WJC: 2015 — Canada Roster Talk

[Addison Rae]

Virtanen a lock? Those 19 points in 18 WHL games don't really do it for me. Sounds like a lot of Vancouver fans pumping him up

Will Ritchie make it?

Virtanen is a lock.

Sure his production has been underwhelming, but you're ignoring a lot of context. First of all he was sidelined for 6 months, and missed training camp because of shoulder surgery. Even then points isn't all that Virtanen bring, he's extremely physical and arguably the fastest skater invited to camp. He's also a right handed shot, something Canada is lacking.

 

[KyleMills*]

Virtanen will get first shot at being the RW on Mcdavids wing (unless lazar gets released)

No. virtanen will be on Mcdavids right side regardless of Lazar, and I was the first one to say this. Virtanen is a lock.

 

[Leviathan899]

If I was picking the team, I wouldn't have Ritchie there, I'd take Crouse instead.

 

[KyleMills*]

Crouse over Ritchie ftw?

 

[Torts]

Assuming no help from the NHL

Fabbri-McDavid(A)-Reinhart(C)
Dal Colle-Petan(A)-Virtanen
Dickinson-Domi-Ritchie
Elie-Gauthier-Point
Chartier

Nurse-Morrissey(A)
Morin-Bowey
Fleury-Bigras
Hicketts

Fucale
Comrie

Switch Elie for Paul and Hicketts for Theodore and I'm happy with that. great looking mock roster!

 

[xxxx]

Team Canada can. You know, I agree with you I'd rather have McCann or Paul there, but the writing is on the wall for Gauthier making this team.

Gauthier is a great penalty-killer, physical guy, I think he could perfectly fit the 4th line center role.

 

[Spitfire11]

So who on these proposed teams PKs up front? Is Gauthier the go-to guy?

 

[gmen81]

Is anyone creating a world jr hockey pool?

 

[How Ya Drouin]

So psyched for this year, although there is something special about getting up at 3 or 4 in the morning on Boxing Day.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Why is the NYE game on so early? I would love to have seen 7:30 pm.

 

[lawrence]

Virtanen a lock? Those 19 points in 18 WHL games don't really do it for me. Sounds like a lot of Vancouver fans pumping him up

Will Ritchie make it?

whats the meaning of this? Between the question of him being a lock and your response, canucks fans have mentioned he's not a lock. stop trying to nip pick.

 

[Leviathan899]

Crouse over Ritchie ftw?

Ya Kyle I really hope we stay clear of Ritchie for this tournament, he's not having a good year so far and is playing a lazy brand of hockey. He doesn't compete away from the puck and has terrible finish when he does get opportunities. If it wasn't for his draft position and him being a 19 year old, I don't think he even deserved an invite to camp.

Give me a guy like Elie, Paul, Point or Crouse over him any day.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think you guys are going to get Duclair, although he's done absolutely nothing wrong to find himself out of the NYR lineup. Vigneault's mismanaged him, as far as I am concerned.

Without explicitly coming out and saying that Duclair will be loaned to Canada for the WJC's, Duclair and Vigneault have made it sound like he will play in the World Juniors.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Judging by reactions Lazar and Duclair could be loaned.

Horvat and Drouin remain question marks.

 

[GuillaumeLetsundress*]

Judging by reactions Lazar and Duclair could be loaned.

Horvat and Drouin remain question marks.

Horvat (10:24, lowest on canucks) played less than dorsett(12:51) tonight and drouin had 2:55 after the first period, not saying they should or will be loaned but I definitely can see a case being made...

 

[Skip2myBordyloo]

Switch Elie for Paul and Hicketts for Theodore and I'm happy with that. great looking mock roster!

Elie and Paul I could easily see for being flip flopped.

When it Came down to the seventh D I though Theodore for offensive guy and Heatherington for a defensive guy, but maybe a swing guy and a 96' born player would be better for a seventh D and a two way guy would be a better option then a more one dimensional player in Hicketts and Sanheim, went with Hicketts because Sanheim is still fairly inconsistent and Hicketts has really impressed this year.

 

[Baby Pettersson]

Horvat (10:24, lowest on canucks) played less than dorsett(12:51) tonight and drouin had 2:55 after the first period, not saying they should or will be loaned but I definitely can see a case being made...

Horvat ain't going anywhere. At least I hope not.

 

[The Macho King]

Horvat (10:24, lowest on canucks) played less than dorsett(12:51) tonight and drouin had 2:55 after the first period, not saying they should or will be loaned but I definitely can see a case being made...

Drouin ended up with almost 13 minutes and had a few jaw-dropping plays (including some fancy skating to set up Morrow's goal).

We just sent Namestnikov down to Syracuse to stop the revolving door. I'm guessing Drouin doesn't get loaned, although it's not impossible.

 

[biturbo19]

Horvat (10:24, lowest on canucks) played less than dorsett(12:51) tonight and drouin had 2:55 after the first period, not saying they should or will be loaned but I definitely can see a case being made...

Horvat has pretty consistently been low minute man for the Canucks...but as long as he's playing in that ~10 minute ballpark, it's hard to see him loaned out. The bottom-6 has been really clicking of late, and Horvat has been contributing enough.

However...with Kassian potentially coming back from injury at some point around the WJC, the bottom-6 could get a bit more crowded. Barring an injury somewhere, someone is going to have to come out of the lineup as a healthy scratch...unless that's Vey, or they hold Kassian out a bit longer, it could potentially be Horvat who sits. And if he's in danger of healthy scratch around the WJC timeframe, it would make some sense to loan him out instead.

I wouldn't be counting on Horvat for the WJC at this point...but i still wouldn't be completely ruling it out either (and Benning has suggested as much). Gonna be a situation to continue to watch...but it's more a question of whether Horvat is one of the 12 forwards playing for the Canucks night in and night out, then where his minute totals are i think.

 

[Peen]

We should loan him if Kassian's back.

That'd allow Benning to assess all of the guys who were planned to be here at the start of the season, and potentially deal a guy because there's no going back with Horvat now.

Maybe I'm thinking too much of it though

 

[StIllmatic]

Disappointed Marner didn't get an invite.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

whats the meaning of this? Between the question of him being a lock and your response, canucks fans have mentioned he's not a lock. stop trying to nip pick.

He's pretty close to a lock, if not. Hockey Canada love his game and he's coming off a major surgery.

He could dominate on McDavid's wing.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Any chance for Heatherington?

 

[ottawah]

So who on these proposed teams PKs up front? Is Gauthier the go-to guy?

There are quite a few that can play the role, some just as well IMHO.

Certainly Paul (although lack of foot speed makes it a potential issue), Elie and especially Baptiste (played that role splendidly in the U18's) from the O are all outstanding PK guys and have notable offensive upside.

 

[Woodhouse]

Please continue in Part II.