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

[Finlandia WOAT]

Defensively, Murphy reminds me of Corvo. Too much watching and relying on athleticism/skating.

Offensively, though, Murphy (based on this one game I have seen him) is on a different level. He and Morgan Rielly are the only Canadian players who have successfully been able to skate with (and on occasion better than) the Americans. His vision and decision making seems better: MUrphy will wait to see if he has options before putting the pointless wrister on goalies chestguard.

/homer for Murphy

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

good game, team only showed up in the third didn't deserve the only goal they got let alone the win

 

[Boats Ahoes]

Rielly solo rush + weak wrister at goalie: "Excellent play, great effort"
Murphy solo rush + weak wrister at goalie: "Ugh, why isn't Rielly in?"

The main board is too much

 

[Lucky Lindy]

Now we hope for Sweden and Rask to win against Russia!

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

I got yelled at for posting the Team America theme. So I'll make do with my 2nd favorite "rub it in" music,,,,,,, :}

 

[geehaad]

So the Americans can't hold the Canadians' jock, yet win 5-1.

 

[nobuddy]

So proud of Team USA

 

[DaleCooper]

Woke up this morning, saw score, thought to myself "I wonder if HF will be scapegoating Murphy for the loss." Yep.

 

[DaveG]

Sweden - US gold medal game

US really seems to have come on the last 3 games here. The offense that was dormant vs Russia and in the first Canada game is generating a lot of scoring chances.

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!

I still think we have systemic issues going forward, but it's obvious where establishing our own national identity as a team and where the NTDP is proving to be a big asset. The issue isn't so much at this level or even the U-17 level, but the levels below it where the problem comes up. The just win mentality leads to inferior talent in the long run since superior talents may be overlooked for development since they can't help in the short term, but the everyone deserves a trophy mentality might actually be even worse. I'm not sure what the solution is long term to this, as it's not in the nature of US sports programs to develop players from a young age to turn them into pro level talents. We rely on other programs to do so, which is rather hit or miss. Not so much in that they can't develop the players, but in that the coaches are worried about being successful at their level in order to keep their own jobs. I'm not sure if you guys do hockey development the same as you do with soccer, but I do remember a couple European clubs interviewing some of the kids I was on teams with in my age group for spots in academies at about 10-12. Hell I even got talked to about it a couple times before I tore my ACL. If it is handled the same way that could in large part explain a lot of the differences we're seeing in approach.

Don't get me wrong, the US emphasis on speed can work. But there's a reason why the US beating Canada or Russia is seen as an upset, the overall talent level just isn't as deep because of the approach at younger levels of the game here.

 

[Vagrant]

Ouelette was an absoulte turnstyle out there too, which is the funny thing.... and when he was beaten it turns out that it was just a great effort by the Americans. I can't stay too mad at such inconsistent commentary, but it's tough to read sometimes when the bias is so prevalent. He's certainly a work in progress in his own zone, too often standing in front of the net waiting for something to happen there, but my goodness can the kid evade the forecheck with his skating and get off clean first passes. He certainly has that Sandis Ozolinsh vibe when he's out there in terms of everybody needing to react to his pinches, but I feel like sometimes that's a player you need.

 

[Brock Anton]

If they had Frankie Corrado, the score would have been 5-1.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Guys, I hear Ryan Murphy murders babies and frolics naked in the wood at midnight during the full moon, can anyone confirm?

 

[Brock Anton]

Guys, I hear Ryan Murphy murders babies and frolics naked in the wood at midnight during the full moon, can anyone confirm?

Yes I can, and I can also confirm that Frankie Corrado walked on water. (e5)

 

[Anton Babchuk]

Guys, I hear Ryan Murphy murders babies and frolics naked in the wood at midnight during the full moon, can anyone confirm?

Unfortunately this is all true. He is a sick, sick, person.

 

[Brock Anton]

Unfortunately this is all true. He is a sick, sick, person.

Shall we kill him?

 

[Anton Babchuk]

Shall we kill him?

We should not stoop to his level. A trade to Buffalo should suffice.

 

[Swag Surf Aho]

We should not stoop to his level. A trade to Buffalo should suffice.

Murphy for Grigorenko.

 

[bleedgreen]

Sweden - US gold medal game

US really seems to have come on the last 3 games here. The offense that was dormant vs Russia and in the first Canada game is generating a lot of scoring chances.



I still think we have systemic issues going forward, but it's obvious where establishing our own national identity as a team and where the NTDP is proving to be a big asset. The issue isn't so much at this level or even the U-17 level, but the levels below it where the problem comes up. The just win mentality leads to inferior talent in the long run since superior talents may be overlooked for development since they can't help in the short term, but the everyone deserves a trophy mentality might actually be even worse. I'm not sure what the solution is long term to this, as it's not in the nature of US sports programs to develop players from a young age to turn them into pro level talents. We rely on other programs to do so, which is rather hit or miss. Not so much in that they can't develop the players, but in that the coaches are worried about being successful at their level in order to keep their own jobs. I'm not sure if you guys do hockey development the same as you do with soccer, but I do remember a couple European clubs interviewing some of the kids I was on teams with in my age group for spots in academies at about 10-12. Hell I even got talked to about it a couple times before I tore my ACL. If it is handled the same way that could in large part explain a lot of the differences we're seeing in approach.

Don't get me wrong, the US emphasis on speed can work. But there's a reason why the US beating Canada or Russia is seen as an upset, the overall talent level just isn't as deep because of the approach at younger levels of the game here.

We teach systems over skill. Winning over fundamentals of skating and puck handling. Having the usndt has improved us, but like you say it's younger grassroots hockey that needs to be more focused if we hope to truly catch the other top nations. We have improved in our methods though, and I think we are going in the right direction generally.

Still a great day for USA hockey. Bitter angry Canadians make my day a little brighter. It'll be a long year for America's hat.

 

[Vagrant]

The problem with USA hockey prior to the ages of the developmental program is that the talent pool is far too diluted in certain areas. Kids are playing against inferior competition at home and if they don't move to Canada then they are at a disadvantage. Even Minnesota High School hockey is a farce compared to the Junior programs in Canada. Better players, less miles between them, better coaching and competition as a result. There isn't a centralized area of great hockey at those levels and sometimes economic realities dictate that a family can't follow the dreams of their 11 year old hockey prodigy. Players coming from nontraditional locales is only making this worse. How much can you really work on alone?

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Murphy for Grigorenko.

I'd rather trade for Derek Roy Williams tbh. He coaches basketball nearby anyway I believe.

 

[DaveG]

The problem with USA hockey prior to the ages of the developmental program is that the talent pool is far too diluted in certain areas. Kids are playing against inferior competition at home and if they don't move to Canada then they are at a disadvantage. Even Minnesota High School hockey is a farce compared to the Junior programs in Canada. Better players, less miles between them, better coaching and competition as a result. There isn't a centralized area of great hockey at those levels and sometimes economic realities dictate that a family can't follow the dreams of their 11 year old hockey prodigy. Players coming from nontraditional locales is only making this worse. How much can you really work on alone?

Speaking of which, that's one of the things McBain's dad is actually trying to do with hockey in Minnesota. He WANTS to establish regional programs for Middle and High School aged players to have access to better coaching and training rather then relying on what they have now. Thing is, it's like trying to mess with basketball in Indiana, or football in Texas. Hockey's just so ingrained in its setup there that it's going to be a huge uphill battle. Not to say whether mr McBain is right in his approach, all depends on how it's handled, how much it costs, and what that means for access for players of limited means. Not that most hockey players aren't from upper-middle class families in the US anyway, it's just that players can and will still come from much more modest means given the opportunity.

 

[Swag Surf Aho]

I'd rather trade for Derek Roy Williams tbh. He coaches basketball nearby anyway I believe.

They traded Roy during the offseason, in which case I don't think Buffalo wants anybody touching their Ott. Besides, Im not sure I would trade Murphy for Grigs anyway.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Toronto will win a cup in 2017. Led Zepplin told me so. (at least I think that's the right band. There is a song tho )

 

[DaleCooper]

Murphy had a goal and two assists in the loss this morning, but had Nichushkin go around him like a turnstile in overtime for the winner.

 

[nobuddy]

Gold.