Canada VS USA full strength WJC

[Mathieukferland]

Asked for by popular demand on the Canada thread (and I quote: let the sparks fly), who was the advantage between the two North American sides if all prospects and NHL players get released?

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[Dominance]

Bolded is the notably superior player.

Lafreniere-Dach-Newhook
Beckman-Cozens-Poulin
McMichael-Byfield-Quinn
Krebs-Tomasino-Rees
(Mercer-Lapierre-Perfetti/Jarvis)

Byram-Schneider
Power-Drysdale
Guhle-Harley
(Robertson-Korczak)

vs.

Boldy-Hughes-Caufield
Robertson-Zegras-Kaliyev
Brisson-Turcotte-Colangelo
Beecher-Bordeleau-Brink
(Beniers-Lindmark-Caulfield)

York-Thrun
Sanderson-Helleson
Johnson-Skinner
(Kleven-Fensore)

Canada is very clearly the superior team in this regard, but Team USA has a big edge in goaltending and always has a chemistry advantage.

 

[snipes]

Canada and by a lot.

Goaltending could be an X factor though in a short tournament like this.

 

[Gold Standard]

Should be a hell of a gold medal game on the 5th. can't wait. I think Canada is the better team....wish we could play a best 4 out of 7.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Interesting thing to debate.

But I don’t think the conditions are right for that debate to be had here. Maybe in a different setting.

Hopefully we get a good tournament. Maybe the two countries meet, but I also think some other countries will have their say about it winning the tournament.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Given OP’s premise: If Hughes gets released it’s a fair fight in a one off, tournament setting—

as in Canada is clearly better on paper but imo not to the point where there’s a major gap and either side is a heavy underdog or favorite.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I think Canada has a slight edge in forwards, a considerable edge on d, and the U.S. has a massive edge in goal. I would say overall Canada has the better team but there isn't a massive divide. Would make for an interesting game and an even better series.

 

[jj cale]

2 months before the tournament and we are already jinxed, nice.

 

[Gold Standard]

2 months before the tournament and we are already jinxed, nice.

jinxed? how? you really believe a bunch of yahoos on some obscure internet forum effects anything in real life? The players will decide what happens not the ramblings of pretend experts.

 

[ORRFForever]

...the U.S. has a massive edge in goal...

Why can't we produce any goalies? The drought has been forever.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Why can't we produce any goalies? The drought has been forever.

Not sure. Hockey Canada devotes a lot of resources to goaltending. Could just be cyclical. The reality is a team like Canada doesn't need draft pedigree to win a tournament like the WJCs. They need competent goaltending that doesn't crap the bed.

 

[Gold Standard]

Why can't we produce any goalies? The drought has been forever.

too many disciples of the Allaire brothers stinking up the halls of Hockey Canada. big part of the problem. Their approach is perfectly acceptable for a 23 year old professional NHLer. It has no business in the arenas where bantams and peewees play.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Canada won gold last year with a 4th round pick as the main guy in goal. We obviously don't have the flashy name prospect like the other nations have, but that doesn't always matter in this tournament. The goaltending is just kind of an unknown right now compared to everything else which looks absolutely loaded.

 

[themelkman]

Its Canada hands down

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I already said this in the Canada thread. Canada wouldn’t lose a game with this team barring a ridiculous goaltending performance in a knockout game.

 

[ORRFForever]

Not sure. Hockey Canada devotes a lot of resources to goaltending. Could just be cyclical. The reality is a team like Canada doesn't need draft pedigree to win a tournament like the WJCs. They need competent goaltending that doesn't crap the bed.

I agree. I just worry on the Pro level. Eventually it has to come back to haunt us.

 

[ORRFForever]

We obviously don't have the flashy name prospect like the other nations have.

The question is : Why not?

When is the last time we had a blue chip goaltending prospect?

 

[ORRFForever]

too many disciples of the Allaire brothers stinking up the halls of Hockey Canada. big part of the problem. Their approach is perfectly acceptable for a 23 year old professional NHLer. It has no business in the arenas where bantams and peewees play.

You would think, just by accident and pure numbers, we would produce a TOP prospect every year or two or three.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

The question is : Why not?

When is the last time we had a blue chip goaltending prospect?

Carter Hart.

 

[jj cale]

jinxed? how? you really believe a bunch of yahoos on some obscure internet forum effects anything in real life? The players will decide what happens not the ramblings of pretend experts.

I believe in jinxes that's why.

 

[JackSlater]

The real question isn't the roster, it's if USA is bringing a moron to coach the team this year.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The real question isn't the roster, it's if USA is bringing a moron to coach the team this year.

It's Nate Leaman who is the head coach at Providence College. A very good NCAA coach who has a history with USA Hockey but it remains to be seen how he performs on this stage. We'll see.

 

[OldScool]

Leaman is the perfect coach for this tournament. He demands a tough, blue collar effort out of his players and basically overachieves every season with the talent he has at Providence. USA had the talent last year but played too soft and perimeter hockey....Leaman won’t allow that or you will be on the bench next to him.

 

[Canada4Gold]

The question is : Why not?

When is the last time we had a blue chip goaltending prospect?

I mean it hasn't been that long. We had the best goalie prospect in the 2018 tournament who also was our #1 in 2017.

 

[JackSlater]

It's Nate Leaman who is the head coach at Providence College. A very good NCAA coach who has a history with USA Hockey but it remains to be seen how he performs on this stage. We'll see.

Canadian fans like to complain about the team Canada coaches, but USA seems to have worse coaches on average. The job done by the American coach last year was among the worst I've ever seen.