Is Canada's talent pool drying up?

[oilerfanatic]

A gold medal loss last year and a shootout loss in the prelims against Sweden has many convinced that Canada's superiority in the sport is in its last stages.

Wishful thinking or realistic fact?

Discuss.

Click to read more...

 

[Forsburger]

Either that or their prospects are so good their playing in the NHL already. Hall and Duchene and those guys could be at the WJC but their not. So pretty much the exact opposite of your statement could be true as well.

 

[JVR]

How could their talent-pool dry up really???

 

[Bjorn Le]

Pejorative Slured thread. What possible reason could you find to start this?

Campbell stood on his head last year. Roy sucked it up today. Schwartz and Kassian are both out, and Seguin should be there right now aswell, not even mentioning all the other players they're missing in the NHL.

 

[BobDobolina]

Those "many" you speak of must be idiots. NHL draft picks and their success in the NHL is where it's at. A loss, two or ten in the WJC doesn't make a difference.

 

[vippe]

Oh cmon... losing a game and the talentpool is dropping off? jeez... Canada still has the best depth of hockeyplayers in the world, any team can lose a game or 2-3-4-5-6.. they still have great talent.

 

[Sensfanman]

A gold medal loss last year and a shootout loss in the prelims against Sweden has many convinced that Canada's superiority in the sport is in its last stages.

Wishful thinking or realistic fact?

Discuss.

There can be a myriad of reasons as to why Canada isn't doing as well as usual. The poster above brings the first where the NHL requires teams to use what young talent they can to save cap space so our juniors are playing in the NHL. The second is that Sweden and the USA are getting very strong surpassing the likes of Russia and Finland rather firmly. Finally, this is definitely a down year for Canadian players particularly forwards and most knew this before the tournament but "forgot" after 10 goals against Norway.

Also who are these many and why is it wishful thinking?

 

[wjhl2009fan]

A gold medal loss last year and a shootout loss in the prelims against Sweden has many convinced that Canada's superiority in the sport is in its last stages.

Wishful thinking or realistic fact?

Discuss.

You can not or should not base it on this game or even last years gold medal game in the gold medal game.In short no the talent pool is not drying up sure we can question some of the picks for the team but no the player pool is not drying up.

 

[JustGivingEr]

Either that or their prospects are so good their playing in the NHL already. Hall and Duchene and those guys could be at the WJC but their not. So pretty much the exact opposite of your statement could be true as well.

Exactly, not to mention Skinner, Kane, O'Reilly, etc.
I really don't think an OT loss in the Gold Medal game (to a very good American team) and a SO loss to a good Swedish team on an off game for Canada is good reason to suggest the talent pool is drying.

 

[Zaphod]

Overly reactionary, and pretty funny to suggest that being a goal away from the gold at a junior level in the same year as an Olympic gold and a continued steady stream of young talent making an impact at an NHL level means the end is nigh.

 

[magic school bus]

really?

because they lost one game - in a shootout???

 

[Klaus]

LOL.

Canada's talent pool will never dry up. Way too many people overreacting tonight.

 

[Natey]

If anything, the only thing drying up in Canada is goaltending. Goaltending has been terrible in the past two tournaments.

 

[Ciccarelli]

I'd like to think so, yes.

 

[oilerfanatic]

fellas, this is not me saying this or believing this..i'm merely quoting what some swedish and american fans were saying after the loss.

 

[oilerfanatic]

If anything, the only thing drying up in Canada is goaltending. Goaltending has been terrible in the past two tournaments.

finland is the new quebec

 

[Kenobody]

A gold medal loss last year and a shootout loss in the prelims against Sweden has many convinced that Canada's superiority in the sport is in its last stages.

Wishful thinking or realistic fact?

Discuss.

Do you really want another 2005 snore-fest? The fact that a good number of Canada's top U20 players are in the NHL and Canada's junior team is still giving the other top teams a run for their money is a testament to the country's talent pool.

 

[wjhl2009fan]

fellas, this is not me saying this or believing this..i'm merely quoting what some swedish and american fans were saying after the loss.

No its not drying up sure some not canada fans may want to beleave this but its not fact.

 

[cheerupmurray]

Stupid thread, Canada produces great talents every year. Just look at the scoring race for juniors in NHL. The only tad bit worrying stuff is perhaps the quality of the goaltending, but I suspect thats really not a problem either.

 

[Apathetic]

Either that or their prospects are so good their playing in the NHL already. Hall and Duchene and those guys could be at the WJC but their not. So pretty much the exact opposite of your statement could be true as well.

/thread

also don't bother suggesting Landeskog / Paajarvi are as significant as Duchene / Hall because I know someone will and they are not.

Edit: yeah our goaltending sucks

 

[Freudian]

No.

Not only does Canada have a bunch of highly talented players who could have played in this championship in the NHL but also you have to consider that Canada deliberately went big (and a bit slow) this year. They left out smaller skill guys like Murphy and Hishon. With a different selection philosophy Canada would look more skilled out there.

It is of course too early to tell if Canada made the right choice or not. Next week we will know if going big was the right thing to do.

 

[Stoneberg]

lol Canada's talent pool is still best in the world no matter which way you slice it. Best young players, best and deepest group of players in any age bracket you can come up with.

 

[Tavaresmagicalplay*]

Lots of teams go through lean years. Canada is having one of those.

 

[Topside]

A gold medal loss last year and a shootout loss in the prelims against Sweden has many convinced* that Canada's superiority in the sport is in its last stages.

Wishful thinking or realistic fact?

Discuss.

*citation needed.

 

[RedwingsnCudi13]

A little bit too much to drink ?