GDT: Canada vs USA - Sat August 6th 7 pm eastern TSN

[Mess]

With any luck this isn't the team they will be taking.

Perhaps some leaders will step up during the season and get selected to the December camp?

Perhaps Leafs had some players on the 3 other teams who looked ready?

Leafs had 5 players total in the tournament more than any other Canadian team.

Marner with Canada and we all know how that went. Marner and Strome were expected to carry the team offensively by being top 5 NHL picks and returnees, but the team only scored 3 goals in 3 games with neither player recording a point. Ryan Jankowski who is in charge of player selection and development was interviewed and said about Marner and Strome struggles " They're trying to work things out".

Lindgren and Gundstrom with Sweden, but Lindgren played in only 1 of the 3 games as the 7th dman and used sparingly while Grundstrom got hurt in the first game and never played again in the tournament.

Joseph Woll started the tournament expected to be USA #1 but let in soft goals against Sweden (3 goals on 8 shots) and was pulled and didn't seem much action afterwards including not playing against Canada.

Jeremy Bracco was the 5th player playing and might have had the best tournament of all 5 Leaf prospects.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

What are they even playing for?

 

[Mess]

Despite losing to all teams in the tournament Canada actually caught a break as Fins didn't have Laine, Puljujarvi, Juolevi or Sebastion Eho among others and Team USA was missing Matthews, Hanifin, Tkachuk, Werenski and Kyle Conner etc while Sweden was missing Alex Nylander and some of his top WJC teammates.

Canada had a stacked selection camp with 18 former 1st round draft picks available of the 30 total in the tournament that played as many other teams were missing big name stars due to injury recovery or simply deemed too good for this showcase as they're not likely to be available to their teams this WJC but in the NHL instead.

All 9 Team Canada players that represented the team in 2016 and potential returnees were made available and in camp.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

What are they even playing for?

Nothing. We shouldn't even be involved in this rubbish. The players are playing to not get injured by the looks of it. Complete waste of time and energy if you ask me.

It was obvious they didn't want to be there! Pretty much everyone watching it wasted their time. 3 games of showing Zero jam.

Lots of players weren't there and smart on them. These games only gave a bad impression.

 

[Mr Hockey*]

Nothing. We shouldn't even be involved in this rubbish. The players are playing to not get injured by the looks of it. Complete waste of time and energy if you ask me.

It was obvious they didn't want to be there! Pretty much everyone watching it wasted their time. 3 games of showing Zero jam.

Lots of players weren't there and smart on them. These games only gave a bad impression.

When you say 3 games of showing Zero jam, you mean Canada right?

 

[hizzoner]

Yeah, If you put on your country's sweater-especially Canada-you do not want to put yourself out. You are too good for this crap--especially if drafted by the Leafs? Pride in country, self, team--all nonsense right? Turn it on when you feel like it--the Babcock, Lamiorello way?

 

[Mr Hockey*]

We all know nobody was trying out there ...

 

[BertCorbeau]

Some guys are trying to make an impression as they're not locks to make the WJC in the winter.

 

[ACC1224]

FYI

Canada's coach Dominique Ducharme won a Memorial Cup with Halifax a few years ago in 2013 and was also named QMJHL coach of the year that same season.

He was also assistant coach of Team Canada at U-18 Ivan Hlinka last year that won Gold.

He was also recently stolen away from Halifax as coach to be both coach and GM now of Drummondville as he is viewed as a rising star in the junior coaching circles.

Didn't the Coach choose to leave Halifax for family reasons?

 

[ULF_55]

Didn't the Coach choose to leave Halifax for family reasons?

Was he?

You have a link to this?

 

[Mess]

Was he?

You have a link to this?

Promotion & pay raise.

Went from just coach in Halifax leading them to Memorial Cup in 2013 to coach & GM and chief bottle washer in Drummondville the man in complete charge now of building and coaching his own team.

He was also the assistant coach for Canada at the U18 that won gold with many of the players he had here to work with that were on that team that returned with medals.

Coaching appears to be the least of Canada's concerns for this upcoming event as Dominique Ducharme is a recent coach of the year award winner.

However Team Canada coming off a worst finishing in 18 years at last years WJC and now getting pounded going 0-3 & outscored 12-3 in the selection camp process for this upcoming event has to have management concerned. With this years event on home soil and wanting and expecting a big bounce back year after an embarrassing finish last year, and with this being the best available talent for this team to pick from there must be some uneasy feelings at the moment.

Canada has 9 potential returnees for this year, all of whom were in attendance here, but they're also the ones that contributed to last years 6th place finish, and struggled here.

 

[al secord]

Came away from a meaningless tournament with only one injury. Hopefully Grunstrom recovers well.

Crossing my fingers that we come out unscathed in the next meaningless tourney.

 

[ACC1224]

Promotion & pay raise.

Went from just coach in Halifax leading them to Memorial Cup in 2013 to coach & GM and chief bottle washer in Drummondville the man in complete charge now of building and coaching his own team.

He was also the assistant coach for Canada at the U18 that won gold with many of the players he had here to work with that were on that team that returned with medals.

Coaching appears to be the least of Canada's concerns for this upcoming event as Dominique Ducharme is a recent coach of the year award winner.

However Team Canada coming off a worst finishing in 18 years at last years WJC and now getting pounded going 0-3 & outscored 12-3 in the selection camp process for this upcoming event has to have management concerned. With this years event on home soil and wanting and expecting a big bounce back year after an embarrassing finish last year, and with this being the best available talent for this team to pick from there must be some uneasy feelings at the moment.

Canada has 9 potential returnees for this year, all of whom were in attendance here, but they're also the ones that contributed to last years 6th place finish, and struggled here.

Found this, surprised you didn't know this.

The Halifax Mooseheads are on the hunt for a new head coach after Dominique Ducharme resigned from the job Monday citing personal reasons.

"This is just about being closer to my kids, my girlfriend and my family who I've been apart from for a few years now," said Ducharme in a news release sent out by the Mooseheads on Monday afternoon.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...me-resigns-as-mooseheads-head-coach-1.3541556

 

[RoadWarrior]

Grundstrom in his limited time and Bracco were excellent. Marner and Woll basically pooed the bed.

It's only 3 games and Marner is a lock for the team. He had scoring chances but the rust was obvious.

 

[Mess]

Found this, surprised you didn't know this.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...me-resigns-as-mooseheads-head-coach-1.3541556

Not sure how that is relevant as to his coaching abilities?

He wasn't fired, and took a new job with even more responsibilities and control being both coach and GM now.

I'm sure Halifax would still like to have him, as this was his decision to move on not theirs.

Hockey Canada has already named him head coach for the upcoming WJC so that is unlikely to change. Its the players that are underperforming and who will be available is what we don't know at this point.

Staff
President & CEO - Tom Renney Cranbrook, B.C. Hockey Canada
Chief Operating Officer - Scott Smith Bathurst, N.B. Hockey Canada
Vice-President, Hockey Operations/National Teams - Scott Salmond Creston, B.C. Hockey Canada
Management Group - Joël Bouchard Montréal, Que. Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Management Group - Tim Speltz Medicine Hat, Alta. Spokane (WHL)
Director, Player Personnel - Ryan Jankowski Calgary, Alta. Hockey Canada

Head Coach - Dominique Ducharme Joliette, Que. Drummondville (QMJHL)
Assistant Coach - Misha Donskov London, Ont. Hockey Canada
Assistant Coach - Tim Hunter Calgary, Alta. Moose Jaw (WHL)
Assistant Coach -Kris Knoblauch Regina, Sask. Erie (OHL)

 

[ACC1224]

Not sure how that is relevant as to his coaching abilities?

He wasn't fired, and took a new job with even more responsibilities and control being both coach and GM now.

I'm sure Halifax would still like to have him, as this was his decision to move on not theirs.

Hockey Canada has already named him head coach for the upcoming WJC so that is unlikely to change. Its the players that are underperforming and who will be available is what we don't know at this point.

Not relevant at all, just setting the record straight for you.

You were under the impression that he was stolen from Halifax and I know you wouldn't want to post something untrue.

 

[yekcoh2006]

Leafs had 5 players total in the tournament more than any other Canadian team.

Marner with Canada and we all know how that went. Marner and Strome were expected to carry the team offensively by being top 5 NHL picks and returnees, but the team only scored 3 goals in 3 games with neither player recording a point. Ryan Jankowski who is in charge of player selection and development was interviewed and said about Marner and Strome struggles " They're trying to work things out".

Lindgren and Gundstrom with Sweden, but Lindgren played in only 1 of the 3 games as the 7th dman and used sparingly while Grundstrom got hurt in the first game and never played again in the tournament.

Joseph Woll started the tournament expected to be USA #1 but let in soft goals against Sweden (3 goals on 8 shots) and was pulled and didn't seem much action afterwards including not playing against Canada.

Jeremy Bracco was the 5th player playing and might have had the best tournament of all 5 Leaf prospects.

U.S. shows its resilience -- U.S. coach Bob Motzko said he was most proud of how his team never panicked despite being down 3-0 after the first period.

He gave a lot of the credit to goaltender Joseph Woll (Toronto Maple Leafs), who allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period but made 18 saves in the second and third, including 15 in the second.

"There's some character and there was some grit in there, no panic," Motzko said. "Our goalie bounces back. That was a shaky first period, and we weren't playing all bad in the first, but you find yourself down. Give our guys credit. They didn't get shaky and neither did the goalie. He stayed strong the rest of the way."

 

[Mess]

The players in this tournament are going to among the players that will be playing in the upcoming WJC this year held in Toronto/Montreal.

Being on home soil Team Canada is going to want a bounce back and good showing after a poor 6th place finish last year.

Team Canada struggled mightily and that must be making management a little nervous as these are their best options for assembling this years team as 18 former 1st round picks were in camp and all 9 potential returnees from last year.

 

[Northern Dancer]

Don't we have a timeline on GDT's? This is getting very boring.