WJC: 2016 — Canada Roster Talk (Part IV)

[carlweezer*]

The problem w. Canada is they have a really really bad Penalty Killing Unit.

This will force them to play less physical and intimidating. Guys like Virtanen, Crouse and Koneckny will have to reign it in as they can't afford to go on a PK.

Canada is in a tough position because playing physical and scaring and intimidating the opponents to be nervous when the have the puck has always been their bread and butter.

 

[JackSlater]

I agree. Stephens' play has been impressive. With his size, speed and aggressiveness he projects better at the pro level than many of the his higher profiled Team Canada teammates. If I'm coaching, I'd have Stephens on the ice every time the top Finnish line is on. When he's on the ice, you have to be aware of where he is. That slight hesitation, makes a world of difference. You saw that intimidation factor in the second period of the Swedish game, when the flow of play went in Canada's favour once the hitting started. Controlled aggression, works against any team. All you have to do is remember those successful Canadian teams that started every game with an onslaught of heavy checks in all areas of the ice. The current team Canada is not a particularly large team. But if it is to have any success, it will have to punch above its weight. Controlled aggression. It will be infectious. It's hard to play hockey when you know you're going to be hit. And hit often.

I can't understand why they stopped playing that way against Sweden. I've never seen a Canadian team take their foot off the gas pedal so suddenly and for no reason. Canada's ideal line to play against the top Finn line is Crouse Stephens Konecny, but it wouldn't matter since Lowry won't give that line minutes anyway.

I don't think this team is that good is what I am saying. Really if we have not seen it after 4 games, we probably won't see it later on. This team needed a shootout to beat the Swiss. Maybe this team in reality was only capable of winning a bronze?

They play terribly, but the talent is there for this team to comfortably beat anyone. No need to start accepting bronze just because a team isn't playing up to its ability.

 

[afrobomber11]

cutting juulsen, hawrlyuk, and merkley was a mistake

 

[covfefe]

cutting juulsen, hawrlyuk, and merkley was a mistake

Cutting Juulsen was definitely a mistake. Hickey is a 'defensive' dman who has no apparent conception of gap control and is not able to play at the speed that this tournament demands. Hicketts is overmatched and is too small to handle stronger forwards in front of the net. How is he going to deal with Puljujarvi and Laine tomorrow? Two He has pulled too many pucks out of our net over the course of this tournament. McKeown has accomplished absolutely nothing out there...wish we had Juulsen and Walman on this team

And exactly how anyone can argue that Strome has been disappointing is just having a laugh. Exactly which forwards have been better than him throughout the course of this tournament? Some of the vendettas on these forums are too ridiculous

 

[lawrence]

Canada lines at practice:

Crouse-Strome-Virtanen
Perlini-Point-Marner
Beauvillier-Barzal-Gauthier
Quenneville-Stephens-Konecny
Chartier

WTF... Is it just me or do those lines look like ****?

Konecny really deserves a shot in the top 6 IMO, I also wouldn't mind seeing Strome and Marner linked up again with either Crouse or Konecny on the wing.

This is what happens when you out a ex 4th line player as a coach.

Personally I like the underdog role for once.

 

[covfefe]

The problem w. Canada is they have a really really bad Penalty Killing Unit.

This will force them to play less physical and intimidating. Guys like Virtanen, Crouse and Koneckny will have to reign it in as they can't afford to go on a PK.

Canada is in a tough position because playing physical and scaring and intimidating the opponents to be nervous when the have the puck has always been their bread and butter.

Konecny hasn't taken a penalty yet in this tournament...

Crouse has taken a single penalty on a pretty weak call..

Yes the PK is bad but that's hardly this team's biggest failure

 

[Divine]

I believe Marner would be suspended if this wasn't a Quarterfinal game and or if the player stayed on the ice and was hurt.

 

[lawrence]

Cutting Juulsen was definitely a mistake. Hickey is a 'defensive' dman who has no apparent conception of gap control and is not able to play at the speed that this tournament demands. Hicketts is overmatched and is too small to handle stronger forwards in front of the net. How is he going to deal with Puljujarvi and Laine tomorrow? Two He has pulled too many pucks out of our net over the course of this tournament. McKeown has accomplished absolutely nothing out there...wish we had Juulsen and Walman on this team

And exactly how anyone can argue that Strome has been disappointing is just having a laugh. Exactly which forwards have been better than him throughout the course of this tournament? Some of the vendettas on these forums are too ridiculous

Based on stromes numbers last year, to an extent , well I am expecting a Tavares, stamkos like presence for the team, and these guys did it in draft year wjc. He's playing nothing like that, the same with marner. heck even Taylor hall was a beast.

So yes, many Canadians are dissappointed and rightlfully so.

I was expecting almost 2 points average per game for strome and marner. But not getting it.

 

[Peasy]

Based on stromes numbers last year, to an extent , well I am expecting a Tavares, stamkos like presence for the team, and these guys did it in draft year wjc. He's playing nothing like that, the same with marner. heck even Taylor hall was a beast.

So yes, many Canadians are dissappointed and rightlfully so.

I was expecting almost 2 points average per game for strome and marner. But not getting it.

McDavid didn't even have that lol...

 

[Cotton]

cutting juulsen, hawrlyuk, and merkley was a mistake

I don't think having Juulsen would of made a difference. I would of had Merkley but in the end the coaching sucks, there doesn't seem to be any real leadership and the entire team is struggling because nothing is Jelling. On top of that the reffing had been terrible this tournament and for a team like Canada that likes to crash & bang we're getting called for simply being too aggressive.

This group is capable of going on a tear, the talent is there - it's just not clicking whatsoever. What's worse is the TSN headline today for the WJC is saying Canada is not feeling the pressure... O'rly? well maybe some desperate Hockey is something they should try out considering nothing else is working.

Konecny and Beauvillier should both get top 6 minutes.

 

[francis246]

Marner isn't suspended or going to be suspended so why don't people just give it a rest already. Holy, HF boards will cling to nothing for days. I already made a post in yesterday's GDT that TSN hasn't reported it, no tweets, no articles. No suspension is coming. Focus on the game at hand and stop making everything about Mitch for once. This is Team Canada, not Team Mitch Marner

 

[AppsSyl]

McDavid didn't even have that lol...

It is so laughable hearing people harp about Marner's offensive production this tourney when he still manages to have 4pts in 4 games, especially considering no one he is playing with can finish.
For those harping on him, take a look at the game logs from last year and take look at McDavid after the 4 preliminary games. 4pts (1g 3a). All but one of his assists at that point were on the pp and 3 of his 4pts (1g 2a) were against Germany. I don't recall McDavid feeling the hate Marner is, and I would argue that McDavid also had better line mates and didn't play better defensively than Marner.
+ it was McDavid's 2nd WJC. He was so far ahead of the curve that it is fair even though he was over half a year younger than Marner is now at the time to compare the production. We could also bring Eichel into the conversation who was a 1996 birth year and look at his production through the first 4 games. I am not saying Marner is either of McEichel, but the criticism being thrown out about his production is as if he was and on greater scale than anything that was being lobbed at them at this point in the tourney.

 

[Cotton]

Cutting Juulsen was definitely a mistake. Hickey is a 'defensive' dman who has no apparent conception of gap control and is not able to play at the speed that this tournament demands. Hicketts is overmatched and is too small to handle stronger forwards in front of the net. How is he going to deal with Puljujarvi and Laine tomorrow? Two He has pulled too many pucks out of our net over the course of this tournament. McKeown has accomplished absolutely nothing out there...wish we had Juulsen and Walman on this team

And exactly how anyone can argue that Strome has been disappointing is just having a laugh. Exactly which forwards have been better than him throughout the course of this tournament? Some of the vendettas on these forums are too ridiculous

You think Strome hasn't been disappointing?

Everyone has, who exactly is playing up to their standards?

And as of now I'd say Marner has been our best player. Plays with and without the puck, and even if he isn't producing he still isn't a ghost. But that's like saying he's gotten the highest failing grade in a class of guys who are currently underachieving anyway.

 

[snizzbone*]

Marner not being suspended is hilarious. Why did that guy who hit Kempe get suspended? The Marner hit was a lot worse.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Marner not being suspended is hilarious. Why did that guy who hit Kempe get suspended? The Marner hit was a lot worse.

Foot on ice, body to body contact. An absolute beauty of a hit.

 

[bobber]

Marner not being suspended is hilarious. Why did that guy who hit Kempe get suspended? The Marner hit was a lot worse.

Don't whine about hitting. It was a great hit. That is what is missing from Canada's game. I hope they start slamming opponents more and maybe wake our coach up.

 

[Tripod]

My beef with Marner is that he is holding onto the puck way too long trying moves that he does in Jr.

Canada...as a whole...is not using crisp passing and skating to create chances. Too many guys are trying their OWN rushes in an attempt to make something happen instead of using their teammates.

The coach has created a "me" attitude in a tournament that has always been about checking your ego at the door. Seriously, 3 minute shifts ON PURPOSE? Dumb.

 

[Muston Atthews]

We need to keep hitting

 

[Muston Atthews]

I'd like to see Strome throw his big frame around more, he's huge, he should play that way

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I can't understand why they stopped playing that way against Sweden. I've never seen a Canadian team take their foot off the gas pedal so suddenly and for no reason. Canada's ideal line to play against the top Finn line is Crouse Stephens Konecny, but it wouldn't matter since Lowry won't give that line minutes anyway.



They play terribly, but the talent is there for this team to comfortably beat anyone. No need to start accepting bronze just because a team isn't playing up to its ability.

I will accept bronze over no medal for the team we have this year. It's about managing expectations. This team is not very good compared to other teams we have sent.

This does not change my nationalist pride in believing we are the best hockey nation, it should not be construed that I am happy with a bronze is the ultimate goal.

But given the past 4 games we have witnessed, for this team. Beating Finland in the 1/4's it does seem a reasonable expectation this year.

 

[AppsSyl]

My beef with Marner is that he is holding onto the puck way too long trying moves that he does in Jr.

Canada...as a whole...is not using crisp passing and skating to create chances. Too many guys are trying their OWN rushes in an attempt to make something happen instead of using their teammates.

The coach has created a "me" attitude in a tournament that has always been about checking your ego at the door. Seriously, 3 minute shifts ON PURPOSE? Dumb.

If you want to criticize shift length, I hope you have tons of criticism for Strome too, because his shifts are longer than anyone else on team, and it is as if he think the rink ends at the top of the circle in the defensive zone.
Also like Strome as well, good offensive players hold on to the puck to create openings as they draw the defender towards them.
I don't see how people say Strome is our best forward and crucify Marner when the things they criticize Marner for they praise Strome for and their production offensively is pretty much the same. Defensively it is not even debatable, Strome is anemic is his own end.

 

[emmjayb]

I'm not saying Marner will struggle at the NHL level like Drouin has. I have no idea. I'm more saying they both played the same tournament. Both were expected to be offensive leaders for the team. Both ended up being turnover machines. Both hold onto the puck way too long at this level. Both look flashy but the production hasn't followed.

And this tournament has not been the defence or goalies fault at all. Our forwards haven't sustained any pressure or created any sustained pressure. Our defence has been solid. Our goalies haven't had much of a chance on the vast majority of goals. Our forwards need to keep the puck in the other teams zone, but right now all the forwards completely suck.

I think you are nailing this comparison; and I do think Marner's lack of hockey sense will cause him to struggle in the NHL like Drouin has. There are small skilled guys like Kane/Gaudreau that have all the moves but also think the game 3 steps ahead and they are the ones that can succeed; if you don't have the hockey sense to go with it, the moves won't work in the NHL.

 

[snizzbone*]

There's a difference between hitting and throwing yourself into the head of someone. That hit was Torres on Hossa level bad. Completely charging and to the head.

Watch some players who know how to hit legally. Marner is lucky if he doesn't get a suspension.

Sorry if you guys want Canada to play "their" game. I'd rather not have people getting brain injuries from unnecessary hits to the head. If our game is to ruin peoples lives, then I don't want to cheer for us.

 

[Dahlman1221]

Would like to see these lines against Finland:
Beauvillier-Strome-Marner
Crouse-Barzal-Konecny
Virtanen-Point-Gauthier
Chartier-Stephens-Perlini
Quenneville

 

[Tripod]

If you want to criticize shift length, I hope you have tons of criticism for Strome too, because his shifts are longer than anyone else on team, and it is as if he think the rink ends at the top of the circle in the defensive zone.
Also like Strome as well, good offensive players hold on to the puck to create openings as they draw the defender towards them.
I don't see how people say Strome is our best forward and crucify Marner when the things they criticize Marner for they praise Strome for and their production offensively is pretty much the same. Defensively it is not even debatable, Strome is anemic is his own end.

Shift length is a concern for every player for me. It's bad coaching...regardless who is staying out there.

Players can give it their all for 45 seconds. After than, you slow down, try to conserve energy, etc... We were purposely making our team slower and easier to play against while others sat and watched.

I want EVERYONE on 45 sec shifts and to come at the Finns in waves. Then later in the game, shorten the bench if necessary but REWARD those who are playing well. But don't reward them with 2-3 minute shifts. Just go to 3 lines if needed.

Seriously, Hicketts getting a 3 minute shift on 4vs4 OT is the dumbest coaching move I have seen in many, many years.