Canada's 2006 WJHC list is out!

[thisyearsgirl]

I'm VERY surprised about Wolski, not very surprised about McGrath, and disappointed about McCardle. Does anyone know if his injury in the Russian game was serious, or was he just not invited? I was fully expecting him to be invited. QUOTE]

I was at the Hitmen-Warriors game yesterday and McCardle played and seemed fine. Got into a good scrap with Brodie Dupont to boot. I sat not far from the Warriors bench and didn't notice him limping or looking like he was in pain or anything. I'm a little surprised he didn't get an invite as well.

 

[Doomsday Device]

I'm VERY surprised about Wolski, not very surprised about McGrath, and disappointed about McCardle. Does anyone know if his injury in the Russian game was serious, or was he just not invited? I was fully expecting him to be invited. Not pleased at all that Schultz is going, and a little surprised about them taking Stephenson over Fistric or Jackson. It seems like they might have a little more grit and role players than necessary to me, but if Sutter feels like that's what will give him the best chance to win, I can live with it. He's going to really hear about not even inviting Wolski to camp if this team struggles in the slightest to score though.

McArdle has apparently not been playing that well, and offensively it appears he hasn't improved much from last season.

 

[Greg7]

I'm VERY surprised about Wolski, not very surprised about McGrath, and disappointed about McCardle. Does anyone know if his injury in the Russian game was serious, or was he just not invited? I was fully expecting him to be invited. QUOTE]

I was at the Hitmen-Warriors game yesterday and McCardle played and seemed fine. Got into a good scrap with Brodie Dupont to boot. I sat not far from the Warriors bench and didn't notice him limping or looking like he was in pain or anything. I'm a little surprised he didn't get an invite as well.

Thanks for the info. Well, that's quite disappointing then, I liked his summer camp and I thought he would have been a guy Sutter would like.

 

[Greg7]

McArdle has apparently not been playing that well, and offensively it appears he hasn't improved much from last season.

That's interesting, I hadn't heard that. I haven't seen him play yet this season, but as I said above, I did like his summer camp.

 

[canucksfan]

McArdle has apparently not been playing that well, and offensively it appears he hasn't improved much from last season.

He's getting a more than a point per game in Moose Jaw. I also had him making the team. I haven't seen him play this year but a point per game in the WHL is pretty good.

I'm also surprized that Mark Fistric didn't make the camp either.

 

[Greg7]

He's getting a more than a point per game in Moose Jaw. I also had him making the team. I haven't seen him play this year but a point per game in the WHL is pretty good.

I'm also surprized that Mark Fistric didn't make the camp either.

I guess I should be surprised about Fistric, afterall I had him picked to make the team (I feel dumb this morning, no Fistric, no Jackson, no McArdle, no McGrath, no Wolski), but really I haven't been impressed with his play this year. I guess I'm a little suprised, but not disappointed.

 

[canucksfan]

What do you think Esposito's chances are at making the team? I think if he makes the team he will be the 13th forward.

 

[skerbud]

Why would they take Blunden and Pyatt and not McGrath .I watched the Russian Ohl series and Blunden didnt bring to the table that McGrath did. Cant figure out the mine set of the Coaches. The people in vancouver will be paying good money to see a warm up for next years world junior team not this years. Too bad alot of these boys must be sitting at home and in shell shock. As far as Esposito and Toews I think moving them up is not fair. If they are that good they will get their own chance to play two years for Canada. Why the big rush on young players. If thats the case get rid of the under-18 international teams and just put all the 16 and 17 year old on the World Juniors.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

If a 16-year-old player is better than a 19-year-old player, why should he lose the job to the older player? This is a best-on-best tournament, and should be treated as such by all nations.

 

[firstroundbust]

Personally, I'm amazed and dissapointed that Wolski wasn't even invited to the tryouts. Considering he was good enough to make the Colorado Avalanche, I'm confused as to why he's not even good enough to try-out for this team.

polish discrimination.

 

[nomorekids]

can't wait to see Ryan Parent in action.

 

[Kritty]

Why would they take Blunden and Pyatt and not McGrath .I watched the Russian Ohl series and Blunden didnt bring to the table that McGrath did. Cant figure out the mine set of the Coaches. The people in vancouver will be paying good money to see a warm up for next years world junior team not this years. Too bad alot of these boys must be sitting at home and in shell shock. As far as Esposito and Toews I think moving them up is not fair. If they are that good they will get their own chance to play two years for Canada. Why the big rush on young players. If thats the case get rid of the under-18 international teams and just put all the 16 and 17 year old on the World Juniors.

Why is it that everyone always makes comments like these when the list comes out? When it's Brent Sutter making the list I don't see how anyone can be questioning why he chooses who he does. He has shown that he is a very astute judge of talent and knows exactly what and who he needs for his team. Last year people were saying the same things about the choices of Colin Fraser and Clarke MacArthur. Those two turned out to be two of the better Canadian performances of the tournament.

As for McGrath, with the rest of the players invited, you can see that Sutter doesn't favour his style of play for this team. He didn't get invited because clearly he is lacking something in his game. "The people in Vancouver will be paying good money to see a warm up for 2007". Do you have any clue about the players in camp for 2006? You must not to be making a comment like that. The talent on this team is top notch. So what if it's young. Since when does age matter when it comes to talent. Yes, they won't have the experience of past teams, but so what.

I'm not understanding why Wolski should be a slam dunk for the tryout camp. Just because he was in the NHL makes him a shoe-in for this team? That's pretty poor reasoning. From all accounts, he peformed poorly at the summer camp and wasn't a player Sutter was very high on. End of story. The NHL means nothing to Sutter, and that's the way it should be.

And as for Toews and Esposito, why shouldn't they be invited? Would you have said that about Spezza, Bouwmeester and Crosby? Not a chance. If they are good enough they should be there, regardless of age. And what's the problem with bringing along some of the most talented young Canadians out there?

Seems to me like alot of your reasoning is way off here and you are just ticked off because some of your personal favourites aren't there.

 

[Sticky*]

Why is it that everyone always makes comments like these when the list comes out? When it's Brent Sutter making the list I don't see how anyone can be questioning why he chooses who he does. He has shown that he is a very astute judge of talent and knows exactly what and who he needs for his team. Last year people were saying the same things about the choices of Colin Fraser and Clarke MacArthur. Those two turned out to be two of the better Canadian performances of the tournament.

As for McGrath, with the rest of the players invited, you can see that Sutter doesn't favour his style of play for this team. He didn't get invited because clearly he is lacking something in his game. "The people in Vancouver will be paying good money to see a warm up for 2007". Do you have any clue about the players in camp for 2006? You must not to be making a comment like that. The talent on this team is top notch. So what if it's young. Since when does age matter when it comes to talent. Yes, they won't have the experience of past teams, but so what.

I'm not understanding why Wolski should be a slam dunk for the tryout camp. Just because he was in the NHL makes him a shoe-in for this team? That's pretty poor reasoning. From all accounts, he peformed poorly at the summer camp and wasn't a player Sutter was very high on. End of story. The NHL means nothing to Sutter, and that's the way it should be.

And as for Toews and Esposito, why shouldn't they be invited? Would you have said that about Spezza, Bouwmeester and Crosby? Not a chance. If they are good enough they should be there, regardless of age. And what's the problem with bringing along some of the most talented young Canadians out there?

Seems to me like alot of your reasoning is way off here and you are just ticked off because some of your personal favourites aren't there.

I would have, When Spezza made the team as a 16yr old, he had no right to be there. He looked out of place, and a step slower than all the other players. And he arguably didnt look much better the following year either.

 

[Sticky*]

Im excited though, that Tommy Pyatt is getting a chance, and I think he will make the team. He will be an excellent 3/4th liner on this team, and he can score too.

Also, Bryan Little and Andrew Cogliano will turn some heads at this tourney. I still think that Bryan Little should be considered a top4 pick in this years NHL draft. I like him more than Kessel. And no, not because he is canadian, but because I think his offensive ability is phenomenal, and also he is a great leader, as evidenced by him being captain of the Barrie COlts.

 

[canucksfan]

I would have, When Spezza made the team as a 16yr old, he had no right to be there. He looked out of place, and a step slower than all the other players. And he arguably didnt look much better the following year either.

Spezza was great at his second World Juniors. He was one of the best forwards that year at the World Juniors. As as 16 year old I agree with you he had no business being there.

 

[Garp]

Do you think that they'll keep the Pouliot - Cogliano - Latendresse line together?

And a slepper pick to make the team is Derrick Brassard. He could be used on a scoring line or as a checking center effectively.

Do you think that Letang has any chances to make the team?

 

[Lessy]

I was very surprised to see the ommission of Wolski, when I read that article on TSN. Other guys I would have liked to see there would have been Fistric and Alex Bourret, I think he would have been a great player to have on one of the checking lines. Other than that though, I like it. The ommission of McGrath didn't really surprise me all that much and the 4 goalies pretty much followed the consensus around here.

I'm not too familiar with the NCAA players on the roster, and in particular Pokuluk. I had no idea he was even from Canada. What are his chances of making the team looking like? I was also wondering who the marquee face off guys and PK guys are on this list. Those intangibles are always huge in this tournament.

On paper it's looking like Canada and the US are the teams to beat although the consensus seems to heavily favour the Americans. The top 2 lines for the States are going to be lethal but I think Canada has the edge in checking lines and the defence. In a short tourney like this it matters more about hot goaltending and you really can't give anyone in edge in that right now. Whatever happens, it should be extremely fun to watch in Vancouver

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

chipchura, comeau, o'marra, chucko, latendresse, downie are pretty good pk's and it appears with the enormous D they will not take any fancy BS from the russians or whoever, also America has a huge team so it was necessary for big D, i expect about 2 offensive defenseman.

 

[Eradicator]

Everyone talks about the Americans being the team to beat, but I beg to differ, especially when you consider that they have a tendency to self implode and that as a group, there's a lot of conflict in that there are players there who don't like each other. That's going to be tough to overcome, no matter who the coach is.

I agree. The criticisms of Team Canada - being to young and inexperienced should apply to the Americans as well. They only have 6 returnees, half their team is 18 or younger including two '88 b'dates. The USA big three on D (Lee, 2X Johnson's) are highly touted, but Barker has NHL experience, Bourdon came within a hair of making the Nucks, plus Staal, Parent, Rogers etc pretty solid for a World Jr. team.

Up front, tons of speed. Will be very gritty and ideally suited for playing on GM Place ice against North American style teams like the Finns and the USA (of course) who are in their pool.

In goal, being in Calgary and having seen Pogge, Canada will have a very technically sound goalie, never gets flustered, and is very good playing the puck.

Add in Sutter running the show, home ice adv. and we have a team that is as big a threat to win gold as any team in the tourney.

 

[Hossa]

Do you think that Letang has any chances to make the team?

I think that he has a very good chance of making the team. He played very well with Bourdon at the U-18s last year and plays with Bourdon in the Q obviously too. In Bob McKenzie's article he suggests that Bourdon could play with Letang and Barker with Russell (team-mates in Medicine Hat), with Staal and Parent rounding out the top six. We'll see I guess.

 

[hawksfan50]

I think that politically they will want at minimum 4 from the "Q"....
Esposito will need to make it as a starter at centre--I cannot see them just keeping him as a "floater" =13th guy for the "experience"...this is usually a 19 year old's tournament and Canada is actually very young this time out...

Given my assessment of the "politically correct" minimum---I see Burdon as a lock (if he is healthy) ,Letang as either 6th or 7th D-man,and Latendresse as a lock--meaning Brassard and Esposito battle it out for that last "Q" spot unless Ellis gets a goalie spot...IF Ellis gets a goalie spot --they may keep Esposito as a 13th for the experience but only if Brassard doesn't make it...remember he and Latendresse play together and have chemistry and Brassard is lighting quick--he may be slightly slower than Cogliano in straight line speed but he is more agile laterally and is a centre who has better vision and passing ability than Cogliano ...

Another factor is that they will want good PK guys=Bertram and Comeau ...there is flexibility in that Bolland can play all 3 forward positions...


Looking at everything from political considerations to age mix,specialy roles,checking line etc.. I see it this way:

Forwards:
Pouliot Brassard Latendresse
Bolland Toews Blunden
Setoguchi Chipchura Bertram
Comeau Little Boyd
13th =O'Marra

There is flexibility and depth ...only if Esposito demonstrates that at his young age he can start--he'd have to beat Brassard or Little out of a spot--is it worth the risk
to keep him on the team...

Defense:

Barker Russell
Burdon Parent
Staal Letang
* Stephenson =7th Dman--or he is the 6th and Letang is the 7th

Goal:

Price
Pogge (a hunch)...

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

On paper it's looking like Canada and the US are the teams to beat

Too bad they dont play in Nagano

 

[Belizarius]

I think that he has a very good chance of making the team. He played very well with Bourdon at the U-18s last year and plays with Bourdon in the Q obviously too. In Bob McKenzie's article he suggests that Bourdon could play with Letang and Barker with Russell (team-mates in Medicine Hat), with Staal and Parent rounding out the top six. We'll see I guess.

I like this top-6... I wish it could be the good one, even if I think we could see a bigger body like Rogers as well...

 

[Mowzie]

I'm pretty sure Cogliano will not only make the team, but likely have a pretty big role on one of the scoring lines. Id like to see him stay with Latendresse and Pouliet, they looked good together at the summer camp. As an Oiler fan I'm very excited about Cogs and look forward to seeing him in action.

Dubnyk had a very solid November and should make the decision hard for the coaches.

 

[Lessy]

Looking at the size of the Canadian forwards in the selection camp... they seem to me as very small in comparison to previous years or is it just me