GDT: 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships

[McMetal]

Man, these are some of the worst arguments. So keeping Makar as the 6th/7th defenseman when he leads the entire team in points the game prior, is playing solid defense on both the right and left side, while Bean and Clague struggle almost very game, Foote struggles to move the puck every game, Fabbro and Mete are banged up, and it's 1-1 and you're scoreless on the PP in the gold medal game, unable to get shots on net, and it was the right decisions simply because that was his plan before the tournament even started?

So you're arguing that not adjusting your strategy despite overwhelming evidence that you should is a good decision? Supported only by the fact that Timmins made a great play with less than two minutes in the third period of the gold medal game? If they lose in OT how do you make that argument?

Well, if they lose in OT, then you cannot make that argument because they lost the game. You can't say "He won gold so he succeeded" when he didn't win gold. Then it would be very appropriate to ask what he could have done differently to turn that silver into a gold.

Hockey is a team sport, and the accomplishments players value most are team awards. This tournament, despite what you seem to think, was a team event. Team Canada was run by Hockey Canada, and I hate to break it to you, but they DO NOT CARE about anything besides winning gold. Not player development, not draft position, not appeasing NHL teams or fanbases. I don't know why you seem to think Ducharme has an obligation to use the players you think he should use in the pursuit of his one and only job.

 

[MonsterMack]

Ducharme stuck to his plan and won gold. Great. He deserves a lot of credit for that. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve any criticism, and questioning his usage of Makar isn't just Avs bias. The TSN guys and a lot of non-Avs posters on the main board questioned it as well. Succeeding doesn't mean that you didn't make any mistakes along the way.

 

[Foppa2118]

Well, if they lose in OT, then you cannot make that argument because they lost the game. You can't say "He won gold so he succeeded" when he didn't win gold. Then it would be very appropriate to ask what he could have done differently to turn that silver into a gold.

Hockey is a team sport, and the accomplishments players value most are team awards. This tournament, despite what you seem to think, was a team event. Team Canada was run by Hockey Canada, and I hate to break it to you, but they DO NOT CARE about anything besides winning gold. Not player development, not draft position, not appeasing NHL teams or fanbases. I don't know why you seem to think Ducharme has an obligation to use the players you think he should use in the pursuit of his one and only job.

Fair enough, I appreciate you acknowledging that first part.

I don't disagree with anything in your second paragraph either. This was a team event, and Team Canada won because of what a great team they were without Makar. Ducharme didn't owe it to him or anyone else to play him. I just think it was painfully obvious he should have, and he didn't because of off ice politics, and a little bit too much of a stubborn nature.

In the end it didn't hurt them though, and he obviously deserves credit for winning gold.

 

[Lemonlimey]

Man, these are some of the worst arguments. So keeping Makar as the 6th/7th defenseman when he leads the entire team in points the game prior, is playing solid defense on both the right and left side, while Bean and Clague struggle almost very game, Foote struggles to move the puck every game, Fabbro and Mete are banged up, and it's 1-1 and you're scoreless on the PP in the gold medal game, unable to get shots on net, and it was the right decisions simply because that was his plan before the tournament even started?

So you're arguing that not adjusting your strategy despite overwhelming evidence that you should is a good decision? Supported only by the fact that Timmins made a great play with less than two minutes in the third period of the gold medal game? If they lose in OT how do you make that argument?

Waingro keeps nailing it. What proves CHL vs NCAA politics were involved beyond a doubt was when Ducharme said after a game underplaying Makar (he was getting questions about it from the media around at this point, as it likely cost his team a win in the outdoor game, not giving his best payer a single shift in overtime and only 3 in the third period), Ducharme said after another game under 10 minutes for Makar that it was only because the Canadians had been on the PK so often. But in the Gold medal game, this was proven a lie. Outright through his teeth lying. Canada had hardly any PK in that and nother game Makar played sub 10 in.

Of course Ducharme is a "good" coach, to be eligible for the job. And for winning gold, though you could argue he f***ed it up last year and failed with a better roster. I understand his feeling loyalty to returning players from that tragedy. But his lie, about it being about PKs, stinks badly. Hedge on the question, or don't answer it, but don't lie through your teeth. Ducharme, beyond good or bad, is a company man for Canada.