U17: 2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge (Nov. 1-7)

[cagney]

The 99s always seemed like a less interesting group to follow than previous and future years, seems you feel the same. Not any Jones, Hanifin, Eichel, Matthews level prospects and you'd be hard pressed to find some as good as their supporting cast i.e Tkachuk, Bracco, Tuch.

I'll certainly hold out hope that some players can take giant leaps in their development as that certainly happens. From players you've mentioned, Tkachuk and Tuch are good examples. I wasn't overly impressed with Tkachuk in his U17 year but he developed a lot physically and his game really took off the following season and now he looks like a legit top prospect. Tuch was a player who seemed to have some potential despite an underwhelming U17 year and his game also really took off the following year. Lots of other examples.

Right now, it's hard to pick those types out.

Reedy is the offensive leader of the team and he played well in this tournament but he seems quite physically advanced at this point and his game reminds me a lot of Nic Kerdiles.

Mismash is intriguing as there's a real fluidity to his game but he seemed a bit passive to me at times. I do see potential there and perhaps he can be a player that really takes his game to another level.

Michael Pastujov missed the tournament due to injury but he's always been considered one of, if not the best '99 US forwards. Just from stat watching he had some good games earlier this season but his injury history is a concern and hopefully it doesn't stunt his development. I'll look forward to seeing him in the future.

We'll just have to wait and see how things unfold which is what keeps the process of watching young players develop exciting. It'd be nice to see this group redeem themselves as a team in the future and for some individuals to take a big step as well.

 

[leaflover]

I'll never be on board with shootouts and think it ruins a beautiful game. Just my opinion.

Just came home from Can-White vs Sweden. SO fun to watch and glad to see a Canada-Russia Gold Medal game. Canadians will be in tough I think but anything can happen.

Whites are Canada's best team so I'm glad they're in the gold. Both games should be great. With Sweden and Russia as opponents you couldn't ask for more. 3:00 and 7:30 starts so time for dinner between games and maybe a little gaming action of my own next door.

 

[Backami]

I haven't seen a ton of Canada White but I think they should be able to come through. Russians got 2 lucky goals and beat Canada in the shootout, other than that I didn't really notice anything impressive from the Russians. The goalie stood on his head, again, and that's really been the basis of Russian hockey the last 10 years. Hopefully the goalie will win them the game, doesn't work in the Olympics but I guess it wins them the other tournaments sometimes.

Stop whining. BTW this is the team of Moscow but not Russia.

 

[OHLTG]

While I know I'm biased, being a fan of the Spitfires, two 99s that I'd seriously watch for are DiPietro and Vilardi. DiPietro has done things that I haven't seen in a decade on this team and has confidence/poise I didn't know was possible from a 99. Vilardi is wise beyond his years, probably the most humble, gifted rookie we've had in some time. They're not Eichel or McDavid, but they're foundation builders that will be worth watching.

 

[Zine]

Damn that hurts. Feel terrible for these kids, they played their hearts out (outplayed the Russians by a ton) and were robbed of a win. DiPietro played amazing, he couldn't have been any better.

It's sickening that the kids were robbed of a bush league way of winning a game. They played amazing, keep their heads up and they have the heart to play in the NHL.

It's 'sickening'? Good lord, quit whining.

Really, who cares who wins this obscure kids tournament...........the players certainly wont years from now, and that's if they even remember it.

Saying that, this is a GREAT tourney to see how players of this age group compare to one another.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

It's 'sickening'? Good lord, quit whining.

Really, who cares who wins this obscure kids tournament...........the players certainly wont years from now, and that's if they even remember it.

Saying that, this is a GREAT tourney to see how players of this age group compare to one another.

They actually all do. There's been lots of interviews with Canadian players including Olympians where they talk about their experiences at this tournament, for some this is the only international experience they'll encounter, while others it propels them to the next step and anytime your out in an international setting it's a memorable time compared to playing every day Hockey.

Just ask yourself how many games in their careers do players put on their national jersey's. Your looking at average of a maximum 40 or 50 games for elite players which is like %5 of the population. Doesn't happen often in a 20 year career.

And I'm sure Canada Red and all the 99 borns will remember this come World Junior time when they skate up against Russia. That was a game for the ages.

 

[Get North]

It's 'sickening'? Good lord, quit whining.

Really, who cares who wins this obscure kids tournament...........the players certainly wont years from now, and that's if they even remember it.

Saying that, this is a GREAT tourney to see how players of this age group compare to one another.

It is pretty sick. These kids haven't put on a national jersey before, they are playing infront of a Canadian rocking crowd. This is their World Juniors, that's like saying Toews and Price don't remember the World Juniors after the Olympics because World Juniors is a junior tournament. I thought the Canadians deserved the win. They played with a ton of heart, majority of the players outplayed the Russians.

 

[Fantomas]

I agree that this is not an irrelevant tournament. I certainly follow it with great interest.

The Russia-Canada Red game was very competitive. I do not agree with the comments that imply that it was lopsided in any way. Canadian teams are typically possession teams, while Russian teams tend to rely on generating scoring chances on the rush.

Furthermore Russia got almost 40 shots on goal and enough scoring chances to ensure that the Canadian goalie received the Canadian player of the game award. A certain poster is acting like he did not have anything to do.

This match could have gone either way and went Russia's way. If anything, Canada was lucky that the Russians did not end the shootout sooner, because they had the Canadian goalie beat more than once but missed the net.

 

[joe89]

Pretty good to medal after that horrendous group stage. Defense got better and better.

 

[Backami]

majority of the players outplayed the Russians.

no, they did not

 

[Get North]

no, they did not

Yeah they did. Did you watch the game? It was all Canada, both goalies played great. And I'm not saying Russia's goalie didn't play good, he was probably better than Dipietro but the Canadian skaters especially in the 2nd and 3rd outplayed the Russians by a huge margin. Russians had 1 scoring chance in the 3rd period. Their goalie stands on his head, again. It's fair though, they scored 2, Canadians scored 2 and then they scored more penalty-shots.

 

[Fantomas]

Yeah they did. Did you watch the game? It was all Canada, both goalies played great. And I'm not saying Russia's goalie didn't play good, he was probably better than Dipietro but the Canadian skaters especially in the 2nd and 3rd outplayed the Russians by a huge margin. Russians had 1 scoring chance in the 3rd period. Their goalie stands on his head, again. It's fair though, they scored 2, Canadians scored 2 and then they scored more penalty-shots.

Untrue. They actually hit the post late in that third period, and that was not their sole chance.

 

[VictorLustig]

Pretty good to medal after that horrendous group stage. Defense got better and better.

All in all a more impressive performance than last year, this wasn't just one line doing everything.

Must become better at handling heavy forechecking teams though, I think we are behind every other team in that area. Also a little bit dissappointed in some of the forwards. Thought Lundeström & Hugg would look better, I did like Elvenes, Miketinac & Svenningsson from time to time though. On defense Liljegren stood out more than any other D I saw in the tournament.

 

[Get North]

Oh wow, that is disgusting. Typical Russians no idea how to play hockey, no respect whatsoever. That is sick. Take a hit you ****ing cowards.

From Kharlamov to Ovechkin, all cowards.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Oh wow, that is disgusting. Typical Russians no idea how to play hockey, no respect whatsoever. That is sick. Take a hit you ****ing cowards.

Yet another embarrassing post from you. That probably shouldn't have even been a penalty. Grow up.

 

[Get North]

Yet another embarrassing post from you. That probably shouldn't have even been a penalty. Grow up.

Is that how you take a hit? Tell me, come on. It's a coward move, anybody can tell you that.

This hit was a penalty, and so was the one in the Canada Russia game.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Is that how you take a hit? Tell me, come on. It's a coward move, anybody can tell you that.

This hit was a penalty, and so was the one in the Canada Russia game.

What the russian kid did wasn't nearly as bad as that. At worst it was a borderline penalty. It certainly wasn't anything that warranted your ignorant spewing about russians.

 

[Get North]

What the russian kid did wasn't nearly as bad as that. At worst it was a borderline penalty. It certainly wasn't anything that warranted your ignorant spewing about russians.

Borderline penalty? The only thing embarrassing is anyone defending that hit. He went down and got the Canadian below the knees, it wasn't a hip-check. Same thing happens every year, I won't get into details but it's them doing the same **** all the time and get away with it. Look at this past summer what happened to McCann in a summer exhibition game. It wasn't worth anything. And the handshake.

Defend the next dirty hit, it's coming soon.

 

[Fantomas]

Oh wow, that is disgusting. Typical Russians no idea how to play hockey, no respect whatsoever. That is sick. Take a hit you ****ing cowards.

From Kharlamov to Ovechkin, all cowards.

Wow.

 

[New User Name]

Oh wow, that is disgusting. Typical Russians no idea how to play hockey, no respect whatsoever. That is sick. Take a hit you ****ing cowards.

From Kharlamov to Ovechkin, all cowards.

what? Russians cowards? Come on.
Funny how you show a clip of a Canadian (Marchand) doing a dirty hit

And Don Cherry thinks those 2 Flyer players targeted McDavid (and maybe they were a bit over the top.....and those 2 players....Canadian.

 

[Get North]

what? Russians cowards? Come on.
Funny how you show a clip of a Canadian (Marchand) doing a dirty hit

And Don Cherry thinks those 2 Flyer players targeted McDavid (and maybe they were a bit over the top.....and those 2 players....Canadian.

Of course there's a couple of bad apples. The one Don Cherry showed was a hockey play turned bad, I also don't agree with Don on that one he showed.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Borderline penalty? The only thing embarrassing is anyone defending that hit. He went down and got the Canadian below the knees, it wasn't a hip-check. Same thing happens every year, I won't get into details but it's them doing the same **** all the time and get away with it. Look at this past summer what happened to McCann in a summer exhibition game. It wasn't worth anything. And the handshake.

Defend the next dirty hit, it's coming soon.

The russian kid was turning away from the hit and maybe got a bit too low (and I still think the penalty was borderline). It didn't look like he was intentionally being dirty or the other insults you were hurling.

In the game today and the play I've otherwise seen from the russians in this tournament, they have not played in a dirty or offensive way. Why so abusive towards 16 year olds?

edit - lol i watched the hit again and TSN just showed it again and both times Button said he thought it was fine. But of course, you know much better.

 

[New User Name]

Of course there's a couple of bad apples. The one Don Cherry showed was a hockey play turned bad, I also don't agree with Don on that one he showed.

I somewhat see where Cherry is coming from. They had time to ease up and they didn't...but that is OT and irrelevant to this (even though I brought it up)

You to post Russians are cowards is so wrong though. Every country has players that play on the edge. Russia no more than anyone else.

This Russian team is fun to watch and they are NOT dirty.

 

[Get North]

The russian kid was turning away from the hit and maybe got a bit too low (and I still think the penalty was borderline). It didn't look like he was intentionally being dirty or the other insults you were hurling.

In the game today and the play I've otherwise seen from the russians in this tournament, they have not played in a dirty or offensive way. Why so abusive towards 16 year olds?

A bit too low? He should have stood up straight and take the hit like every other player in the NHL. But he went low and took the kids knees out, that's a dirty play. That's not how you take a hit. I'm sure you've played hockey before, is that what you do when someone is coming to hit you? I don't think so.

Well I have. I've also talked to people who share the same opinion. I'm not saying they play in tournaments to play dirty but when they play dirty hits occur especially from the Russian side. Just happened in summer camp with their shenanigans in the handshake and hit.

About the game... Canadians all over the Russians and Tippett playing outstanding, what a shot he has. Similar to the Canada Red vs Russia game, Canada all over Russia except the goalie isn't playing as great for the Russians.

 

[Hanji]

From Kharlamov to Ovechkin, all cowards.

People like you still exist? LOL