniers was the worst center possible for Cole. His tunnel vision killed a lof of plays even if Berniers showed great defensive and possesion skills.

 

[Hins77]

And Berniers was the worst center possible for Cole. His tunnel vision killed a lof of plays even if Berniers showed great defensive and possesion skills.

Beniers made a pass always when he was in trouble. I really dislike to play with that kind of guy cause most the time. These pass are not accuerate. Like you said, he is not a bad player, but his style of play (north/south) is not a good to complete with a sniper like caufield

 

[Hins77]

Agreed. When Dach went down, I was thinking about who would be our most skilled forward. Lots to like in that group but I did have a hunch about sniping ability that a guy like Lafreniere has. Lafreniere scores on that breakaway late in the 3rd. McMicheal tried his best. Work ethic was not an issue. Negative energy was. When that happens, you need a Lafreniere to break it open. Lundell with the Fins had a great tournament.

Byfield to me is like an E Kane at center. Huge body that skates well and has some offensive skills but I don't consider them top end skill. Byfield is only 18 so we need to give him a break but I just don't see him being a legit 1C. I think he had to adjust cause at the WJC, he plays against other players that are big and strong and skate well too but in the CHL, he gets to dominate 16 and 17 year olds over the course of the season. I think Byfield takes time before we get to see his top potential after he turns pro

Cozens did well but I question his vision. There was a 2/1 opportunity in the 3rd and he completely didn't see it. Great piece to have in the 200' game though. He's going to be a great guy to have down low, along the boards, and on faceoffs. Good skating for a big guy

Byram is a great skater but did he look as good offensively like Chabot did at age 19?

Who was our best sniper? Perfetti?

What an annoying game to watch. Felt like I was watching a Habs game from last year lol

Imo their best sniper was Tomasino imo. He didnt play as much as i would like. He was able to shot and to be accurate on full speed.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Imo their best sniper was Tomasino imo. He didnt play as much as i would like. He was able to shot and to be accurate on full speed.

Yes, he did snipe a few during the tournament. Honestly, the road to the gold medal game for Canada was not as battle tested as the US. What we needed was a scare against the Russians in the semi's.

Watching that game was frustrating. Work ethic was there but it was negative energy to not make a mistake IMO. US got the lead and forced us to the outside and because we lacked snippers, it was difficult cause most shots were at Knight's chest. Kind of like the Habs last year. Snipping ability is required in the mix of a team and I felt Canada lacked those pieces. Lots of great players no doubt but more of the same types.

 

[SOLR]

Schneider was something like 5 days away from the 2019 draft so the direct comparable really isn’t there. He looks like a solid NHL player but is more in the realm of a Chiarot, which isn’t what we were looking for at 15.

Guhle bests him in nearly every other category, while being a birth year behind. I’ll take Guhle today and in the future.

Also, one game never “shows” anything - it’s just that - one game, out of thousands some of these guys will play.

It's not "just one game". Read a bit more carefully. This is something that I was aware of for 2+ years. It's not going to get fixed. Schneider will always be better under pressure.

Guhle will become a huge man vs. Schneider. Just don't expect Guhle to scale up like Schneider can for limited periods.

 

[SOLR]

I like the Guhle pick and don't regret them taking him. But before the draft, I was asking if there is a difference between picking Guhle or picking Schneider at 16.

We knew Drysdale and Sanderson were going to be the two first defensemen taken. After them it was between Guhle and Schneider. So I was asking if there is enough of a difference to pick one over the other. And the reason I asked is because Schneider is RD, which is the less deep side of the D in the pipeline.

We know we have LD's with experience on the right side like Romanov, Harris, and Norlinder to name a few. But in the pipeline, there are Juulsen, Fleury, and Brook as natural RD's. And Juulsen has his injury history. So I was wondering if Schneider would be the better choice because of need.

I had Schneider at 9, still do. Guhle around 20. Because where some see "development to be had" I see things that can't be developed much (IQ).