2014 Winter Olympics – Part 1 (Girgensons, Nolan; Enroth, Tallinder; Miller)

[jBuds]

Can we have something all encompassing? Quick thoughts after today:

- four or five of the invited American goalies could probably start on Canada

- Russia's blueline is laughable ... High expectations sure to fall short with that D corps

- what are Tallinder/Enroth's chances to make Sweden?

- Canada will certainly be turning (as usual) a ******** of centers into wingers on the roster (Bergeron, Carter, Crosby, Duchene, Tavares, Couture, Getzlaf, Giroux, Richards, Staals, Thornton, Toews)

- Leino was invited to Finland camp, but Ristolainen was not (Barkov was)

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[NotABadPeriod]

Can we have something all encompassing? Quick thoughts after today:

- four or five of the invited American goalies could probably start on Canada

- Russia's blueline is laughable ... High expectations sure to fall short with that D corps

- what are Tallinder/Enroth's chances to make Sweden?

- Canada will certainly be turning (as usual) a ******** of centers into wingers on the roster (Bergeron, Carter, Crosby, Duchene, Tavares, Couture, Getzlaf, Giroux, Richards, Staals, Thornton, Toews)

- Leino was invited to Finland camp, but Ristolainen was not (Barkov was)

No Armia either. I expect both will be candidates in 2018 though.

Zadorov for Russia?

Lindy Ruff also gonna be assistant coach for Canada. Guess they liked his job from the last time around.

 

[5 Minute Major]

I wish the games were more time friendly. Makes it hard to really get into the tournament for me.

 

[missingmika]

No Armia either. I expect both will be candidates in 2018 though.

Zadorov for Russia?

Lindy Ruff also gonna be assistant coach for Canada. Guess they liked his job from the last time around.

Zadorov not invited to camp, but Denisov is invited.

 

[Ness]

- Vanek is a lock for Austria.

- Miller will be a strong candidate for USA

- Ehrhoff will be a lock for Germany

- Was Grigorenko invited to Russia?

- Girgensons for Latvia

All I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[1TuchAnd1NoTuch]

- Vanek is a lock for Austria.

- Miller will be a strong candidate for USA

- Ehrhoff will be a lock for Germany

- Was Grigorenko invited to Russia?

- Girgensons for Latvia

All I can think of off the top of my head.

Dont think germany is in it. Latvia may not be either. IIRC Austria took germanys spot

 

[kirby11]

Can we have something all encompassing? Quick thoughts after today:

- four or five of the invited American goalies could probably start on Canada

- Russia's blueline is laughable ... High expectations sure to fall short with that D corps

- what are Tallinder/Enroth's chances to make Sweden?

- Canada will certainly be turning (as usual) a ******** of centers into wingers on the roster (Bergeron, Carter, Crosby, Duchene, Tavares, Couture, Getzlaf, Giroux, Richards, Staals, Thornton, Toews)

- Leino was invited to Finland camp, but Ristolainen was not (Barkov was)

That's literally an entire lineup of forwards plus one extra body.
Just for the fun of it...
Team Canada Forwards
Tavares-Crosby-Getzlaf (#1 all situations)
J. Staal-Bergeron-Toews (Shut down line with mad offensive ability)
Duchene-Giroux-Couture (Easy minutes line)
Carter-Thornton-E. Staal (Extras)
x Richards

 

[Luceni]

Enroth will be on team sweden. After his strong preformances @ World Cup, I just don't think that they won't invite him. He probably won't be the starter at the olympic tournament.

Vanek is a lock on team Austria.

Miller will be on team USA.

Girgenson will play for latvia.

Armia, Ristolainen and Zaradov all have got at least an outside chance making their home countries squad for the olympic tournament. Im not sure about Possler.

Is Ott from Canada? I always thought that team U.S could need a body like him.

Thats pretty much it I guess.

 

[dotcommunism]

Dont think germany is in it. Latvia may not be either. IIRC Austria took germanys spot

Germany isn't in but Latvia is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey_at_the_2014_Winter_Olympics#Participating_nations

 

[Djp]

Germany failed to qualify (Austria took their spot)

They are broken down:

Russia
Slovakia
USa
Slovenia

Finland
Canada
Norway
Austria

Czech
Sweden
Switzerland
Latvia

The schedule is out there.

USA games at 7:30 AM ET on THU, SAT, and SUN

They will play 3 games (round robin in each division)

Group winners + top 2nd place team will get a bye to the quarters.

5th-12 play each other in elimination round (TUE)

quarters (WED)
semis (FRI)
Bronze (SAT)
GOLD( SUN)

 

[Ness]

Did Grigs get invited to play for Russia?

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Enroth will be on team sweden. After his strong preformances @ World Cup, I just don't think that they won't invite him. He probably won't be the starter at the olympic tournament.

Vanek is a lock on team Austria.

Miller will be on team USA.

Girgenson will play for latvia.

Armia, Ristolainen and Zaradov all have got at least an outside chance making their home countries squad for the olympic tournament. Im not sure about Possler.

Is Ott from Canada? I always thought that team U.S could need a body like him.

Thats pretty much it I guess.

Enroth could make it as the backup. Lundqvist is obviously the starter though.

None of Armia/Risto/Zadorov have a shot, too young. 2018 though...

Ott is Canadian.

Sekera will be on Team Slovakia (someone had to say it... )

 

[Djp]

As for the Sabres players.....

My feeling is the top 7 teams will leave about 3 forwards, 2 Dmen, and 1 goalie open for competition before they set the rosters for the Olympics. Then they can name the emerging and hotter players.

The only locks from buffalo (or recent Buffalo players):

Vanek-Austria
Girgensons-Latvia
Miller-USA

Shot:

Leino--Finland
Enroth--Sweden---you cant pass over his play for Sweden at the WC. His play should earn him a goalie spot.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Did Grigs get invited to play for Russia?

Russia has enough top quality forwards I doubt they would need Grigorenko. Datsyuk, Malkin, Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Morozov, etc.

 

[Djp]

-
- Ehrhoff will be a lock for Germany

- Was Grigorenko invited to Russia?

.

Germany didnt get in.

Grigs was not invited. russia has a deep forward group. The only NHL kids on their invite list for forwards were Yakupov and Tarasenko. Kuznetsov of the Capitals who hasnt come over yet was also invited.

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

7:30 AM? FFS....Surprised ABDELKADER, Trevor Lewis, Beau Bennett, got invited over Stafford...

 

[enthusiast]

Marchand and Lucic got invites over Jason Spezza. Trying to top US naming Bylsma coach?

 

[joshjull]

Isn't Ted Nolan Latvia's head coach?

I imagine he will love Girgs.

 

[aaronr28]

7:30 AM? FFS....Surprised ABDELKADER, Trevor Lewis, Beau Bennett, got invited over Stafford...

forget Stafford. How does Pominville not get an invite here?

 

[joshjull]

I imagine part of why certain players didn't get an invite is due to the fact that complete teams are being assembled not all star rosters.


Iirc players have earned their way onto teams in the past due to their play during the season. Bergeron did it with Canada back in 2010 after not getting invited to camp.

 

[aaronr28]

I imagine part of why certain players didn't get an invite is due to the fact that complete teams are being assembled not all star rosters.

Pominville seems like the type of versatile player who would fit in well when building a complete team. Would make a great 3rd/4th line player who can play on both special teams units.

 

[joshjull]

Pominville seems like the type of versatile player who would fit in well when building a complete team. Would make a great 3rd/4th line player who can play on both special teams units.

I'm not disagreeing with you just adding a different perspective on this. For example if they want more physical guys in the bottom 6 to go against Canada Pommer isn't a fit.

As others have mentioned Pommer may still not be fully recovered from his injury. So that may be a factor as well.

 

[haseoke39]

I imagine part of why certain players didn't get an invite is due to the fact that complete teams are being assembled not all star rosters.

I agree with that in some sense, but imagine if the US builds a classic high energy, low skill, banger fourth line.....and then we put that out against Canada's all-star fourth line on the bigger ice surface.

The only reason I can see leaving off Pominville is his skating.

 

[aaronr28]

I'm not disagreeing with you just adding a different perspective on this. For example if they want more physical guys in the bottom 6 to go against Canada Pommer isn't a fit.

As others have mentioned Pommer may still not be fully recovered from his injury. So that may be a factor as well.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/216523301.html

Zach Parise and Ryan Suter each are on the U.S. roster. Jason Pominville did not get the invite, surprisingly. He is Canadian born but has dual citizenship and has competed for the U.S. in the world championships. I question this omission. Just a guy with a history of 30 goals, one who plays in every situation and one who can skate well on the big rink.

By the way, I corresponded with Pominville today and he said he is completely symptom-free from his late-season concussion. There have been no extension talks yet. The former Buffalo Sabres captain is entering the final year of his contract. As you can see, some of the forwards that got invited over Pominville are arguably, well, absurd. But, the USA brass made it clear they would be looking to put players on the team that can play certain roles, so perhaps they look at Pominville as a top-6 role, not bottom-6, and they feel they have four top-6 wingers that are better.

Still, curious they don't even bring him to camp.

 

[joshjull]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/216523301.html

Glad to hear he is healed.

I'm as confused by anyone he wasn't invited. I just gave a possible explanation to their thinking.