2014-2015 All Purpose World Junior Championship Thread PART 3

[PhilMick]

Canada looks like it could be stacked for next years WJC too:

Fabbri - Bennett - Virtanen
Dal Colle - Strome - Bleackly
Crouse - Barzal - Perlini
Point - Merkley - Chartier
Marner

Sanheim - Roy
Fleury - McKeown
Pilon - Hicketts
Thomas

McDonald
Blackwood

I approve of this Dub to O to Q ratio

 

[DCantheDDad]

I approve of this Dub to O to Q ratio

I think the only people who wont will be Hockey Canada

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Well, on the negative side, Virtanen is a complete bust who likely has a ceiling of Taylor Pyatt.
But on the positive side, we just drafted Bobby Orr's successor with our fifth round pick!

 

[y2kcanucks]

I think the only people who wont will be Hockey Canada

Actually the majority of the team is composed of players from the U18 team.

 

[DCantheDDad]

Actually the majority of the team is composed of players from the U18 team.

But who will lose the important defensive zone faceoffs in the final seconds of a one goal game?

 

[Bgav]

Hopefully Mcann makes it next year

 

[PhilMick]

Hopefully Mcann makes it next year

Hah, totally forgot about him. Yeah he should be there, unless there's some really bad blood with HC that we don't know about.

 

[Ryp37]

Hah, totally forgot about him. Yeah he should be there, unless there's some really bad blood with HC that we don't know about.

How do you feel about being selected to Team Canada?

It is what it is

 

[y2kcanucks]

Despite Nylander's 10 points in the tournament he still ended up as a -2. Virtanen had 4 points but was a +4.

 

[PhilMick]

Despite Nylander's 10 points in the tournament he still ended up as a -2. Virtanen had 4 points but was a +4.

More importantly he got more assists than goals so that means he has hockey IQ now! Yaaaaay.

Regarding +/- I see Gauthier managed to end up -1

 

[Sharpshooter]

More importantly he got more assists than goals so that means he has hockey IQ now! Yaaaaay.

Regarding +/- I see Gauthier managed to end up -1

That takes a special kind of specialist.

 

[arsmaster*]

More importantly he got more assists than goals so that means he has hockey IQ now! Yaaaaay.

Regarding +/- I see Gauthier managed to end up -1

7-0-0 -1

What a stud.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Even Nigel Dawes?

You are forgetting Stephen Dixon and shaun "2nd pairing dman" belle. Lol.

 

[CanaFan]

7-0-0 -1

What a stud.

The thing I can't for the life of me comprehend having watched Gauthier lumber, stumble, and mishandle the puck all over the ice for 10 games now is how on earth this guy is ~ PPG in the Q??? Is the level of play so low that the player I just watched go 1-on-1 with the Russian goalie and deke past the far post is actually able to score a point a game?

It truly bends my brain trying to understand it ...

 

[PhilMick]

The thing I can't for the life of me comprehend having watched Gauthier lumber, stumble, and mishandle the puck all over the ice for 10 games now is how on earth this guy is ~ PPG in the Q??? Is the level of play so low that the player I just watched go 1-on-1 with the Russian goalie and deke past the far post is actually able to score a point a game?

It truly bends my brain trying to understand it ...

Remember that next time an Ehlers vs Virtanen debate comes up

 

[CanaFan]

Remember that next time an Ehlers vs Virtanen debate comes up

Ya and I don't even really want to revisit that debate (for fear of making VKW's Ehler's-sense tingle), I saw enough of Ehlers there to be convinced his skill set is pretty damn high without even looking at his Q numbers. But based on what I saw simply of Gauthier's physical skills at the WJC - skating, turning, stickhandling, passing, taking a pass, shooting, etc - he is way below average even for a 'decent' offensive player. Yet his Q numbers look halfway decent - not eye popping for sure, but you wouldn't think THAT player could put up THOSE numbers. Maybe he gets every second assist on a stacked PP or something ???

 

[arsmaster*]

Ya and I don't even really want to revisit that debate (for fear of making VKW's Ehler's-sense tingle), I saw enough of Ehlers there to be convinced his skill set is pretty damn high without even looking at his Q numbers. But based on what I saw simply of Gauthier's physical skills at the WJC - skating, turning, stickhandling, passing, taking a pass, shooting, etc - he is way below average even for a 'decent' offensive player. Yet his Q numbers look halfway decent - not eye popping for sure, but you wouldn't think THAT player could put up THOSE numbers. Maybe he gets every second assist on a stacked PP or something ???

I think seeing that his numbers have flatlined since he entered the league is pretty damning on him.

Craig Button's, "the new Keith Primeau" looks pretty far fetched right now, doesn't it.

 

[CanaFan]

I think seeing that his numbers have flatlined since he entered the league is pretty damning on him.

Craig Button's, "the new Keith Primeau" looks pretty far fetched right now, doesn't it.

Oh I agree his ~PPG certainly was more 'impressive' as a 1st year 17 year old in the Q than as a 19 year old in his 3rd season. Should at least be a cautionary tale for those who advocate drafting based on stats over tools. Based on stats alone he was a reach at 21 but certainly in the ball park (maybe late 20's/early 30's). Based on tools - besides his height and face off ability - and how he plays the game, he looks like he should have been a late 2nd or 3rd rounder at best.

 

[Proto]

Despite Nylander's 10 points in the tournament he still ended up as a -2. Virtanen had 4 points but was a +4.

You're resorting to +/- to slag Euros now?

 

[Hansen]

I dont think minute differences in +/- should really be a concern in these tournaments, especially when you'll have guys who have it inflated during blowout games in the prelims/early rounds.

That said getting a -1 on Team Canada during this run is amazing.

 

[GarryValkyrie]

Not sure if it is an IIHF thing,but I think Virtanen also should have got at least 2 extra assists in the tournament, do they only give 1 assist on a goal?

 

[arsmaster*]

I dont think minute differences in +/- should really be a concern in these tournaments, especially when you'll have guys who have it inflated during blowout games in the prelims/early rounds.

That said getting a -1 on Team Canada during this run is amazing.

When you're team has a +10 goal differential, I think you can read something from that.

His line was outproduced at EV strength.

 

[Hansen]

Not sure if it is an IIHF thing,but I think Virtanen also should have got at least 2 extra assists in the tournament, do they only give 1 assist on a goal?

No, the initial call on a goal as to who scored and who assisted cannot be changed. Virtanen was robbed on the Lazar goal which he effectively created with a great interception in the neutral zone and a pass to McDavid. I can't remember another one but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened regularly for all players.

 

[CanaFan]

No, the initial call on a goal as to who scored and who assisted cannot be changed. Virtanen was robbed on the Lazar goal which he effectively created with a great interception in the neutral zone and a pass to McDavid. I can't remember another one but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened regularly for all players.

Ya, realistically Virtanen's stat line _should_ read 1+4 for 5 points in 7 games. Not incredible but not horrible either. Certainly the best of the 'bottom' 6 players, including Crouse (3), Paul (3), Ritchie (1), and Gauthier (0). Beats Point (4) too but hardly fair given his sporadic usage. Again, not a stat line to brag about and he certainly had his share of 'issues' in the tourny, but something to consider given his role, ice time, and ever-changing line mates.

 

[opendoor]

Oh I agree his ~PPG certainly was more 'impressive' as a 1st year 17 year old in the Q than as a 19 year old in his 3rd season. Should at least be a cautionary tale for those who advocate drafting based on stats over tools. Based on stats alone he was a reach at 21 but certainly in the ball park (maybe late 20's/early 30's). Based on tools - besides his height and face off ability - and how he plays the game, he looks like he should have been a late 2nd or 3rd rounder at best.

That's a pretty massive stretch. I'm not sure how when 8 of the next 11 CHL forwards taken after him had better numbers it's an example of picking based on stats. You've got to go down to the 50s before you consistently see CHL forwards with poorer numbers than Gauthier getting picked.

If one were drafting strictly on output they probably would've taken Poirier or Erne from the QMJHL, Petan, Theodore, or Shinkaruk from the WHL, Hartman from the OHL, or De La Rose, Burakowsky or Dano from Europe before Gauthier. Not all of those guys are tracking well, but if you put all of their names in a hat and picked one you'd almost surely get a better prospect than Gauthier.