GDT: WJC - Victor Rask (SWE) and Ryan Murphy (CAN)

Lucky Lindy

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Jun 24, 2012
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DaveG: Very interesting to read about the development in the US, here in Sweden we don't know so much about the development in other countries. We had a "crisis" 8-9 years ago, when we played in the relegation two straight years. After that, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association made som changes, like educate more coaches and invested to make it so good as possible for our talents. Today we can see the results, with many medals and players that goes early in the draft. Also, many clubs play juniors instead of buying in players from Finland/Czech/North America, which wasn't the case for 8-9 years ago. But if the Association wouldn't made the changes, I think we would have been where the Czechs has been for the last years.

Sorry for the off topic, will be fun to see the rest of the tournament now. Go Sweden!
 
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Cardiac Jerks

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Jan 13, 2006
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I get that you guys are defending one of our own, but Murphy has been pretty darn bad in this tournament. Horrendous in his own end at times and he's not creating anything offensively. He has his own junior coach giving him tons of ice time on the pp and he is the only Canadian defenseman without a single point in the tournament despite being on the first pp and having the most shots on net. He was brought to produce on the pp but he is not doing the one thing expected of him. I had high hopes for him in this tournament but he is standing out for all the wrong reasons. Not going to give up on him based off of one tournament but it's certainly not encouraging.
 
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Joe McGrath

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So what your telling me is Murphy is Tanabe 2.0? Spectacular.

Perhaps he can be coached into being a stud because he's clearly got the talent. Ofcourse when Corvo is given the newly created position of offensive defensive coordinator after he retires things could take a turn for the worse.
 
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bleedgreen

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Murphy's a stud with the puck. It's when he doesn't that you'd be worried about. The bobble pass I think everyone is referring to was a puck that Murphy sent to Hamilton that was bouncing and Hamilton sent it back before it settled while they were under pressure along the line on the pp. Hopped on smurf, and trickled over the line. He was actually all over it, it just got over the line. Honestly he did well to catch it at all. He definitely doesn't look like he's playing hot potato. Just one bad bounce. Haters gotta hate. He hasn't really clicked with the team, as he tends to be a solo creater and this tourney is about blending quickly and giving up your solo stuff for team cohesion. Not his strong suit. He's a guy you just let loose and try to find people who quickly adapt and benefit from him.

I'm lookin forward to skinner and smurf together.
 
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Vagrant

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And drouin has arguably become the most dangerous offensive prospect in the draft. Dangles. Clutch. The giroux comparison is pretty legit.

Should be interesting to see if the Kane/Gagner situation applies here. Scouts being unsure if Drouin is being elevated by MacKinnon in Halifax. The WJC will do a strong job of dispelling that myth, but you can't help but wonder. I don't think a single player draft eligible did more for his stock than Drouin. Barkov was largely human and MacKinnon didn't get the icetime. Jones.... well let's just say I was never a fan of him to start. Too much "promise", so much of it left wanting.
 
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bleedgreen

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Should be interesting to see if the Kane/Gagner situation applies here. Scouts being unsure if Drouin is being elevated by MacKinnon in Halifax. The WJC will do a strong job of dispelling that myth, but you can't help but wonder. I don't think a single player draft eligible did more for his stock than Drouin. Barkov was largely human and MacKinnon didn't get the icetime. Jones.... well let's just say I was never a fan of him to start. Too much "promise", so much of it left wanting.

Jones is a hot mess out there. So raw. Gangly, bobbles the puck constantly, and makes poor choices. Great athleticism though.

Yeah drouin has elevated himself right past Mac in this tourney. The need for a dangerous winger exceesing the need for another capable center. Doing a lot to stand in his own. If you were picking today it would be a tough choice. Would come down to whether you needed a center or not, cuz drouin looks notably more dangerous offensively at this point. To be fair Mac hasn't been able to play as much.
 
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Vagrant

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Jones is a hot mess out there. So raw. Gangly, bobbles the puck constantly, and makes poor choices. Great athleticism though.

Yeah drouin has elevated himself right past Mac in this tourney. The need for a dangerous winger exceesing the need for another capable center. Doing a lot to stand in his own. If you were picking today it would be a tough choice. Would come down to whether you needed a center or not, cuz drouin looks notably more dangerous offensively at this point. To be fair Mac hasn't been able to play as much.

At the end of the day, it's still McKinnon for me. I wasn't really expecting a hell of a lot out of either guy this tournament, but Drouin has been perhaps the best draft eligible Team Canada guy I have seen in quite some time.... however, McKinnon's body of work is hard to ignore.
 
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DaveG

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Drouin's making himself a serious candidate for the #2 overall pick. I don't think Mac is going anywhere but #1 at this point, but I'm getting the impression that the top pick in this draft is going to be like it was in 04. Ovechkin was the obvious pick years in advance, and did nothing to disprove that notion, but then Malkin came along and made getting the #2 pick just as nice an option as #1.
 
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bleedgreen

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I'd pretty much always go with the center regardless, much more important to have that position settled over wing. Get an elite winger, you still have to find an expensive center for him. Agreed Mac is a more known quantity at this point.
 
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DaveG

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Oh we have a shot, of all the teams left we've shown more then anyone that we can hang with Canada. But I'll be surprised if it happens. But with Gibson in net anything can happen.
 
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Finlandia WOAT

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May 23, 2010
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Watching the U.S- Canada game right now. Great so far!!!

Despite the hatred on the Main Board, Murphy has only been on the ice for 1 (of the 4 scored at the end of the second) goal against Team Canada. On that play (from my recollection), his partner either got caught deep or went for a change, and Murphy was left with a 2 on 1. The America skated behind Murphy, and Ryan did a good job of blocking the passing lane (whether by amazing vision or dumb luck I can not say without watching the highlight).

The American, his passing lane cut off, then wrists a wicked shot over the shoulder of Subban. And somehow, this is Murphy's fault.

Having said that, Murphy had a boneheaded series at the end of the second. He went to intercept a pass a la McBain, but got burned when he tried to move it up which lead to a 2 on 1 (and America nearly scored). He then got caught deep, and was behind the play which lead to another glorious scoring opportunity for the Americans.

From this game, it seems that Spott has put Murphy in charge of both guarding the net/slot area and leading the breakout. He's asking Murphy to take the most defensive and offensive responsibility. I can't begrudge because he knows more about Murphy than anyone else, but Ryan is getting manhandled out there. The only way he can start a fast break and use his skating (God reached down into Ryan Murphy's cradle and gifted him this) is if he can break up the play in the middle, where America keeps sending size. So he either starts the break when the U.S. has set up their smothering defense, or he doesn't skate it up at all.

Also, Murphy looks a lot bigger than some of the other players on Team Canada. Growth spurt?

Conclusion: I wouldn't put much stock into Murphy's poor play. To me, he is being put in a position that does not play to his strengths.
 
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