WJC: 2016 — Canada Roster Talk (Part V) [mod warning in OP]

[Evergreen]

So what was the deal with Sanheim? I noticed he was usually the 7th defenseman. I thought he had been playing well in the WHL.

 

[blendini]

People can blame individual players all they want, but the bottom line is that this years team was not that great to begin with. At best, they were a 4th place team before they hit the ice. Having to go to a shootout to beat the Swiss...

Hopefully TC will have a better team next year.

 

[King In The North]

Respect to the talent that Swed and Finland are producing, but that's a non-issue for Canada.

We didn't lose because the team wasn't talented.

 

[86Habs]

People can blame individual players all they want, but the bottom line is that this years team was not that great to begin with. At best, they were a 4th place team before they hit the ice. Having to go to a shootout to beat the Swiss...

Hopefully TC will have a better team next year.

Canada has won with less before. Our top line in 2006 was Steve Downie, Blake Comeau and Dustin Boyd and we won gold. The talent was there this year, but the coaching staff didn't instill the proper discipline, special teams structure, and line combinations to take advantage of this talent. Our depth exceeded that of any other country, but the 3rd and 4th lines were used sparingly despite performing well when they were on the ice.

 

[bobber]

Canada has won with less before. Our top line in 2006 was Steve Downie, Blake Comeau and Dustin Boyd and we won gold. The talent was there this year, but the coaching staff didn't instill the proper discipline, special teams structure, and line combinations to take advantage of this talent. Our depth exceeded that of any other country, but the 3rd and 4th lines were used sparingly despite performing well when they were on the ice.

Don't kid yourself. Downie was a heck of a Junior player. Offensively one of the best. Just was a sore loser and went mental if provoked.

 

[bobber]

Respect to the talent that Swed and Finland are producing, but that's a non-issue for Canada.

We didn't lose because the team wasn't talented.

Just wasn't as talented as past teams

 

[86Habs]

Don't kid yourself. Downie was a heck of a Junior player. Offensively one of the best. Just was a sore loser and went mental if provoked.

Indeed. He pales in comparison to Strome and Marner offensively, though. And the depth on that team looks horrendous in hindsight. My point was to demonstrate that adequate talent and strong coaching can get the job done. Sutter was the coach that year and got the guys to buy-in to a cohesive, disciplined, approach as he acknowledged that the same level of talent wasn't there as compared to the 2005 team). There are a handful of other examples in the mid-'90s.

 

[Advanced stats]

Eventually people will get a chance to put on skates in Canada, there's outdoor rinks outside, inside, in malls, outside shopping centres. A beer league player who has McDavid talent won't go unrecognized even if he is older, development won't hugely impact a McDavid talent player. McDavid could have developed in Europe, U.S.A, Asia, it won't matter because he is just naturally gifted. Development won't turn a average player into McDavid. You can buy an old pair of skates at the flee market for 10$ max, borrow a stick and a puck.

You can't be serious...

 

[bobber]

Indeed. He pales in comparison to Strome and Marner offensively, though. And the depth on that team looks horrendous in hindsight. My point was to demonstrate that adequate talent and strong coaching can get the job done. Sutter was the coach that year and got the guys to buy-in to a cohesive, disciplined, approach as he acknowledged that the same level of talent wasn't there as compared to the 2005 team). There are a handful of other examples in the mid-'90s.

If Downey has not lost it and got suspended he would have at least matched their production his last year.

 

[86Habs]

If Downey has not lost it and got suspended he would have at least matched their production his last year.

Maybe, maybe not. It doesn't change my original assertion which was that this year's edition of Team Canada had sufficient talent to win this tournament. Given the skill level involved and varying levels of development of the individual players, success oftentimes comes down to coaching and preparation, like it did this year. Similarly for 2013, 2006, 2007, 1997, 1998, etc.

 

[wishywashy19]

I put ALL the blame on lowry

All he had to do is pull the goalie after the 3 rd gaol


If he pulls the goalie we might not have seen all those useless penalties we took

He should have pulled the goalie, he let in to many softies, if a nobody like me saw that the goalie was not on his game today why didnt lowry see this????

Freddie are you watching Ned play for USA
Hate to see you go the way of Tugnett but this country needs goalkeepers and less political statements by our leadership
How about it?

 

[King In The North]

Just wasn't as talented as past teams

While true, the team has enough talent to advance past quarters. Not to take away from Finland's very talented team this year.

 

[xxxx]

I'm pretty sure this team was talented enough to win the gold, that's not even debatable for me. As I said before, Hockey Canada needs to look into this and find what was wrong and change it. I think we can't just look at the QF. That team won just one game in regulation. I think we were very close to beat Finland though. It's not like we didn't show up. The first period was great and then there were flashes of a very good team performance, unfortunately undisciplined players, good finnish goalie, and not enough pressure from Canada to keep Finland out of our DZ were the reasons we lost. And not pulling out Blackwood when it was 3-4 or 4-5 imo. Again, HC needs to look into this, because a QF exit is just not and can't be acceptable and can't be overlooked in any way in this country, in any hockey tournament.

I am always optimistic to any national Canadian teams, and I think with so many talented players, we all should be, and we also should be thankful because no other country can even come close when all the factors (like people's interest, the history, our depth of quality players, our passion, etc.) come together, and sometimes just admit that the other team was better, or we just didn't have our game/tournament. But, of course, in the meaning of progressive development and getting better, we must also take every chances to improve, and we have one now.

 

[MMMFAN]

People can blame individual players all they want, but the bottom line is that this years team was not that great to begin with. At best, they were a 4th place team before they hit the ice. Having to go to a shootout to beat the Swiss...

Hopefully TC will have a better team next year.

Yes Canada almost lost to the Swiss, and Russia almost lost to Denmark. So what! Team Canada was a good team that didn't gel for some reason. Yes they were a bit small. Yes the goaltending wasn't good enough. Yes there were no superstars that could carry the team. And Yes the team took bad penalties against Finland. The team though was talented and still could have won the tournament with a bit of luck, instead of the large amount of bad luck at key times that the team encountered such as:

1. Blackwood's suspension
2. Point's injury
3. Hickett's delay of game penalty at a crucial time.
4. Marner's great play and near miss.
5. Not calling a 5 minute penalty when Strome was cross checked into the boards.

The above is just a sample of some turning points that could have changed the outcome, and if so the country would be praising these kids instead of bashing them. It didn't work this year, so what. We'll get another chance soon enough. Be proud of these kids as they tried their hearts out like all Canadian teams do.

 

[xIsle]

Yes Canada almost lost to the Swiss, and Russia almost lost to Denmark. So what! Team Canada was a good team that didn't gel for some reason. Yes they were a bit small. Yes the goaltending wasn't good enough. Yes there were no superstars that could carry the team. And Yes the team took bad penalties against Finland. The team though was talented and still could have won the tournament with a bit of luck, instead of the large amount of bad luck at key times that the team encountered such as:

1. Blackwood's suspension
2. Point's injury
3. Hickett's delay of game penalty at a crucial time.
4. Marner's great play and near miss.
5. Not calling a 5 minute penalty when Strome was cross checked into the boards.

The above is just a sample of some turning points that could have changed the outcome, and if so the country would be praising these kids instead of bashing them. It didn't work this year, so what. We'll get another chance soon enough. Be proud of these kids as they tried their hearts out like all Canadian teams do.

Five minute penalty for the cross check to Strome? C'mon! 2 minute was the right call. Strome was faking it a little bit.
Marner's great play and near miss? You mean his retaliate penalty at the end of the game?

 

[dubey]

Five minute penalty for the cross check to Strome? C'mon! 2 minute was the right call. Strome was faking it a little bit.
Marner's great play and near miss? You mean his retaliate penalty at the end of the game?

Or you mean the multiple missed opportunities to call a penalty on the punches thrown at Marner before he retaliated

 

[xIsle]

Or you mean the multiple missed opportunities to call a penalty on the punches thrown at Marner before he retaliated

Missed calls by the refs is I think for both side, not just Canada.

 

[dubey]

Missed calls by the refs is I think for both side, not just Canada.

Agreed. Just referencing the one play in particular.

 

[sansabri]

Yes Canada almost lost to the Swiss, and Russia almost lost to Denmark. So what! Team Canada was a good team that didn't gel for some reason. Yes they were a bit small. Yes the goaltending wasn't good enough. Yes there were no superstars that could carry the team. And Yes the team took bad penalties against Finland. The team though was talented and still could have won the tournament with a bit of luck, instead of the large amount of bad luck at key times that the team encountered such as:

1. Blackwood's suspension
2. Point's injury
3. Hickett's delay of game penalty at a crucial time.
4. Marner's great play and near miss.
5. Not calling a 5 minute penalty when Strome was cross checked into the boards.

The above is just a sample of some turning points that could have changed the outcome, and if so the country would be praising these kids instead of bashing them. It didn't work this year, so what. We'll get another chance soon enough. Be proud of these kids as they tried their hearts out like all Canadian teams do.

That wasn't worth a 5. Strome clearly embellished on that hit. 2 minutes was very fair.

Really, the reason why Canada lost was their lack of discipline.

 

[StroShow]

so what will next years team look like ?

the center depth is not bad

Nolan Patrick
Mathew Barzal
Micheal McLeod
Tyson Jost

 

[NyQuil]

That wasn't worth a 5. Strome clearly embellished on that hit. 2 minutes was very fair.

Really, the reason why Canada lost was their lack of discipline.

And the Finns.

 

[King Mapes]

And the Finns.

Don't forget goaltending. He was weak in nets. Shots were going in from behind the line

 

[King Mapes]

Five minute penalty for the cross check to Strome? C'mon! 2 minute was the right call. Strome was faking it a little bit.
Marner's great play and near miss? You mean his retaliate penalty at the end of the game?

The way he came back right after the call was made makes me agree.

 

[sansabri]

And the Finns.

Absolutely. They played a great game.

 

[jj cale]

The way he came back right after the call was made makes me agree.

Sure, but would the player have gotten a 5 if it was a Canadian player doing it?

Honestly, i'd be willing to bet thousands he would have.

I've seen it so much with our teams at IIHF events in europe, it's almost a garuntee if it's against a home team over there.