those are good forwards, but they sure are not as deep as Canada or USA if I'm not missing something.
WJC: 2016 — Canada Roster Talk
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BondraTime
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No they aren't.
Rantanen is, the rest aren't. When they are older they will be, outside of Kapanen
I would say Sweden has to be considered a favourite, they're poised to have a very strong team.
Canada, Russia, USA, Sweden, Finland all have potential to win a gold medal (as they do every year)
Canada, Russia, USA, Sweden, Finland all have potential to win a gold medal (as they do every year)
ShameOnYouZidlicky
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Anybody have any idea for how big the selection camp will be come December? I'm wondering if Lowry will go with the smaller group similar to what we saw last year or a bigger group that was traditionally brought in before.
1Gold Standard
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There's more elite level talent in the '95 group than the '85. Granted, there are a few players (Drouin specifically + a few others) that still got a ways to go, but I like the '95 group a lot more for elite level skill and potential. While the '85s will go down as one of the strongest junior teams ever, what came after that is what delivered in Vancouver and Sochi.
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199991
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I'd bet the smaller group. On a big european ice, they'll go with Speed,Speed and skills. I think that was the main problem in 2013 and 2014. Big guys that can't skate on a larger ice.
JackSlater
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Yes for 2014. Steve Spott was the main problem in 2013... that team was more than good enough to win in terms of players.
My guess is that they will copy the template from last year. I prefer a bigger camp though, just so there are more options. I would liek to see something like this for camp:
Marner, Crouse, Konecny, Beauvillier, Stephens, Watson, Stephens, Hawryluk, Queneville, Gauthier, Patrick, Debrusk, Perron, Dal Colle, Perron, Chartier, Merkley
Sanheim, Fleury, Hicketts, Juulsen, Chabot, Meloche, Roy, Carrier, Dunn, Hickey, McKeown, Vande Sompel
Blackwood, McDonald, Sawchenko , Hill
This is the team I'm leaning toward:
Crouse Point Marner
Beauvillier Barzal Gauthier
Chartier Quenneville Hawryluk
Watson Strome Konecny
Stephens
Sanheim Juulsen
Fleury Roy
Dermott Hicketts
Chabot
Blackwood
McDonald
Sawchenko
Hill
First line has the best player (Point) with arguably the next best player (Marner) and a physical, defensively responsible player (Crouse) to cover for their deficiencies. I preferred having Point and Marner apart, but I figured that it would at least provide some guaranteed offence. Second line has the next best centre (Barzal) centering and playmaking for a big natural goal scorer (Gauthier) and a player who can do a bit of everything (Beauvillier). Barzal and Beauvillier have also played together successfully at the U18 tournament. Third line is a defensive line. Quenneville and Hawryluk play together and are having good years, and Chartier is a competent defensive player who brings some goal scoring from the wing. I hope that he picks his play up soon. I don't like when Canada goes with strictly defensive lines, but I think that the talent available dictates this. Fourth line puts Strome in a position to succeed. I know that HC loves the idea of Strome and Marner together, but Konecny has elite speed (covering for Strome) and is a playmaker who can feed Strome in the slot. Watson looks good in all of the developmental exercises they are doing this year and could provide instant offence. Stephens is a good utility player who seems good at everything.
Defence is about balance. Sanheim brings the offence, Juulsen brings the two way play. Roy brings the offence, Fleury provides defensive cover and size. Hicketts brings offence and experience, Dermott brings defensive cover. I think this pairing wouldn't be too small given that both play bigger than their size. Chabot gets picked because he can fly, and it's nice to have that option on the bench.
I hope that Canada takes three goaltenders, with the third just for experience for 2017. Blackwood or McDonald for starter, whoever is playing better.
X66
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They're all good, but I don't think Kapanen is being let go, Bob Mckenzie touched on that today as well.
Canada's 5 is still better though IMO, Finland is going to be very good in a few years though(mens level)
Here comes a pitch for the 4th line centre:
•Nicolas Roy has excellent size to add to a forward group that will perhaps be a bit smaller than usual.
•He isn't Jake Virtanen in terms of speed but skates well for his frame and shouldn't be a drag on his linemates on big ice.
•He has taken the 11th most faceoffs in the Q of which he has won an outstanding 59%. So he's a legit centre.
•He was the first overall pick in the QMJHL draft and has always been seen as not living up to his great potential and outstanding tools but is finally putting it together.
•Even though he hasn't put up the points he was expected to, he's managed to produce similar numbers to Lawson Crouse while playing for consistenly poor Chicoutimi teams. (118 PTS in 150 career CHL games for Roy, 93 PTS in 131 GP for Crouse)
Size, skating, defensive ability, not a dud on offence either.
•Nicolas Roy has excellent size to add to a forward group that will perhaps be a bit smaller than usual.
•He isn't Jake Virtanen in terms of speed but skates well for his frame and shouldn't be a drag on his linemates on big ice.
•He has taken the 11th most faceoffs in the Q of which he has won an outstanding 59%. So he's a legit centre.
•He was the first overall pick in the QMJHL draft and has always been seen as not living up to his great potential and outstanding tools but is finally putting it together.
•Even though he hasn't put up the points he was expected to, he's managed to produce similar numbers to Lawson Crouse while playing for consistenly poor Chicoutimi teams. (118 PTS in 150 career CHL games for Roy, 93 PTS in 131 GP for Crouse)
Size, skating, defensive ability, not a dud on offence either.
ChesterNimitz
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It's a good team and the reasoning behind your selections are well thought out. Assuming no NHL additions, I think you have picked what essentially will be the team that will be representing Canada.
With respect to the defence, I am not as enchanted with Sanheim as many are. I find his decision making suspect and I don't see his skating as elite as some suggest. The same could be said about Juulsen. While I know that Hicketts is the supposed heart and soul of the team, his lack off size and elite mobility will cause him to be exploited on the bigger ice. That extra 15' in the rinks' width require the selection of large, rangy defencemen: everything that Hicketts is not. To this writer, I would be going with Guhle and McKeown, both elite skaters who will not be overwhelmed when facing the mobility challenges presented by the larger ice surface. Nor would I have any difficulty in selecting one of the 2016 draft eligible defencemen who performed so brilliantly at the Hlinka tournament.
As for the forwards, my opinion with respect to Strome has been noted in previous posts. Your inclusion of Gauthier is on the money. He has the size, speed and physicality that will make him one of Canada's most dynamic and productive forwards. I suspect that after this tournament Gauthier's draft value will sky rocket with him being taken in the top three, even second after Matthews. While the balance of the forwards you selected will all do fine, my team would include Senyshyn, Merkley and Sideroff, who are all elite skaters and who will thrive on the bigger ice.
As for the goalies, there is little to separate the ones you have named. Whoever is ultimately selected, will be under enormous pressure. If they play well, Canada will compete for the gold medal. Anything less, will mean that Canada will have difficulty reaching the medal round.
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FLYguy3911
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Dal Colle was on my team because of his reputation but the way he's playing and still not preforming even in the OHL series with Marner, no way he's on the team. He's not a good skater either and that won't make things better. He's off the team for me now. Lowry said he wants players who can skate, I'm changing my opinion on a couple players. I didn't think Aube-Kubel was dynamic enough to make the team but he plays with a lot of speed and energy, I think he could play around a 4th line role.
JackSlater
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I'm not a big Hicketts fan, didn't like his selection or his play last year. I've come to grips with him being there, and at the very least he brings some experience from having been there last year. McKeown was terrible at the summer camp, which cooled me on him. He's going to get heavy consideration, I assume, given that he seems to be having a good year and Hockey Canada has given him leadership positions in the past.
I understand the theory behind taking a player like Senyshyn, but I don't think he's good enough at this point to take. A big, speedy, goal scoring winger is what the team needs, but it needs someone who can also do those things at an elite level. Not sure he fits. Merkley is versatile at least, but there are only so many spots and I chose to go with more defensive players (outside of the locks) so that at least one line is ready to get the tough defensive assignments.
Disagree. Canada's roster is good enough to score 5 goals each game. I think we only need a good-enough goaltending, nothing spectacular.
Us and Canada have the best offensive rosters hands down. I can see a NA gold-medal game.
86Habs
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I'd still like to see Perlini consistently play up to his potential and crack this roster. When operating at his full capacity he's a big guy who can absolutely fly and contribute in all three zones. Based on your roster projection I'd like him on the left side on the de facto "checking" line in lieu of Chartier...provided of course his play leading up to and including the December camp warrants his inclusion. Overall the forward group will be smaller than typical and I wouldn't be surprised if a Perlini or Dal Colle (or even DeBrusk, who plays larger than his frame suggests) ends up on the roster.
zeropotentate
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Question here, I see john Quenneville and Spencer Watson's names thrown around for this years team, but what is it in their game that makes them attractive to Team Canada? What do they bring that makes them better candidates than others?
JackSlater
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It would be nice to get a big, skating goal scoring winger but those players just aren't producing a ton. Chartier hasn't produced much either, but he's better defensively than his competition. I find the team a bit short on players who can be used in defensive situations. I think here are spots on the left side. Debrusk is a guy that I wish had looked better in the camp.
Watson is having a good year, he plays in the weakest position for Canada and he's looked good in the summer camp and against Russia. Quenneville is just a defensively minded centre, which is a weak spot for Canada this year.
FLYguy3911
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tfantasy
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I don't have Dal Colle making it. He isn't doing anything on the small ice let alone the big ice. New York made a mistake taking him 6th overall or whatever it was.
If HC had to pick today this is the roster I think they'd role with, now a lot can change in a month (and that is a good thing) as players can solidify their spot or lose it.
F:
Lawson Crouse- Big, powerful, returning guy, that can fit anywhere in the lineup.
Michael Dal Colle- Not having the best season, but has the potential to be a game breaker... I think they'd roll the dice on this one.
Anthony Beauvillier- Can really fill the back of the net, and you can never have too many guys like that.
Francis Perron- Good skater, good vision and fill play in all situations.
Brayden Point- Possibly the best player in Jr hockey right now, and his offensive flair is much needed.
Dylan Strome- Not a great skater, but has the offensive ability to make a big impact.
Mathew Barzal- Offensive ability is fantastic, skating is an asset and won't hurt them defensively.
John Quenneville- Battles, good in his own end and could slide to the wing if necessary.
Travis Konecny- A little buzz saw on the ice, always seem to notice him and has offensive ability.
Mitchell Marner- Dynamic player with great offensive ability.
Julien Gauthier- Big, strong, goal scoring winger and is a handful for defenceman.
Jayce Hawryluk- May not stand out at any one thing, but is good at a lot of things and brings versatility.
Spencer Watson- Ability to fill the back of the net and has been playing well.
D:
Haydn Fleury- Can play both offensively and defensively but will be here for his defence.
Travis Sanheim- Good skater, good offensively ability, defends well in his own end.
Jakob Chychrun- Great skater, and has a strong two-way game (also HC will want to lock him up)
Roland McKeown- HC likes him, and is a good two-way player and has experience playing against the best players.
Joe Hicketts- Undersized, but will give it his all and brings leadership to this team.
Jeremy Roy- Great ability to move the puck, and can QB the PP.
Thomas Chabot- Great skater, puck mover, and can defend in his own end.
G:
MacKenzie Blackwood- Has been possibly the best goalie in the CHL, athletic, battles and strong between the pipes.
Mason McDonald- Calm in the net, athletic and always competes.
F:
Lawson Crouse- Big, powerful, returning guy, that can fit anywhere in the lineup.
Michael Dal Colle- Not having the best season, but has the potential to be a game breaker... I think they'd roll the dice on this one.
Anthony Beauvillier- Can really fill the back of the net, and you can never have too many guys like that.
Francis Perron- Good skater, good vision and fill play in all situations.
Brayden Point- Possibly the best player in Jr hockey right now, and his offensive flair is much needed.
Dylan Strome- Not a great skater, but has the offensive ability to make a big impact.
Mathew Barzal- Offensive ability is fantastic, skating is an asset and won't hurt them defensively.
John Quenneville- Battles, good in his own end and could slide to the wing if necessary.
Travis Konecny- A little buzz saw on the ice, always seem to notice him and has offensive ability.
Mitchell Marner- Dynamic player with great offensive ability.
Julien Gauthier- Big, strong, goal scoring winger and is a handful for defenceman.
Jayce Hawryluk- May not stand out at any one thing, but is good at a lot of things and brings versatility.
Spencer Watson- Ability to fill the back of the net and has been playing well.
D:
Haydn Fleury- Can play both offensively and defensively but will be here for his defence.
Travis Sanheim- Good skater, good offensively ability, defends well in his own end.
Jakob Chychrun- Great skater, and has a strong two-way game (also HC will want to lock him up)
Roland McKeown- HC likes him, and is a good two-way player and has experience playing against the best players.
Joe Hicketts- Undersized, but will give it his all and brings leadership to this team.
Jeremy Roy- Great ability to move the puck, and can QB the PP.
Thomas Chabot- Great skater, puck mover, and can defend in his own end.
G:
MacKenzie Blackwood- Has been possibly the best goalie in the CHL, athletic, battles and strong between the pipes.
Mason McDonald- Calm in the net, athletic and always competes.
Not a bad selection
I don,t know much about Quenneville ? But his name keeps appearing in the bottom end of rosters. Can the guy skate?
Trade out Perlini for Dal C ole but I could be convinced to dump both
I like C hartier and therefore makes Merkley more attractive
Word is seven 97 born forwards
I don't like your Defence - not enough Whl picks
JackSlater
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Whose word? It sounds reasonable, but I haven't seen any indication that they are going with seven for a given year.
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