I'm trying to parse out what it means when a player is very good with the national team, even across several different games with them, but considerably less impressive with their club team. I'd like to think it's reflective of a player who will be able to do more as they move to the next level and play with better players.
What do you guys think?
I think a lot of it has to do with chemistry and systems in these short tournaments. Some players are great at capitalizing on broken plays, chaos and small errors. In these tournaments stuff like that is more common because no one is running systems and has the chemistry of a team that gets to practice together year-round.
In the same vein, some players rely heavily on using their teammates well, and the comfort of systems they're familiar with. Those players can struggle in these tournaments as they're trying to adapt to these new settings.
Finally sometimes players will be lucky and their international team runs a system they're familiar with and/or they're playing with teammates they already know well and that can be a big advantage too.
I've always sort of trusted international tournament results less for this reason. They're best on best, but most of the players aren't playing their best hockey. Two powerhouse CHL teams facing off in the Memorial Cup or a kid in the SHL competing against men are way better at showing what a prospect can bring than the WJC for example. Not that a good tournament isn't a good thing. You always want good players to perform and these games matter to them. It's just when I try to consider a prospect holistically, national tournament results are something I don't weigh heavily.
