2013 WJC Thread - USA! USA! USA!

[Dipsy Doodle]

Canada’s three best players for the tournament as named by the International Ice Hockey Federation were Nugent-Hopkins, Mark Scheifele and defenceman Scott Harrington.

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/sports/archives/2013/01/20130105-084325.html

Pretty impressive considering all the other highly-touted talent on the team.

 

[Jacob]

I'm pretty sure every single team USA player sang "for the ramparts we watched.."

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Forsberg and Trouba huh.

Trouba for sure. Not really sure where the Forsberg selection came from. He was maybe the 3rd/4th best forward on just Sweden for the entire tournament -- had a good game against Russia but that was the only time he did anything of note.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

TNot really sure where the Forsberg selection came from. He was maybe the 3rd/4th best forward on just Sweden for the entire tournament -- had a good game against Russia but that was the only time he did anything of note.

He was always very good when I saw him - strong, fast, skilled, responsible. The worst I could say about him is that he was snakebit when it came to actually putting the puck in the net.

 

[td_ice]

I'm pretty sure every single team USA player sang "for the ramparts we watched.."

You gotta those damn ramparts, or all hell breaks loose.

 

[Antaris]

whatever

I find the title offensive

**** this, **** that **** everything.

********.

goddamnit that tying goal was a softie, jesus.

 

[Antaris]

Ah who am I kidding. USA deserved the win.


It was a really great game.










But still...

****

 

[ColePens]

Ah who am I kidding. USA deserved the win.


It was a really great game.




But still...

****

I thought Sweden was great and well-coached until they entered the offensive zone. Once they entered the o-zone, it was like watching a new team. They tried to dangle and get clean shots, but that's not how the game is played. They could have cycled and thrown the puck to the net for some weak goals. I thought it was there for the taking. The rest of their game is incredible. Great neutral zone play. They held USA, who I believe was the best transition team in the tourney, for a long time. They also worked the d-zone well. Any time USA's defense tried to activate, they were covered.

What are your thoughts on that? I don't watch too much of them so I was just wondering if that was a consistent issue?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

The best thing about winning the tournament is how crazy it drives patriotic/xenophobic Canadians.

Sorry Sweden got caught in the crossfire, Antaris.

 

[Antaris]

I thought Sweden was great and well-coached until they entered the offensive zone. Once they entered the o-zone, it was like watching a new team. They tried to dangle and get clean shots, but that's not how the game is played. They could have cycled and thrown the puck to the net for some weak goals. I thought it was there for the taking. The rest of their game is incredible. Great neutral zone play. They held USA, who I believe was the best transition team in the tourney, for a long time. They also worked the d-zone well. Any time USA's defense tried to activate, they were covered.

What are your thoughts on that? I don't watch too much of them so I was just wondering if that was a consistent issue?

Yeah there were definitely some breakdowns in the cycling game, some people tried to get far to cute and dangle around people. I was litteraly yelling at the TV a couple of times because of the silly moves some tried to do.
Overall there is a well established cycling game but the main offensive weapon has been speed and getting rushes to incapacitate the defense.

This is of course a high energy tactic and it comes and goes throughout a game, that's where the cycling comes in but they couldn't get that part started. Instead there was alot of fancy **** going on instead. The defense is utilized heavily for getting shots on goals and when some of the most skilled individuals (who happen to be d-men) are out due to injury this leads to a huge part of the offensive game being decimated. There were a couple of times where the shots from d-men were beautifully set up, only to have the trigger man fan on the shot or get a weak shot off. Only Wikstrand really has a fair shot.

Like you say it's too much of a chase for the perfect shot or the great spot. Throwing pucks on net and grinding it out it's just not a part of the plan. There really weren't any players on the swedish team that have that factor. Last year there were more players who could crash and bang, which lead to a few goals, but alot of offensive prowess was lost with the injured d-men

The most dangerous offensive factor, Forsberg, tried to dangle everythingl. He had at least 3 opportunities where he could throw the puck on net and create a dangerous rebound situation, because he had the left winger coming crashing down, but instead he chose to dangle and lost possession.

There is perhaps a slight psychological factor, seeing as the swedish youth team haven't won against USA since 98. Lots of nerves.

I was really impressed with how the d-core found their defensive game though. Lots of good stuff to be gathered from there.

 

[Antaris]

Sorry Sweden got caught in the crossfire, Antaris.

ahhh don't worry about it. I ain't upset.

 

[td_ice]

ahhh don't worry about it. I ain't upset.

Haha, good one Antaris.

 

[AgentM]

I am so completely out of the hockey mindset right now that I completely forgot about this game! I spent the morning watching Chelsea beat Southampton in Demba Ba's debut with the team and taking down Xmas decorations haha.

 

[Hottubber]

Just re watching the Canada Russia game and can't get enough of Brett Ritchie. Wonder what pens prospect it would take for Dallas to part with him?

 

[Darth Vitale]

Congrats to Team USA. Hopefully they didn't sing any embarrassing songs in the room afterward.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Just re watching the Canada Russia game and can't get enough of Brett Ritchie. Wonder what pens prospect it would take for Dallas to part with him?

The other half of the Goligoski Duo of Death... someone like Elmer or Dumoulin probably.

 

[jmelm]

Just re watching the Canada Russia game and can't get enough of Brett Ritchie. Wonder what pens prospect it would take for Dallas to part with him?

Brett Ritchie is an absolute beast, and he is absolutely untouchable for Dallas. He was hurt in his draft year, and that's the only reason why he slid a little bit to early in the 2nd round, as opposed to being a first-rounder.


Last playoffs, when I was scouting Niagara closely to watch Kuhnhackl, the guy who impressed me the most on that team was Brett Ritchie, and I have ZERO surprise that he is doing as well as he has this year. He is such a big body and so incredibly good on the cycle, in the boards/corners, and has great hands & finishing touch in front of the net; and basically, unless it's Chara or maybe Weber or Byfuglien going up against him, he is un-stoppable low down in the offensive zone.


Good for Dallas, though. They're a team who hasn't ever decided to "tank" and blow up the team to rebuild. They got Benn late the draft, and Ritchie in the 2nd round. I'm glad they're doing so well in that regard, and I hope they have some good luck. It's nice to see a team like that to be competitive, and while they may plateau or even get a touch worse for a bit before they get better, it will be nice to see them doing well and have a bright future, especially considering they didn't have to tank to get there.

 

[#66]

Trouba for sure. Not really sure where the Forsberg selection came from. He was maybe the 3rd/4th best forward on just Sweden for the entire tournament -- had a good game against Russia but that was the only time he did anything of note.

I never understand the Forsberg love at all.

Who leaves from Team USA next year? I have to think theres a good chance that Jones goes right into the NHL.

 

[Hottubber]

Brett Ritchie is an absolute beast, and he is absolutely untouchable for Dallas. He was hurt in his draft year, and that's the only reason why he slid a little bit to early in the 2nd round, as opposed to being a first-rounder.


Last playoffs, when I was scouting Niagara closely to watch Kuhnhackl, the guy who impressed me the most on that team was Brett Ritchie, and I have ZERO surprise that he is doing as well as he has this year. He is such a big body and so incredibly good on the cycle, in the boards/corners, and has great hands & finishing touch in front of the net; and basically, unless it's Chara or maybe Weber or Byfuglien going up against him, he is un-stoppable low down in the offensive zone.


Good for Dallas, though. They're a team who hasn't ever decided to "tank" and blow up the team to rebuild. They got Benn late the draft, and Ritchie in the 2nd round. I'm glad they're doing so well in that regard, and I hope they have some good luck. It's nice to see a team like that to be competitive, and while they may plateau or even get a touch worse for a bit before they get better, it will be nice to see them doing well and have a bright future, especially considering they didn't have to tank to get there.

Actually Dallas is decent at grabbing big powerful forwards with late first and seconds (Benn, Neal, Ritchie). There was another guy I was thinking about but can't remember.

As u stated above I also think he would be tough to get him from the stars. I'd imagine it would have to be Morrow. I'm not even too sure what Dallas organizational needs are going forward.

 

[SprootsMasterFlex]

Nichkushkin looks amazing. Literally a clone of Tarasenko except he's lefthanded and looks bigger too. I wish he was righthanded so he'd be exactly what we'd be looking for at the draft. Him and Mantha would be ideal.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I never understand the Forsberg love at all.

Who leaves from Team USA next year? I have to think theres a good chance that Jones goes right into the NHL.

He was good and I won't lie I'd love to have him in our prospect pool. But I agree there has been a couple of Swedes that were better, I was really impressed with Collberg

 

[jmelm]

Actually Dallas is decent at grabbing big powerful forwards with late first and seconds (Benn, Neal, Ritchie). There was another guy I was thinking about but can't remember.

As u stated above I also think he would be tough to get him from the stars. I'd imagine it would have to be Morrow. I'm not even too sure what Dallas organizational needs are going forward.

I don't think Morrow is as highly rated around the league as he has been around here and by Pens fans. Yes, his upside is tremendous, but he is far from a sure thing and is probably best still (in my mind) classified as "project" status.


Ritchie, on the other hand, is a sure thing. Whether he's a 1st line goal-scoring winger or more of a 2nd-line guy at the NHL level remains to be seen, but he's a safe bet who has dominated junior to a degree that Morrow never did (comparatively as a Dman, of course). Besides, Dallas needs forwards more than Dmen at this poing; or at least both equally. He ain't going anywhere.

Nichkushkin looks amazing. Literally a clone of Tarasenko except he's lefthanded and looks bigger too. I wish he was righthanded so he'd be exactly what we'd be looking for at the draft. Him and Mantha would be ideal.

I think it's fair to say Nichushkin has vaulted himself from a mid-1st round level prospect, to a guy that's in the conversation for between #5 to 10 overall, if not even higher. That, plus being 5 inches bigger than Tarasenko and a transfer agreement, I don't see him sliding at all. This guy looks like he's got all the tools to be a top-5 winger in the NHL.

 

[Dangles78]

I think it's fair to say Nichushkin has vaulted himself from a mid-1st round level prospect, to a guy that's in the conversation for between #5 to 10 overall, if not even higher. That, plus being 5 inches bigger than Tarasenko and a transfer agreement, I don't see him sliding at all. This guy looks like he's got all the tools to be a top-5 winger in the NHL.

Have I not been saying this all along?

The only reason he's been slipping in scouts eyes is because of that good ol Russian factor. I've been comparing him to Tarasenko since the first time I saw him, and I've seen a lot of him.

He's exactly what the Pens need, and my man crush for him won't go away until another GM picks him. I'd give up any D-prospect we have (maybe not Morrow) to move up a la Murray/Rundblad.

He screams Malkin/Nash. Please Hockey Gods, pleaseeee let him slide like predicted.

As for the quoted part...Nichushkin never needed to "vault" himself into the top-5 conversation. He was already there. If anything, he needs to reassure people that they won't be making a mistake by picking him. Should be interesting on how he fares during the combine/interviews.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Trouba and Forsberg on the tournament All-Star team? I think a Flyers fan selected the players just to rub it in our faces.

 

[jmelm]

Trouba and Forsberg on the tournament All-Star team? I think a Flyers fan selected the players just to rub it in our faces.

Well, what's worse: although he wasn't selected as an all-star, Shane Gostisbehre (sp?) looked outstanding during this tournament. I think the Flyers have a real gem here, and could be a big part of the long-term future Pens-Flyers rivalry.


Dangles, regarding Nickushkin being vaulted to top-5. By that I mean: he wasn't in Bobby Mac's top-10 early season rankings, nor was he ranked in the top-5 players to watch at the WJC poll that Bobby Mac did just prior to the tourny. That's what I mean by vaulted into that same tier.